You can save money on groceries by planning meals around weekly sales, comparing unit prices, choosing store brands, buying cheaper food staples, and using coupons and store rewards.
You can also lower your grocery bill by shopping at less expensive stores, avoiding food waste, and taking advantage of store policies that offer refunds when prices are wrong or drop after you buy something.
You don’t have to give up the foods you enjoy or buy everything in bulk.
To find out how to save money on groceries, I researched the official policies of more than a dozen grocery chains, compared the prices of everyday foods at Walmart, and reviewed USDA food-price data. I also gathered tips from grocery shoppers and store workers, including lesser-known ways to get discounts and money back.
Before looking at ways to cut your grocery bill, it helps to know what a typical family spends on food. That gives you a useful starting point for deciding whether you’re spending more than you need to.
How Much Should You Spend on Groceries in 2026?
A family of four following USDA’s Thrifty Food Plan would spend about $236 a week, or $1,024 a month, on food in September 2026.
It’s USDA’s lowest-cost food plan and assumes all meals and snacks are prepared at home.
Here’s what each USDA food plan adds up to for a family of four as of September 2026:
| Food plan | Cost per month |
|---|---|
| Thrifty | $1,024 |
| Low-Cost | $1,126.90 |
| Moderate-Cost | $1,389.20 |
| Liberal | $1,681.80 |
The totals use a family of four with two adults ages 19 to 50 and two children ages 6 to 8 and 9 to 11.
USDA calculates the Low-Cost, Moderate-Cost, and Liberal plans using individual age and gender categories.
If your household has a different number of people, use the individual costs in USDA’s monthly food plan reports.
USDA recommends these adjustments to account for household size:
- 1 person: Add 20%.
- 2 people: Add 10%.
- 3 people: Add 5%.
- 5 or 6 people: Subtract 5%.
- 7 or more people: Subtract 10%.
Average monthly grocery bill for a US household
The average US household spent $6,491 on groceries in 2025, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
That’s about $541 a month!
USDA’s 2026 food price forecast expects grocery prices overall to rise 2.3% this year, though some aisles are moving much faster than others.
Tip: If you’re struggling to afford food right now, start with free groceries from food banks and food pantries near you. You can work on lowering your grocery bill once you have enough food to cover your immediate needs.
How to Save Money on Groceries Before You Shop
A lot of grocery savings happen before you even walk into the store. Planning your meals, checking what you already have, and setting a spending limit can help you avoid unnecessary purchases and food that goes bad before you eat it.
1. Set a grocery budget by tracking one month of spending
Save every grocery receipt for a month, or check your bank app, and add it all up.
Then compare that number with the USDA plan that fits your family.
You may find opportunities to save by changing where you shop, buying cheaper alternatives, or cutting back on food you don’t use.
Use that monthly total as your starting point when setting a grocery budget.
2. Make a meal plan around weekly sales
Start by checking your fridge, freezer, and cupboards. Make a note of ingredients you already have so you don’t buy duplicates or let food go to waste.
Next, check your grocery store’s weekly ad and plan meals around discounted foods.
For example, if chicken thighs and broccoli are on sale, build a couple of meals around them instead of paying full price for ingredients you hadn’t planned to buy.
3. Use a grocery list and make fewer trips
Write your shopping list before leaving home. You can use paper or a grocery shopping list app. Organize your list by store aisle to make shopping quicker and help you avoid wandering past things you don’t need.
Try to buy everything you need in one trip instead of making several small trips throughout the week. Each extra visit creates another opportunity for unplanned purchases.
If you find a markdown on something you regularly use and can store properly, consider buying extra.
Tip: Don’t shop when you’re hungry. Eat something first so you’re less tempted to add snacks and other impulse purchases to your cart.
Cheapest Places to Buy Groceries
Where you shop can make a big difference in your grocery bill (that’s why I created my cheap grocery stores near me guide.)
Discount grocery stores, restaurant supply stores, and other less obvious retailers can offer lower prices than traditional supermarkets.
Here are a few more places that sell food for less.
4. Grocery Outlet: a discount grocery store for overstock deals
Grocery Outlet says in its annual report that its prices are generally 40% to 70% below those of traditional grocery stores.
It keeps prices low by buying excess inventory from other sellers. Think canceled orders, products made in larger quantities than needed, items with new packaging, and food approaching its sell-by date.
If there’s one near you (it probably is since as of January 3, 2026 it has 570 stores in 16 states) it’s worth checking for deals on groceries you regularly buy.
Keep in mind that its selection changes depending on what’s available, so you might not find the same products every time you visit.
If you’d rather shop from home, check out these dollar stores you can shop online for inexpensive pantry staples and other household basics.
5. Buy in bulk at restaurant supply stores like CHEF’STORE
Restaurant supply stores aren’t just for restaurants.
Some, including CHEF’STORE, with locations in 14 states, welcome home cooks looking to buy meat, produce, and other groceries in larger quantities.
Buying larger cuts of meat can be cheaper if you’re willing to divide them into smaller portions, freeze what you won’t use right away, or grind some yourself.
One shopper on Reddit’s r/Cooking said they bought a big beef shoulder roast at a local restaurant supply store, cut up part of it and ground the rest, and “Saved about $4-5/ pound.”
