Dollar General vs. Walmart--Price Comparisons on 10 Standard Grocery Items

Interesting article from walletpop.com on the price battle between 2 discount retailers:

By Marlene Alexander
Jan 7th 2011 Filed under: Family Money, Saving Money, Shopping, Economizer

Dollar General is planning on opening 625 new stores this year. Added to the 9,200 stores currently in operation, we wonder if Walmart should be looking over its shoulder. The following Dollar General vs. Walmart price comparisons are taken from Walmart's online shopping website and random Dollar General stores.

We picked 10 grocery items that a family might buy on a regular basis and compared them to regular store prices. Please note that prices will vary from region to region, based on market need and a particular store's overhead costs.

1. Cheerios cereal: A 9- to 14-oz. box
Dollar General: $2.85
Walmart: $3.50

2. Tide Liquid Laundry Detergent: 75-oz. size
Dollar General: $10.50
Walmart: $12.97

3. Lysol Disinfectant Spray: 12.5-oz can
Dollar General: $4.25
Walmart: $4.22

4. Charmin Basic toilet paper: 24 double rolls
Dollar General: $10
Walmart: $9.97

5. Q-Tips: 500 count
Dollar General: $3
Walmart: $4.51

6. Suave Shampoo: 22.5-oz
Dollar General: $1.75
Walmart: $2.94 for 32oz.

The Walmart price seems the better deal because of the larger size, but it still works out to be two cents more per ounce at Walmart than at Dollar General.

7. Huggies Diapers: sizes 1-6
Dollar General: $10 for 50 to 23 diapers
Walmart: $32.75 to $35 for 100-192

If you buy two packages of 50 diapers at Dollar General, it will cost you $20 or about 20-cents per diaper. Buying a box of 100 diapers at Walmart will cost $32.75 or 32 cents per diaper.

8. Campbell's Chicken Noodle or Tomato Soup:
Dollar General: $1 per can.
Walmart: 93-cents per can.

9. Hamburger Helper:
Dollar General: $1.50 per box
Walmart: $2.23 per box

10. Palmolive Dishwashing Liquid: 34-oz. size:
Dollar General: $2
Walmart: $2.34

Overall, I'd say that Dollar General is the price champion, at least according to these 10 picks but, as with shopping anywhere, it pays to be a careful shopper and never assume you're getting the best deal in a particular store just because you always have done so in the past

By Marlene Alexander
Jan 7th 2011 Filed under: Family Money, Saving Money, Shopping, Economizer