Different stores different experiences

Where you buy a thing is really important. The store you choose can have a really big impact on the price, experience and your options should anything go wrong.

Pricing can vary pretty substantially from store to store. To be an optimally frugal shopper you have to know what to get and from where. There is generally no such thing as expensive stores and cheap stores, . Trader Joe’s for instances had the best prices for nuts and nut butters. Its really a steal. If you’re getting nuts you’d be hard priced to find a grocery chain with better value. This is particularly true if you’re looking for organic, raw or alternate nut butters. I’ve seen some cases as crazy as a 6 dollar jar of nut butter being 20-34 dollars at other stores. Clearly those other stores are not known for their sales.

Whole Foods which is notoriously expensive. Actually has cheaper bags of organic spring mix than Trader Joe’s. 50 cents cheaper, which is a lot consider Trader Joe’s has $2.50 bags of organic salad which is really hard to beat. Factor in the possible 10 cent discount you get from bringing your own bag, and you now Trader Joe’s looks like extortionists.

The other thing to look out for outside of marked price is policies.

Price matching policies are a well kept secret because big companies can over expensive prices but also accommodate frugal picky customers . Best Buy, Walmart and B&H are all electronics stores that offer price matching. Staples goes even further snd gives you a further ten percent deduction if you can match the price.

So aside from the price return policy is a huge factor. Best Buy has a 15 day return policy on electronics as does staples , whereas target has 90. This is an absolutely substantial difference. Imagine you buy something big and 3 weeks in there is a big problem, well, there would be a big difference in experience depending on store.

Outside of its price matching, I see little value to choosing Best Buy over others,

One privileged angle I would like to go with is who you are supporting. Big corporations usually have their money traceable to policies or political stances of some kind. It is certainly a luxury to be able to do so, but simultaneously we must try to end putting money in oppressive structures. Always shop local, homemade, slow process, minority and support those who are putting out something interesting genuine and with care and love.

Also , if you like a product you see on Amazon, search it on the internet, they have a website. If you can afford the price difference, do it, it’s not being a sucker it’s an investment . That way you’re not supporting Amazon while diminishing the profit of the company making your product.

Hope these tips help you navigate a difficult consumer landscape snd that these factors make a difference.

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Thanks for reading this is an article that fits into my series of consumer tips!
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