# Biggest Ripoff in the Grocery store **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [October 4, 2007, 6:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/biggest-ripoff-in-the-grocery-store/421477 "2007-10-04T06:18:02Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Julius\_Henry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/8797f3/32.png) [@Julius\_Henry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Julius_Henry)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2007, 11:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/biggest-ripoff-in-the-grocery-store/421477/21 "2007-10-04T23:06:39Z")
I never buy water at the grocery store. I have it piped directly to my house. It’s much cheaper and every bit at tasty. ---
**Author:** ![diggleblop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ac91a4/32.png) [@diggleblop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/diggleblop)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2007, 11:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/biggest-ripoff-in-the-grocery-store/421477/22 "2007-10-04T23:27:06Z")
Razor Blades - Mach 3 type blades that is. A new Razor with two new blades is only 8.95 as opposed to a new pack of 3 blades being 11.95 !!! Hmmmm… ---
**Author:** ![NajaNivea](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/22d042/32.png) [@NajaNivea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NajaNivea)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2007, 11:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/biggest-ripoff-in-the-grocery-store/421477/23 "2007-10-04T23:36:04Z")
[QUOTE=diggleblop] Razor Blades - Mach 3 type blades that is. A new Razor with two new blades is only 8.95 as opposed to a new pack of 3 blades being 11.95 !!! Hmmmm… [/QUOTE] But… the blade is the important bit if you already have the handle. Buying the two-blades-and-a-handle package makes the blades $4.47 each. If you have the handle and just buy the pack of blades, they’re $3.98 each. I switched to Mach 3 razors a couple months ago because I finally realized that the identical setup marketed to women (with girly-colored packaging) is almost 10% more expensive. :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![Khan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3ab097/32.png) [@Khan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Khan)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2007, 2:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/biggest-ripoff-in-the-grocery-store/421477/24 "2007-10-05T02:05:46Z")
Spices. Seeing as how they charge $4.00 for less than an ounce of rosemary or oregano, you’d think it was crapped out by sandworms and eating it must allow you to see through time. ---
**Author:** ![OneCentStamp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/13edae/32.png) [@OneCentStamp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OneCentStamp)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2007, 2:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/biggest-ripoff-in-the-grocery-store/421477/25 "2007-10-05T02:08:12Z")
[QUOTE=Khan] Spices. Seeing as how they charge $4.00 for less than an ounce of rosemary or oregano, you’d think it was crapped out by sandworms and eating it must allow you to see through time. [/QUOTE] Huh. At that price, I always assumed “oregano” was Kroger’s sly way of moving their ganja supply. ---
**Author:** ![kelly5078](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/6f9a4e/32.png) [@kelly5078](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kelly5078)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2007, 4:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/biggest-ripoff-in-the-grocery-store/421477/26 "2007-10-05T04:21:03Z")
Those brands of spaghetti sauce, like Rao’s, that go for $9 or $10 a jar. ---
**Author:** ![NajaNivea](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/22d042/32.png) [@NajaNivea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NajaNivea)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2007, 4:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/biggest-ripoff-in-the-grocery-store/421477/27 "2007-10-05T04:39:41Z")
[QUOTE=Khan] Spices. Seeing as how they charge $4.00 for less than an ounce of rosemary or oregano, you’d think it was crapped out by sandworms and eating it must allow you to see through time. [/QUOTE] Heh. My grocery store has spices in bulk–$2.44 _per pound_ for dried basil! ---
**Author:** ![Fugazi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/f08c70/32.png) [@Fugazi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fugazi)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2007, 12:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/biggest-ripoff-in-the-grocery-store/421477/28 "2007-10-05T12:00:07Z")
[QUOTE=t-bonham@scc.net] But possibly there is one item that is a bigger ripoff than any of these: bottles of water. Many grocery stores now sell water at a vastly inflated price. This water comes directly from the same city water pipes that go to people’s houses, and the containers aren’t even filled – the customer does that work in the store! Supposedly, this water is filtered; stockboys are supposed to change the filters regularly – do you think that actually happens? [/QUOTE] Really? My city water tastes like crap. It costs me a buck to fill a 3 gallon jug. I like the taste of it. Can’t see how I’m getting ripped off that much. ---
**Author:** ![TLDRIDKJKLOLFTW](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/51bf81/32.png) [@TLDRIDKJKLOLFTW](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TLDRIDKJKLOLFTW)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2007, 1:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/biggest-ripoff-in-the-grocery-store/421477/29 "2007-10-05T13:42:26Z")
French fried onions are _insane_ at $3.99 for the smallest jar, which is enough for about one salad or one dish. ---
**Author:** ![Zsofia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/7bcc69/32.png) [@Zsofia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zsofia)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2007, 2:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/biggest-ripoff-in-the-grocery-store/421477/30 "2007-10-05T14:07:17Z")
[QUOTE=NajaNivea] Heh. My grocery store has spices in bulk–$2.44 _per pound_ for dried basil! [/QUOTE] Yeah, but how fast do you use it? That stuff loses flavor, you know - how long has it been sitting there to start with? (Shouldn’t be using dried basil anyway, ick.) ---
**Author:** ![Cervaise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cervaise/32/16693_2.png) [@Cervaise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cervaise)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2007, 2:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/biggest-ripoff-in-the-grocery-store/421477/31 "2007-10-05T14:12:22Z")
Dried basil would be too expensive at “free.” ---
