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When I was at college, I either shopped at the Medinah super mini mart around the corner, with its array of goods where the labels were mostly in Urdu, so you had to guess the contents from the pictures, or at Morrison's, which is the fourth kruttiest supermarket in the UK, below Tesco, but above Asda. Now I shop at the local covered market, avoiding the 3-D holograms of the crucifixion, vaping supplies, pies (sometimes), trays of marinaded chicken wings for £5, suspicious underwear and denim onesies, or Lidl, which is the fifth kruttiest supermarket in the UK, still a cut above Aldi and Netto (RIP).
EDIT: Ah, Netto, where shopping in the buff was not only allowed, but positively encouraged, even if you needed to be decontaminated afterwards.
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(Can you tell it's a slow day for me at work?)
My best shopping experience was living in Davis and being able to go to the Nugget Market on Glide drive. It was right on one of the major farm routes, so trucks would pick up produce at the farm, head for the freeway, and drop some off at the Nugget.
There really is nothing to compare to slicing up and eating a cantaloupe that's still warm from the sun from when it was on the vine.
Our current situation is a distant second, but still nice: The corner grocery store for most of our needs, a Farmer's Market on Sundays for our fresh fruit, and then two Safeways within walking distance. So the only time I have to drive is to Target, and even that would be bikable if it weren't for the hideously bike-unfriendly railroad overcrossing there.
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Re: Ace hardware: holy crap, NH! That is terrible! I almost never shop at ace because they’re overpriced, and that is a good argument for not shopping there in the future.
Re:CVS....that is truly bizarre and very much the opposite of my experience with CVS store brands. Except bandaids. You’re totally right about those. And thermometers, but that isn’t a CVS problem. I went through about six thermometers from various stores before I found one that worked for longer than a week. Finally found a good one on amazon, but I hesitate to recommend it as at this point I am fairly certain it’s a fluke.:P
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Re: Ace hardware: holy crap, NH! That is terrible! I almost never shop at ace because they’re overpriced, and that is a good argument for not shopping there in the future.
Re:CVS....that is truly bizarre and very much the opposite of my experience with CVS store brands. Except bandaids. You’re totally right about those. And thermometers, but that isn’t a CVS problem. I went through about six thermometers from various stores before I found one that worked for longer than a week. Finally found a good one on amazon, but I hesitate to recommend it as at this point I am fairly certain it’s a fluke.:P
One of my father's favorite quotes:
"If it's a good meter, it's a Fluke!"| 7 people marked this as a favorite. |
Aaaand... because NobodysWife shared
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Re: Ace hardware: holy crap, NH! That is terrible! I almost never shop at ace because they’re overpriced, and that is a good argument for not shopping there in the future.
The saddest part is that I won't shop at Home Depot, either, so it's a 25-30 minute drive to Truitt & White hardware, where I can pay $12 for 25 (twenty-five) 2 1/2" screws.
Then I used the screws.
OMG! You really don't understand the difference between good and bad tools 'til you use the good ones. Now I'm a screw snob.
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The General has strictly forbidden me from buying cheap thermometers.
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Re: Ace hardware: holy crap, NH! That is terrible! I almost never shop at ace because they’re overpriced, and that is a good argument for not shopping there in the future.The saddest part is that I won't shop at Home Depot, either, so it's a 25-30 minute drive to Truitt & White hardware, where I can pay $12 for 25 (twenty-five) 2 1/2" screws.
Then I used the screws.
OMG! You really don't understand the difference between good and bad tools 'til you use the good ones. Now I'm a screw snob.
Oh sure, you're getting gold plated screws but you won't even get me a new food dish for the fish heads!
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I made a casserole for dinner, as much as it pains me to say, I might've used too much cheese on top.
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I picked up a Saturday shift, take that Wall Street Journal!
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The saddest part is that I won't shop at Home Depot, either
My dad has refused to shop with them after overhearing three words from an employee in their plumbing section to a customer: "Just force it."