Restaurant Depot is another option, but its free membership is generally limited to qualifying businesses and nonprofits with the required documentation. If you’re shopping as an individual, check the membership requirements before making the trip.
6. Cheaper produce and spices at international grocery stores
Small Persian, Indian, Hispanic and Asian grocers can have great prices on produce, herbs, rice and lentils.
In a long r/Cooking thread on grocery hacks, one person said their local Persian grocer has “the best prices on produce, feta, spices, and especially fresh herbs.” Another said Indian grocers sell grains and lentils much cheaper than the international aisle.
But these stores aren’t always cheaper. In a r/povertyfinance discussion, one New Jersey shopper said nearby Hispanic and Asian grocery stores couldn’t compete with Walmart’s prices.
So I’d compare prices on a few foods you buy regularly before switching stores. You might find that one store is cheaper for produce and spices, while another is better for meat, dairy, or packaged foods.
7. Sprouts gives 10% off a full case
If you go through a lot of one item, buying the whole case can be cheaper at Sprouts.
Sprouts’ store policy gives you an “automatic 10% discount on select products when customers purchase an entire case.”
It works best for shelf-stable foods you’ll use up before they go bad.
The case discount leaves out a few things:
- Sale items: Anything in the weekly ad, Healthy Savings deals, Manager’s Specials and other promo or sale items.
- Some categories: Nutrition bars, 24-pack water, vitamins and body care.
If you’re not sure an item counts, ask before you carry a whole case to the register.
8. Farmers markets: buy in-season produce near closing time
Farmers markets can be a good place to save on fresh produce, but mostly on fruits and vegetables that are in season where you live.
USDA’s Seasonal Produce Guide shows what’s in season when. For example, apples, sweet potatoes and winter squash are in season in the fall, and berries, corn and tomatoes in the summer.
Timing helps too. One r/Cooking user’s tip is “Showing up at the farmers market near closing and buying a lot of things at reduced prices.”
But farmers markets aren’t always cheaper than the grocery store. One r/povertyfinance user said their local market is “crazy expensive,” with strawberries going for “$8 a quart.”
So compare prices on a few things you buy often before you make the market your main stop.
9. Compare grocery prices on the items you buy most
You don’t need to compare prices on everything. Start with the 10 or 15 foods you buy every week.
Write down what they cost at the stores closest to you. After a few weeks, you’ll know what a real sale looks like for those items, and which store is cheapest for what.
10. Is a warehouse club membership worth it?
A warehouse club like Costco or Sam’s Club only saves you money if you buy enough there to cover the membership fee.
I have a Sam’s Club membership, and it pays for itself for me because I buy in bulk, even everyday things like eggs and vegetables.
Is Costco Executive worth it?
A Costco Gold Star membership costs $65 a year. Costco’s Executive membership costs $130 and gives you 2% back, up to $1,250 per 12 months.
The Executive upgrade costs $65 more, so it pays for itself once you spend $3,250 a year at Costco. That’s about $271 a month.
If you spend less than that, Gold Star is the better deal. My guide to saving money at Costco has more ways to get the most out of your membership.
Is Sam’s Club Plus worth it?
A Sam’s Club membership costs $60 a year, and Plus costs $120.
Plus now includes Walmart+, which costs $98 a year on its own. So if you’d pay for both anyway, Plus is the cheaper way to get them, at $120 instead of $158.
If you don’t need Walmart+, the extra $60 pays for itself once you spend $3,000 a year on items that earn the 2% back.
Here’s how the 2% back on Plus works:
- What earns it: Qualifying purchases in the club and through curbside pickup.
- Yearly cap: $750 per membership year.
- What doesn’t count: Alcohol, tobacco, fuel, certain dairy and gift cards.
- How long it lasts: Sam’s Cash doesn’t expire while you’re a member, and you can use it to pay your fee or cash it out.
Costco and Sam’s Club household card rules
Both clubs give you a second card, but it’s meant for your own household.
Costco’s free Household Card is for anyone over 16 at the same address. Sam’s Club’s is for a spouse or household member 18 or older.
Sharing a membership with a friend who lives somewhere else breaks those rules.
And whichever club you pick, only buy as much as you’ll use before it goes bad. Bulk food you throw away isn’t a deal.
Cheap Food Swaps That Lower Your Grocery Bill
The same food can cost very different amounts depending on the brand, the form and the package.
If you’re figuring out how to save money on groceries, small swaps like a store brand instead of a name brand or dried beans instead of canned are an easy place to start. They add up over a year.
11. Store brands vs name brands: try them risk-free
Store brands, also called generic or private-label products, are one of the easiest ways to spend less.
The worry most people have is simple: “What if I don’t like it?”
One easy test is to hold the store brand next to the name brand and compare the ingredient lists. If they match, you’re mostly paying extra for the name.
A few chains take that risk away. If you’re not happy with the quality of an Aldi product, Aldi’s Twice as Nice Guarantee replaces the item and refunds your money, so you get both.
Here’s what you need to know before you use it:
- What to bring: The packaging and any unused product, to the store manager.
- Receipt: With one, the refund goes back to your card. Without one, you get store credit.
- Where it works: Only on things you bought in the store.
- Several of one item: All of them get refunded, but you only get one replacement.
