Hy-Vee’s senior citizen discount program offers discounts based on location and weekday. These discounts are typically held one day a week, with Albertsons’ senior discount day being the first Thursday of the month. Some stores, like Kohl’s, also offer senior discounts.
Hy-Vee, with nearly 300 stores in eight Midwestern states, has a weekly discount day with 5 to 10 off for seniors starting at age 55 in some locations. On Thursdays, seniors aged 55 and older can receive a 5 discount on some products at participating locations. Prices, promotions, and availability may vary by store and online.
On Monday and Tuesday, Hy-Vee shoppers can enjoy a 5 discount on their purchases. They have stopped doing age-based discounts and increased the number of daily Hot Deals, so seniors still save. Additionally, seniors 55 and over can receive a 5 discount on their grocery purchase.
Some exclusions apply, but the discount is not available on pharmacy, lottery, tobacco, or postal services. To use the senior discount, customers must ask a cashier or self-checkout clerk for the discount.
Several grocery stores, including Harris Teeter, offer discounts for customers aged 60 or over. Hy-Vee, on the other hand, varies by location and requires customers to be 55 years or older. The senior discount is valid every Wednesday.
📹 Best Mattress For Seniors – Our Top 8 Picks!
Purchasing a mattress that will support you, aid in relief, and promote restorative sleep is on everyone’s wish list. However, finding …
Does Netflix have a senior discount?
Netflix does not offer special discounts for seniors or first responder or military discounts. However, the streaming platform has a vast array of content, making it a popular choice for many. However, the company faces competition from other streaming platforms, making understanding its costs and potential discounts crucial. As a senior, it is essential to consider other options to ensure you can afford Netflix and find good streaming alternatives if it becomes too expensive. It is also important to be cautious of scams and stay vigilant for any suspicious activities.
Does Amazon offer a senior discount?
Amazon does not offer a specific senior discount, but certain seniors can qualify for the Prime Access Membership, which offers a reduced monthly subscription fee of $6. 99, a 50 discount. This membership provides the same benefits as a regular membership, and can be obtained through government programs like the Women, Infants and Children Program or Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children.
What age is senior for airline tickets?
To qualify for the senior discount on your excursion, it is necessary to select “Senior 65+” as the traveler when making the reservation. All prices displayed will include the discount if it is applicable.
What age are most senior discounts?
Seniors can enjoy promotions directed towards them, such as becoming an AARP member and qualifying for discounts. Some businesses start offering discounts to customers when they reach age 55, while others have different qualifying ages such as 62 or 65. Senior rates can be found at various retailers, restaurants, grocery stores, hotels, car rental agencies, and airlines.
Retirement accounts are designed to encourage long-term savings, and early withdrawals from 401(k) plans or IRAs typically include a 10 penalty. If money is taken out before age 59 1/2, a 10 penalty is typically required. However, after age 72, required minimum distributions (RMDs) from retirement accounts must be taken, calculated using an IRS distribution method. By considering yourself a senior citizen, you can enjoy these benefits and take advantage of the discounts available to seniors.
How to use Hy-Vee perks at self checkout?
To effectuate a purchase of Hy-Vee products, the customer is required to present their card or barcode at the point of sale. It should be noted that prices, promotions, and product availability may vary by store and online. For further details, please refer to the Hy-Vee Terms of Sale. Should further assistance be required, please contact Hy-Vee directly.
Does Hyvee accept EBT near me?
The establishment offers a variety of services, including a bakery, a butcher shop, and the preparation of a range of products, such as daily fresh-baked cakes, homemade bratwurst, kabobs, stuffed pork and chicken products, and marinated beef, pork, and chicken. Additionally, the establishment accepts EBT cards and WIC checks, money orders, phone cards, lottery winnings, utility payments, Western Union transfers, Rug Doctor rentals, copy machines, gift cards, and ATMs.
What is the Hy-Vee employee discount?
Employees of Hy-Vee are eligible to receive discounts of 10% on purchases and 20% on orders at Hy-Vee-owned restaurants. In addition, they are eligible for part-time insurance, supplemental life insurance, and a range of healthcare plans with employer contributions. Those currently employed by Hy-Vee are eligible for profit-sharing and 401(k) plans after a period of one year.
Is 55 years old considered senior?
Being a senior citizen is not a specific age, but it typically begins at age 55. By age 65, retirement from work is the most common age for senior citizens. However, an increasing number of senior citizens are working after 65, making retirement no longer a key factor in becoming a senior. Senior citizen discounts exist in various sectors, including fast food restaurants, sit-down restaurants, grocery stores, airfare, sports tickets, hotel accommodations, movie theater tickets, hair salons, tire service centers, and cell phone companies. Additionally, members of the American Association of Retired Persons (AARP) can receive members-only discounts on various items.
These discounts are provided to help seniors afford essentials and extras, as they are on fixed incomes with limited assets. Companies offer these discounts to help seniors live a healthy, happy life in retirement, ensuring they can afford both essentials and extras.
Is 55 still middle aged?
Middle age, or middle adulthood, is the age range between 40-45 years and 60-65 years, marked by gradual physical, cognitive, and social decline. This stage of life is marked by changes that may occur between young adulthood and this stage. There is no universal consensus on the exact definition of middle age, but typical characteristics include the beginning of rapid decline in fertility, graying of hair, and lessening opportunities.
Middle age is marked by the development of relationships and adaptation to changes in relationships, as evident in the maturing relationships between growing or grown children and aging parents. Community involvement is common during this stage of adulthood, as is continued career development. There is no universal consensus on the exact definition of middle age, but it is generally characterized by rapid decline in fertility, graying of hair, and reduced opportunities.
