Racking Up the Savings at the Grocery Store

Groceries are a necessity in all homes. Without groceries, there would be no food on our tables; we wouldn't have medicine when we get a cold; we wouldn't have clean clothes or clean dishes. Without that trip to the grocery store, we wouldn't have trash bags or toilet paper, bath soap or toothpaste. We'd be hungry, smelly people in a dirty world.

These groceries come with a cost, though. Many families spend a minimum of $100 a week on groceries. Wouldn't it be great if we could save money on the things that are required in life? Wouldn't it be nice if lower income individuals could afford to eat healthy meals, rather than having to skip meals or live off of hot dogs? Not only is it a nice thought, but it is possible. Below are a few tips on saving money at the grocery store.

1) Frequent Shoppers Cards: Many grocery stores offer frequent shopper cards for their customers. Also called customer loyalty cards, these little money savings devices may not seem like much, but they really are. Not only do they offer instant savings and in-store discounts, but they also lead to other discounts. Some are linked to rewards programs (see #2), while others send their registered shoppers coupons for extra savings (see #3).

2) Rewards Programs: Many frequent shopper cards have reward programs that run along with them. Examples are baby clubs or gas savings. Money spent in the store is transferred into points, which are saved up for huge savings. Sometimes the savings are as simple as extra cents off of each gallon of gas at a station attached to the grocery store. Other programs redeem the points for money off of your grocery bill.

3) Store Coupons: Watch your mail and check your circulars for store coupons. Occasionally, stores will offer coupons for a certain amount of free groceries with any new prescription filled at their in-store pharmacy. Some stores send their repeat customers great coupons for money off based on purchases in certain departments. They also will send store coupons for certain products. These coupons can be combined with manufacturer coupons (see #4) for even more savings.