Today my husband and I had a typical shopping experience at Fred Meyer: he stayed downstairs in the grocery department and saved a fair amount of money on perfectly good quality bread, cheese, and produce, as well as some fresh bulk candy. (When FM was bought by Kroger, I was told that the freshness of their produce and bulk food would go way downhill, but I haven't noticed this.) Meanwhile, I went upstairs to the clothing department, and I saved no money at all because I bought nothing at all. Their clothes are even cheaper in quality than in price—MUCH cheaper—and I decided to continue doing my shopping at thrift stores, where you can get six nearly new shirts for the price of one from Fred Meyer.
I did buy a pair of shoes from FM the other day that I am very happy with; they aren't the best quality, but I can't afford the best shoes. Still, if you're lucky enough to find the style you're looking for in good condition and in your size (which isn't terribly hard), you can usually get better shoes at thrift stores as well. Overall, I give Fred Meyer a 5 for their groceries and a 1 for their clothing, making an average of 3.
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