Discount Grocery Stores Can Be Your Best Friends! 6:100

HI again. I am continuing with my series of blog posts, and videos on the secret 100 tips I have learned being an Herbalist...(20 years and counting). This is number 6:100. 

photo credit- Nathan Dumlao, unsplash

I love discount grocery stores. I would not have been able to get where I am today, without them. I just could not afford Organic food from the regular stores, in the beginning. I have found, hands down, that when someone comes to me with a health issue, there is almost always some money issues as well. The person will often feel helpless and hopeless because they want to go the natural route but the cost of buying herbs, supplements, and groceries is debilitating. 

I get it! I understand. Thankfully we live in an area in PA where there are many Mennonite run grocery stores, offering discounted prices, because the groceries were not "perfect" for the regular store. Meaning: The boxes, or cans, or packaging may have had an imperfection, dent etc. Sometimes the stores have too much, and they get shipped to the discount places. I do have to admit, there is a definite ART to shopping discount. I am very careful in what I buy, and do a quick energy test before purchasing my produce. Luckily though my main store gets a lot of produce from local farms, so it is not "old" but cheaper because its local.

Sometimes the food is also bulk, so that is what it is cheaper, and where I shop, there is a large freezer section with delectable Organic food that I would never buy in my regular store, for a very much reduced price. For instance, I just purchased this amazing Ancestral Blend Beef and Bison- from grazing animals for a fraction (less than $4.00 a lb.) at my store. There is also usually an abundance of frozen fruit, and frozen meals that are usually found at the health food stores only. 

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photo credit, Marcus Paulo Prado - unsplash

I can also find discounted supplements, paper products, shampoos, and other fun items that are the brands I love and much cheaper. In total I have 4 stores within 30 minutes from where I live that I can choose from for discount prices. I usually stick to the one, because it is closer, and a long time ago I made a promise to myself to spend less time shopping.

The other benefit is that you "never know what you will find." This can be annoying if you want certain ingredients. Of course there are many staples that are always there, but the fun aspect is that you can find surprises from week to week. The other week my store had the BIG, GIANT Kombucha bottles for .99 cents. This was probably my favorite recent score. Still great! Still bubbly. 

My recommendation to you. Ask around. If you do not know where your discount stores are. Find them. We live in the country now, but when I lived in the city, there were a number of ethic based food stores, with great ingredients from other countries, and very awesome prices. When you find you store or stores. Try them a few times until you get a good feel for one in particular. I find it saves a lot of time to frequent a particular store because you know the lay of the land. 

Then pray for your store. Pray they get amazing ingredients, products and Organics that you can buy to feed yourself and your family. We now have a much greater income than when I first started my health journey, but I rather like getting deals, and still continue to buy a lot of my items on discount. Let me reiterate. It may take practice. I do check dates, and buy the best looking, most fresh items. Oh! If you go to a store that seems dusty, and like the items aren't moving. It probably isn't the best pick. My main discount store is very very busy! People come from all over. They keep it really clean and items move. In fact my friends will often text me if there is a good deal on something special, because if you don't hurry up and get it, someone else will!

Take heart. Seek and ye shall find. Knock and the door shall be opened for you.