Category: Shopping

FORMER Safeway employees have revealed five tips for shopping at the grocer, and why you should avoid self-checkout.

BestLife Magazine pulled five anecdotes from former Safeway employees from Redditand one of them said that self-check-out always gives customers issues.

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The first piece of advice was not to be surprised if you see brands from other companies within the stores.

One Redditor noted that Vons is a common label that you will see depending on the state you’re in.

California is one state where they are very common to see in stores.

“We had people bring in coupons and reusable bags all the time into Safeway that said Vons. I think I saw people try to return Vons products once or twice,” the Redditor said.

While Vons is its chain of grocers, in 1997, Safeway acquired Vons.

They are now both under the

• Todd Ray is senior vice president, provider network management and Medicare products at BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee.

When shopping for goods and services, cost is most often the determining factor. For those preparing to shop for health care coverage, that’s never been more true.

We’ve all felt the impact of inflation on food and gas prices, and these concerns will likely carry into the holiday season as many Tennesseans travel and exchange gifts. As families continue to face high prices, many of us are in the market for health coverage we don’t receive from an employer — and weighing options that fit in our budgets.

For seniors, the Medicare annual enrollment period runs Oct. 15-Dec. 7. For others looking for a plan through the federal health insurance Marketplace, open enrollment runs Nov. 1-Dec. 15 for coverage effective Jan. 1, 2023. (Marketplace open enrollment ends altogether on Jan. 15; later-enrollment coverage

Laura Stuart of Laura Elizabeth Jewelry joined Studio 512 Co-Host Rosie Newberry to talk about online jewelry shopping tips.

I’m shopping online a lot these days, the hardest part is knowing how the sizing works. When it comes to necklace lengths, how do I know what’s what and what’s best for me?

“The first thing to think about is your height and what is the most common neckline you wear. For example, do you wear more boatnecks, scoop necks, v-necks, button down, or turtlenecks? I’m a bit about versatility. I’m 5’8 and have a pretty thin neck, so I wear 15-16 inches. 15 inches or under are considered ‘chokers.’ All Laura Elizabeth necklaces come with a two-inch extender. So, a 16-inch necklace looks good with most necklines. However, if I want to layer it, the extender gives me room to play.”

How do I know where the 16-inch necklace hits

Inflation has raised its ugly head these past few months. Everything is more expensive in particular electricity, heat and food. But we keep positive and plan – that is the key.

The main component of planning is creating lists – lists of all kinds. For instance, do you plan before you shop? Always bring your loyalty or discount cards, vouchers with you when shopping? Check what’s in the pantry or fridge before you leave home?

John Lowe of MoneyDoctors.ie gives invaluable advice on how to shop smart with the austerity challenges ahead of us with 20 ways to shed those euros.

1. Always shop with a pre-written grocery list. Stick to what is on the list.

2. Check to see what you need before making out a shopping list – many shoppers buy items they already have in stock. Check your pantry/fridge.

3. Create a daily list for updating. If

Shopping online or by television has grown increasing popular throughout the years, mainly due to convenience. Buyers can often obtain substantial deals without having to leave home. As added bonuses, products generally arrive quickly and can be delivered directly to the doorstep. But, before you throw down your credit cards and commit to buying anything, consider these factors:

• Make sure you are buying from a reputable business and opt for trusted websites.
• Always use strong passwords that are changed frequently.
• Check bank and credit card statements regularly.
• When shopping online, beware of misspellings that can take you to the wrong websites.
• Also beware of unofficial domain names designed to trick buyers (for example .net rather than .com).
• Use websites with an SSL (secure sockets layer) encryption. URLs generally start with HTTPS rather than HTTP.
• Never give out your birthday or SSN (social security number). Once a scammer obtains this information;