Save Money on Bread by Shopping at Bakery Outlets
At many local bakery outlets they have managers specials or special mark down items which offer amazing deals on different breads. My mom seems to think the best mark downs happen on Monday. In one of these managers specials they were selling my beloved Oat Nut bread for $0.54 a loaf nearly an eighth of the cost at the local supermarket. Needless to say we stocked up and saved a bundle.
What can I find at Bakery Outlets?
Keep in mind that bakery outlets sell more than just bread. At my local outlet they have all sorts of cakes and pastries from Entenmann’s, Coffee from Tullys, bagels, buns, rolls, potato chips, gravy, crackers and more. IBC a major chain of bakery outlets carry wonderbread, hostess desserts, and a variety of specialty breads.
Where are they located?
Bread has a very short shelf life so bakery outlets are located in nearly every sizable city. They are typically located in industrial parks and near the highways to give delivery trucks easy access to local stores. There are a number of small local bakery outlet chains which you can find by doing a web search or talking to friends, family, and neighbors. Interstate Brands Companies is a nationwide bakery outlet with over 700 stores nationwide. You can locate them using their Store Finder.
How much can I save?
If you currently buy your bread at regular price at the supermarket you should save 40%-70% on your bread budget by switching to a bakery outlet. That should roughly translate to $1-$2 a loaf in savings. Supermarkets sometimes have a day-old, or mark-down rack and those prices will start to approach the prices at bakery outlets. But bakery outlets also have mark-down racks and they are typically the best price bread you can find anywhere. One exception I’ve noticed is that supermarkets sometimes offer generic brand hot dog and hamburger buns as a low cost leader.
I recommend that everyone go at least once to their local bakery outlet to get a feel for their prices and what they offer.
Some additional tips:
Check to see if they offer a senior citizens discount. My local bakery outlet gives a 10% discount to seniors.
Ask a clerk if there is any schedule to their mark-downs or specials. Sometimes it’s based on their baking schedule.
We typically make a trip to the bakery outlet once or twice a month and stock up on our favorite breads. We freeze most of the bread when we get home and it comes out of the freezer like new.
Carpool with friends or family and save money on gas visiting the outlet together.
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Photo Credit: Jungle Jim’s