TikTok Is Flabbergasted At How Far $50 Will Get You At Trader Joe's
While it may not be the absolute cheapest grocery store around, Trader Joe's is one of the best places to shop on a budget. TJ's keeps prices low by offering only house brands, buying directly from suppliers and cutting out the middle man, and passing those savings on to consumers (via Trader Joe's).
Though often thought of as one giant Whole Foods dupe, Trader Joe's actually dates back to 1967 (via Trader Joe's). The brand carries many items like what you'd find at Whole Foods as well as the many interesting, unusual, or high-end seeming products that sometimes lead folks to think Trader Joe's may be as pricey as its competitor. While both may carry jackfruit and bulk chia seeds, Whole Foods is not a great place for budget shoppers. In fact, virtually anyone set with buying a week of groceries at Whole Foods for $50 would be almost certain to end up in tears of frustration somewhere around the dried fruit.
How far will 50 dollars get you at Trader Joe's price competitor Walmart? What about at a regular grocery store? Well, first, let's see what it'll get you at TJ's. Fortunately, budget-savvy TikTokker brookeleach_ has already done that (via TikTok). And viewers were blown away by what she could put in her cart for $50 at Trader Joe's.
Here's just how far $50 goes at TJ's
This woman is a bangin' budgeter. TikTokker brookeleach_ shows you a week of food for 50 bucks (via TikTok). She buys well-planned breakfasts, lunches (we're assuming that's what the yogurts are for), and some pretty tasty-looking dinners all checking out for just under $50. She has some pretty pricey goods in that cart, too, like organic arugula, shrimp, and fresh strawberries. Viewers are going wild for the catchy video, which already has 181,000+ likes.
The top comment, by user b00b, states "$50!!!??? I'm done shopping at Walmart omg." Well, b00b, as it turns out, Walmart's prices aren't that different. According to Aisle of Shame, Walmart is also affordable. In a direct comparison, the same basket of goods at Walmart rings up at $51.56. Admittedly, Walmart doesn't sell Trader Joe's Sparkling Strawberry Juice, and the substitute, strawberry lemonade, isn't really an apples to apples (or strawberries to strawberries) comparison.
What's truly shocking is the same haul — a week's worth of groceries for 1-2 people — at a mainstream supermarket chain. At New England-based Shaw's, the exact same basket checked out at a whopping $71.50 (via Shaw's). The most significant price bump-ups were on the chili lime seasoning and frozen gnocchi in sauce, in part because you have to buy the sauce separately (via Shaw's, Walmart, & Trader Joe's).