At what age are you a senior citizen in the US?
It is of the utmost importance to comprehend the concept of seniorhood in order to provide adequate support and assistance to those in need. An understanding of this concept enables one to empathize with the challenges faced by the elderly and to offer them the requisite aid.
How much does HyVee pay an hour in Iowa?
As of August 27, 2024, the mean annual remuneration for a Hy-Vee in Iowa is $63, 171, which is approximately $30. This equates to an hourly rate of $37, which is the equivalent of $1, 214 per week or $5, 264 per month.
📹 10 GROCERY SHOPPING HACKS That Will Save You Money!
Want to know How Save Money on Groceries in 2022? Save a bunch of money at your local grocery stores with these 10 amazing …
⏬Click the links below and save BIG on these mattresses!⏬ ✅WinkBed – mattressnerds.co/WinkBed Get $300 off the WinkBed! ✅Saatva – mattressnerds.co/Saatva Click to save up to $600 on the Saatva! ✅Helix Midnight Luxe – mattressnerds.co/HelixMidnightLuxe Save up to 25% and get 2 free pillows! ✅Puffy Lux Hybrid – mattressnerds.co/PuffyLuxHybrid Get up to $1,350 worth of savings on the Puffy! ✅Nectar – mattressnerds.co/NectarMattress Save up to 40% on the Nectar mattress! ✅Casper – mattressnerds.co/CasperWaveHybrid Click to save up to 20% on the Casper! ✅Cocoon Chill Hybrid – mattressnerds.co/CocoonHybrid Save up to 35% on the Cocoon! ✅Saatva Latex Hybrid – mattressnerds.co/SaatvaLatex Click to save up to $600 on the Saatva Latex mattress!
The main issue with grocery store pickup is all of the “out of stock” items that don’t end up in your order. Some stores will make substitutions for items on your list, and charge you for the (most likely) more expensive item that they thought was a good idea. Often, I will go back to get an item that was supposedly “out of stock” to find there were plenty on the shelves. Not a big fan of pickup orders.
My local grocery store has a 10% off “senior discount” the first Wednesday of every month, so that’s when I do my shopping for the month. They give the discount to everyone, senior or not. I also use their digital coupons and the coupons they send me in the mail, and I always stock up on sales. Your article has some really good tips.
Matt Thank you for everything you do for all of us. I am totally out of money before I get paid again. Living on social security and supporting my daughter’s family has cost me everything including getting my car repossessed 2 weeks ago. It would have been paid off this month. These articles help me get food for her and her 2 children. I am 69 years old and life is hard for everyone trying to help their family. Thank you again and I i love you for all you do.
Thank you, Matt. The idea that helps me the most is your #8-let the prices guide your shopping. This is most effective if you also do two other things, learn to cook and build a pantry. Simple cooking skills such as roasting a chicken can save a lot of money. You can take that one chicken and turn it into three meals or more if you portion the meat and are creative with the sides/fillers. Buy ingredients on sale and make large batches of chili, pans of lasagna, portion and freeze. Having a ready-made meal reduces the cost for take-out. Having a stocked pantry means you rarely have to pay full price for anything, coupled with shopping seasonally, of course. For pantry staples, I’ll buy a dozen or more of what I know I’ll use (beans, tomatoes, veg, pasta). Aldi had butter for $1.97. I bought two dozen and froze it. It keeps beautifully and will last us a year. I learned this from my Depression-era mother and I’ve done it all my adult life. Just a few dollars each week of buying the loss leaders will help you build a solid pantry so when an item you use isn’t on sale you don’t have to buy it or you have a suitable substitute. Lastly, if you are fortunate enough to have ethnic markets in your area, frequent them. You get better choices of ethnic foods, better prices and often great advice from the owners. Rice is a great bargain as well as dried herbs and spices.
The price difference of fruits, veggies, and meat between my local Walmart, Fry’s, Albertson’s, Safeway, Basha’s etc and the local Food City and El Super is absolutely WILD. I’m talking veggies 3 times less expensive at Food City and El Super. Those 2 are mostly in rough neighborhoods and shopped primarily by the Hispanic population here, but I couldn’t care less. I take my happy white self in there and I gladly give them my business because of the great savings. 🙂
Regarding lettuce and other salad greens, grow your own. You can grow it inside year-round in a container. It doesn’t take up much space, it’s easy to grow, and it is WAY cheaper than any form of store-bought lettuce. The only caveat is iceburg and other head lettuces take up more space and take much longer to grow.
I worked in supermarkets for over 20 years. Many of those years I did inventory control and I was in charge of setting up shelf plans. Manufacturers often pay supermarkets for front and right center spaces. As well as bottom shelf spots for sugar cereals for kids. If a name brand is on display at the end of an aisle, that company paid to have it displayed. Coke, Pepsi, and Lays chips all owned end displays. Many supermarkets make more money in the grocery department from selling shelf space and displays than they do from customer sales. Non perishable items are literally barely marked up, often just a penny or two markup. Perishable and non food items are where they make money on sales. Also, some states, like Connecticut, have laws in place where unit prices must be displayed or stores can be fined per item. Always shop the unit price, especially check as sale items are not always deals. Be wary of unit prices displayed as per each. Hope that helps.
