We all have to eat, but we don’t always have to pay the sticker price. Walmart and Target allow consumers to price match from competing stores and online markets, and these retailers can afford it because few are taking advantage from such a discount. Price matching can be a little overwhelming and complicated, but with a few helpful tips, you’ll be able to get the best price when it comes to grocery shopping.
#1: Plan Ahead!
Get in the habit of making a grocery list in order to make the most use of price matching. After making a run through your fridge and pantry, compile a two-column list of needs and wants. Once you have your list, compare it with the weekly ads in your junk mail (yes, even junk mail has its benefits). Then circle every item in those ads with the items on your list with a marker. If you have kids, get them involved and treat the circling task like a fun picture word-search. My kids get a kick out of it, and I’m sure yours will too.
#2: Be Flexible!
My fruits and veggies for the week usually come from the weekly ads. If bananas aren’t in season, I’ll wait a few months to get those because I know the current price is just too high. Because fruits and veggies have their own unique seasons, you’ll find the weekly ads filled with in season produce that are in abundance and also at its lowest price of the year. Being a little flexible with your produce will broaden your palette and save you some money. You’ll be surprised at how much produce you can get when you buy what’s in season.
#3: Get Organized!
After circling your list and finding the discounted produce on the ads, take them with you to the market. While shopping, keep your cart organized with the four corners of the cart and keep products from each ad in its corner. I’ll usually have Vallarta in section, SafeWay in another and so on. This will come in handy once you get to the cashier. Speaking of the cashier, be as polite and friendly as possible as you prepare to give them items that need to be price matched. I’ll usually keep each section of the conveyor belt organized with my piles and even place my specific ad on each one. This will show him or her that you have everything ready and the transaction will go even smoother.
A Few More Tips:
- Brand for brand. If your ad shows a cheaper price of Progresso Soup, grab the same brand at the market. Cashier won’t take that chicken noodle if it’s not the same brand.
- Buying something other than groceries? Make sure to use your Amazon PriceTracker App on your smart phone and scan that Keurig before buying it from the market. If it’s cheaper, take it to customer service and they’ll ring that price up instead.
- Print online coupons. Walmart and Target boast a great online catalog where you can print off coupons of products you may need. Use this to your advantage and grab those discount towards your bill.
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