Here are some tips on how to save money at Kroger but still eat the things you want.
If you sometimes find yourself spending more money than you should at the grocery store, consider these tips on how to save money at Kroger or your grocery store of choice.
Tip #1: Buy Generic
Generic foods are cheaper than name brand foods. One reason is that there are no advertising and marketing costs for the manufacturer to make up for. In many situations, the generic food is exactly the same as the name brand, but with different packaging. When this happens, you can still enjoy your favorite foods, but spend less money. In other situations, the generic version of the food is technically different from the name brand because it contains different ingredients.
But if most shoppers are honest with themselves, they can’t taste the difference between name brand and generics. And in situations where they can, they like both the name brand and generic version equally or actually prefer the taste of the generic.
Tip #2: Buy in Bulk
The more you buy, the more you save and nowhere is this truer than with food. So one way to save money on your favorite foods is to buy them in bulk. This may not always be possible if the food has an expiration date that prevents eating all of it before it goes bad (such as with produce or dairy). But for most people, they can eat all the foods before they expire, even when purchased in bulk.
Tip #3: Use Coupons
Coupons are really easy ways to save money. They’re usually available for free online, in your mailbox or by simply asking the food manufacturer for some. And depending on the coupon policy of your grocery store, the grocery store may double the coupon, up to certain limits.
Tip #4: Join the Grocery Store Loyalty Program
This is another quick and easy way to save money. All you have to do fill is out a form with your name, mailing address, phone number and email address. Then, the next time you shop, you swipe your loyalty card or punch in the phone number associated with your loyalty account for instant savings. Depending on the store, the loyalty program may provide for discounts on gasoline or free kitchen items.
Tip #5: Use Apps
With almost everyone having a smartphone, special apps are available that allow people to get cash back or discounts on items they typically buy. Good examples include iBotta and Checkout 51. All you typically need to do is download the app and provide proof that you bought an item to get the rewards.
Tip #6: Plan Meals Around Specials and Holidays
Every week a grocery store will have a special on something, such as produce, chicken, beef or some other food staple. If you’re willing to plan your meals around these staples, you can save a considerable amount of money. This concept also applies to holidays. For example, around Thanksgiving, turkey is really cheap and around Easter, ham is more affordable. Therefore, Easter and Thanksgiving is the perfect time to stock up on turkey and ham. Since these meats freeze and store well, you can do all or most of your turkey and meat shopping one time each year and avoid paying full price.
Tip #7: Stick to the Shopping List
One of the easiest ways to go off your food budget is to buy on impulse. But if you stick to your shopping list, which you created with money-saving strategies in mind, you can help avoid these impulse purchases.
Tip #8: Don’t Shop Hungry, and You’ll Save Money at Kroger!
Another easy way to spend more money at the grocery store is to shop hungry. It doesn’t seem like it would make a difference, but it does. What you might normally pass up suddenly becomes irresistible.
It can take time and practice to learn how to save money at Kroger. If you need a bit of wiggle room, a title pawn can help. Call or visit your nearest Title Tree store to find out whether you qualify.