Loved the grocery store hacks. I cracked up when you said “fresh seafood”. My whole life I was brought up on seafood. When I moved up North and went into a grocery store and was looking at the seafood case, I was in shock 😲. The shrimp was rotten, the lobster was actually a bulldozer and the scallops was shark meat. The man behind the counter mouth was dragging the floor. I didn’t realize I was saying it all out loud. He tried to correct me I asked him was he a seafood expert. Then he asked me if I was. I looked at him and replied I grew up on seafood and yes I do know my seafood. Proceeded to explain the differene between the lobster and bulldozer then shark meat and scallops. I do like both shark meat and bulldozer. I just love my seafood. Sorry for the long story. Thanks for the tips and may you have a Blessed day.
If you’re buying bags of fruit, specifically citrus fruits, take several bags to a scale and weigh them. You will find great differences in each bag and take the bag with the heaviest. Typically with that you’re going to get more juice or fruit. Every time I get grapefruit I’ll find one bag that is more than a half a pound different than the rest that’s giving me more for my money.
Everything he mentioned I’ve been doing for decades. But, if you haven’t done it, it works. I always shop with a list, and currently, for the past 11 months I’ve been using curbside once a month and it’s fantastic, they do a great job. I select which store go online, select items, and pay pick up the following day.
Shopping at Walmart I saw a package of ground beef expiring that day already reduced. I asked the meat clerk he said sorry could not reduce it further. I asked to speak with store manager. He asked clerk why he could not go lower and the clerk said department rule is one markdown only. Store manager said to me what price do you want. I told him and got the package ( which I did not need but which was going into my freezer ) for the price I wanted. PAYS TO ASK, NICELY is my motto
Awesome.. some I didn’t know.. some I needed the reminder… When I first started grocery shopping in the 70s.. It was an adventure to get best deals…. A total conversion/ bragging fest with friends and must admit strangers too… Wouldn’t it be cool to get back to that? Pride in saving.. and stretching our resources . Thank you for your part in making smart shopping cool and fun.
Living on a farm, I have to say it…. if its possible where you live, plant a small garden (container gardens are awesome!) for some fresh veg in the summer season and…. chickens! Don’t plant the chickens, that wouuldn’t work so well, but if you live in an area where you are able to have a couple (you do NOT need roosters, just hens or ‘pullets’ (which are young hens who have not begun to lay eggs yet). you’ll have eggs year round. The main thing with them is that you are able to keep them safe from any predators in your area and they have a safe and secure coop for night time.
In Phoenix, Kroger sells whole organic raw chickens for around $20 each. Two days before they expire, the meat man marks them down 2/3 to about $6.70 each! My husband has a chest freezer. We have 15 frozen organic chickens to roast! He roasts 2 at a time and we feed our elderly friends who are not cooking much anymore. Also, the night before a major holiday, they mark down the expensive meats, way down to clear them out. At New Year’s, we got 4 standing rib roasts for a song!
There is a pickup fee (at least where I live) for online ordering at Fred Meyer and Walmart if you don’t spend $35, which is good to be aware of. Also some stores in Washington add a bag fee of $.08 to $.10 when ordering online. (I imagine that’s per bag). It is a small amount, but I prefer to use reusable bags when shopping in store (hence reducing waste and costs), so it is still worth mentioning. Walmart apparently allows you the option to ‘Skip the Bags’ when ordering online.
Matt, you mentioned Ibotta. I’d love a article on that, perhaps comparing with Rakuten (formerly Ebates). I use Rakuten and have always assumed Ibotta is the same kind of tool, so I figured I didn’t need both. Also, I’ve been getting notices about Capital One Shopping, so maybe throw that one in there, too? I love you, Matt! Thanks for always giving us good tips.
A tip with that fresh/frozen seafood – especially shrimp: when it’s on a great sale price at the fish counter (and a better price than the frozen packages) ask the guy at the counter if they have any of the frozen that they thaw for the counter still frozen. It usually comes in 2 lb packages which if on a good enough sale might be cheaper than what is in the freezer section. A plus is that you don’t need to worry so much about getting home so quickly or if it is an especially hot day out. Another plus is that it can go right into your freezer. The thawed at the store seafood really should not be re-frozen once you get home, but if it never defrosted, then it is fine to put it back in the freezer!
Asking an employee to repackage something that is sold by the pound is fine, but don’t abuse it. As someone who used to work in a grocery store, I’ve met a couple of people abusing it. They would take between five to ten items to repackage and then complain about the new size and we have to repackage it again. When it happens it takes time out of our day where it puts us behind in our task. I highly recommend it if you’re asking for a few items to repackage, it help save money, but please don’t be rude when asking and don’t abuse it.
While some may like the online shopping for food, I just can’t get into it. I don’t want someone else picking out my fresh food for sure. And meats, if they choose the roast how do I know I’m getting the best deal. Yeah, not for me. There’s just the two of us but I buy family packs to package for freezing. It’s a lifesaver with these ridiculous inflated prices! And saves money by not having to run to the store all the time! Your credit card hack would be great if our grocery store took credit cards. 😞 Keep doing the articles Matt!! 💕
Thank you Matt. Seriously thank you. I’ve only gone out to the market myself in years. Other people as well as family members & apps get my food. I’m just not going out with crowds. After perusal this article that you’ve gone out of your way to make, I will go food shopping. You’ve passed out all these little tiny techniques and specials to look for and now I’m going to try it. I really appreciate everything you’ve done Matt & hopefully we’ll see what bargains we can get
Aldi doesn’t have the cheapest prices any more. When comparing price and package size to regular groceries, they have become the same or more expensive in certain cases. They also have stepped up the practice of keeping the same prices and shrinking the package size. For instance, I’ve done better looking for meat in regular grocery stores who reduce prices for quick sale or coming close to “sell by” dates. The base cost of eggs is another one I can think of.
