How to Save Money on Groceries: 25 Tools and Tricks to Save $100 or More
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Want to slash your grocery store tab? Saving money on groceries is easier than collecting binders of coupons and buying 455 rolls of toilet paper.
We’ve compiled a list of simple (and some unexpected) tips to help you maximize your grocery budget.
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How to Save Money on Groceries: 28 Tools and Tricks
If you know what you’re doing, you can save a purse-full of money next time you hit the grocery store. Here are our favorite ways to save money on groceries.
5 Tools and Apps That Help You Save Money on Groceries
Your phone is a powerful tool, so download these grocery apps. (Using them all is easier than clipping coupons!)
1. Nielsen Consumer Panel: Share What’s in Your Fridge
Want to get rewarded for showing off your grocery haul? The Nielsen Consumer Panel will do that for you.
You’re probably familiar with Nielsen. It’s the company that tracks TV ratings. Now, it wants to track what’s in your fridge.
Join the Nielsen Consumer Panel, then use your smartphone to scan your items’ barcodes after your next grocery run. When the data is sent off to Nielsen, you’ll earn gift points, which you can use to redeem for free electronics, household items or toys.
2. Get $10 Plus Cashback On All Purchases
Want an extra 10 bucks?
Download the free browser extension from Rakuten, a cash-back site that rewards you nearly every time you make an online purchase. When you give the site a try, you’ll earn a $10 bonus. Plus, you earn up to 15% cash back every time you buy.
Here’s how:
- Sign up for Rakuten.
- Use the online portal next time you make an online purchase from a popular retailer like Walmart, Amazon or Target. Make this purchase within 90 days of signing up, and spend at least $25.
- Your account will be credited with points, which you can cash out for gift cards.
3. Swagbucks: Get $10 for Shopping Online
Here’s a simple trick to snag a $10 gift card for your next grocery trip: Use the Swagbucks extension on Google Chrome on your computer or laptop, and save even more on purchases at some of your favorite sites like Amazon and Target.
You’ll get a $10 Swagbucks bonus when you earn 1,000 SB after spending at least $25 at a store features in Swagbucks.com/Shop.
4. Fetch: Get Paid to Take a Picture of Your Grocery Receipt
At this point, tons of grocery-savings apps have hit the market — and we don’t hate it. But having so many options can become overwhelming, especially for the lazy saver.
If that’s you — the one who just wants to get in and out of the store and save money on groceries without doing much thinking — there’s an app we recommend. It’s called Fetch Rewards, and all you have to do to earn rewards is take a photo of your receipt.
No scanning barcodes; no searching for offers; no store limitations.
Here’s what to do:
- Download the Fetch Rewards app.
- Create an account with your email address or through Facebook.
- Take a photo of your grocery receipt (must be from the past 14 days).
Fetch Rewards finds opportunities for you to earn rewards for your everyday purchases.
Every time you scan a receipt that includes one of more than 250 participating brands, you’ll earn points — without worrying about matching specific product offers.
If the app does find a match, you’ll earn even more. For example, we recently saw an offer of 2,000 points when you purchase a Suave female hair product. And another for 2,000 points for a 12-pack of Blue Moon.
Once you collect enough points (as little as 3,000), cash out for a gift card to any of a number of retailers, including Walmart, Target and Amazon.
Go ahead, and start fetching points toward gift cards by downloading Fetch Rewards.
5. Store Loyalty Apps: Clip Digital Coupons
What’s your go-to local grocery store? Chances are, it has a loyalty app.
For example, the Aldi app allows you to tap into its weekly coupons, create a grocery shopping list and find the nearest store. The Publix app works similarly, allowing you to clip digital coupons to use at checkout.
11 Simple Ways to Save Without Coupons
Now that you’ve got your go-to savings apps and your coupons, it’s time to hit the aisles. Use these tips to save even more money on groceries.
1. Check Unit Prices
Sure, it’s tempting to think buying in bulk is better, but that’s not always the case. That modest two pack of paper towels might actually be more affordable than the insanely large case of 16.
To calculate the unit price, divide an item’s price by its quantity. Consider how much you’ll actually be saving (if anything — and definitely not shelf space) by buying the bulk item.
2. Meal Prep to Make a Grocery Shopping List
We know, we know. This seems soooo obvious, but meal planning for the week and making a grocery list can help you stay on task, not waste food and avoid frivolous purchases — like cheese wedges.
3. Don’t Shop at Eye Level
Dedicated professionals study the psychology of grocery shopping.
For example, shelves at eye level are prime real estate. You’ll often find more expensive items there — or items that attract kids.
Or think about this: Between 1975 and 2000, the size of shopping carts tripled. A bigger cart doesn’t mean you have to fill it all the way up.
Once you recognize these mind games, you can more easily avoid them.
4. Ask for a Rain Check
You know when there’s a BOGO for Nutella — but then you get to the store and it’s gone? Someone else got greedy.
Don’t be afraid to ask your grocer for a rain check so you can still snag the sale when the store restocks.
5. Store Your Food Properly
You buy a container of spinach or bundle of avocados, but before you’re able to devour all the green goodness, it goes bad.
Avoid wasting money at grocery stores by storing your food properly, so it lasts longer.
6. Have Your Groceries Delivered
Sure, you’ll have to pay for a grocery delivery service if someone brings your groceries to you, but opting to get your groceries dropped off at your door can actually save you a ton of time and money because you’ll be forced to plan out your meals.
Plus, there’s no veering off into the snack aisle.
7. Don’t Shop Hungry
The golden rule of grocery shopping: Thou shall not step into an aisle the least bit hungry.
Seriously.
