*Every Monday throughout 2014 I will be sharing Money Savings Tips to help stick to and expand your budget!
Shopping at the right grocery store is an important way to save money on groceries. You will see a lot of grocery store tips on Money Saving Monday throughout the year, but picking the right store is an important start to save money.
There’s a lot of different grocery stores in Boston and Massachusetts, and there’s many factors to keep in mind besides the one closest to your home. Here’s some things to keep in mind:
- Price: How expensive is the grocery store? Do they have everyday low prices? Do they have good sales?
- Quality: What is the quality of items for which you buy regularly? Are you happy with the quality with the product?
- Service: How is the customer service at your store? Do you find errors on your receipts? Do you feel valued as a customer?
- Traffic: How busy is your store? Is it too crowded to shop effectively? Is there a lot of product turnover?
Personally I switch back and forth between grocery stores depending on prices and sales. I like to shop where I can find the best price for the best value. Sometimes I use a lot of coupons to help me maintain my tight budget and other times I don’t use any coupons, depending on the week.
Many grocery stores in Massachusetts accepts coupons and many double coupons as well; however, every store is a little different. Below is a list of the store, their coupon policy and if they allow stacking with store and manufacturer coupons. The coupon policy is linked with each store name, but some stores do not have an official policy, so your mileage may vary.
| Store Name | Accepts Coupons | Doubles Coupons | Stack Store with MFR |
| Shaw’s | Yes | Yes, up to .99 | Yes |
| Stop and Shop | Yes | Yes, up to .99 | Yes |
| Roche Bros | Yes | Yes, up to .99 | Yes |
| Whole Foods | Yes | No | Yes |
| Market Basket | Yes | No | Varies |
| Hannafords | Yes | No | No |
| Big Y | Yes | Yes, up to .99 | unsure |
| Trader Joes | Yes | No | no |
| Save-a-lot | unsure | No | No |
| Price Chopper | Yes | Yes, up to .99 | Yes |
| Wegman’s | Yes | Yes, up to .99 | Yes |
Also, keep in mind that I have not shopped at every store on the list and policies can change often. Feel free to contact the store directly if you have any questions. However, if you shop at one of these stores and feel I made an error, please leave a note in the comments, and I will update this chart!
What is your favorite local store to grocery shop at and why?
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