I live in Canada, there's more grocery store choices on the East coast then there is here on the West, but we have Safeway, Superstore (the cheapest usually) Save on foods, Pricemart (which is pretty much save on foods) Market Place IGA, Walmart but with no produce(but you guys have way better ones, we have one super Walmart in all of the province of B.C.) Zellers has a halfway decent grocery section but no produce. and also Costco (you need a yearly membership to shop at that one it's a warehouse store with huge quantities of stuff). We also have a few discount grocery stores as well where stores send their over stock items and dinged up merchandise to be sold at a reduced price. But even some of that stuff is expensive. I remember being able to go a month on $100 when I first moved out and now I'm lucky to make it on $150. I only just moved out 9 years ago too, I'm still too young to be able to say a thing like that yet yeesh!

For the most part our reusable bags cost $1.00 or 99 cents. One time I was in a drugstore and was having trouble keeping a roll of birthday gift wrap in a plastic bag, it kept tipping out. The cashier gave me a reusable one from her store free as it was bigger and held it up better. The bookstores have them too and I got one from there as well as a couple from Safeway. The trouble I have with them though is I can never seem to remember to bring them with me. I think I remembered them twice if that in the year since buying them. Also what am I going to do for garbage can bags if I no longer have the plastic ones, I hate the idea of buying something that will just get thrown away like that anyway.

Chelle – Vancouver area of British Columbia Canada

Oh my goodness, I remember HyVee stores from one of the places I lived years ago. And I order my coffee flavors from Krogers' main website… They seem to have everything!

I sent all of my bags with my daughter to her school. I thought that she could use them until they wear out>>> which will probably be pretty soon. Some of the bags are made out of a very flimsy fabric with a very loose weave. She "hauls" her groceries several blocks to her dorm, and the twelve-packs of Diet Coke are pretty heavy.

You know, I haven't gone to the Central Market for years. I'm glad you reminded me about it. I really should try to get over there some time…

I do know people that bring their own bags in to reuse them, but the big ole canvas ones are really great.

Albertson's used to give me 10 cents per bag when I brought my own in–the weird thing though, it was only the one Albersons over by Dell (which is gone now I think). The one near where I live in Cedar Park–wouldn't give me the discount. Not that 30 cents is a big deal, but I couldn't understand why it was different.

HEB gave me a discount on the days they were selling (or pushing as the case may be) their green bags.

I use the self-checkout at my HEB and I bag my own. I'm guessing you don't have a self-checkout at yours…

As for bagging my own groceries… I used to be "allowed to"… I MUCH prefer bagging my own items. That way I can actually keep the bananas and tomatoes for the top of the bag. Now, when I try to bag… someone runs right over (as if the baggers have been told that they will be demoted) and tells me that they will bag for me.

I am pretty sure that I will end up buying bags >>> probably the Harbor canvas totes that Maria told us about. (Thanks, Maria!)

I think that they still have those Texas-shaped chips at H.E.B. What an incredible price difference on the cream cheese in Georgia. You had better stock up!

I doubt there is any "nickel back" deal out here. Our monopoly doesn't seem to be the keeping-the-customer-happy type of place. I am sure they are only interested in the environment because they can sell the tote bags while not having to buy the give-away bags.

"Poof" is right!