New to San Jose... (San Francisco, Santa Clara: home, buying, living)

[Travelbug7]

Hi,

I will be moving to SJ from NC , in a couple of months..
Can anybody tell me where/what are the best places to do affordable grocery shopping ?

How is the public transportation out there ? any website of bus / train services will be helpful.

Thanks

[MaikeerinWA]

Kinda depends on where specifically you are living, and where you are going to work.

A couple of general links:

Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority
Includes light rail system in San Jose + buses

caltrain.com
One way to get to San Francisco and the Peninsula

Originally Posted by Travelbug7

How is the public transportation out there ? any website of bus / train services will be helpful.

[calisnuffy]

Originally Posted by Travelbug7

Hi,

I will be moving to SJ from NC , in a couple of months..
Can anybody tell me where/what are the best places to do affordable grocery shopping ?

How is the public transportation out there ? any website of bus / train services will be helpful.

Thanks

San Jose is the 3rd largest city in California close a million people, I hope you did research before you decided to come. Affordable shopping is defined by your budget, you could shop at farmers markets, grocery outlet , if money is tight or just shop at a standard grocery store like most Americans.

We do have public transit as well, I know its hard to fathom, but we do

[mysticaltyger]

Originally Posted by Travelbug7

Hi,

I will be moving to SJ from NC , in a couple of months..
Can anybody tell me where/what are the best places to do affordable grocery shopping ?

How is the public transportation out there ? any website of bus / train services will be helpful.

Thanks

Typically, places like WalMart and Target have the cheapest groceries, but not a full selection. Also, the 2 WalMart's we have in San Jose are depressing and zoo-like.

I usually stock up at Target for frozen food, spaghetti sauce, etc (although the one on Coleman now has a produce section that's pretty good). Safeway for a lot of everyday stuff, and Trader Joes for the few things I want but can't get at the other 2.

Some consider places like Safeway "budget" but I'd say it's more mid range.

There are more budget oriented places like grocery outlet, but I don't got there because the inconvenience isn't worth it to me.

A lot of people like Costco, too. For a single person like myself, I don't think the membership fee is worth it, but a lot of people consider Costco to have average to above average quality for reasonable prices. It's definitely worth it if you have friends with memberships, though ....but be careful about not to buy more than you need.

[mdwstrnkid]

If you want cheap produce, go to an Asian grocery store. Many Asian markets put minimal effort into the display of their product (some display produce in their cases with the tops cut off) and pass along the cost savings to you.

[irby]

We moved here not too long ago from Raleigh. I thought we'd end up spending way more on our groceries but that hasn't happened. I've found that some things are more expensive here, like eggs and chicken (things that tend to be produced in NC). But there are amazing savings on produce that more than make up for it. We do a lot of shopping at Safeway, which is comparable in atmosphere to Harris Teeter but is cheaper than HT. It's maybe not as cheap as a place like Food Lion, though Safeway does have some good bargains. I think there are some cheaper grocery chains around, but for us they aren't that convenient and we don't use them, so I can't compare them to NC stores. I did some shopping at Target the other day and I found that they were way more expensive than Safeway on some of the things I was looking at (garlic, fruit). Target does have a few good items for cheap (frozen items) so it may be a good option for you. Trader Joe's prices are about the same as they are in Cary, although the wine and a few other things here are cheaper than in NC. Costco is WAY busier here than it was for us in Raleigh. We've thought about buying things there, but the minimal savings aren't worth braving that parking lot or standing in the lines. Hope this helps!

[moving2tracy]

Originally Posted by Travelbug7

Hi,

I will be moving to SJ from NC , in a couple of months..
Can anybody tell me where/what are the best places to do affordable grocery shopping ?

How is the public transportation out there ? any website of bus / train services will be helpful.

Thanks

Trader Joe's is our favorite place to shop, same items as Whole Foods but cheaper. The bus lines here are fantastic, I was very impressed when I rode them a few years ago. Nice padded seats, comfortable, clean, and professional drivers. You can check out the routes at www.vta.org And there is CalTrain too - lots of options.

[Travelbug7]

Thanks everyone for your suggestions
The Shop names will be handy when I do my first home & grocery shopping here. Fermont or Milpitas will be my choice of stay.

[chrisnyce]

I second what the person said about the Asian Markets - that's where the real savings are. If you like to eat foods that aren't processed or belong to large conglomerates such as Proctor & Gamble or Kraft, the Asian market is the place to be. In Milpitas you will have plenty to choose from. There's great Chinese food in Milpitas too.

[bigdumbgod]

Originally Posted by chrisnyce

I second what the person said about the Asian Markets - that's where the real savings are.

Mi Pueblo markets as well.