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Aaaand... because NobodysWife shared
I blame you for my hour-long Imgur binge.
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I blame you for my hour-long Imgur binge.Aaaand... because NobodysWife shared
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Could be worse!I blame you for my hour-long Imgur binge.Aaaand... because NobodysWife shared
Then I would demand he dance the Mamushka as penance :p
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Could be worse!I blame you for my hour-long Imgur binge.Aaaand... because NobodysWife shared
... yeeeeeeeeesssssssssssssssssss ....
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The saddest part is that I won't shop at Home Depot, eitherMy dad has refused to shop with them after overhearing three words from an employee in their plumbing section to a customer: "Just force it."
Better than my family's reason for not shopping there....
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Off-brands are for daily use, while Name-brands are picked up only if there on sale. Yea I'm a cheap ass, when I have to buy stuff for myself only (with a huge exception for stuff that goes in my body, ie foods and drinks). The expensive stuff is for guests, family or random strangers ^^.
TP-wise, I'm a snob, though it's partly out of necessity. It has to be a 4+ layered silky soft piece of paper or it gets nowhere near my behind! ^^'
Doesn't help I'm very thin-skinned back there, and I mean seriously thin-skinned. Most public building toilets are a no-go, unless I want to break skin back there.
...or Lidl, which is the fifth kruttiest supermarket in the UK, still a cut above Aldi and Netto (RIP)...
Fun fact, Netto is mostly considered a bit above the "Germans" (Lidl and Aldi) over here, even if there are large variations in the...errr...orderliness and quality of service in the Nettos. I think its because the "Germans" have a not quite placable "slaughter-hall/butcher-shop" quality to the interiors (ie, everything is easy cleanable tiles, the shops are skimpy about the interior heating and that sort of stuff).
Back in the college day, I had two Nettos in walking distance of my dorm. One in a middleclass/lower middleclass "suburbia" kind of neighborhood and one in a lower class high rise-ish "ghetto" like area. They were two very different worlds, so much a product of the area they where placed in, to the point were it was difficult at times to believe that they were the "same" shops.| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
Germans?!?
Don't mention the war!
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Aldi is great over here. I love shopping there, when they actually have the stuff I want. I've stumbled across all sorts of interesting or useful things there that I would never have expected from a grocery store, and their prices are usually low enough to even give Walmart a run for their money sometimes.
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Dude, wo ist mein zeppelin!!
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Could be worse!I blame you for my hour-long Imgur binge.Aaaand... because NobodysWife shared
Hey! You just stole Trig's picture!
(Yeah, it's really creepy spending over an hour looking for a decent picture of a female gnome rogue, finally getting one you like, and finding out it's a Pathfinder avatar. Grr...)
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Aldi is great over here. I love shopping there, when they actually have the stuff I want. I've stumbled across all sorts of interesting or useful things there that I would never have expected from a grocery store, and their prices are usually low enough to even give Walmart a run for their money sometimes.
we have one in the mall behind my house. Its where I get my sausages and hot dogs from.
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I made a casserole for dinner, as much as it pains me to say, I might've used too much cheese on top.
this sentence makes no sense.
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The principal has banned Crookshanks' 6 inch long metal sword hair pins, so of course, for Crookshanks, this means war.
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I made a casserole for dinner, as much as it pains me to say, I might've used too much cheese on top.
Are.....are you sure you’re feeling okay? I mean....those words....they don’t go together...;)
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Pittsburgh has a water park.
*jumps into the water and happily starts paddling*
Oh I'm trying the green tea cake again.
This time I used:
2 cups of self raising flour
130 g of sugar
130 ml of water
3 eggs
5 tablespoons + of green tea powder (I realized it was running out so after 4 tablespoons and I couldn't scoup anymore, I dumped the whole lot in).
Next task: Prepare Strange Aeons Book 6. Go Me!
