A few hundred of you have joined in the past few weeks — welcome. And if you've been here longer, this is as much for you: it's easy to lose track of everything tucked into this newsletter beyond the Thursday deals. Stumptown Savings is so much more than a roundup of what’s on sale. It’s your guide to our local food system, a look at what drives our local economy, and tools and resources to help you shop smarter. So whether you're brand new or just need a refresher, here's a look back at some of the most useful tools, guides, and articles you may have missed.

For over a year, I’ve logged the prices of 20 grocery staples — eggs, milk, bread, chicken, produce — across 19 Portland-area grocery stores every month. From Alberta Co-op to WinCo, and everything in between. The goal is simple: Provide you with real, concrete price data about how grocery prices are changing on Portland shelves. Other outlets report on national data, Stumptown Savings collects its own first-party data right here in town. 

Each month, I publish a new article breaking down what I learned from the most recent data. I’ve also built an interactive database you can explore (for free) at any time. 

It's free, it's public, and it updates monthly.

When it comes to options to buy farm-fresh meat and produce directly from farmers, we’re drowning in farmers markets. There are over 40 in the Portland metro area, and all but a handful of them are completely independent of one another. Normally, you’d need to check each market’s site and social media for their hours, location, and policies. That’s where the Stumptown Savings Farmers Market Directory steps in. I’ve built a searchable map and directory of 40+ farmers markets across the Portland metro — not a "best of" listicle, the whole beat. Neighborhood markets, suburban markets, year-round indoor markets, all in one place.

You can filter by:

I maintain it regularly and verify hours against official sources myself, because market schedules shift constantly. Bookmark this page, and if you see something that needs updating, let me know!

One great way to save some cash at the grocery store is to opt for store brands over name brands. But which store brands are worth your time and money? At Stumptown Savings, I regularly conduct scientific blind-taste tests of store-brand items — salad dressing, seltzer, cheese, sushi, and more. I hide the labels, bring in expert judges (past panels have included multiple James Beard Award winners, chefs, and food writers from around the city) and score everything the same way: taste, value, and price per ounce.

The whole point is answering the question everyone has standing in the aisle: Is the store brand actually as good, or am I just cheaping out?

A few favorites worth catching up on if you missed them:

Have an idea for a new taste test? Let me know!

I also have created several other tools to help you shop smarter and better connect with our local food system. 

Savers Club members ($8/month or $80/year) get access to The Vault, my members' hub, members-only events, a quarterly members-only zine, and more. Join today.

This month, I’m running a membership drive to add 100 new Savers Club members. All of the above (the Price Tracker, the directory, the taste tests) stays free thanks to the support of Savers Club members. Help keep Stumptown Savings going by directly supporting this work. If you’ve been on the fence, now’s the time to join. 

That's the full picture: Thursday for deals, Tuesday for the reporting and tools above. You can always opt out of either send by hitting Update Preferences in any of the emails. 

Know someone who would benefit from any of these tools or resources? Share this article with them — the price tracker and farmers market map alone are worth the two minutes: {{live_url}}