It is seems to be a well known fact that grocery shopping on Maui can be an eye opening experience. It is comical to see the faces of first-time visitors as they pay for their first supply of groceries. They are completely taken aback when they relieved of $50.00 or more at the checkout counter and walk away with only one bag of goods. To us who live on the Island, the cost of groceries is just another price we have to pay to call Paradise home.

There are a few things that you can do to minimize your food expenses:

Grocery Coupons:

Every Tuesday you can find grocery store flyers with coupons in the MAUI NEWS (our daily morning paper). Our major grocery stores are SAFEWAY, FOODLAND, and STAR MARKET. There is also SACK & SAVE but it is near the Wailuku Industrial Center. That's about a 50 minute drive from Lahaina or 30 minutes from South Kihei. SAFEWAY and FOODLAND have discount cards available at their service counters. They are free and will save you between 10% and 40% on your bill.

Farmer's Market:

Save a few dollars and get great produce.
-- Mon, Wed, Fri 7:00am-11:00am on Lower Honoapiilani Highway in the Hawaiian Moons Store parking lot.
-- Mon thru Fri 8:00am-4:00pm on Kihei Road by Suda Store.
-- Sat 8:00am-Noon at Long's Drugs in Kihei on North Kihei Road.
They sell locally grown produce and flowers at reasonable prices. Be sure to try the small bananas and the strawberry papaya.

Maui Farmer's Market:

More great selections of Maui-Grown vegetables, fruits and flowers.
-- Wed from 10 am to 2 pm at the Kahului Shopping Center.
-- Fri 9:30am - 5:00pm at the Center Stage within the Ka'ahumanu Center.
Co-sponsored by the Maui County Farm Bureau, Hawaii Organic Farmers Assoc. and A&B Properties.

Costco:

If you are a Price Club/Costco member and you are planning to spend an extended time on Maui or have a large family you need to feed, then bring your membership card with you. COSTCO is located near the Kahului airport on Dairy road.

Kmart

Located right next to COSTCO

Wal-Mart

This is not a Super Wal-Mart. It is located next to Home Depot near the turn off of Dairy Road on your way to Kihei/Wailea.

Long's Drugs:

Every week this store has food and sundry items on sale. Usually you can find these items located down the middle aisle and they are well marked.

Other Stores:

You will find that there are a number of additional grocery style stores around Maui. Their goods selection is usually limited but their prices are inflated. Try to avoid these stores unless convenience is what you are looking for because they are near to your condo or hotel.

Lahaina Center

Pick up a copy of 'This Week Maui'. Inside there is a 4 page ad which includes a coupon for THREE FREE HOURS. Of course you will not need this coupon if you patronize one of the businesses within the Center and have your parking stub validated. This lot is located on the north end of Lahaina and has about 700 slots. It also has a parking structure so you can park your car in the shade if you wish.

Whaler's Village

Pick up a copy of "This Week Maui". Inside there is a fold out ad which contains a coupon for TWO FREE HOURS.

Hotel/Resort

All major hotels and resorts have valet parking. It is free if your visiting a guest of the resort or $12.00 if you are not. Upon retrieving your car, it is appropriate to tip the valet from $1.00 to $5.00. If you do not want to valet you will end up parking quite a distance away from the entrance to the hotel or resort but then that is the price you will have to pay for doing it yourself.

Activities

Parking is not always readily available when you drive to the activity of your choice. Be sure to inquire from the vendor or activity booking agent where you can park for free without worrying about time limits. They will be able to supply you with the necessary information. If they cannot, I would suggest that you book with another activity company.

Pick up a copy of the following free magazines and newspapers: This Week Maui, Maui Gold, Guide to Maui, Today Magazine, Discover Maui, Maui Drive Guide, and Lahaina News. You will find a number of early bird specials and discount coupons for many of the popular restaurants. There are even coupons for all the fast food places (i.e. McDonald's, Jack-In-The-Box, etc.). Call the restaurant and ask about their specials.

I have found that at many nice restaurants, it is wiser to order one entree to be shared by two. Their servings are quite large. Look around at other diners and what they are eating and the size of the meal. Ask the wait person if there is enough for two in one serving. They will tell you. Be sure to tip at least 25% if you do split a meal otherwise 20% is appropriate. Our wait people live on their tips. Their wages are very small. Remember that you saved at least $20.00 by splitting the meal.