- What’s left out: Non-food Aldi Finds, national-brand alcohol, replacements from an earlier claim, and complaints that aren’t about quality.
Use it for a real quality problem, though. Aldi can turn down a claim if it suspects someone is abusing the guarantee.
If you shop there a lot, I have more tips for saving money at Aldi.
Target is another easy place to try a store brand. Target-owned brand items can be returned for up to 365 days with a receipt, while most items get 90 days.
Before you count on that for Good & Gather food, ask at Guest Services.
12. Fresh vs frozen vs canned: which is cheapest?
Canned and frozen vegetables often cost less than fresh, but fruit can go the other way.
USDA’s fruit and vegetable price data compares the price per cup of the part you actually eat, so peels and cores are already counted. The latest numbers come from 2023 store sales.
Here’s what a cup costs in each form, from USDA’s 2023 data:
| Food | Cheapest form | Costs more |
|---|---|---|
| Green beans | Canned, $0.54 | Frozen $0.72, fresh $0.87 |
| Corn | Canned, $0.68 | Frozen $0.69, fresh $1.42 |
| Blueberries | Frozen, $1.39 | Fresh $1.73 |
| Strawberries | Fresh, $1.05 | Frozen $1.15 |
| Pineapple | Fresh, $0.48 | Canned in juice $0.93 |
| Apples | Fresh, $0.50 | Applesauce $0.65 |
USDA also expects fresh vegetable prices to rise 5.8% in 2026, so it’s worth checking the frozen and canned aisles before you buy fresh.
If you do buy fresh, some of the cheapest produce per cup were watermelon ($0.26), potatoes ($0.30), bananas ($0.31) and whole carrots ($0.31).
13. Bagged vs loose produce: which is cheaper per pound?
Bagged apples usually look like the better deal, and when I checked Walmart.com prices for the Florissant, Missouri, Supercenter on November 2, 2026, they were cheaper by the pound.
But both 3-pound bags were on rollback, which is Walmart’s word for a temporary sale, and that changes the math.
Here’s how the bags compared with loose apples:
- Gala on sale: The bag cost $2.18, or about $0.73 a pound, while loose Galas cost $1.14 a pound.
- Gala at full price: The bag’s regular $3.24 still works out to about $1.08 a pound.
- Honeycrisp on sale: The bag cost $3.28, or about $1.09 a pound, while loose Honeycrisp cost $1.72 a pound.
- Honeycrisp at full price: The bag’s regular $8.73 comes to about $2.91 a pound, far more than loose.
So check the price per pound on the tag before you grab the bag.
And since every bag costs the same, it doesn’t hurt to weigh a few on the produce scale and take the heaviest one.
Picking a cheaper variety helps too. At that same store, loose Galas cost $0.58 a pound less than loose Honeycrisp.
One r/Cooking user wrote that “Gala Apples cost $1 less per pound than Honey Crisp” where they shop. They also buy the “more common red bell pepper” instead of orange and yellow ones.
14. Whole vs pre-cut produce: when cutting it yourself saves money
You usually pay extra for someone else to do the cutting, but not every time.
Here’s what a cup costs in USDA’s data:
- Carrots: $0.31 for whole carrots, $0.40 for baby carrots.
- Romaine: $0.54 for a whole head, $0.75 for romaine hearts.
- Broccoli: $1.05 for florets, $1.32 for heads, because you throw away the thick stems on a head.
The same idea works outside the produce aisle.
In that r/Cooking thread, one person said pre-peeled garlic “hit 4 dollars+ a bag” at their store, so they went back to whole garlic. A shopper in Australia said buying cheese in a block and grating it yourself “easily saves money compared to buying pre sliced/shredded.”
At the deli, compare the price per pound of pre-sliced lunch meat with a whole chunk you slice at home.
15. Dried vs canned beans: cost per cup
Dried beans cost less than half as much as canned beans.
In USDA’s data, dried pinto beans were the cheapest of all 155 fruits and vegetables it priced.
Here’s what a cup costs, dried vs canned:
- Pinto beans: $0.23 dried, $0.72 canned.
- Black beans: $0.26 dried, $0.78 canned.
- Kidney beans: $0.31 dried, $0.71 canned.
- Lentils: $0.31 dried.
Dried beans take longer to cook, so make a big pot at once and freeze what you won’t eat that week.
16. Cheaper drinks: juice concentrate, drink mix and tap water
When you buy ready-made drinks, you’re paying for a lot of water.
Frozen juice concentrate cost less per cup than ready-to-drink juice in all four flavors in USDA’s data:
- Orange: $0.43 from concentrate, $0.58 ready to drink.
- Apple: $0.33 from concentrate, $0.48 ready to drink.
- Grape: $0.41 from concentrate, $0.58 ready to drink.
- Pineapple: $0.38 from concentrate, $0.69 ready to drink.
Powdered drink mix works the same way.
Here’s what lemonade cost at that Florissant Walmart:
- Country Time Lemonade mix: $3.97 for a 19-ounce can that makes 8 quarts, or about $1.99 a gallon.
- Great Value Sugar-Free Lemonade mix: $2.47 for 6 packets that make 12 quarts, or about $0.82 a gallon.
- Great Value Classic Lemonade: $3.87 for a gallon bottle.
