How to Save Money at Popular Grocery Store Chains with Coupons

By: Dannie Phan | February 25, 2020

Everyone likes a deal but with groceries, but you won't come across deep discounts like that of Black Friday or Cyber Monday. Small everyday saving on your grocery bill is the key to a more substantial impact. Learning how to coupon on your own, though, isn’t always easy. Each store has its coupon policy. You have to learn to play the game if you’re going to save money and time. The good news is that certain chain grocery stores make it easier for you to coupon than others. 


What are coupons, though, and how can we use them in the current moment? Coupons are different than store loyalty cards. They represent time-sensitive deals made available to you by either a specific store or a manufacturer. There is some debate as to the value of store coupons versus manufacturer coupons, but both help you identify more affordable products to bring into your home. You’ll be able to use both printable coupons and coupon codes to save at checkout. Be sure, though, to read the fine print before heading into a store. There may be a minimum order price you need to meet before you’re eligible to use the coupon of your choice. Grocery coupons, for example, may require you to spend upwards of $50 before offering you a discount on a daily cut. 


Feel overwhelmed? Don’t worry. Beginning couponers will be able to take advantage of several tools and apps designed to make saving at your favorite stores simpler. You can save your shopping list and earn cash back on apps like Swagbucks and Shoply and will reward you for receipt upload, giving you access to additional coupons and sales opportunities.


If you’re not sure where to start or how to get the best deal, why not explore some of the stores listed below? They’ll make it easy for you to save money and familiarize yourself with the couponing process.


Costco Wholesale

If you want to save as much money as possible while grocery shopping, we recommend that you shop in bulk. You can should purchase nonperishables or items with a long shelf life like Ziploc pouches, Pampers diapers, or Kellog's granola bars. A front-runner in the grocery store arms race, Costco makes it easy for you to bring warehouse priced goods home, be they niche foodstuff or kitchen appliances. Partner the chain’s versatility with its free samples policy, and you’ll find that trawling through the aisles isn’t so much of a chore. Costco has a generous return policy, accepting most items at any time, from seasonal items to used chicken coops.

That said, Costco can get expensive for shoppers who don’t know how to coupon and overshop. It does require an annual membership, so unless you're spending hundreds in bulk items every year, it might not be worth it. Luckily, the store coupons are easy to navigate and lets you use one coupon per item as long as you’ve procured the coupon clippings through the chain’s newsletter or mail-based catalog.


Kroger

College students and Midwesterners alike all know they can rely on Kroger to help them secure grocery deals. The Kroger chain’s reputation may vary, but the stores themselves always carry the essentials you need to get through the day. If time is one of your most valuable assets, consider using their grocery pickup option, providing same-day pickup for free. If you can't even make it out to the store, there is a delivery option where you can get groceries delivered straight to your door within hours.

Unfortunately, Kroger’s weekly ads and mail-based catalog have shrunk over the past few years, as coupons have moved online. However, you can use in-store scanners to help you find available coupons for the products you may be interested in. Likewise, signing up for Kroger’s newsletter will help you stay on top of any limited-time deals coming your way.

Beginning couponers will want to sign up for a Kroger card to save money while grocery shopping. A Kroger card discount paired with the price-cutting power of a coupon means you can walk out of Kroger with a week’s worth of groceries and a wallet reasonably full.

Walmart Grocery

Walmart grocery is expanding rapidly to compete against Amazon's Whole Foods. Walmart's rollback price point and thousands of locations across the US makes it one of the go-to grocery chains for shoppers looking for convenience and local stores. Whatever products you’re looking for, a chain as large as Walmart stores is almost guaranteed to have it in stock. The grocery chain is also renowned for its deals from beauty products to home improvement; you can get them all in one place. With its continued online presence, you'll be able to find promo codes for walmart.com applicable to your groceries. If your cart is over $35, you're eligible for free delivery the very next day. 



The coupons available through Walmart’s membership program, newsletter, and email-based catalogs are usually flexible, meaning you can use them on any of the store’s products, as long as those products adhere to the coupon’s other guidelines. For more specific savings, there’s the Savings Catcher app. You can use this app to match Walmart prices to their competitors’ and receive a discount at check out.

Walmart also frequently allows its visitors to pair their coupons with sales items. As such, you’ll save the most money if you go out to buy groceries when Walmart’s already discounted the products you want to bring home.


If you're great at managing your credit cards and frequently shop at Walmart, you may want to consider trying the Walmart credit card. With 5% cash back on all Walmart.com, Walmart App, and grocery purchases and 2% cash back on resturants and travel.


Aldi


Discount grocery chains like Aldi have risen in popularity over the past few years. These outlets break away from the all-encompassing template of grocery chains to provide their customers with low prices. Instead of giving you access to all sorts of brands, all the time, Aldi makes sure you can bring the essentials home at a reasonable cost. They have recently launched their own same-day delivery with deals off your first online order.

Depending on your needs, you can head to Aldi to spot-pick your groceries or to buy in bulk. You can do so more effectively if you have a coupon on hand. Aldi’s mail catalogs are among their most popular marketing tools, as they bring timely coupons straight to your front door. It’s worth noting, though, that Aldi does not accept manufacturer coupons and will only take coupons affiliated with its storefront.


Trader Joe’s

Are you in the mood for fair trade food? Grocery store chains like Trader Joe’s maybe a little more expensive, but they give you access to all sorts of diet-friendly, sustainable foods. That said, you don’t have to blow your grocery budget if you want to eat healthily. Trader Joe’s provides coupons through its online platform and mail-based catalogs so you can save money on weekly specials. If you don’t actively get the catalog, be sure to check the website before you head out to go shopping. Trader Joe’s newsletter will send applicable coupons straight to your inbox as they become available. That kind of personalized couponing experience will make it all the easier for you to learn how to save money.


More Ways to save

Shop with Swagbucks and earn cash back at Walmart, Safeway, Albertsons, Vons, and Pavillions. Swagbucks has a collection of featured coupons, and you can earn rewards from using clippings from their partner coupons.com. If grocery deliveries are essential to you, earn $5 for trying out Instacart. A unique way to save even more is by using discounted gift cards to stack your savings. My Gift Cards Plus has Safeway gift cards for cash back. 


Have a hankering for frugal shopping? Beginning couponers can visit any of the above chains and find a way to save money.



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