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Huh. I like store brand stuff. I was raised to always pick the cheapest option (on account of being dirt poor) so I didn't even really realize non generic things were even an option until I got to college. With some exceptions. When even the poor folks won't buy the generic of something you know it's bad. (looking at you, store brand velveeta, yeeech....the brand name is just barely food as is) Now I have to get name brands on some things on account of allergies, but I still buy a lot of store brand stuff. Never had a problem with it. Still buy a bunch on Amazon because specialty product, cheaper to buy online, or just don't like carrying it home from the store....laziness is a perfectly valid reason to order something! ;)
And everyone knows to never get store brand band-aids. It's like velveeta. Always buy a name brand. I prefer Nexcare myself. Which they do still carry at CVS. I know because that's where I bought it last. :PEdit: Apparently the benefit of living in the midwest instead of California is that I don't have to compete for normal things like simply Jif and so on....that is seriously so weird. Here I'm like the only person who even buys that stuff. :)
Yeah I buy store brands and anything I can get cheap. But there will be some times, for flavour purposes I will only insist on certain items. Like Real Hormel's bacon bits. No artificial substitutes for me!
Also, I have EAT ANYTHING feat. So I REALLY eat like. Anything. Pretty much. I ain't picky.
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The principal has banned Crookshanks' 6 inch long metal sword hair pins, so of course, for Crookshanks, this means war.
5.75-inch sword hairpins?
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Aaaand... because NobodysWife shared
That's pretty funny.
Oh Yesterday was suuuuper busy. It was like everything had to be done the day before and wasn't done yet so I was really, really, stressed. At least today I'm having a day off...which...eh I think I'd better go check that mailbox of mine to see if anything exploded...
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Aldi is great over here. I love shopping there, when they actually have the stuff I want. I've stumbled across all sorts of interesting or useful things there that I would never have expected from a grocery store, and their prices are usually low enough to even give Walmart a run for their money sometimes.
I wish we had an Aldi here. The closest one is a 3 hour drive. When we were living in Texas, we had started getting most of our groceries there.
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Huh. I like store brand stuff. I was raised to always pick the cheapest option (on account of being dirt poor) so I didn't even really realize non generic things were even an option until I got to college. With some exceptions. When even the poor folks won't buy the generic of something you know it's bad. (looking at you, store brand velveeta, yeeech....the brand name is just barely food as is) Now I have to get name brands on some things on account of allergies, but I still buy a lot of store brand stuff. Never had a problem with it. Still buy a bunch on Amazon because specialty product, cheaper to buy online, or just don't like carrying it home from the store....laziness is a perfectly valid reason to order something! ;)
And everyone knows to never get store brand band-aids. It's like velveeta. Always buy a name brand. I prefer Nexcare myself. Which they do still carry at CVS. I know because that's where I bought it last. :PEdit: Apparently the benefit of living in the midwest instead of California is that I don't have to compete for normal things like simply Jif and so on....that is seriously so weird. Here I'm like the only person who even buys that stuff. :)
Yeah I buy store brands and anything I can get cheap. But there will be some times, for flavour purposes I will only insist on certain items. Like Real Hormel's bacon bits. No artificial substitutes for me!
Also, I have EAT ANYTHING feat. So I REALLY eat like. Anything. Pretty much. I ain't picky.
So...the long pork?
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** spoiler omitted **
Uh...
I'm not quite sure how to respond...
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Though I suppose technically the latter can be part of the former....
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We go with a mix of store brand v brand name. Depends on the store, depends on the item. Tylenol vs CVS Pain Reliever equivalent? CVS every time.
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Studiously ignores the random cannibalism, for fear of joining the conversation and embarrassing myself by saying something inappropriate or wrong. I mean, only the really cool kids are into that.
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I think it may be a difference between what we're talking about, because for example, at ACE I had:
Stucco patch that I could crumble between two fingers... a month after applying it!
Screws that shattered while being hand-screwed into drywall anchors
Waterproof caulk that washed away in water... a week after curing...
