c/bargain-hunting-hacks

Grocery store markdown stickers, the 6 PM game changer

I used to think the discount meat bin was pure luck, but last month I noticed our local Kroger puts out yellow markdown stickers around 6 PM sharp, right before the evening restock. Yesterday I grabbed a family pack of chicken thighs for $3.40 that was set to expire in two days, threw them in the freezer, and that's three dinners sorted. Anyone else got a specific hour or store ritual that beats the coupon apps?

0 comments

dylan_patel•5d ago

Grocery store price tags vs. unit pricing, the deli counter test

I started checking the unit price on everything two weeks ago after a 4 dollar jar of pasta sauce caught my eye. Same store, same brand, the smaller 24 ounce jar was actually 30 cents more per pound than the 48 ounce one. So I took a little notebook to three stores in Columbus and compared the shelf tags. Big box stores usually win on bulk, but the local market had better per ounce deals on produce and dairy. Anyone else find that unit pricing changes where you shop for certain items?

1 comments

dylan_green58•5d ago

Stop chasing coupon apps, learn your store's markdown day instead

Honestly, every week I see people bragging about 50 app alerts for deals that never go through. But if you just ask a stocker when they do markdowns, you can get the same stuff at 75% off without the headache. I did this at the Kroger off I-35 in Austin and now I walk in at 7am on Tuesdays, hit the meat counter first, and grab steaks for like $4 a pack. The apps give you pennies off, but the clearance sticker is where the real money sits. Why is everyone so hooked on digital coupons when the store literally prints the discount on the package? Has anyone else figured out their store's schedule or am I the only one who thinks this is common sense?

1 comments

dylan_green58•5d ago

Coupon stackers vs. price match purists, which side are you on?

I used to be a diehard coupon stacker, clipping Sunday inserts and planning trips around double coupon days down in Tampa. Last spring I switched to mostly price matching with store apps at Target and Walmart, and honestly I save about $40 a month without the paper clutter. But I see people online swearing stacking still beats apps, especially for toiletries and snacks. So what's your system, do you chase the old school coupon thrill or let the apps do the math for you?

1 comments

johnfoster•6d ago

The $40 monthly meal plan I gave up for a $5 notebook method

I used to pay $40 a month for a meal planning service that mapped out every dinner and gave me a grocery list. Six months ago my sister showed me her system: a plain spiral notebook where she writes down what we actually eat each week and checks flyer apps for whatever meat and produce are on sale. The paid plan saved time but ignored local deals, so I was spending full price on stuff that was 30-50% off across town. Now I spend 15 minutes on Sunday looking at the weekly ads and build meals around those markdowns, and my grocery bill dropped by about $65 a month. Does anyone else think those subscription planners are just a tax on people who hate math, or do the convenience features actually pay off for you?

1 comments

sean_foster52•7d ago

Found out my grocery store price matches their own app if you ask nicely

Last Tuesday at the Kroger off I-35 I noticed the shelf tag said $4.29 for cereal but their app showed $3.19. I showed the cashier my phone and she just keyed in the lower price without any fuss. Turns out they have a policy for it but never advertise it. Anyone else get lucky with a price match just by asking at the register?

1 comments

joelsanchez•7d ago

Update: I used to think cashback apps were a scam, then I hit $212 in one quarter

For years I figured those cashback apps were just collecting my data and never paying out. My buddy kept telling me to try one, and I kept saying 'no thanks, not giving them my card info.' Then last March my wife signed up for one out of boredom and made $40 in a month just scanning receipts from groceries we already bought. I still wasn't convinced because that seemed like a fluke. So I ran my own test for a full quarter with one app, same receipts we always have, and it came out to $212. That's basically free money for doing nothing different. The trick is stacking it with store coupons, not using it as a replacement for finding actual deals. Has anyone else had a big payout from one of these things, or did I just get lucky with a good quarter?

1 comments

fiona_scott44•9d ago

The $7 price checker app my cousin swore by actually saved me $40 today

My cousin in Tucson kept telling me to download this app that scans barcodes in stores and compares prices across nearby places. I always figured it was junk or just another way to collect my data. Finally tried it this morning at the Target off Grant Road. Scanned a bag of cat litter and it showed the same thing at Walmart for $7 less. Loaded up the cart with four bags since the cats go through them fast. That one scan paid for a month of my data plan. Has anyone else had luck with those price comparison apps or do most of them just show online prices that never match the shelf?

1 comments

carr.willow•10d ago

Got burned by a fake coupon code app in Tucson last week

I downloaded this coupon aggregator app that promised 40% off at local hardware stores, but the code it gave me was expired and the cashier just laughed when I tried it. Turns out the app was stealing my location data to sell to advertisers, and the 'deals' were all recycled from 2021. Has anyone else found a legit way to verify coupon codes before you waste a trip to the register?

1 comments

faithjones•13d ago

I finally listened to a cashier at Kroger about coupon stacking

So I was at the self-checkout in Memphis last week, trying to use two store coupons on a bag of frozen chicken. A teenage cashier walks over and goes, 'Ma'am, you gotta read the fine print, that one excludes family packs.' I was SO mad at first, but she showed me how their app lets you combine a store coupon with a manufacturer one if the barcodes are different. Now I'm saving like $8 a trip just by checking that tiny text. Has anyone else had a cashier teach them a hidden store rule?

2 comments

webb.val•16d ago

Just hit $47 in savings from that one price matching trick

My neighbor told me to price match my weekly groceries at Walmart instead of driving to three stores. I thought he was being lazy but tried it last Thursday. Saved $12 on just cheese and cereal alone. Has anyone else had cashiers actually argue about matching a store that's 20 miles away?

1 comments

james672•19d ago

Pro tip: Stop buying name brand trash bags for the kitchen

I used to grab the Glad or Hefty ones every time, paying like $12 for a box of 40. Then I switched to the Members Mark ones from Sam's Club about 6 months ago, $18 for a box of 150, and they're actually thicker. Has anyone else found store brand stuff that holds up better than the fancy brands?

2 comments

the_james•20d ago

Hit $1,000 saved in 6 months just by coupon stacking at Kroger

I always thought couponing was for extreme people on TV shows. But I started small last January, just clipping digital coupons in the Kroger app and matching them with weekly sales. By July I had saved $1,023 on groceries for a family of four. The trick was never buying anything unless the app said 30 percent off or more. No fancy binder or hours of clipping, just 10 minutes on Thursday nights. Anyone else hit a savings number that surprised them like this?

2 comments

lewis.diana•20d ago

Vent: wasted $80 on a 'subscription box' for meal planning that just sent me Pinterest links

I signed up for this meal planning subscription box thing back in March cause they promised exclusive recipes and grocery lists. Total scam. Every single email was just links to stuff I could find on Pinterest for free. Called customer service and they said 'the value is in the curation'. Yeah right. Canceled after week 3 but they already charged my card for the full quarter. Anyone else fall for one of these 'curated' services that turned out to be pure fluff?

2 comments

cameron_chen63•20d ago

Shoutout to the grocery outlet near me that marks down meat 50% at 8am

I stopped by Safeway on Mission Street around 8:15 last Tuesday and they had a whole rack of ribeye steaks marked down to $4.50 a pack because the sell-by date was that day. Anyone else find a specific time their local store does markdowns?

2 comments

riverp37•22d ago

Switched from buying bottled water to using a $30 filter pitcher

I used to spend like $15 a week on Poland Spring, but I got a Brita pitcher on clearance at Target 3 months ago. Now I just pay for the filters and my water bill went down $40 a month. Anyone else ditch bottled water for something cheaper?

2 comments