I normally shop between Walmart and Aldi, but I've found that I enjoy Ingles more because they have a better selection of basically everything and it tends to be very quiet and not busy after 6pm. I got a few groceries there yesterday evening and felt so relaxed and not at all stressed like I normally do when I grocery shop, but the price on some things was definitely a little scary, even with my Ingles card.
Does anyone successfully shop at Ingles without breaking the bank and still sticking to a budget?
Can you shop at Ingles and still be frugal?
byu/deepinthepinewoods inFrugal
Posted by deepinthepinewoods
3 Comments
Frugal is spending less on the things that don’t matter so you can spend more money on the things that do matter. If Ingles is a better shopping experience and the cost increases are offset elsewhere, it’s okay to spend a bit more on groceries.
Also, there’s no “frugal card.” No one is going to come after you for spending more on grapes than absolutely necessary.
I think your question is extremely regionally specific (I live in the state ingles is headquartered in and my city doesn’t even have any).
That being said honestly it depends on how valuable your time is. I personally stick to Aldi/Walmart/Costco but I’m very strategic on how I use each and make it so I don’t go to any more than once a week. Smaller stores are best for one offs in my opinion.
“Frugal” doesn’t mean “cheap”. If shopping at this store means you’re happier and able to cook every day, then it is frugal. Don’t get hung up on penny pinching.