Well, I've just returned from the grocery, where once again I've spent a small fortune on vanilla, 10x, flour, etc. Where do you buy your ingredients to save $? I've thought about joining someplace like Costco, but we're longtime vegetarians who don't buy anything with trans fats or corn syrup--so we buy very few of our staples at regular grocery stores. I don't know that a warehouse store would be worth the annual fee for us.

Any good discount or wholesale mail order sources?

I get most of my stuff at grocery stores but if I need bulk i will go to Sams Club. I find a memebership well worth it even if I am not buying food from their. I acutally have discovered there commericial mixing bowls. They also have a hugh variety of stuff and great deals.

I know what you mean. I have so little space to store stuff as well in my tiny apartment. Plus the things at Sam's Club and Cosco seem to be all junk food really. I get free membership at work, and I think I've gone there twice. However if you're making a lot of cakes, it could be a savings. Plus you might find some good deals on produce?

Bj's is a lifesaver in my opinion. I can get: eggs, 10x, flour, sugar, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, Crisco, chocolate, cake mixes, vanilla, huge roll of reynolds and so much more. Prices are way below the grocery store prices and they take coupons too!

What is BJ's--a grocery store? I don't think we have those in Chicago.

BJ's Wholsale Club....it is similar to Costco/Price Club. Sorry...I just assumed they were everywhere.

I don't know about Chicago directly (I usally go to Shamburg for shopping) but there might be an Aldi's by you as well. I haven't tried anything there, but I know you can get things at a great cost savings, and there is no membership. I am not sure about the quality though, but sugar is sugar, right?

I am just north of Schaumburg and have shopped at aldis many time. The prices are cheap and the quality of food is good. What most people dont know is that off name food a lot of time is made from the top manufacturers. Many companies will have a high, middle and low end foods. They are all pretty much the same food just different price points.

I tend to buy at Walmart. They have 10x Sugar 2# bag for $1.00, and DH cake mixes (very limited selection) for $0.88. Crisco is also cheaper there, I don't need the huge crisco from costco.

I just spent $1.59 for a bag of powdered sugar.

It varies. Some places I can get it for $1.39. I use C&H

I Buy most everything at walmart. They have all the cake mix flavors there and the groceries do not have them all. Most everything is cheaper at walmart.

i buy everything at super walmart or sams club. my hub works there so we get a discount

I also buy at WalMart, considering there's only one other grocery store in my town. I get all of my cake mixes at WalMart, as stated above they have a bigger selection and are cheaper there. I have been to Sam's too - if you need a huge container of Crisco or a 7lb bag of powdered sugar it is definitely the place to go.

never thought about buying from sam's club.
I do mostly shop at walmart for ingredients.

where does everyone get there tips?
I can never find the size that I need for a certain flower!

I usually end up getting most of my decorating stuff at hobby lobby. Even though it's a good 35 miles away, it's still the closest thing to me. The next closest stores are over an hr and a half away. I also do a lot of ebay shopping.

In my town its Walmart or Food Doggie (Food Lion) but they are crazy HIGH prices. So I go to Walmart. I tried a SAMS club when I was doing my sisters wedding cake, and they only had 2 kinds of mixes and one HUGE bad of sugar. I was going to look at Costco which is about 40 min away. Can anyone tell me if it is worth the membership there?

I've bought butter from SAMS so I won't feel quilty about the butter I waste experimenting with various. I also bought the big can of crisco. It really doesn't take up that much counter space. I didn't buy the giant bag of pwd sugar. I couldn't figure out how to store it without having a giant mess.

I go to Walmart for white chocolate, pwd sugar, vanilla and got my starter pans & tips there. The cheap Wilton pans work and clean up very well.

I am new to decorating and still trying to find the best place to get my ingredients. But I do know someone who has been decorating for a long time, and she told me that she gets her powdered sugar at Sam's Club (50 pounds, I think). She bought a large garbage can with a locking lid, sanitized it, and put the sugar in there. She dips out what she needs and locks the lid back. She also told me that she has found the best tasting and cheapest cake mixes at Sav-a-lot for 0.77. They are an off-brand sold at that store and she says they are very moist. We live in north, central Florida.

HTH

Minnie

The Lord is my strength and my song.