Water is the easiest switch of all. A gallon jug of Great Value drinking water cost $1.47, and a 24-pack of 16.9-ounce bottles cost $3.97, or about $1.25 a gallon.
Tap water costs far less. Your water bill shows what you pay for every 1,000 gallons, so you can work out your own cost per gallon.
17. Where to buy cheap spices and seasoning blends
Small jars of spices can cost a lot for how little you get.
According to shoppers, Hispanic, Asian and Indian markets, the Hispanic aisle at your regular store and bulk bins can sell them for much less.
In a r/povertyfinance thread, one shopper said that at Latino markets, “Instead of spending $5-$10 for a whole jar of McCormick you can grab a small packet for $0.50-$1, and it usually tastes better.”
A Hip2Save reader named Heather wrote that star anise cost $8.99 for 0.6 ounces at King Soopers, but $1.08 for 2 ounces at an Asian store.
Old spices lose flavor, so buy only what you’ll use soon. And instead of buying seasoning packets, mix your own taco or Italian blend from spices you already have.
18. Save on chicken with whole birds and leg quarters
A whole chicken or leg quarters can cost less than the same meal made with cut-up breasts or thighs.
The person who started that r/Cooking thread said “Chicken leg quarters are cheaper than just chicken thighs,” and another user said they paid “$5.50 for a whole chicken and $9 for 4 breasts.”
Check the price per pound, though. Another user said bone-in thighs cost less by weight than whole chickens where they live.
19. Cheap steak cuts: chuck eye and whole uncut pieces
If you love ribeye but not the price, try chuck eye steak.
In a TikTok covered by the Daily Dot, one shopper showed chuck eye at $10.18 a pound versus $22.49 for ribeye at her store. Commenters pointed out that there are usually only a few chuck eyes in the case, so grab them when you see them.
You can also buy a whole uncut piece of meat and cut the steaks yourself.
A TikTok creator who says he is a butcher filmed a Costco meat worker talking about it, as another Daily Dot story reported. Some commenters said it doesn’t work at every Costco, though.
At Sam’s Club, one shopper wrote in a product review that the meat department cut a whole ribeye for her, while other reviewers said trimming the fat ate up the savings.
If you’d rather not do the cutting, some full-service meat counters will do it for you. Whole Foods’ meat department page says, “We’ll custom cut any roast or steak,” and its butchers can also cut or debone poultry. Just ask at the counter.
20. Deli and bakery deals: cheese ends and smaller packages
Some deli and bakery counters sell things that never make it to the shelf, so it’s worth asking.
In a TikTok covered by Apartment Therapy, one Whole Foods shopper pointed to the basket of cheese “ends and pieces” at the cheese counter as an easy way to build a cheese board.
At Publix, one shopper’s reply on Threads, shared by Upworthy, said the bakery will break up a package so you buy only what you need. Ask at the counter first, since it may depend on the store.
21. How to read unit prices and spot shrinkflation
The unit price on the shelf tag tells you what you pay per ounce, pound or item. It’s the fastest way to compare two sizes or two brands.
NDSU Extension suggests using it to compare fresh, frozen, dried and canned versions of the same food, then buying whichever costs the least.
The unit price also catches shrinkflation, which is when a package gets smaller but the price stays the same.
When the Bureau of Labor Statistics studied it from 2015 to 2021, household paper products shrank most often, at 1.79% of prices. Among foods, snacks shrank most often, at 0.54%.
So check snack-size packs against the big bag too. If the big bag wins, split it into small containers at home.
22. Grocery deals that only look cheap, like loss leaders
Some deals are set up to make you spend more than you planned.
Watch for these at the store:
- “10 for $10” signs: Check whether you have to buy all 10 to get the price. If the sign doesn’t say, ask, so you don’t end up with more than you’ll use.
- BOGO deals: At Publix, in some states you can buy just one item from a BOGO deal at half price.
- Loss leaders and the displays around them: A loss leader is an item the store sells cheap to get you in the door, hoping you’ll buy other things at full price. In an AskReddit thread for grocery store workers, one commenter said that while you grab the “$1 bottle of Pepsi for your party, you’re also going to get the $5 bag of ice and the $8 pack of Solo Cups.” Buy the sale item and skip the extras.
- Bulk that spoils: A big bag of produce isn’t cheaper if half of it ends up in the trash.
- Eye-level shelves: The item right in front of you isn’t always the cheapest, so look up and down and compare unit prices.
Costco’s rotisserie chicken is one well-known example of a cheap item that brings shoppers in. In 2015, Costco’s chief financial officer said the company gave up “$30 to $40 million a year in gross margin” by keeping the price at $4.99, Fortune reported.
Cook More at Home to Cut Your Food Bill
Cooking at home is still one of the biggest ways to cut your food bill.
The average household spent $6,491 on groceries in 2025 and another $4,142 eating out.
Eating out is also getting pricier faster. The Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Consumer Price Index shows restaurant prices rose 3.5% in the 12 months to September 2026, while grocery prices rose 1.8%.
23. Cheap protein swaps for beef
Beef is the one to watch this year. USDA expects beef and veal prices to rise 8.7% in 2026, while egg prices are expected to fall 29.3%.