YOU ARE AWESOME!! Matt, everyone needs your website in their life. These hacks are excellent. PLEASE do a article on Ibotta because I don’t know what that it. Speaking of, the whole “grams” thing confuses me too. AND my friend keeps telling me how awesome Kroger online shopping is, but we don’t have it here in 27046. Along with ANY delivery from grocery or restaurant. Thank you so much for the tips on meal planners! You da BEST!! We love you! ❤️
I would find it interesting if you could make Some suggestions for people that are only shopping for one or two persons. Sometimes I end up throwing a lot of food away or buying way more than I need. When I go to Costco I always have a list of what my friends are willing to split with me and that’s helpful.
Because of the times we’re in and I shop for just me, I shop with 1-2 reusable grocery bags and only use those instead of a cart or basket. This not only gives me peace of mind from germs, it also prevents me from buying too much or taking too long. Many a time I pass by the ice cream on my way to checkout but am unable to put any in my bag.
Due to worsening arthritis, I haven’t been in a grocery store since Oct 2019 – I do curbside pick up at Walmart. You are right – I make the list, order online and save a lot by not walking through the store. If my local Sav-A-Lot has a really good buy on a particular meat – then I will stop there on my way home from church – buy just that and still save.
Here’s a ‘hack’ I found at Aldi’s: since I just got an air fryer, I’ve been doing a lot of chicken thighs and legs. Buying them separately, they’re about $1.69 to $2.49 per pound. Buying them as ‘whole quarters” in a 10 lb bag, they’re $0.55 per lb. Just use a chicken shear to separate them (if you so choose). It’s like a 2/3rd or more discount.
We have a walmart and two other grocery stores in our area that do clicklists/pickups. I’ve found that if I start my lists on two (or more) different ones, I find loss leaders and can compare prices in the apps. I usually end up with 2 smaller orders or 1 much better priced order. (All those stores are within a mile of each other).
I shop in a similar fashion, usually looking for the lower unit price per item, but I think the purpose of things like the individual foil packs of tuna, peanut butter, instant soup and coffee, etc, is convenience for hiking and backpacking, camping or boating, road trips, when space is at a premium and you need lightweight things.✌️
Oh Lordie, I’m 4’10” and °I° find that almost EVERYthing that I need is on the highest shelf possible, smh. I was a gymnast in my earlier life, so like a monkey, I either climb up as high as I can, OR try to knock said interesting product down off the shelf and (try to) catch it. But thank you Deal Guy! Your articles are fantastic and very much needed for these times that we’re now in. Plus your wonderful energy ALWAYZ make me smile (ALSO very needed for these times that we’re now in). 💜😊👍💜
All helpful tips Matt! But the first problem where I live is no Aldi. I would love to have access to that store! In fact, there are only two stores in the small town I live in, Walmart and HEB (a Texas grocery chain). HEB has weekly specials and in-store coupons. They used to beat Walmart prices on a large number of items. But their prices have been rising since the pandemic started. Over the past two years I’ve been prices going up, 10¢ here and 20¢ there, then 50¢ here and $1 there. They recently had an in-store coupon for 50¢ off an item that used to cost 10¢ less than the new price with the coupon. Yeah, that one item has gone up 60¢. I usually prefer the meat and produce at HEB, at least in my area it’s superior to Walmart’s. And during the pandemic, Walmart and Walgreens had designated shopping times for seniors. HEB has never had any special shopping times for seniors. I used to shop at Walgreens a lot. I would check the Sunday ad and make a list. I used to get large containers of brand name cereal for $1.88 or 1.99. Occasionally they would have a dozen eggs for $1.99 and ground meat for $2.99/lb. I used to get so many great deals from Walgreens! But since this inflation has hit so hard, I hardly shop there anymore. Although I did pick up Lay’s potato chips last week, 2 for $5. And that still beat the regular price of $2.98. But I still check the ad every Sunday to see if there’s anything worth buying. But the biggest piece of advice I can pass along is to avoid convenience items.
Matt, you, were at the Aldi store, half a gallon of milk was 1.43. Also walmart puts the unit price on the right upper side of the label. Kroger does a 10/10 on vegs,and you don’t have to buy 10. Kroger, also does the buy 5 save 5. Kroger also sends coupons to your house, va usps, for free items, such as this month free turkey bacon. Just giving hints.
Aldi milk/eggs are price-matched to the local competition. If you are in a situation where multiple Aldi’s are within your range, you may find that one of them runs SIGNIFICANTLY cheaper than others. Also, milk/eggs prices tend to spike for the weekend(Fri-Sun). Pre-pandemic, my local Aldi M-Th was under $1/gal for milk, $.49/doz eggs for a couple YEARS! I miss that sooo much😭. Other than that, as mentioned ALWAYS go by unit price, even if you have to calculate it yourself(your phone has a calculator app). My personal bonus tip for toilet paper/paper towels: skip the multi-roll/sheet count propaganda; calculate it yourself by price/sq ft., and if comparing 1-ply vs 2-ply, halve the sq. footage of the single ply; i.e. 100sq ft. of 1-ply = 50sq ft. 2-ply.
Thanks so much for this super informative article Matt! We’re on a fixed income, so pretty much all of this information will come in handy. You’re performing such a useful & necessary public service with this website about how to save money. I deeply appreciate the information & how much work you must need to do to compile it all. Thanks again!
A lot of grocery stores around here reformatted to deal with the pandemic and it can be hard to find someone in the meat department (everything is now pre-packaged). One you need to add for your next article – calculate a standard unit price. I see liquids with unit prices per quart, pint, liter, ounce on the same shelf. Makes price comparison a little bit of work. Same with paper products, figure out the price per square foot (or square meter) to see what is the better buy.
