Call me a granny, but I live to clip coupons. My office gets the Sunday paper, so Monday morning I haul ass to our lunch room and house the coupons. It's a seriously easy way to save money, and it gets me to try products I otherwise wouldn't even pay attention to. I recommend it to everyone (except the people I work with, because I will strong-arm your asses on Monday).

I think TJ's is owned by the same family that owns Aldi's.

Nice work thrifty. Plus you don't have to spend the buck and a half to buy the paper.

Aldi is not a salvage grocer! Even in the Strib article it is referred to as a "deep discount" grocery store. Aldi keeps prices low by carrying products under their own label, while still carrying some special brand-name items each week. I have never seen anything expired at Aldi!

That being said, I think that salvage grocery stores can be excellent resources for stretching grocery budgets. I live in St. Paul, where there are not as many (or any, it sometimes seems) sources for low-cost groceries. Driving over to Minneapolis can be daunting, due to gas prices and time constraints, but I've recently considered looking for (or starting) some sort of grocery ride-share program wherein community members share the costs of group transportation to various discount facilities.

In Minneapolis another great option for low-cost groceries is the Greater Lake Country Food Bank, 612-340-9694, located at 554 8th Ave N (by Olson Memorial Hwy and 7th st, near the Metro Transit facility). It is tiny but often has deep discounts on bulk items, and they offer (at least as of the last time I was there, in March 2008) free bread with a $10 purchase.

Of course, if you're really down on your luck or waiting for that next paycheck or food benefits payment to go through, there are always free options. Food shelves, contrary to popular belief, are not usually very easy places at which to receive services. For the Minnesota Emergency Food Shelf Network facilities there is a specific site for your geographic location (and not all food shelves are created equal so some neighborhoods offer facilities where patrons can choose their groceries and maintain some modicum of dignity while others may ask you your preferences but offer no input in the actual selection of items), you may only use the facility once per month (and receive 2-3 days worth of food), there are eligibility and qualification requirements, and you must provide constant proof of residence (not always easy if you are couch-hopping, homeless, move often, or cannot afford identification).

Some locations offer daily free bread (donated from local grocers and bakeries on a day-old basis), such as the West 7th Salvation Army in Saint Paul, and often suppliers donate other food items such as bakery treats, "fancy" breads, and sometimes even deli entrees and salads! Sharing and Caring Hands, in Minneapolis, has a need-basis (not geographic location) food shelf that is open several times per week, and they also offer free bread. That being said, a family (or poor college student;) ) can't live only on bread. Thus, it is worth it to combine shopping at regular, discount, and salvage grocers; finding food banks; utilizing food shelves, bread lines, and other free resources; and applying for benefits where eligible (although even if an individual or family qualifies for food support they can still expect to pay most of their food costs on their own)in order to fulfill their nutritional needs.

You're right, Alex, I was not clear about stating that So Low and Mike's have salvage items, whereas Aldi is simply a no-frills, discount grocer. Thanks for all the additional information you provided, too.