So swapping in cheap foods like eggs, chicken or dried beans a few nights a week can make a real difference.
If you still want beef, stretch it. In that r/Cooking thread, one user said ground mushrooms “will bulk up ground beef sauce without much taste affect,” and another makes “more meatballs with oats or bread to extend it.”
Beans or lentils can do the same job in tacos and chili.
24. Batch cook and plan leftovers to skip takeout
Batch cooking gives you a ready meal for the nights you’d otherwise order takeout.
Cook a double batch of chili, soup or pasta sauce and freeze half. Then plan one leftover night a week, so nothing you cooked gets lost in the back of the fridge.
Packing your lunch works the same way. Cook a little extra at dinner and take it with you the next day.
25. Is it cheaper to make it yourself?
Some foods cost much less to make than to buy, and some barely save anything.
I priced four with Walmart.com prices for the Florissant Supercenter on November 2, 2026, so use them as a guide.
Here’s how homemade compares with store-bought at that Walmart:
| Food | Homemade | Store-bought |
|---|---|---|
| Yogurt, 1 quart | About $0.85 | $2.64 for Great Value plain nonfat |
| Tomato sauce, 24 ounces | About $1.35, plus a little seasoning | $2.14 for Great Value, $2.53 for Prego |
| Bread, 1 loaf | About $1.08 to $1.37 | $1.52 for Great Value, $2.47 for Wonder |
| Granola | About $1.77 to $2.31 for 4 cups, plus cinnamon | $2.67 for an 11-ounce bag of Great Value |
Homemade yogurt vs store-bought
Yogurt is the clear winner.
The University of Illinois Extension recipe uses 1 quart of 1% milk and 2 tablespoons of plain yogurt as a starter, and makes 8 half-cup servings.
With Great Value 1% milk at $3.08 a gallon, that quart of milk costs about $0.77, and the starter adds about $0.08.
So a homemade quart costs about $0.85, while a 32-ounce tub of Great Value plain nonfat yogurt costs $2.64.
Homemade tomato sauce vs jarred
Tomato sauce is another easy one to make.
A 28-ounce can of Great Value crushed tomatoes costs $1.57, so 24 ounces of it comes to about $1.35. A 24-ounce jar of Great Value pasta sauce costs $2.14, and Prego Traditional costs $2.53.
To season it, the MyPlate marinara recipe uses 1 tablespoon of Italian seasoning for four 14.5-ounce cans of crushed tomatoes. Great Value Italian seasoning and garlic powder cost $1.00 a jar each, and you only use a little per batch.
Homemade bread vs store-bought
Bread is closer.
The Ohio State 4-H basic bread recipe makes one loaf with 3 1/2 to 4 cups of flour, plus yeast, sugar, salt, milk and oil.
Using 4 cups of flour, one homemade loaf costs about $1.37 with a yeast packet, or about $1.08 if you buy yeast in a jar.
That’s more than $1 less than Wonder Classic White at $2.47, but only 15 to 44 cents less than a Great Value loaf at $1.52. So homemade bread easily beats name brands, but it barely beats the store brand.
Homemade granola vs store-bought
The MyPlate cinnamon vanilla granola recipe makes 4 cups with oats, honey, oil, vanilla, cinnamon and a pinch of salt.
One batch costs about $2.17 to $2.31 plus a teaspoon of cinnamon, depending on the size of vanilla bottle you buy.
The vanilla adds 41 to 54 cents, so you can skip it, and the batch drops to about $1.77 plus the cinnamon. For comparison, an 11-ounce bag of Great Value Oats & Honey Granola costs $2.67.
Save on Groceries With Sales, Coupons and Loyalty Points
Sales, coupons and grocery store loyalty programs are still some of the easiest ways to cut your grocery bill.
The trick is knowing what a good price looks like and following each store’s rules.
26. How to tell if a grocery sale is a good deal
A big “sale” sign doesn’t always mean a good price.
USDA’s weekly grocery ad report lists the average sale prices for fruits and vegetables in big chains’ weekly ads, for the whole country and by region. It’s a free PDF.
Here’s what the October 23, 2026 report showed for ads ending October 17 to 29:
- Bananas: 58 cents a pound.
- Red seedless grapes: $2.30 a pound.
- Hass avocados: 99 cents each.
So if your store’s “sale” on grapes is well above $2.30 a pound, it’s not much of a deal, and you can wait for a better one.
27. Ask for a rain check when a sale item is sold out
If an item from the weekly ad is sold out, ask for a rain check.
Under an FTC rule, a food store can’t advertise an item it doesn’t have in stock unless it offers a rain check, offers a similar item at the ad price, or says in the ad that supplies are limited.
At Publix, a rain check is good for 30 days and covers up to 8 items.
Rain checks are easy to forget about. One r/Frugal user said a manager suggested one for an item they’d asked about, and “I had no idea that was still a thing.”
28. Publix and Kroger coupon policies
Every store has its own coupon rules, whether your coupons come from the Sunday paper or the best grocery coupon sites. Publix is one of the friendliest.
Here’s what the Publix coupon policy allows:
- Stacking: A manufacturer coupon plus a Publix or competitor coupon on the same item, for 2 coupons per item.
- Daily limit: Up to 8 of the same coupon per day per household.
