tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11311723.post8453457574168299887..comments2023-12-01T10:35:12.938+00:00Comments on Boatlife: Cruising Aboard NB Valerie: Mumblings of a mature boater waiting for summer.Les Biggshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06200731053479474814noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11311723.post-20878759841268821662013-05-30T10:21:56.946+00:002013-05-30T10:21:56.946+00:00I hate grocery shopping at the best of times, and ...I hate grocery shopping at the best of times, and especially with a surly checkout operator. My one and only tip is that I never pay the checkout operator until I have packed all my groceries. That way they can't start to process the next customer while I am still trying to get my stuff packed.<br /><br />It may be of little help but that's how I deal with a checkout!!Snowy Owlnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11311723.post-25084956365097160582013-05-27T21:13:56.107+00:002013-05-27T21:13:56.107+00:00Hi Bryce
Thanks for that, interesting read.
Jaq sa...Hi Bryce<br />Thanks for that, interesting read.<br />Jaq says shopping in Alaska was expensive as everything is shipped in. Also she remarks on the quality of fruit over here but as i tell her Europe is on our doorstep and fresh products are trucked across Europe sometimes overnight.<br />LesLes Biggshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06200731053479474814noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11311723.post-51457374510185520332013-05-27T21:11:16.613+00:002013-05-27T21:11:16.613+00:00Hi John
Yepcan hear it now, "unexpected item ...Hi John<br />Yepcan hear it now, "unexpected item in the bagging area"<br />LesLes Biggshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06200731053479474814noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11311723.post-4600812827269467402013-05-27T01:05:41.007+00:002013-05-27T01:05:41.007+00:00Les, you are sounding off because you can and &quo...Les, you are sounding off because you can and "I" agree with everything you have written. Except, being confined to a floating vessel, you and your <br />foreign born wife (sorry Jaq) have often no real choice as to where you shop. You might have a Tesco here and maybe the next stop the Walmart appears. <br /><br />I can go on-line to flyerland.ca<br />punch in my Canadian Postal Code which is similar to the UK postal mail system. And get my own specific<br />area for food...<br /><br />Look up the flyer for the grocery store I want usually Longos/Fortinos/Metro/Sobeys however there are also lesser names such as Price Chopper and then the non-grocery <br />general retailers such WalMart and <br />Costco (the latter a membership<br />required retailer).<br /><br />So the secret is to know what major company owns which retailer. So for example Fortinos (the name) leans on the extremely heavy Italian immigrant population that settled in this general area during the early 1950's. The name Fortinos<br />is changed to Zehr's, for the Kitchener (once known as Berlin)<br />Waterloo area to the west of where I dwell. Thing is, both retailers are owned by the same company,Loblaws.immigrant Now there is one small chain under the LobLaw name, No Frills which is really lower in price across the board, and some of the yellow branded product makes <br />their way into either Fortinos or Zehrs. <br /><br />We have a lot of choice, really being in the middle of a 7-million<br />population market with some 50 or sixty foreign immigrant groups living here. <br /><br />Canada is 31-milllion plus population, so the numbers have a lot of purchasing power. And keep in mind too that the majority of the population live withing 600 miles of<br />the US-Canadian International border. So those who can, shop cross-border. Example: four litres of 2 percent milk here is $4.69, the equivalent in across the border Buffalo in New York State is $1.75!<br />Canada supports its farmers, and we pay for it, however I would have it no other way. I am a Canadian! I have friends who are dairy farmers as well so am well acquainted with<br />farmers and their problems.<br /><br />So where to shop? Ironially as a single person in a new (expensive) house and leaning somewhat towards a vegetarian existence, find the <br />independent local "green" grocer often has the best produce, however the combination outlets such as Walmart will match and/or beat<br />any price of any competitor if you bring in the current flyer for said product. The whole exercise is very competitive. As Jaq how much she would spend to feed her family, living in Alaska? Bet it wasn't a low dollar price. Have watched working mothers, drop C$300-C$400<br />in one grocery cart load and do that twice or even three times a week! I spend maybe C$100.00<br />every seven or eight days. I also keep my eye open for specials at large pharmacy retailers especial bathroom and toilet tissue.<br />Best oto keep those items in stock, <br />one always needs paper in the loo!<br /><br />Sorry to ramble.<br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11311723.post-15268579583859564052013-05-26T18:56:39.213+00:002013-05-26T18:56:39.213+00:00Don't worry, Les, you're not alone.
Groc...Don't worry, Les, you're not alone. <br /><br />Grocery shopping in any supermarket can reduce me to gibbering wreckage in a matter of minutes.<br /><br />And that's before I even get started on The Abomination That Brings Desolation that is the self-service check-out!.........<br /><br />:-)<br /><br /> John Wittshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14291220958329864659noreply@blogger.com