Dairy is a major item. I worked at a processing plant making products such as Lactaid and Almond Breeze. I will tell you that milk is regulated by the FEDS. Raw milk goes into a silo and is processed into holding tanks. It is then sent to the fillers. I’ve watched two fillers running side by side pulling from the same tank. Filler 1 is doing NAME BRAND while filler 2 is swapping to STORE GENERIC A, B, C, D, etc. until their order amounts have been reached then it swaps to NAME BRAND. Part of it is all milk has to have a code. The first TWO numbers indicate the state (06 is California) and then next set of numbers is the plant. Additional numbers indicate filler number. You can check that NAME vs STORE brands will have the same code (06-ABCD) and sometimes same filler number, but the time is off by say 6 hours (one it 12:30 while the other is 18:30). The cost for NAME is $4.69 while STORE is $3.99.
I love your site, it’s great! Thanks. I live alone so when I want coleslaw I buy the package mix. As in your article I don’t worry about the date and quite often buy at reduced bag price. My hack: when it starts to not be great for coleslaw I throw it in my frypan and make it into stir fry veggies. I just add some of my own self made sauce (again cheaper than store bought, by alot) This keeps well in the fridge for quite some time
More Walmart Grocery Shopping Money Saving Hacks Please! Walmart seems to have a tight control over groceries in my local area. Aldi is here but does not have the online presence I need to compete with Walmart (for example I cannot order groceries from Aldi and then pick them up). The rest of the local stores have more limited stocks items such as produce or fresh foods. Your tips were so helpful I replayed this article several times (and took notes).
Thanks Matt for all these great tips!!! Since retirement, I have to try to save my money every way I can. I buy store brands all the time. Used to think I would never give up my Bounty paper towels or my Charmin toilet paper…LOL! Gave both of them up a long time ago and sooo glad I did! I know I’ve watched your Aldi shopping articles. Just wondering if you know if Aldi and Lidil are about the same? I’ve been doing some shopping at Lidil but haven’t tried Aldi.
I noticed the thing about the shrimp, at Winn-Dixie. They, often, put shrimp on sale. I grab some, for my mom, when they’re $3.99/lb. They stock them, in the frozen food bins, in 4-lb bags. They’re the same price, in the seafood case and when they run out, they grab those 4-lb bags and pour the contents, into the seafood case. Of course, it makes sense that the stuff isn’t fresher. But, putting it on display, on a bed of ice gives that impression.
Never seen an Aldi here on the west coast of USA but we do have Winco as well as some areas have Smart & Final or Chef’Store (formerly Cash & Carry) which seem to be similar to what I’ve seen on the price differences between “normal” grocery stores and Aldi’s. I split my groceries between Winco (weekly) and Chef’Store (every few months). Saves me hundreds in comparison to buying the same types of items in a Walmart, Safeway or Costco I loved the tips in your article! The ones I didn’t know about yet will be extremely helpful.
Most ppl don’t know that when you buy bagged or packaged produce, the pound or oz amount is the amount the package has to weigh. But produce cannot magically weigh exactly what the bag or package says. You can often get more pounds or oz of produce at the same price by weighing a few larger looking packages and picking one that weighs more than the stated label. I’ve gotten up to 8oz more at times by doing this with summer squash, apples, etc.
Lots of really good advice here, including some tricks I’d never heard of before (and I try to cut costs as much as I can). One thing you mention that’s worked especially well for me is to leave my brand loyalty at the door (within reason). A couple of examples: house-brand cereal that to my palate is identical to a name brand equals savings of 80 cents per box; changing from one national brand of almond milk to another (long story, there) saves 40 cents per container; and so on. The other thing that you touched on is to always have a calculator with me (and in these days of smartphones it’s hard to not do this!) — per-unit pricing is a little tricky at first but once you get used to it, the savings roll in. Example: the yogurt my father loves is 17 cents cheaper per tub if I buy it in a 4-pack; a larger “bulk savings” bar of the cheese my niece prefers is about 11 cents more per ounce than the ‘wasteful” regular-size bar; that super-duper sale price on a big-name brand of coffee works out to be about a dime more per cup than another brand at regular price; and so on — but without a calculator I wouldn’t have known.
The only thing I’ll add on shopping the discontinued items.. every department has one. Bakery is generally going to be in bakery. Meat or perishables located in their department marked down first thing in the morning. They want it sold or it counts against the department specifically Frozen disco usually has their own door. Drugs often separate If you know when store resets are being done, next few days you’ll find mark downs. I called on 6 stores a day as a manufacturer rep. For 40 years. Checked all departments on every call just a short scan of products saves
Something I am seeing currently: A lot of stores are just now receiving multiple deliveries of stock that was stuck off the coast in shipping containers for months (or maybe even over a year!), resulting in crowded back rooms. Now they are getting a lot of merchandise all at once and running out of storage space, necessitating in sales to move this stock out quickly. The specific items seem to be different in the various locations, so not the same items in every store. Please be sure to check expiration or “Best By” dates. Expect it to look like shelves are well-stocked. Just remember that after this merchandise is gone, there isn’t nearly as much in the current delivery pipeline. I’m so impressed with how affably low-key Matt is about protecting the consumer and helping folks get prepared on a budget.