- BOGO deals: Each item in a BOGO deal counts as its own purchase.
Kroger is stricter. Its coupon policy allows one coupon per item, paper or digital, and up to 3 of the same coupon per day per household.
If you don’t have a Kroger digital account, you can still get the digital coupon price. Ask at the customer service desk and show your Shopper’s Card.
Watch out: Stick to real coupons, used the way the policy says. Kroger doesn’t accept copied or altered coupons, and the store manager has the final say.
29. Kroger fuel points for groceries
Kroger fuel points aren’t only for gas. You can use them on groceries too.
At Kroger, 100 fuel points take $1 off your groceries, up to 1,000 points ($10) per household per day.
You can also use 100 points for 10 cents off per gallon, up to $1 a gallon on 35 gallons (limits can vary by store). The gas option can be worth more, since 100 points on 15 gallons saves you $1.50 instead of $1.
Here’s how to earn more points and keep them:
- Gift cards: Most gift cards earn 2 points per $1. A $100 gift card for a place you already shop earns 200 points, or $2 off your groceries.
- Cards that earn nothing: Kroger family gift cards, prepaid reloadable cards and Visa or Mastercard gift cards where you pick the amount. At Fred Meyer, no Visa or Mastercard gift card earns points.
- Bigger deals: Kroger sometimes runs promos with extra points on gift cards, so check the weekly ad.
- Expiration: Points expire on the last day of the month after you earned them.
30. Safeway and Albertsons for U rewards
Safeway and Albertsons run the for U program. You earn 1 point per $1 on groceries and 2 points per $1 on gift cards.
Here’s how to get the most out of your for U points:
- Save up for bigger rewards: You can use points once you have 100, but saving up gets you more for each point. 300 points take $4 off your groceries, while 1,000 points take $15 off.
- Expiration: Points expire within two calendar months, so don’t sit on them too long.
- Gas: You can also use 100 points for 10 cents off a gallon, on up to 25 gallons.
- Delivery orders: Orders through Instacart, DoorDash and Uber earn points too, once you link your account.
If you get groceries delivered a lot, Safeway’s for U+ costs $39 a year. It includes free same-day delivery on orders over $30, free Flash pickup, and points that don’t expire while you’re a member.
For other ways to get groceries brought to your door, see my list of the best grocery delivery services.
31. Whole Foods deals for Prime members
If you already pay for Amazon Prime, it can save you money at Whole Foods.
Whole Foods gives Prime members an extra 10% off its storewide sales, not counting alcohol and gift cards. Through March 30, 2027, it also posts Prime deals every Tuesday and Friday.
32. Grocery store birthday and senior discounts
A few programs give you something extra for your birthday or your age:
- Target Circle birthday: You get 5% off a future purchase on your birthday, good for 30 days. Your birth date has to be in your account before your birthday, and restrictions apply.
- Club Publix birthday: Publix offers members a birthday treat. It doesn’t say what it is, so check your account around your birthday.
- Fred Meyer 55 and older: On the first Tuesday of every month, Fred Meyer’s senior discount gives shoppers 55 and older an extra 10% off select items, in store or on pickup and delivery orders.
The Fred Meyer discount covers its own brands, like Fred Meyer, Kroger and Simple Truth. It doesn’t cover produce sold by the pound, other brands, alcohol or gift cards.
33. Stock up on pantry staples when prices drop
When something you use all the time hits a great price, buy enough to build a small stockpile that lasts until the next sale.
Canned food, rice, pasta and paper towels keep well. An extra freezer gives you room for meat you buy on sale.
34. Grocery cash back apps like Ibotta and Fetch
Cash back apps like Ibotta and Fetch can pay you back a little on groceries you were going to buy anyway. I compare them in my guide to the best grocery rebate apps.
I’ve used cash back sites like Rakuten and QuickRewards for years, and I follow one rule. Don’t buy something just because it offers cash back, or you’ll spend more than you save.
And if you’d rather earn money from groceries than save it, you can also get paid to deliver groceries.
How to Find Grocery Store Markdowns
Markdowns are food the store needs to sell soon, and they can be the cheapest food in the building.
You can find them through apps, or by learning when your store marks things down.
35. Apps for discounted groceries: Flashfood and Too Good To Go
Flashfood sells food that’s close to its date for up to 50% off. You pay in the app and pick it up at the store.
Its site shows chains like Kroger, Meijer, Giant Eagle, Tops and Piggly Wiggly. I go deeper in my Flashfood review.
Too Good To Go sells surprise bags at more than 530 Whole Foods stores. You don’t pick what’s inside.
Most bags cost $6.99 for $21 worth of food, while meat, seafood and prepared-food bags cost $9.99 for $30 worth.
36. When grocery stores mark down meat
No chain posts its markdown schedule, so the best guide is what store workers say about their own stores.
One grocery worker on r/Frugal wrote that markdowns in meat “are usually all out within the first hour or two of business,” with another round some late afternoons.
Another worker who does markdowns, also on r/Frugal, said that when shoppers are nice and ask if anything needs marking down, they’ll help if they aren’t busy. They usually try to do it “between 8 and 11.”
Tip: When you freeze marked-down meat, write on the package how many days were left on its date. One r/Frugal shopper does this with marked-down lunch meat, so they know how much time they have once it thaws.
