Inside the Bulk Bins: A Photo Tour of My Frugal Haven

I know many of you in our wonderful community live in regions where WinCo stores don't exist. Today, I want to invite you along for a bit of 'frugal consumer tourism.' Even if your local town has a completely different set of supermarket chains, looking at how this specific model works might identify opportunities to save in your own stores.

Today I'm going to actually show you how WinCo shopping works.

Don't forget to bring your own bags. WinCo (and all Washington state
stores) charges per bag. You'll notice there's no coffee cup holder
on the cart. WinCo is no frills. There are no coffee kiosks in the store
like you find at Safeway, Fred Meyer, QFC, or
other standard grocery stores in the area.

WinCo is a frugal sandbox where the customer holds all the power. This store chain employs specific, low-overhead mechanics that keep their costs down, such as:

• The Employee-Owned Advantage: WinCo is entirely employee-owned (ESOP), which means the workers have a direct stake in keeping operations efficient, resulting in lower prices. 
• The No-Credit-Card Rule: Because they don't accept credit cards (only debit, cash, or checks), they save millions in merchant transaction fees and pass those savings directly to the grocery receipts.
• The Bag-Your-Own Station: It’s a low-frills environment where you do the labor at the end of the belt, keeping staffing costs lean.
• Did I Mention, It's All About the Bulk Section: WinCo's bulk section includes looseleaf teas, baking supplies, nuts and seeds, an entire row of dried fruit, prepared cereals, snack foods, candy, grains and beans, variety in pasta shapes and ingredients (protein pasta, whole wheat pasta), seasonings and spices, coffee beans, liquids like olive oil, avocado oil, honey, agave syrup, and grind-it-yourself nut butters. One key aspect of the bulk food model is the elimination of extensive shelf space  given to a singular type of food. Instead of containers of 4 brands of oats, there is just one bin. The store uses much less floor space while offering a large range of food products. The customer feels satisfied to have the items they want available through bulk dispensers/bins, even with less selection in brands, as they net a discount on their food purchases.

My tip when you first enter the store with your cart.
You know those dispensers of cleaning wipes for the cart handle?
Grab an extra one to take into the store.
(I drape mine over the heavy wire of the child seat.) When you need to open a
plastic bag in the produce, meat, or bulk aisle, wet your fingers on the
cleaning wipe. The bag will be easier to open with damp fingers.
You're welcome!

A Warehouse or a Store?

WinCo has a warehouse feel to it. When you walk through the doors,

you're greeted by a long aisle of sales-priced foods

stacked on warehouse shelving. 

The store screams "I'm really just a warehouse!"

Buying Just What You Need

The habit of buying only what you need is a universal frugal tool. WinCo's bulk section does this on a massive scale. If I only need a small amount of a spice, I can buy just that amount. If I want to try Himalayan pink salt to see what the fuss is, I can buy just over a teaspoon of this salt. We did a "coffee flight" for a holiday one year. I bought an ounce or two each of several different roasts and origins of coffee to brew up in a single cup coffee maker (not a pod type) and divided between us tasters. It was a fun way to celebrate without much expense. 

My daughter bought exactly 20 mellow creme pumpkins for herself.
That's all she wanted. You can do that here.

freshly ground peanut butter

liquids dispensed by you

coffee and much much more in bulk bins and dispensers

The bagging station: You do it yourself.

A motley collection of bags, yes, but it saved me 32 cents to bring my own bags.

Are You Ready to Do a Price Comparison?

This is my real life shopping trip Wednesday morning. I didn't have a long list. But these are the things I actually bought. I've compared the prices to the best I could find at Walmart Neighborhood Market, WinCo's primary competitor. 

Dairy

Whole Milk, gallon X 2

WinCo price $3.52 ea

Walmart price $3.52

no savings

18-ct Large Eggs

WinCo price $2.47

Walmart price $2.47

no savings

2-lb Block Cheese X 2 (1 mozza, 1 cheddar)

WinCo $6.68

Walmart $6.96

I saved 56 cents total

Meats

Turkey Italian Sausage, ground, 1 lb

WinCo, Jenni-O brand $4.41

Walmart, no comparable match. I could buy Jennie-O plain ground turkey and season myself for $4.44

