Tips To Save Money When You Go To The Grocery Store

According to Esri, Americans spend around $431 per month as they buy groceries. Since we are faced with a global pandemic, these costs do go up.

How much you will spend on your groceries will obviously be based on what you will buy, how many people you buy for, and where you shop. Even so, regardless of how much you often spend, you can take some actions to save some money. The tips below will help you to do exactly that.

Use Grocery Rewards Cards

When you go to checkout, carefully choose what you pay with. There are cards that give you rewards, like the classic cash-back card that usually offers around 1%-2% back on purchases made. Also, you should know that there are some grocery reward cards available that will give you a cash back offer of up to 6%.

Sign Up For Loyalty Programs

Grocery stores usually offer loyalty programs. They are completely free to join and you should if you often go to the same store to make your purchases. This gives you access to discounts that are only available for members and you end up paying less at every checkout without clip coupons or any other discount deal.

Clip Coupons

While clip coupons are slowly going away and will most likely not be a thing in the future as online shopping and app-based deals grow in popularity, they are still a great way to save money when you go grocery shopping. There are often circulars sent weekly. Check them out and see if there are some deals presented that you can take advantage of. Simply clip the coupons and take them with you when you go shopping.

Remember that there are digital options available too. They are also quite easy to use and usually rely on downloading the mobile app of the grocery store. After you download the app, you browse through the discounts available and you can load digital coupons on a digital loyalty card. As you go to the store to check out what you want to buy, discounts are automatically applied.

Join Wholesale Clubs

There are several wholesale clubs (an example is Costco) that can help rack up savings if you buy in bulk. This is a wonderful way to save money when you make large purchases or you buy for a large family. However, buying in bulk is not always something you want to do. Even if you do save, if you end up throwing away what you buy because you do not really need it, you are better off not joining.

The only other thing to consider is the membership fee, which is something that you have to add to your shopping bills. For instance, for the regular Costco membership, you have to pay $60. But, you can still save a lot if the deals available are worth it for you.

Create A List And Then Stick To It

Never go to the supermarket if you did not create a list of what you will buy first. The lack of the list makes it so easy to buy things you do not actually need. Also, it is a good idea not to take your children with you when shopping since they will surely want something extra. And you might want something extra too when you go shopping hungry. So, make sure you eat first and you leave children at home. This makes it so much easier to avoid making spur-of-the-moment buying decisions.

Buy What Is On Sale

There are always promotions running in supermarkets. These can help you save money when you buy many things you often need in your home, like eggs, milk, bread, staples, cookies, and sweets. Whenever possible, do consider buying what is on sale. This is an especially good idea when costs are normally pretty high.

You can find out what is on sale by checking the website of the supermarket or by looking while you are at the store. But, checking deals online first is a much better idea since it helps you to make the list we mentioned above.

Do Not Buy Pre-Packaged Items

Many buy pre-shredded cheese, pre-cut vegetables, and similar items because they end up saving time when they cook. The problem is that the extra convenience will cost you. It is just a lot cheaper for you to buy whole items, like block cheese, frozen vegetables, or fresh vegetables. By avoiding pre-packaged items you automatically save money.

Check Prices At Different Stores

When living close to several grocery stores, you need to consider buying some items from each as you compare prices to save as much money as you can. See the store that has items you need for a lower price and take advantage of the deal. And also take a look at the sales that are active since they might help you to save even more money.

Buy The Generic Brands

Name brands are costlier and they are put at eye levels in supermarkets to tempt buyers. But, when you take a look lower, at the bottom of shelves, generic brands are available. Most supermarkets have their own brands and you want to seriously consider buying them. They tend to have a very similar taste and are always cheaper.

Take A Bag With You From Home

Use reusable shopping bags. Just take them with you when you go to the supermarket. Some stores actually give you a small discount if you decide to do this. It might not be much but you still save money and you also do not have to pay for bags you would normally buy from the store.

Use Rebate Apps

Rebate apps are not the same thing as rewards cards, although they do seem similar. These are basically apps that will offer cash back as you buy groceries. As an example, check out Rakuten to see how the system works. Registration is always free and you do get some extra loyalty benefits you will want to look at. Based on the chosen app, loyalty cards might be needed and you might need to submit images of your receipts for the rebate to be offered.