37. Markdown tips at Kroger, Target and Walmart
Here’s what workers and shoppers report at three big chains:
- Kroger: One Reddit user in Lexington said all departments “are supposed to have their markdowns done by 9am.” Another described a daily “last chance” section and 99-cent bags of reduced produce.
- Target: One Target worker on Reddit said clearance goes 15%, 30%, 50% and 70% off, but grocery “nearly always starts at 15% and is donated or tossed after 50%.”
- Walmart: One Reddit user said the yellow markdown sticker goes over the barcode, “so that the cashier doesn’t have to manually reduce the price.” A worker said items dropped after an aisle reset go to a half-off endcap.
Each of these is one person’s experience at one store, so ask at yours.
38. What .97 and .00 mean at Costco
Costco doesn’t explain its price tags, but its workers and shoppers on Reddit do, and they don’t all agree.
Here’s what they say the price endings and signs mean:
- Ends in .97: A clearance price. One Costco worker wrote, “If it ends in .97, that’s not a ‘store manager special,’ that’s clearance,” and said corporate buyers set it, not the warehouse.
- Ends in .00: Workers say that one warehouse wants the item gone fast, though one former employee disagreed.
- An asterisk on the sign: The item won’t be restocked at that warehouse soon, though one worker said it may just be getting new packaging.
- The date on the sign: If a .97 sign is a few weeks old and the shelf is still full, one shopper said another drop may be coming.
One more shopper noticed that Costco marks down holiday candy and wine gift packs just before Christmas, while most stores wait until after.
Grocery Store Hacks at Checkout
Knowing how to save money on groceries doesn’t stop at the shelf. The checkout is your last chance to save.
Keep a running total on your phone’s calculator as you shop, so the total at the register isn’t a surprise. Then walk past the candy and drinks at the checkout, since they’re rarely on your list.
How often grocery prices scan wrong
Wrong prices at the register aren’t rare.
In a 2024 national check by the National Conference on Weights and Measures, inspectors checked 419,237 items at 7,367 stores in 26 states. 32% of the inspections found at least one item that rang up higher than its price.
The share of items with a wrong price ran from 0.9% at warehouse clubs to 4.9% at convenience stores.
In Massachusetts, 2.1% of the 27,750 items checked were wrong, and more of them rang up too high (312) than too low (279).
The good news is that three rules can pay you when that happens.
39. What is the Publix Promise?
If an item scans above the shelf price or the ad price at Publix, the Publix Promise gives you one of them free, and the rest ring up at the lower price. It doesn’t cover alcohol or tobacco.
So if a sale item rings up at full price, speak up before you leave the store.
40. Michigan’s scanner law can pay you a bonus
In Michigan, the state’s scanner law says you get the difference back when an item rings up higher than the marked price.
The store may also choose to pay you a bonus of 10 times the difference, at least $1 and no more than $5.
Here’s how to claim it:
- Time limit: Tell the store within 30 days.
- Proof: Bring your receipt.
- Payout: The store has 2 days to pay you.
- Limit: One bonus per transaction for the same item, even if you bought several.
The bonus is up to the store, but the difference is yours either way.
41. Connecticut’s “get one free” law
Connecticut goes a step further, and some items that scan above the posted price are free.
It covers food, medicine, cosmetics and similar items, but not things like a broom.
The item has to be “on sale for a period of at least seven days, and offered in a publicly circulated advertisement.” You also have to ask for it to be free.
42. How to catch a wrong price at checkout
It only takes a minute, and it’s the easiest way to use the rules above:
- Snap a photo of the shelf tag on anything that’s on sale.
- Watch the screen as each item scans.
- At self-checkout, make sure the right produce shows up on the screen before you bag it.
- Check your receipt before you leave the store, while the cashier can still fix it.
Get Money Back on Groceries After You Buy
Your receipt is still worth money after you get home, so don’t throw it out right away.
43. Grocery stores that price adjust: Costco, Target and Meijer
Some stores will refund the difference if the price drops after you buy. Costco does price adjust, for 30 days after you buy, and Target and Meijer have shorter windows.
Here’s how each store handles a price drop after you buy:
| Store | Time limit | What counts | How to ask |
|---|---|---|---|
| Costco | 30 days | A lower Costco price on the same item | At the Returns counter of the warehouse where you bought it |
| Target | 14 days | Target’s own lower price, but not clearance and not with Circle Bonuses | Bring your receipt |
| Meijer | 10 days | A lower price in the Meijer weekly ad | At the Service Desk, with your receipt |
None of these three will match a lower price at a different store.
Walmart’s price match works a little differently, since its stores match the price of the same item on Walmart.com, and the store manager makes the final call.
Kroger, Publix and H-E-B don’t list a price-drop refund rule on their policy pages, so ask at the service desk before you count on one.
Pro tip: After a big Costco trip, keep the receipt and glance at the prices of your biggest buys on your next visit. If one dropped and it’s still within 30 days, you can get the difference back.
44. Grocery store refund policies for spoiled food
If produce or meat goes bad right after you buy it, take it back.
If you live near a Schnucks, its Fresh Guarantee is one of the clearest rules I found.
Here’s how the Schnucks Fresh Guarantee works:
- What it covers: Produce, bakery, deli, meat, seafood, dairy and flowers.