**Author:** ![Missy2U](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/3bc359/32.png) [@Missy2U](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Missy2U)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2007, 3:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/biggest-ripoff-in-the-grocery-store/421477/32 "2007-10-05T15:53:23Z")
[QUOTE=VCO3] French fried onions are _insane_ at $3.99 for the smallest jar, which is enough for about one salad or one dish. [/QUOTE] Where in the world are you shopping??? They aren’t anywhere NEAR that at my Dominick’s. More like $3 for a can that will make an entire green bean casserole. ---
**Author:** ![NajaNivea](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/22d042/32.png) [@NajaNivea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NajaNivea)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2007, 12:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/biggest-ripoff-in-the-grocery-store/421477/33 "2007-10-06T00:15:13Z")
[QUOTE=Zsofia] Yeah, but how fast do you use it? That stuff loses flavor, you know - how long has it been sitting there to start with? (Shouldn’t be using dried basil anyway, ick.) [/QUOTE] Pfaugh. Sometimes you gotta do what you gotta do in the middle of winter when there’s no fresh to be had. ---
**Author:** ![Creaky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e68b1a/32.png) [@Creaky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Creaky)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2007, 12:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/biggest-ripoff-in-the-grocery-store/421477/34 "2007-10-06T00:48:47Z")
I’ll agree on the toilet paper issue. Also tampons and stuff like that. (Glad I don’t use them anymore; sorry if that’s TMI.) Also cereal. Glad I don’t use that anymore. Other toiletry stuff I just bite the bullet and get when I’m at the grocery store because for me it’s better to get it all in one place. My theory is, the less driving I do, the less likely I am to get in an accident. ---
**Author:** ![stuyguy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ec9cab/32.png) [@stuyguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stuyguy)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2007, 3:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/biggest-ripoff-in-the-grocery-store/421477/35 "2007-10-06T03:35:03Z")
A couple of other posters have mentioned this product, but they’ve buried it in a list of of other ripoff goods, so it has not gotten the attention that it deserves. I defy anyone to name any other consumer product that is more of an intrinsic ripoff than greeting cards. Hell, most of the other products suggested – like bottled water, spices, cereal – can’t compare to greeting cards on the ripoff scale simply by virtue of coming in a bottle or box! The _container_ alone is more expensive or sophisticated than your average birthday card. Think about it: They sell a _single_ mass-printed and folded piece of cardboard and a paper envelope for what? Two bucks? Two-fifty? It’s insane! It can’t cost Hallmark more than four cents to produce the whole thing. ---
**Author:** ![Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/46a35a/32.png) [@Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tim_T-Bonham.net)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2007, 6:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/biggest-ripoff-in-the-grocery-store/421477/36 "2007-10-07T06:02:54Z")
[QUOTE=Fugazi] Really? My city water tastes like crap. It costs me a buck to fill a 3 gallon jug. I like the taste of it. Can’t see how I’m getting ripped off that much. [/QUOTE] You are filling that jug with the same city water, just run through a carbon filter. You can buy a filter system so you can do that right in the convenience of your own home, and be assured that the filters are being replaced regularly. And the cost will work out to much less that you are paying at the grocery store. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Controvert](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/dec6dc/32.png) [@The\_Controvert](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Controvert)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2007, 6:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/biggest-ripoff-in-the-grocery-store/421477/37 "2007-10-07T06:13:03Z")
[QUOTE=t-bonham@scc.net] You are filling that jug with the same city water, just run through a carbon filter. You can buy a filter system so you can do that right in the convenience of your own home, and be assured that the filters are being replaced regularly. And the cost will work out to much less that you are paying at the grocery store. [/QUOTE] The smart way to do it is to buy a few components at Lowes or Home Depot and put in a little filtered water fountain where your vegetable sprayer resides. They also sell kitchen faucets where the faucet head pulls out like a vegetable sprayer, so no loss of functionality. (if you actually want to use the sprayer… I rarely do) Best of all, it takes all of 10 seconds to snap in a $20 refrigerator water filter that lasts 2 years. It’s a fairly simple job and you get much a much faster flow than a Brita filter (and much cheaper per gallon, too) ---
**Author:** ![Cluricaun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/bb73d2/32.png) [@Cluricaun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cluricaun)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2007, 7:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/biggest-ripoff-in-the-grocery-store/421477/38 "2007-10-07T07:06:04Z")
I get a pretty good deal on macro brewed beer if I watch the tags at the store. Yes, I’m a beer snob, but I’ll glady pick up a case of Miller Lite for common consumption at the very rare $10 a 24 pack. Jewel does me pretty well for beer. ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2007, 1:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/biggest-ripoff-in-the-grocery-store/421477/39 "2007-10-07T13:37:57Z")
[QUOTE=Cluricaun] I get a pretty good deal on macro brewed beer if I watch the tags at the store. Yes, I’m a beer snob, but I’ll glady pick up a case of Miller Lite for common consumption at the very rare $10 a 24 pack. Jewel does me pretty well for beer. [/QUOTE] Me too. ‘round here we call it "swillin’ beer" Keep the good stuff on hand for drinking & the cheap stuff for swillin’ Just don’t ever buy any diet beer, either the swillin’ or the drinking kind. ---
**Author:** ![DMark](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@DMark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DMark)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2007, 6:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/biggest-ripoff-in-the-grocery-store/421477/40 "2007-10-08T06:31:49Z")
[QUOTE=DoctorJ] The little plastic packages of fresh herbs. $2.99 is nuts. The other problem is that they’re exactly the wrong size–if you’re making, say, tomato sauce, you don’t even need half of the package, but it would take half a dozen of them to make a decent batch of pesto. [/QUOTE] Saw a tip on the Food Network and it works - just freeze the remainder of those packets - the herbs freeze well and when you set them out to defrost on the kitchen counter, they are just as good as when you bought them. They are still too expensive, but at least you can use them all if you freeze the rest. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/biggest-ripoff-in-the-grocery-store/421477.md?page=1)