...and more...
While at CVS I had:
A thermometer that would not give two consistent readings within 3 degrees of each other
Adhesive bandages that wouldn't stick... right out of the package
Cold medicine (Nyquil 'equivalent') that had no effect on the patient, even though said patient had no idea it wasn't Nyquil
...and more... So for me it wasn't, "This stuff isn't as good," it was, quite literally, "This stuff does not work for the purpose for which I bought it."
That's not "saving money", that's, "This does not function."
Yes, yes, it's CVS's and Ace's faults... {continues writing positive evaluations of gremlins assigned to NobodysHome's family}
(We finally decided on Charmin Ultra, but I'm sure tastes vary.)
I've honestly never considered how Charmin Ultra tastes... but, um, you do you?
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Oh I'm trying the green tea cake again.
This time I used:
2 cups of self raising flour
130 g of sugar
130 ml of water
3 eggs
5 tablespoons + of green tea powder (I realized it was running out so after 4 tablespoons and I couldn't scoup anymore, I dumped the whole lot in).
I wonder how well that'd convert into a mug cake recipe?
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{rumbles hangrily}
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Off-brands are for daily use, while Name-brands are picked up only if there on sale. Yea I'm a cheap ass, when I have to buy stuff for myself only (with a huge exception for stuff that goes in my body, ie foods and drinks). The expensive stuff is for guests, family or random strangers ^^.
TP-wise, I'm a snob, though it's partly out of necessity. It has to be a 4+ layered silky soft piece of paper or it gets nowhere near my behind! ^^'
Doesn't help I'm very thin-skinned back there, and I mean seriously thin-skinned. Most public building toilets are a no-go, unless I want to break skin back there....or Lidl, which is the fifth kruttiest supermarket in the UK, still a cut above Aldi and Netto (RIP)...
Fun fact, Netto is mostly considered a bit above the "Germans" (Lidl and Aldi) over here, even if there are large variations in the...errr...orderliness and quality of service in the Nettos. I think its because the "Germans" have a not quite placable "slaughter-hall/butcher-shop" quality to the interiors (ie, everything is easy cleanable tiles, the shops are skimpy about the interior heating and that sort of stuff).
Back in the college day, I had two Nettos in walking distance of my dorm. One in a middleclass/lower middleclass "suburbia" kind of neighborhood and one in a lower class high rise-ish "ghetto" like area. They were two very different worlds, so much a product of the area they where placed in, to the point were it was difficult at times to believe that they were the "same" shops.
The Netto near my work (which has since become a bingo hall) was pretty much right at the bottom - I'm going from memory here, but I don't remember there being much on the shelves bar toilet roll and own-brand sliced white bread and baked beans, and all the spirits (hard liquor - not ghosts, so far as I know) were locked up in a sort of cage behind the cashier. They might have cleaned the floor at some point, but it didn't look like it.
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** spoiler omitted **
Now I wonder what sticks of life are. Google did not gave meaningful results for those.
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Lidl and Aldi here are quite decent.
And when I was in England (as far as I recall Norwich is part of England proper) Lidl was selling decent things too. Maybe I simply missed those that were bad. I even bought a set of workshoes there that were ok, althouh they finally gave up after two years when I got utterly and completely drenched by an intense rainstorm. And by drenched I mean that I squeezed water out of my leather wallet (it was falling apart before, and I stopped using it afterwards because of the damage). I'd squeeze the water out of the leather workshoes too, if not for the metal reinforcement that prevented it.
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Aldi here is pretty terrible.
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We have a wealth of options when it comes to groceries.
Target, Copps, Metcalfe's Sentry, and Knoches Market all within walking distance.
With five minutes of driving we can add Hy-Vee (which we hate), Woodman's, Willy Street Co-op, and Trader Joe's to the mix.
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Another sign of spring!
The geese are flying back north.
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Aldi here is pretty good. Better than many local stores and the big-names that come here.