6 Smart Ways To Save On Everything From Gas to Groceries
With grocery prices up 14 percent and the cost of everything from gas to home goods soaring, we asked the pros for easy ways to save on the things we buy every day. The simple tips they share below can help you cut costs and get great deals!
Make the most of credit card rewards.
Credit card usage at supermarkets surged by 70 percent last year, and smart shopping and retail expert Trae Bodge says using the right card will help you save big. “GigaPoints.com is a brand-new site that analyzes your credit card usage for free and recommends the card that will earn you the most rewards,” she explains. “I learned that if I were using a different card with better rewards on groceries, I could have earned $2,000 more last year!”
Shop around for deals.
If you have an Aldi’s near you, take advantage of their deep discounts, urges Phil Lempert, author of Being the Shopper and contributing editor of Supermarket News. “I’ve met with their quality control people, and they’re among the strictest I’ve ever visited — and you can save 25 to 30 percent on everything from wines to produce.” Other strategic savings: Head to pharmacies like CVS and Walgreens to save 10 to 15 percent on milk, and visit dollar stores for high-quality produce at rock-bottom prices. Adds consumer and money-saving expert Andrea Woroch, “Trader Joe’s has the best price on eggs, beating other supermarkets by a couple of dollars per carton, and their organic chicken is also about 10 percent less per pound than other stores.”
Save on gas by stacking discounts.
To stack gas savings, start by asking your local grocery store if they have a loyalty program with fuel rewards, advises Woroch. “This way, for every $100 or so you spend on groceries, you’ll save five to 10 cents per gallon at participating stations,” she says. “Then use the GasBuddy app to pinpoint the station near you with the lowest price to make your dollar go even further. If you’re already using the best credit card with the most reward points, you’ll triple your savings.”
Use this app to put money back in your pocket.
Just use the Fetch Rewards app to snap a picture of your gas, grocery, and restaurant receipts and earn points, urges Woroch. “Simply upload the pictures of your receipts to your account to start earning money back,” she says. “Once you accumulate enough points, you can redeem them for gift cards to stores and restaurants like Walmart, Amazon, and Starbucks.”
Nab the best deals on decor.
With the home improvement and redecorating craze seeing no signs of abating, furniture prices remain high. That makes it smart to shop around at unexpected places, reveals Woroch. “I recently bought patio furniture, and a set of two pieces that cost $700 at Wayfair, I got for half price at Sam’s Club,” she says. “Always check clubhouse prices first.” Also smart: Be open to buying gently used items, adds Bodge. “During the pandemic, a lot of folks bought artwork and decor, and are now regretting it, so you can find great deals on Facebook Marketplace or eBay.”
Compare prices in an instant.
“Prices continue to fluctuate, so add a tool like Popcart to your browser, which automatically finds the best deals at stores like Walmart, Target, and Best Buy,” advises Bodge. “Google Shopping has also improved their system — just google the item, click ‘shopping,’ and you’ll see where and how much it is, to easily compare prices. No matter what you’re buying, a few steps mean you save big!”
A version of this article originally appeared in our print magazine, Woman’s World.
