My biggest gripe about the commissary (besides the rather aggressive 90 year-old baggers who work only for tips) is the lack of generic products. I fully recognize that I am paying generic prices for name brand products for the most part, but not always. And I really appreciate the generic products that the commissary does carry.
I know the quality of commissaries vary greatly from post to post. I have been in some on large posts, that are nicer than any store out in town, but we have mostly been stationed at smaller posts with older, smaller facilities.
Do you use the commissary? Does it save you money? Does your commissary have very aggressive elderly baggers? Or are the hassles involved more than you can handle?
5 comments:
I LOVE the commissary!!!!! I don't necessarily like having to tip the baggers when I would gladly just as soon take my own bags out to my car BUT I save sooooooo much money on their great prices and even BETTER coupons that it makes up for it (plus some)! Yes, we have extremely old and feeble (and sometimes agressive) baggers here in San Diego as well. The reason why I love the commissary so much is because we have NO Super Wal-Mart here to buy cheap generic groceries from so the only other option is Albertsons with their RIDICULOUS prices! So, if I did actually live in an area of the country with Super Wal-Mart I doubt I would actually shop at the commissary. I try to keep a grocery list and only go once a month (to save on gas and only tipping once) and I get as many coupons as I can gather throughout the month and take them with me. Then, while in the store, I search out even more coupons and special deals and never leave without saving at least an extra $20 in coupons alone. Now, I rarely (if ever) buy anything from the NEX as far as clothing, electronics, etc go because I think their prices are not at all good enough. I can always, always, always find those things for much better prices out in the civilian world (even with paying tax). Anyways, I love your blog and look at it all the time! Thank you for creating this for all of us Military families out there!!
I love the commissary. We live in Alaska where you can easily pay $6 for a box of cereal. Milk, off base is $4.99 a gallon. At the commissary it's $3. That alone saves our family billions a year! :)
But really I think the purpose of the commissary was for people overseas or in really expensive places. Like Germany and stuff. We are just soo lucky to have them everywhere!
I do hate having to tip the baggers. Most of our baggers are high school kids during the summer but once the winter comes it's old wives of retired veterans. And on ice!! It's crazy most days but I'd rather pay them 3 bucks than 300 for groceries!!
We do most of our shopping at the Commissary. We learned early on in our married that it was worth it. We did an experiment and saw the savings.
I don't have trouble with the elderly baggers. It's the aggressive elderly shoppers that get me upset.
I do hear ya on the generic brands but at least the name brand stuff is less expensive than off base which helps tons. I don't know how we'd feed our family if not for the commissary.
I shop at the commissary because it is close to my house. I hate to drive in the snow. there are some things I have to pay more for, but I will pay more for gas than I would save on going off post. :) I love that the commissary stocks basically the same things at every post too!
Oh the commissary...how I miss thee. My husband is in the Guard but we spent some time on an active post for Flight School. I miss the commissary the most. It's one of those things easily taken for granted and now we live too far from a post to make the trip. Crasy old folks, or punk teens, I'd take it back in a heartbeat.
Post a Comment