Saving money at the grocery store, can be challenging. Trying to get the most for your money, when groceries seem to fluctuate from affordable to what!?!…. I have been there, and I know how frustrating it can be. One of my favorite grocery store chains has to be Kroger. Specifically their Ralph’s chain in Southern California. This is where I shop most often, because it is literally like 7 blocks from my house, and it can be the most cost effective store closest to me.
I have created a list of all of the ways that I save, when shopping at Ralph’s. This is a great way to save money, on food, toiletries, cleaning products, bakery items, and more!
Check out this list on 15 Ways To Save Money at Kroger {Ralphs}, and how you can get the most bang for your buck as well!
1: Make a list!
Know before hand, what your going for. Have your shopping list made, so that you don’t end up buying things you don’t need. I will tell you right now, I have made this mistake too many times, and I end up forgetting something essential to my menu plans, and end up going back to the store, and buying more items than needed, so get your list!
2: Sign up for the store loyalty card
Find out if your grocery store has a loyalty card program. There has been so many times, when I have been in line at the checkout, and the person in front of me forgets to use the grocery store loyalty card, and misses out on saving so much money. My local Ralph’s, which is owned by Kroger, is where I shop the most. Food For Less, is another store, owned by Kroger, and I use my same card there as well. And I love that I don’t even need a physical card either! Yes you can get the physical plastic card, but if you register your phone number on their website, you just need to enter your phone number at checkout to save money.
3: Check the grocery store website for coupons to download
When I go to the Ralph’s website or app, I search through their coupons that are available for products that I use, or that I know I am going to buy, and I download them right to my card. No paper coupons needed. And a lot of the time, it is for the same savings amount as the Sunday Paper insert. When you are at the register, just enter your phone number for savings on the coupons you downloaded.
4: Check their Facebook page for exclusive coupons!
I have saved so much money this way, seriously! On the Ralph’s Facebook for instance, every once in a while, they run a promotion, where you can download a coupon for $5.00 off a $50.00 purchase, or $10 off $100.00 purchase. They also have on occasion, save $5.00 on $15.00 worth of meat from the meat department, Etc. So be sure to check out your grocery stores Facebook for exclusive deals!
5: Check out their clearance section!
Whenever I go shopping at any grocery store, I always check their clearance area or isle. The ones in my stores, are usually in the areas where the stockroom entry is. You will usually see a bin, or a rack, with discounted, and sometimes deeply discounted items! And sometimes I find things that completely surprises me, like shampoo, makeup, toilet paper, pet food, spices, and so on. I always check the date of expire on an item, and if it is a good deal, it’s mine! One time, I found a 16 double roll package of toilet paper for $2.00 just because the wrapper was cut a bit and tore into one roll!
I have found shampoo for $0.50 and cereal for $0.50 a box as well. After any holiday, be sure to check the clearance, for great finds, like cheap cupcake liners, sprinkles, frostings, tableware, wrapping paper, snacks, candy and more!
6: Be sure to check the isles as you shop, for clearance items as well.
You can find a lot of great discounts in the frozen food section. I always find frozen garlic bread on clearance, as well as frozen meal items! For clearance on personal items, check the shampoo isle, and vitamins. Very often, I find packaged vegetables on clearance, like packaged broccoli for 50% less than the day before.
7: Take a look at the baked goods clearance!
I always find snacks on sale, in the clearance bakery items section. Breads, muffins, cupcakes, croissants, and the like, can be found on the cheap! I try not to bring to much sugar filled pastries in the house, but once in a while, when the banana nut muffins that my teenage daughter loves so much, goes down to half-off, I grab a pack.
Most of the breads in this section, are expiring that day, so they should be eaten with a day or so. I once bought some Artisan Rosemary bread from this section, and the next day during an unexpected visit from family, I just buttered some slices, added a bit of garlic powder, shredded mozzarella, a dash of grated parmesan, then I placed them in the broiler for a few minutes! Served with spaghetti, it was fabulous!
8: Never shop hungry!
When I am starving, and at the store, I end up buying too much unnecessary food. When your hungry, that’s when you end up buying sugary snacks, so be sure to eat something before you head to the store.
9: Check the store inserts that arrive in the mail.
I scour the inserts to plan out my meals around what’s on sale. And if the sale is good enough, I will make a double batch of that dinner. One for dinner that evening, and one to freeze for next week!
I have saved tons of money cooking this way. Some inserts have coupons that you can use, and some stores even allow you to stack coupons. That’s where you use one store coupon, with one manufacturers coupon on that item.
10: Check for Peelies!
These are coupons that are sometimes found right on the item in the store. I even once found a box of crackers in the clearance section for $0.75 and it had a Peelie coupon attached for $0.50 off! That was a good day! Peelies can be found on a lot of items throughout the store. Just keep your eye out for them.
11: Update your address!
At Kroger/Ralph’s website, be sure to update your address when you sign up for their loyalty card, because they always – ALWAYS, send coupons to my home. And sometimes the coupons that arrive, are for things you always buy. That is because, when you use your loyalty card to check out, your purchases are remembered, and they begin to know what you like to buy most often. I always get coupons for $1.50 off organic chicken breast from the meat department, and even coupons for a dozen free eggs!
12: Fuel Rewards Program
For every dollar you spend at Ralph’s, you will get 1 point. One you collect a certain amount of points, and you can save some serious money at participating Shell Gas Stations, and Ralph’s Gas stations. Sometimes I save as much as $0.40 off per gallon of gas! That can really add up! And when you buy gift cards at Ralph’s, you get 2x the fuel reward points! That’s called a 2fer in my book!
13: Use Money Saving Apps!
Apps like Ibotta, can really save you some moola, buy giving you cash back when you buy things that reflect their offers. Other apps like this is Checkout 51, and SavingStar to name a few.
14: Ralph’s Free Friday Download
One of my favorite Ralph’s website perks, is their Free Friday Download, where you can download a coupon for a free item each Friday! I have gotten free water, free soup, free snacks, and so forth. It is so exciting to see what is free, each week, and it is an awesome way that Ralph’s appreciates their customers!
15: Use coupons on clearance items!
And finally, be sure to take your coupons with you when you check out the clearance sections, because you can use your coupons on clearance items as well.
I receive the Sunday paper with coupon inserts, and I cut them out, and place into a binder, or folder. I always take it with me when I shop, because you never know what will go on clearance!
So there you have it! That is how I save a lot of money at my local Ralph’s. Many of these tips can be used for other grocery stores as well. Just be sure to check with your grocery stores policy. I love to save money grocery shopping. It feels so good to save money whenever and wherever I can.
What are your favorite tips for saving money at the grocery store? Let me know in the comment below!
*Disclaimer – please note that this post may contains affiliate links, meaning that if you were to make a purchase through one of these links, I would receive a small commission. Please see my disclosure