- Time limit: 7 days.
- Receipt: Either the paper one or the one in the Schnucks app.
- What’s left out: Frozen food, packaged groceries from the middle aisles, marked-down items and Instacart orders.
- Schnucks brands: Schnucks says “we’ll make it right.”
One Schnucks rule I really like is the In-Stock Chicken Promise. If there’s no Hot Herb Rotisserie or 8 Piece Hot Fried Chicken in the deli case between 3 and 7 PM, you get it free with a voucher from a deli worker (restrictions apply).
In Texas, H-E-B’s refund policy gives you 90 days to get a refund on in-store and online orders.
At other stores, ask at customer service, and bring your receipt.
Waste Less Food to Save Money on Groceries
The food you throw out is money you already spent at the store, so using up what you buy is one of the easiest ways to spend less.
Wasted food costs the average person $728 a year, or $2,913 for a family of four, according to the EPA.
45. What does “best if used by” mean?
Date labels like “Best if Used By” tell you when food tastes best, not when it becomes unsafe, according to USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service.
A “Sell-By” date is different. FSIS says it “tells the store how long to display the product for sale for inventory management. It is not a safety date.” So marked-down food near its sell-by date can still be a good buy, as long as you cook or freeze it soon.
The only food that needs a federal use-by date is infant formula.
FSIS says other food should still be safe after the date if it’s been handled right. So look for signs it has gone bad instead of going by the date alone.
46. How long leftovers and frozen food last
Leftovers keep 3 to 4 days in the fridge or 3 to 4 months in the freezer, according to FSIS’s leftovers guide.
Get them into the fridge within 2 hours of cooking, or within 1 hour if it’s above 90°F.
Freezer times are about quality, not safety. Food kept at 0°F stays safe for as long as it’s frozen, but it slowly loses flavor and moisture.
Here’s how long common foods keep, from the FoodSafety.gov storage chart:
| Food | In the fridge | In the freezer |
|---|---|---|
| Raw ground meat | 1 to 2 days | 3 to 4 months |
| Steaks, chops and roasts | 3 to 5 days | 4 to 12 months |
| Whole raw chicken | 1 to 2 days | 1 year (pieces, 9 months) |
| Cooked meat | 3 to 4 days | 2 to 6 months |
| Opened deli meat | 3 to 5 days | 1 to 2 months |
| Bacon | 1 week | 1 month |
| Eggs in the shell | 3 to 5 weeks | Don’t freeze in the shell |
Soups and stews keep 2 to 3 months in the freezer, which makes them a good way to save vegetables that are about to go soft.
47. Make stock from bones and vegetable scraps
Chicken bones and vegetable scraps can still make one more meal.
In that r/Cooking thread, one user said they break down a whole chicken themselves and “use the bones and skin for stock.”
Keep a bag in the freezer for onion ends, carrot peels and celery tops, and simmer them with the bones when it’s full.
If you don’t have bones of your own, ask the meat counter. A post on Reddit’s r/LifeProTips said butchers will give you bones for free, but it may depend on the store.
48. Shop on delivery day for fresher produce
Fresher produce lasts longer at home, so it helps to know when your store gets its deliveries.
One r/Frugal user suggests asking an employee which days your staples are usually delivered and shopping on those days, since you’re “buying the freshest stuff possible, which can cut down on wasted spoilage at home.”
Once you’re at the shelf, reach toward the back. A post on Reddit’s r/YouShouldKnow said stores put newer stock behind the older items, so the freshest food is often in the back. It’s not a sure thing, since the front row may have just been restocked.
49. When turkey prices are lowest
Turkey is one food with a clear best time to buy.
A 2012 USDA chart of retail prices found that, in most years, turkey prices hit their low for the year in November or December.
If you have the freezer space, pick up a second one while prices are low, or check which stores give away a free Thanksgiving turkey.
How I Researched This
I pulled every store rule in this post from the stores’ own policy pages, from Publix, Costco and Sam’s Club to Aldi, Schnucks and Kroger.
The numbers come from official sources like USDA, the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the EPA, the FTC, the National Conference on Weights and Measures, and the Michigan and Connecticut consumer protection offices.
For the family-of-four budget, I added up USDA’s cost for each person. For the make-it-yourself foods, I priced each recipe on Walmart.com for the Florissant, Missouri, Supercenter, using King Arthur Baking’s ingredient weights to turn cups into ounces.
No chain publishes its markdown schedule, so for that I used reports from store workers and shoppers, each labeled as one person’s experience. The warehouse club advice also comes from my own Sam’s Club membership.
Easy Ways to Save Money on Groceries This Week
You don’t have to use every grocery-saving trick in this guide.
Start with a few changes and build from there.
Before your next trip, check your pantry and plan meals around what you already have and what’s on sale.
Compare unit prices, too. Swapping canned beans for dried beans or Honeycrisp apples for cheaper Gala apples can lower your bill without changing what you eat.
At checkout, watch for scanning errors and check your receipt before throwing it away. You might also qualify for a refund if an item’s price drops after you buy it.
Small changes like these can add up over time.
You don’t need to give up your favorite foods, shop at a dozen different stores, or spend hours clipping coupons to save money on groceries.