I’ve figured out to only buy things on sale (and at their low sale price, not their “25% on sale” price), but things like the clearance rack in my local stores are not even worth looking at. If you are in a city and have the ability, try shopping the same store in different neighborhoods. You will see a different selection, occasionally different prices, better or worse upkeep of the store and products, and different methodologies on discounts/managers specials. Might as well pick the stores with a better experience/price if not significantly far away from a route you take back home 🙂
Interesting article, but I’d like to add some perspective from someone who lives in a more rural area. (We’re talking about two ferry rides and a 100 km drive to the nearest large city.) We don’t have a lot of the large chain stores that you mentioned. We do have a Walmart, but it’s a small one with not much in the way of groceries. We have a tradition here of sending a list for Costco items with any friend or relative who is going to the city, although now we can get free delivery from the closest one if we phone in an order. Bonus! The thing we do have is good access to local farms and farmers’ markets, as well as a fair bit of opportunity to garden, forage, fish, and hunt. I mostly cook from scratch and don’t buy a lot of processed food, so coupons usually aren’t very useful, except for toiletries, etc.
This has been your BEST article ever! One hint I would give is, “If you have a BJ’s in your area with a gas station, get a membership right away!” You don’t even have to ever step into the store to save a bunch of money just by getting your gas 20-40 cents per gallon lower than the chain gas stations. And every month, they have items for purchase in their store that will give you an extra 10 cents off a gallon of gas, that you can “stack” up to 40 cents. They are currently offering 75 cents off a gallon if you buy 4 items instead of the standard 40 cents.
Speaking of school lunches, in particularly Lunchables or the like, how hard would it be for a parent to toss crackers and cheese and a couple slices of pepperoni in a cute child’s lunch box even the night before in order to save money? and not over packing a lunch is a good idea too. Most kids won’t eat an entire apple. send 1/2 an apple per child. I realize you know all this, Deal Guy, but Lunchables are big money wasters. LOVE your articles! Thanks for all the excellent advice! My example this week: Food Lion store brand hot dog buns, 6 count: $3.19; Pepperidge Farm 6 count was on sale: $3.00; stopped by Aldi’s same afternoon, their 6 count hot dog buns: $.92 – that’s 92 cents! I’ve had our stockbroker look into buying Aldi stock, but they are privately owned.. Love the less selection=better savings premise.
Some great advice. I’m a old gal been shopping for many years, but some of the online sites are new to me, I’ll be saving this vedio to go over take some good notes and hopefully save some money, and with the cost of everything going up seams like daily, my SS check might stretch a little better. THANK YOU FOR MAKING SO MUCH INFO KNOWN IN YOUR VEDIOS, now if there was a Aldi in my area that would also be a bonus.
By far the most effective tip in this article, and probably the second most important tip overall, is to buy what is on sale. Learn what the price of things actually are. If you don’t know how much things actually cost, how can you know what is truly on sale? Sometimes something is advertised as be “On Sale” and it will be a mere 10% off. The sales we want are in the realm of 50% off of the non sale prices. For example, This week on the front page of the Kroger ad, they are advertising a sale on ground beef. $3.47/lb. That only slightly lover than the regular price. Last week, boneless pork loins and Boston pork butts were on sale for $1.24/lb. That is half of their normal price. That is what you buy and even stock up on.
Oh, I forgot something in my previous comment. The one thing that’s saved me the most moeny is something that’s unfortunately time-consuming to set up but fairly easy ot maintain once past that step: I track the prices of things I buy regularly. I’ve been shocked at some of the price creep that I hadn’t noticed until I saw it in print! (The worst examples are the “cheap” house-brand 1 liter bottles of flavored fizzy water that I first encountered at 69 cents about 18 months ago that I would just blindly toss into my cart… that as of yesterday are not 99 cents. The other is a national brand frozen “bowls” that my parents came to really like & eat a lot of that came on the market last summer at $3.89 each… again, blindly tossed into my cart until I realized that as of last week they’ve gone up in price 4X and are now a truly painful $5.65 each!
Allways saving us money!! By the way For Keto Dieters (lost 97lbs) Mijers has A lot’s of Items like 5 different breads and Buns!! Yogurt, ice cream etc etc. Just A heads up! (Aldi my favorite store) may have 2 or 3 items. Kroger has none that I know of. Anyway hope that helps some others. Keep up the GREAT WORK. Daryle
i usually get my almond milk, coffee and snacks at walgreens. plus i get rewards from shopping there. same hack with the lettuce, you can use on potatoes. it’s usually cheaper to buy a bag of potatoes vs buying french fries and hashbrowns. and it’s usually cheaper to buy whole bean coffee, grind it in a blender, and brew it.
I do the math on the actual size, but also decide based on if a product is more eco friendly. Unfortunately, there’s often a cost to being environmentally conscious but always good to consider bulk options (especially buns & ur oan containers if possible.) For stuff like peanut butter, Kroger stores have fresh ground machines as an option too. No surprise, I’m considering health on top of the other two things. 😂 If there could be a article working out all these calculations, phew, that’d be nice cuz it’s a lot of work. 🤣 Actually the tip of doing shopping based around what’s priced best and on sale is what I go by mostly in regular grocers vs specialty stores that don’t have as much variety & markdowns. I check the clearance section & use digital coupons always loaded before I go based on what I get every time & am interested in.
Have you ever heard of the book, “The Naked Consumer”? I read it in the late 80s I think, so some info may be out of date, but it is a really interesting look at how marketers gather information and try to influence consumers. Store member cards were a pretty new thing back then, so finding out that your location and shopping habits were used to target you was interesting. I’ve seen examples where someone in market research was given an address and was able to “guess” correctly (without looking at personal info) average yearly income, family size, how often they’d dine out, entertainment budget, etc. Doesn’t sound that incredible now, but you have to remember internet wasn’t that common back then. My rule for buying stuff not on my list is, “it’s not a bargain if you weren’t going to buy it anyway.” If the item isn’t something I’d normally buy, or something I’d thought about getting, I’m not saving money by buying on discount, I’m spending money I didn’t want to! The only exception are items that I’ve been curious about, but wouldn’t try because I didn’t want to waste money.
