Wednesday, Mar. 17, 2010

4 friends save on groceries

In North Raleigh, four friends are embarking on a venture to help you save on groceries.

Common Cents 1/2 Price Groceries gets its goods by buying "shelf pulls," or products grocery stores sell back to distributors when there are packaging changes or overstocks. The distributors then sell the items cheaply to unload them.

The friends, who are all members of the nearby Evergreen Church, decided to open the store when trying to find ways to give more to the community this year. The church had a space available for lease, and the friends thought the store was more practical than opening another type of business.

In addition to providing cheaper food to the community, the four want to eventually be able to give 10 percent of any profit to their church.

Items at Common Cents, at 6904 Glenwood Ave., generally run 50 percent to 80 percent off the regular retail price. For instance, store manager Linnette Stone, one of the four investors, says she has items such as Lawry's marinades for 75 cents each, two for $1.25 and brand name cereal for $1.

The store sells dry goods, paper products, baby items and pet items; no perishables.

Shoppers will find Common Cents to be a little different. Packaging on all products is not always perfect, and Stone says some items are past their sell-by dates. She points out, however, that the dates stamped on food products are suggested dates by which consumers should purchase the item to experience it at its best flavor. (The USDA Web site concurs.)

And there are plenty of items that are still well within their sell-by dates as well.

Common Cents accepts cash, debit and credit payments, and Stone said she is working on getting permission to accept electronic food stamps, too.