You’ll start grabbing anything and everything that looks good. Then, because you’re planning for an immediate meal, you’ll have a ton of fresh, ready-to-eat impulse purchases that’ll linger in your fridge and go bad before you have time to devour them all.
8. Shop Your Pantry First
Before your next grocery run, take stock of what’s already in your pantry, fridge and freezer. What can you make with those items? Chances are you have a box of noodles or a carton of eggs. Use those already-purchased staples to build out your weekly meals.
9. Don’t Buy Pre-Cut Produce
Yes, it’s tempting to buy the already-spiralized zucchini or the pre-cut butternut squash. However, it costs a lot more than buying the “real” thing. Plus, you won’t get nearly as much, and the pre-cut stuff won’t stay fresh nearly as long.
10. Practice Meatless Mondays
Plain and simple: Meat is expensive. Enough ground beef for tacos for two can cost nearly $8. You might as well go to Taco Bell at that point…
To save money on your weekly grocery haul, practice meatless Mondays. Just giving it up once a week can help you save money.
Check out these meatless meals to get started.
11. Compare Stores
Ah, the store loyalists.
It’s easy to lean into one grocery store. You grow close with its aisles, its products, its cashiers… But you can save a bundle of money by jumping around. Use a grocery comparison chart to determine the best grocery stores to buy your go-to items.
For example, you could save a ton of money on paper products at the dollar store. Then, hit up your favorite grocer for your fresh fruits and veggies.
Use These Sites to Get Coupons for Groceries
A simple way to save a ton of money at checkout is to deal stack, the art of layering cash-back apps and coupons.
If you’re looking for coupons — because not many of us receive the Sunday newspaper anymore — you can find a trove of coupons to print from these sites.
1. Betty Crocker: Up to $250 in Free Coupons
Give Betty Crocker your email address, and it’ll send you up to $250 worth of coupons that can help you get deeply discounted or free canned goods, cereal and yogurt at grocery stores.
In addition to coupons, Betty Crocker’s free email delivers the best of Betty’s 15,000 kitchen-tested recipes, how-tos and more — straight to your inbox!
If you’re like us, you probably get bored making the same food week after week, so wouldn’t it be nice to occasionally be surprised with simple recipes you can make on a budget?
2. Pillsbury: Up to $250 in Coupons
Sign up for Pillsbury.com emails to receive up to $250 in yearly coupons, access to free product samples (quantities limited, one per member) and the easiest recipes sent right to your inbox.
Because of the high value of these coupons, they’ve limited it to one set of coupons per person, so if you need more, get someone else in your household to sign up, too.
3. Tap Into This Free Coupon Portal
Just when you think you’ve exhausted all your coupon resources, think again.
Tap into exclusive discounts through the Kellogg’s Family Rewards portal. Find printable and digital coupons for great deals on cereals, diapers, laundry detergent — more than just Kellogg’s products.
Additionally, use the tool to earn points on other qualifying items. Exchange them for gift cards to popular retailers, like Starbucks, Domino’s and Sephora.
Sign up with your email address and answer a few questions to earn an easy 100 bonus points. Then start collecting!
6 Ways to Save on Organic Groceries
We get it: You just feel better about buying some items organic. That doesn’t mean you have to spend more money, though. Here are some strategies to help you save on organic groceries:
1. Grow a Cost-Effective Garden
If you have a yard — or even shelf space for herbs — consider growing your own fresh produce.
Because some veggies require more time, money and love upfront, plant the most cost-effective vegetables, which include salad greens, cherry tomatoes, green beans, herbs, summer squash, carrots and zucchini.
Another perk? You’ll know exactly how your produce was grown.
2. Shop Seasonally
Stay in your lane — or season.
Buying organic strawberries out of season, for example, can cost you a ton of money. Instead, shop and plan your meals seasonally. If you need out-of-season produce, buy it frozen.
3. Buy Organic Meat in Bulk
Did you know you can buy meat in bulk? The idea of it sounds kind of gross, but you can save a ton of money by shopping at your local wholesale meat supplier.
Penny Hoarder contributor Shannon Quinn buys her meat in bulk from her local supplier. She gets three months’ worth of beef, pork, chicken and fish for $50 — and it all fits in her standard-sized freezer.
4. Tap Into a Local CSA
Find a Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) program to tap into your area’s organic fruits, vegetables, meat and even honey.
It’s like a subscription box. You’ll receive monthly, biweekly or weekly boxes of goods. Plus, you’re supporting local agriculture!
Find CSA programs near you by searching the USDA’s CSA database.
5. Know the Organic Store Brands
You probably know grocery stores offer store-brand items, which can typically help you save some money over regular name brands. But did you know some also offer organic store brands?
Here are a few examples:
- Aldi: SimplyNature
- Kroger: Simple Truth
- Publix: Greenwise
- Safeway: O Organics
- Target: Simply Balanced
- Whole Foods: 365 Everyday Value
6. Understand What’s Worth Buying Organic
If you’re tried-and-true, always organic, that’s fine. But if you buy organic because you’re a sucker for green labels or simply feel like it’s healthier, then do some research. Make sure you know what that “organic” label means, and determine what’s worth buying organic and what’s not.
Saving Money on Groceries: Easier Than You’d Think
Maximizing your grocery budget doesn’t have to be complicated. With the right apps, coupons and strategies, you can easily cut your monthly grocery spend.
If you’re looking for even more ways to save money, check out our ultimate step-by-step guide to saving money.
*The information for the Chase Freedom Unlimited card has been collected independently by The Penny Hoarder. Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone, not those of the credit card issuer, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by the credit card issuer. The Penny Hoarder is a partner of Credible.
Carson Kohler ([email protected]) is a staff writer at The Penny Hoarder.