1. Know where 2 look 1:17 *2. U can often break fish or meat packages @ da counter, 1:49 * negotiate if bout 2 expire or jus past sell by date 2:20 *3. Know best day of week 2 shop 4 groceries, often Wed or ask wen normally stock fo week, usually put out clearance items 3:18 *4. Aldi & 4:18 math, unit prices, # – grams – fluid oz, biggest 📦 not always cheapest 4:47 *5. Dart 4 dairy aisle, 5:24 take pics of frig & food pantry b4 shop, prevent impluse buy wit online & free pickup 5:56 *6. Buy fruits & veggies n season
Chips (fritolay) are actually cheapest in January-February but they go on good sales durring basically any holiday or big sports events like March madness or the super bowl. July 4th is the busiest day and the prices are usually good but your favorite flavors might be bought out already before you get there.
Geeze, Louise, was this supposed to be a speed contest article? 😂😂😂 Seriously, I enjoy all the info you provide in your articles – if only I could retain it for when I need it! I would like to cast my vote for a article about Ibotta. Maybe you should write a book about shopping! Love to you and your lovely family. ❤
Most fish is flash frozen because of potential parasites and to keep it ‘fresh’. While there is potentially the issue of fish sitting too long in the counter you are more likely to come across higher quality fish (not guaranteed but more likely). Though if you want fresh fish and have access to one, it would be better to go to a seafood market rather than a regular grocer.
One thing that people may not be aware of with Walmart and I learned this when I was living in Vegas at the time when it comes to produce in Walmart and items they’re not all price the same at all Walmarts for example one day for whatever reason I ended up at three different Walmarts all within about a mile to 2 mi radius of each other and cabbage change prices at each one of the Walmarts it was more expensive than one less expensive than another and in the middle of the third so produce at Walmart changes depending on which Walmart you’re at and which part of the city it’s in
Great article!! Yes, please do an Ibotta article. Im terrible at computer stuff so am losing money every month because I don’t know how to use the app. Im sure I’m just one of many many people who need help with understanding it. Thank you very much. Also, love the charts!!God bless you & your family. 🙏❤🙏
That’s perfect sugetions as far as price goes but if we pay attention what is product made of is different story. MSG, added oil what was not mentioned for human consumption, “natural flavors “, long expiration date etc. Make more healthier, more simple igridience combine with price . That’s smart shopping for myself and family.
When it comes to clearance items and expired foods here in the UK ALL expired foods or those that are nearing their expiry date by a day or 2 depending on product type will always get reduced by the stores employees themselves. We do NOT need to negotiate prices with them ALSO on the final expiry date if you shop during the evening (around 6PM) the food is more likely to be even more significantly cheaper. When the food is on its last day at the store the store reduces it in the morning and put a sticker over the barcode then if it isn’t selling they reduce it once more and put another sticker over the previous then near the end of the day there is one big reduction and they put another sticker on items and many of these items can be had for less than 10% MSRP during this final reduction (I have literally previously bought stuff like the expensive Italian vine tomatoes or some fancy extra large and long sweet peppers or whatever which cost like £2 a packet and had them for like £0.05-£0.10p) and in most cases it is foods that don’t usually go off even a couple of days after “expiring”. Stuff like fruit&veg is commonly found at less than 10% MSRP and even items like bread, eggs and dairy products can be had super cheap just as easily BUT when it comes to dairy products I am usually a little skeptical of purchasing them because on like 3 occasions I have bought milk that was not even past its sell by date and had still gone off. ALSO many food items that don’t sell well also get reduced too another thing that gets reduced are items where the packaging is damaged in which most cases I would NEVER purchase such an item as you would end up like only saving up to 30% on something like a multipack of 4 of redbull cans and one of the cans is missing and 2 of the remaining 3 would be heavily dented so you in the end are still technically paying full price or close to it per can or per gram if it is a food item and the damage to the food/drink itself or in some cases just the packaging alone is not worth the discount and are just BS especially since I rarely see these items with a secondary discount.
Thanks for all of the great hacks, they are wonderful. there is a tip I want to add tip.Meal planning: do according to plan for a list. But if you go to a recipe site most wil show the grocery list and ready to print along with some local store comparing or showing the lowest price. there are plenty of free sites that do this easily. Thanks for going through my mini rant.
Little Target hack: they sell their Turkey Burgers cheaper per pound than they sell their ground turkey….same exact product, same weight, same meat, just packaged different and it’s actually more convenient because it’s pre portioned…..But YES everyone that sells meat has discount coupons for soon to be expired meat. And a quick note always look at the price per pound on meats because alot of them are the same exact thing just packaged different. Example: Chicken Breast, thin sliced chicken breast, fajita cut chicken breast, all the same exact product all priced different per pound
Somethings are pricier for a reason. I challenge you to a taste test between a canned tuna and a packaged one like you showed in the article. A little hint, the canned tuna, it’s effectively cooked twice. The packaged only once. They are equally safe but the taste difference is very noticeable. I suspect that most mix tuna with gobs of stuff to mask the difference in taste but some will pay more for a noticeably tastier product. I’m sure manufacturers realize this too.
My hack is I get a large drink at mcdonalds for $1, no ice, then I go to Culver’s and get a double cheeseburger combo with everything! I get a knife to cut sandwich in 1/2 for mil and myself! We each get half the sandwich and share fries, so we each have a full burger on half the bun! Plus, I also don’t get ice in McDonald’s pop to keep it from getting diluted! Saves us some money! Lol!
