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Are you looking for the cheapest grocery store for 2024? You're not alone! With inflation hitting hard, the right grocery store can save you a ton of cash. Your choice of grocery store can make or break your food budget. Thoughtful meal planning and cooking from scratch help, but shopping at the wrong place can still cost you big time. So, besides planning meals and budgeting, it's worth rethinking where you shop to get the most bang for your buck. Keep reading to find the cheapest stores near you, and start saving today.
Trader Joe's: Unique Gourmet Foods
Trader Joe's is super popular in the U.S. for its unique, gourmet foods at affordable prices, especially for smaller households. Trader Joe's brand is often cheaper than name brands. Look for their branded items in snacks, pantry staples, and frozen foods. Pre-packaged meals and snacks can be pricier than making stuff from scratch. Stick to whole ingredients and cook at home to save more. Trader Joe's has excellent prices on fresh produce and dairy. Stock up on fruits, veggies, and dairy to save.
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Sam's Club: Membership-Based Warehouse
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Sam's Club, owned by Walmart, is a membership-based warehouse store known for bulk products at discounted prices. Take advantage of seasonal promotions on items like outdoor furniture and holiday decorations. Save time and avoid impulse buys by ordering online and picking up or getting delivery. Buying in bulk saves money in the long run and means fewer trips to the store. Look for Instant Savings stickers for exclusive member discounts on various products. They offer different membership levels. Pick the one that fits your needs, considering perks like cash rewards and early shopping hours.
Costco: Bulk Discounts
Like Sam's Club, Costco offers bulk products at discounted prices for its members. Costco will price match up to 3 months after purchase. If an item goes on sale after you buy it, you can get a refund for the difference. Keep an eye out for monthly coupon books to save on needed items. Costco's brand offers high-quality products at lower prices than name brands. Stock up on non-perishables and household items like laundry detergent and toilet paper to save in the long run. Executive members get a 2% annual reward on purchases, which can cover the membership cost.
Lidl: German Discount Supermarket
Lidl is a German discount supermarket based mainly on the East Coast. It is known for its efficient layout and private labels. Lidl's private label products are cheaper than name brands but still high quality. Try their brands for items like cereal and snacks to save money. Check weekly ads or the app for specials to plan your purchases and save. Download the app for exclusive discounts and personalized deals.
Target: Tons of Grocery Choices
This popular retail chain is all over the place and has a ton of stuff, including groceries! Depending on what's available at your local store, you can do all your grocery shopping there. Look for clearance stickers or markdowns in-store for discounted items nearing expiration or being discontinued. Use these services to avoid impulse buys and stick to your list, saving money. If you have a RED card (debit or credit), you get 5% off purchases, including groceries. Target's store-brand and generic items are usually cheaper than name brands. Buy these to save without losing quality. They release weekly ads with sales and promos on groceries.
You can check the ad online or in-store to plan your shopping around the best deals. Target takes manufacturer coupons, store coupons, and Target Circle offers. Combine these with sale items to save more. You can find coupons in newspapers, magazines, online, and the Target app. Target Circle is their loyalty program and app with personalized deals and discounts. Sign up for free and often check the app or website for special grocery offers.
Food4Less: Weekly Discounts
Food4Less is a discount grocery chain owned by Kroger. Known for low prices and a no-frills shopping experience, it offers various discounted food and household items. They have 101 stores in California, Illinois, and Indiana. They usually have weekly ads with discounts. Check them online or in-store before shopping to plan your purchases. Load digital coupons onto your loyalty card through their website or app. They also take manufacturer coupons so that you can stack them. Sign up for their loyalty program to earn points on purchases, which you can redeem for discounts. They offer bulk food options like rice, beans, pasta, and snacks.
Walmart Neighborhood Market: Groceries & Essentials
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Walmart Neighborhood Market is a smaller grocery-focused store by Walmart. Unlike the larger Supercenters, these stores mainly sell groceries and household essentials. Look out for sales and rollback prices on items. Check the weekly ad or in-store signs for deals. They accept manufacturers and digital coupons. Find them in newspapers, magazines, coupon websites, and the Walmart app. Cashback apps also offer cash back. Walmart's Great Value store brand is usually cheaper than other name brands. Switching to these can save you money. Avoid impulse buys by ordering groceries online for pickup or delivery. Spend over $35, and pickup is free. Use code TRIPLE10 to get $10 off your first three pickup orders.
WinCo Foods: Large Bulk Section
WinCo Foods is an employee-owned supermarket chain mainly on the West Coast. Known for their warehouse-style stores, they offer a wide range of products at competitive prices. They have a large bulk section for grains, nuts, and spices. Buying in bulk can save you money, especially for staples. They accept manufacturers coupons, so check newspapers, printable coupons, or their website. Combining coupons with sales can save you a lot. Join their WinCo Digital Coupons program for extra digital coupons and exclusive deals. WinCo's store brands are usually cheaper than name brands. Try these for savings on pantry staples, snacks, and household goods. Look for managers specials or clearance items, often marked down for quick sale. These might be nearing expiration or have damaged packaging, but they are still good. They offer discounts if you bring your reusable bags, saving you a bit more and reducing waste.
Grocery Outlet: Discount Supermarket Chain
Grocery Outlet is a discount supermarket chain that sells a wide range of groceries, including name-brand items (tons of plant-based options!) at much lower prices than regular supermarkets. Grocery Outlet often has a bargain bin or clearance section where you can find super cheap items. At my local store, this stuff is usually in a grocery cart near the back of the store. Its often full of products nearing expiration, seasonal items, or overstocked goods. Check this section for hidden gems at rock-bottom prices! Like many grocery stores, Grocery Outlet has weekly deals and promotions on various items. Check their weekly ad or website to see whats on sale before you shop. Planning your purchases around these deals can save you a lot.
Anything expiring within a few days will almost always be offered at a deeper discount at the register ask! Some Grocery Outlet locations have mailing lists and loyalty programs through their app that offer subscribers extra discounts and promotions. Sign up to get updates on special offers and exclusive deals. You can regularly get $5 coupons through the app!
Aldi: Spread Across the US
If youre a budget-conscious shopper, youve probably heard of Aldi. Its in 39 states nationwide and is super popular for its low prices. Aldi keeps its prices low by having customers bring their bags, charging a $0.25 deposit for shopping carts, and mainly stocking private-label brands like Simply Nature and Friendly Farms. People say the quality of fresh fruits and veggies can be hit or miss, depending on the region and day youre shopping, but the price is hard to beat. For the best quality, determine when your local Aldi restocks produce and shop on that day. The deals in the weekly ad are the best of the week and almost always beat prices at other stores nearby.
Most grocery stores have mobile apps, and Aldi is no exception! If youre on a tight budget, use the app to price your grocery trip before you go and make adjustments as needed. If you like to shop at multiple stores (I recommend it!) and choose to get your meat and produce elsewhere, Aldi is still one of the best places to buy your essential pantry items. Considering they dont have any membership fees, the lower prices are hard to beat. Just dont forget your quarter for a shopping cart!
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Conclusion
Next time you make your weekly grocery list, could you consider where you plan to buy those products? While shopping at the nearest retailer might be more convenient, there might be better options for your wallet. Instead of going for a specialty grocer with the fanciest brands, try stores that offer more bang for your buck, like the ones listed above. There might also be local grocery salvage chains worth checking out. Ultimately, the choice is yours.
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