by April Reed

Created on: September 30, 2007   Last Updated: August 29, 2009

When it Comes to Groceries Which Store is the Right Fit for You?

Today's consumers have more options than ever before when choosing where to spend their hard earned dollar. When it comes to grocery purchases the three main contenders include grocery stores, warehouse clubs, and super centers. With all these vendors competing for your business, it makes sense to evaluate the options, and how they fit with your lifestyle.

Though not exclusive, there are three main factors worth considering when deciding which stores you'll patronize; Budget, time, and your list.

1. Budget. This is probably the biggest deciding factor for most shoppers who have a budget. There are a lot of reasons your choice of stores may hinge upon your spending habits. Thrifty shoppers often look for stores who offer double, or even triple discounts when using coupons, and stores that offer weekly and monthly sales. Most often this will be a grocery store, not a super center or warehouse club.

Size and quantity matter. Larger grocery stores and super centers offer more brands, and more sizes within the brands, on things like shampoo, laundry soap and peanut butter, to name a few. Let's take peanut butter. Sizes can range from the smallest jar to the largest gallon tub. Something for everyone's budget, and the right amount for anyone's cupboard. Alternately, a warehouse club will usually offer one brand of peanut butter, and is only available in bulk packaging. A small grocery will have only a few brands in two or three sizes.
It should be mentioned that warehouse clubs can be convenient if you have the ability to store the goods until you're ready to use them. Sometimes club prices can be cheaper. Because you're buying in bulk, you may be getting it for less. That is, however, not always the case. Many things cost the same as they would if you purchased them at regular price in a grocery store, but are just packaged in much larger amounts.

2. Time. How accessible is the store to your home or work? Is it within a reasonable distance? How often do you do your shopping? If you venture out only every couple of weeks, a few extra miles out of the way may be easier to swallow, but if you are running to the store several times a month, you'd probably prefer something closer to home.

It's important to know the open and closing hours of the stores you're considering. As a general rule, grocery stores open at seven or eight a.m., and close anywhere from eight to eleven p.m., or can be open twenty four

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