Watch those unit prices!!! Some people stick with a particular store out of habit because “it’s the cheapest” and are then shocked to find I got it cheaper because the more expensive store was having a sale. Also, I’ve found instances at places like Walmart, for example, where the name brand was cheaper per oz than the store brand. And it makes sense… If the only thing this company produces is… Idk, peanuts – since I just saw PB in your article… Their supply chain costs might be cheaper than Walmart’s. Eventually Walmart usually finds a way to lower their price to be the cheapest brand, but not always.
This article is very helpful. But sadly I live in the US virgin Islands. So these hacks don’t apply here because there isn’t even any Walmart here. The local grocery stores here are even more expensive than Walmart. Mostly double priced compared to Walmart. I hope I could be at US mainland and use these hacks 😅
I was so inspired by The Deal Guy eating garlic chicken out of the trunk of his car that I too, ate the chicken shortly after leaving costco (but I don’t drive. So I went to a nearby mcdonalds instead and ate there after buying some fries). 10/10 would do it again. I am now in the process of telling everyone I know about this chicken and making them all fans 😂 though if you got the willpower, costco rotisserie + nando’s sauce + air fryer = air fried goodness! I airfry it at 250 (max setting) for 15 or so minutes til outer skin is crispy and add Nando’s Peri-Peri Sauce medium to the chicken and its so good 😍 Works on garlic chicken too, but I don’t always have the willpower to not devour it shortly after buying. Also, the chicken is so popular in certain cities in my general area that it is sold out by 2pm. But one location I go to often close to my job is always stocked til 7 for some reason so I tend to go there for my chicken fix.
I always look for the price per ounce or weight on the price tag. At Walmart it’s the orange area on the price tag. That is the only way to really tell what you’re paying unless you’re a math genius!! This is also the only way to know how much toilet paper you are really getting, especially since they talk about how many sheets you get while they shrink the width of the roll etc. Check the WEIGHT on toilet paper to get the best deal!!!
Matt, not a hack but a tip. Your #1 was about eye level. Being a bread delivery driver for over 35 years, I will say all the older bread is eye level as most people will shop eye level. I always put the freshest bread on the bottom two shelves. knowing I will get rid of most of the “day old” at eye level
My recommendation to buying cheaper and not expensive fruits and vegetables to buy you fruits and vegetables at wholesale distribution center because your local supermarkets buy merchandise from them. If you want to save money . Plus distribution center get there merchandise straight out of the farms. Hope my recommendation is useful to you guys.
Matt, as you were filming the beef section you panned across the tubes of prepackaged ground beef. Years ago, we bought such a package thinking we were getting a bargain, only to find the quality seemed far inferior to the beef wrapped in clear cellophane we typically purchase. Times may have changed, but we’re too ‘chicken’ to try the mystery beef again! What are your thoughts? Have you tried the hidden beef lately? Thanks for all your awesome content! We love you, too! Kevin & Lisa in Virginia
Not sure where you shop, but working in a national grocery store, many larger items are on the bottom shelf. We also markdown our items the morning of the expiration date. In bakery, it’s the day before. We NEVER sell an item after the expiration date. You also coveted the same item twice with the tuna and preshredded lettuce. You’re paying for ease on both. Pick up fees are waved if you buy a certain amount. As far as expiration dates, those are the dates that we are allowed to have them on the shelf. Many items will be good a few days after the date. Retailers rarely move the markdown area. Most have fixed displays where they put them.
Here’s a little something that saves me money. Buy organic milk. I’m always buying half gallons of milk and waste 40 % of the carton it just goes bad to quick. Usually two weeks. Organic milk is processed differently so a lot of times it’s good for 6-8 weeks. It’s a little more in the short run but your not burning up that 40% waste constantly. The past year or so I’ve been using apps for savings. I highly suggest Upside for gas savings. I get back about 10 bucks a month on gas purchases. Also gas buddy. It takes a day or two to hit your card so if you need gas today but don’t have money til tommorow taadaaaa
It’s almost always going to be cheaper to cut up or prep produce yourself rather than buying it already cut up. I faint when I see the prices on frozen riced cauliflower for example. By buying the biggest cauliflower I can get at Aldi since it is sold with a set item price and not by the pound, it is 3-4 times cheaper to rice it myself. My local Dillons/Kroger has an almost expired produce rack where everything bagged is . 99¢. I often get 3 peppers for that price or several pounds of summer squash, tomatoes etc. Have to be used fairly immediately but I can always cut things up and pop them in the freezer.
I know this article is a year old but, example:::: If you go and buy crab legs, and you have them prepare them for you. This is what I do, I order say 8 pounds of crab legs, I ask them to Old Bay them for me, they get them done, and I go straight over to the produce section and find a scale, I weigh the crab legs at said (8 pounds) and now, they are only approx. 3 1/2 – 4 pounds. You are paying for frozen water. When they cook the crab legs, all the ice/water now runs out, make sure to politely tell them at the register to weigh them and adjust the price to what you really have. Just remember, they weigh them frozen, full of ice before cooking them, never pay for frozen water….
The free online shopping is free because it is already tacked on to the grocery items. I did a comparison between shopping for groceries online versus in store. I found several items are marked up for online curbside pick up. At first this upset me but then I made myself realize that this pays for jobs. I loathe self checkout because that is a lost job and the store isn’t paying me to be a cashier. So even though there are less cashier’s, there is a shopper getting my groceries.