I saved 3 cents

Sliced Pepperoni, .68 lb

WinCo deli price $6.48/lb, total of $4.41

Walmart, no deli, best price $7.52/lb in 14-oz package

I saved 70 cents

Produce

10-lb Bag Carrots

WinCo $8.98

Walmart, no 10-lb bag, 2 X 5-lbs, $4.77 ea, total $9.54

I saved 56 cents

Medium avocado

WinCo price 73 cents

Walmart price 73 cents

no savings

Bananas

WinCo price 55 cents/lb (bought 3.03 lbs for $1.67)

Walmart price 50 cents/lb

I lost 16 cents

Canned Goods

12-oz Canned tomato paste X 2

WinCo $1.18 ea

Walmart $1.22 ea

I saved 8 cents total

5 oz Canned Tuna X 2

WinCo price 87 cents ea

Walmart price 87 cents ea

no savings

Bulk Foods

Rolled Oats

WinCo bulk bins, 70 cents/lb, (bought 2.57 lbs --41.12 ounces, for $1.80)

Walmart 42-oz container Great Value $4.18, $1.59/lb

I saved $2.29

Nutmeg, ground

WinCo price $8.98/lb, (bought .17 lb for $1.53)

Walmart price Great Value 1.5 ounce for $2.68, or $28.58/lb

I saved $3.27

PBFit peanut butter powder

WinCo price $5.88/lb (bought .42 lb for $2.47)

Walmart Price, Great Value Brand peanut butter powder in 30-oz jar for $10.53 or $5.62/lb

I lost 11 cents

Raisins

WinCo price $2.48/lb (bought 1.57 lbs, or 25.12 ounces, for $3.89)

Walmart price Great Value brand, 20-oz canister for $4.38 or $3.50/lb

I saved $1.61

Chia seeds

WinCo price $3.58/lb (bought .44 lb for $1.58)

Walmart price, Great Value Organic, 2-lb pouch for $10.78 or $5.39/lb

I saved 79 cents

Sliced Almonds

WinCo price $6.48/lb (bought .20 lb, or 3.2 ounces, for $1.30)

Walmart price Great Value brand $3.92 for 4 ounces, or $15.68/lb

I saved $1.84

Olive Oil

WinCo price Napoleon brand EVOO (small PNW family-owned brand), $7.48/lb (bought .94 lb for $7.03)

Walmart price Pompeian brand EVOO, $7.38 for 16 oz bottle

I lost 9 cents

Natural Peanut Butter (the kind that separates when unrefrigerated)
WinCo price $1.98/lb (bought .98 lb for $1.94)
Walmart (lowest price + best match) Smucker's Natural $3.86/16-oz

I saved $1.67

Total savings by shopping at WinCo

$13.04

Some items are difficult to compare. For example the chia seeds were best priced at Walmart in Organic but Great Value brand. I don't believe the WinCo bulk bin chia seeds are organic. On the other side, the olive oil at WinCo is a regional brand and difficult to find a Walmart match for. How do you put a price on supporting regional brands? The Great Value Peanut Butter Powder is sweetened with sugar, whereas PBFit is sweetened with coconut sugar, which is lower on the glycemic index scale. Overall, I tried to find close substitutes between what I bought at WinCo and what I would buy if shopping at Walmart for the same foods.

The biggest savings came from shopping the bulk/self-serve section. Nuts, raisins, spices, and grains are big money-savers when bought in the bulk section. Even with a house-brand like Great Value, where there is minimal advertising, the cartons and thick plastic pouch packaging add to the final consumer cost.

If you don't have a store with a large bulk section in your area, you can often find similar prices to the bulk items at ethnic markets (great for spices packaged in plain cellophane bags) , salvage outlets (great for off-branded packaged foods), and locally-owned small spice and seasoning shops (sometimes offer bulk dispenser-style options) for no-name or unfamiliar name brands.

Ultimately, you don't need a WinCo right down the street to practice this kind of kitchen stewardship. The real takeaway from these aisles is a question we can carry into any store, anywhere: 'Am I paying for the fancy packaging and corporate credit card fees, or am I paying for the actual food?' When we actively seek out the low-frills, plain-packaged options in our own local shops, we claim that same power over our budgets.

Your Turn: I want to take a virtual shopping trip with you this weekend! What is the primary grocery store chain in your area, and what is the number one 'frugal secret weapon' aisle or tip that keeps your receipt total low?