39 Super Helpful Grocery Shopping Tips for the Frugal Living New Immigrants

According to POCKETSENSE, the average monthly food expenses is about 10 to 15 percent of the monthly take-home pay.

As new immigrants, this is one area of that you can manage with some creativity and portion control to save money. Trust us, YOU NEED these grocery shopping tips!

As new immigrants once upon a time, we would have appreciated an extensive list of grocery shopping tips like this that is tailor-fitted to immigrants.

So, here are super helpful tips to save money at the grocery store for you, the frugal-living, new immigrant.

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THIS POST BELOW IS ABOUT GROCERY SHOPPING TIPS TO HELP NEW IMMIGRANTS SAVE MONEY.

Grocery Shopping Tip 1: Buy From A Cheaper Store

Yes, you read it right. Shop from the most affordable grocery store nearest you.

There is no use for all these grocery shopping exerciseS if you choose to buy from a high-end store when a more affordable one exists in your neighborhood.

If that “cheaper” store offers not only offer AFFORDABLE but also FRESH and GOOD QUALITY food items, buy from there.

This conscious choice of a place to buy must be the first step in every grocery-shopping-money-saving plan.

Grocery Shopping Tip 2: Forget Nostalgia When Money Is Tight

Nostalgia is expensive!

Sure, you miss the pomelos, mangoes, and the mangosteen from back home. And now, here they are now in front of you at the grocery store.

It is very tempting to buy them. If only you could afford the price! Maybe you can but it will surely mess up your current budget.

Food items that are from your part of the world are most likely imported into this country. As such, they command a high price due to the added cost of shipping, handling and, possibly, additional taxes.

Therefore, hold your homesickness in check for now, our dear immigrants. Buy these food items when money is not tight.

Grocery Shopping Tip 3: Swap For Inexpensive Ingredients

Homesickness strikes again and you are hankering for a taste of home.

For example, your beloved comfort food is CHICKEN TINOLA (Filipino dish of chicken in ginger soup). However, the traditionally required ingredients like green papaya and leaves (either young pepper leaves or moringa leaves) are either unavailable or expensive in your area.

It is possible that there is no Asian grocer near you. And maybe they are expensive because these ingredients must be brought in from faraway farms. (Tropical produce needs tropical climate to thrive.)

So, when you are on a tight budget, instead of being faithful to the traditional recipe, go for the cheaper and readily available substitutes.

To cook your beloved CHICKEN TINOLA, for example:

- - if green papaya is expensive – try chayote, bottle gourd or jicama instead
  - if moringa or pepper leaves are expensive – try baby spinach or watercress

Until you get enough money, try to experiment with locally available (and cheaper) ingredients for now.

When money is no longer as tight, you can get the traditional ingredients you want for that authentic, traditional taste of home.

Grocery Shopping Tip 4: Cheap Versions Of Expensive Real-Deals

Nostalgia is expensive and you have to learn to hold off on your cravings for the real thing.

For example, let us say you miss durian.

Durian is an exotic fruit that is native to the tropics, specifically Southeast Asia. It is expensive because it must be imported to the US.

One whole durian fruit sells for $2-3 per pound, with its thick rind, spikes and seeds included. The flesh/meat (edible part) of the durian makes up for just 40-45% of the whole thing.

All things considered; durian is indeed expensive in this part of the globe. A small fruit one could easily cost you $20-25.

Meanwhile, if you are intent on saving money as you start your life in the US, learn to stave off craving attacks. Try having small and/or cheaper versions of the food item.

Still sticking to the durian example above: When you are having one of those durian nostalgia attacks, have a durian ice cream instead.

Or a durian cookie or a portion of frozen durian (not the whole fruit). Just to tide you over until you can afford the real, whole fruit.

Grocery Shopping Tip 5: Make A List Of Items To Buy

Do not make just one list. In fact, make three (3) lists.

MAIN GROCERY LIST

IN-HOUSE FOOD SUPPLY LIST

REGULAR MUST-HAVE GROCERY LIST

MAIN GROCERY LIST

IN-HOUSE FOOD SUPPLY LIST

REGULAR MUST-HAVE GROCERY LIST

(Download and print the FREE grocery printables from the Freebies page.)

Grocery Shopping Tip 6: Glance At Your Events Planner

Do you have a birthday party, an office party or a church potluck in the next few days? Do you need to bake, cook, or bring a dish to the event?

Knowing that there are events and important occasions happening in a week or two, you buy ahead and save.

You can take advantage of food items on sale to splurge on them because you have a legitimate reason to buy in bulk.

(Download and print the FREE grocery printables from the Freebies page.)

Grocery Shopping Tip 7: Split The Bag With Family And Friends

Let’s say there are no foreseeable events in the following weeks, but many things are on sale.

Let’s say there are items that are cheaper when bought in bulk, but you only need a few or small amount of it.

What will you do?

Here is how you can take advantage of the savings: Try coordinating with family and friends to split the items (and the price, of course).

Remember who in the family loves what food items. If Uncle Bert loves lychees, ring him up and ask if it is OK to split the big bag of fruit with him.

It is also possible that you may not have any events coming up, but some family and friends do. Just send the word out via group chat or call. Who knows, someone can split the big sack of onions with you.

(Download and print the FREE grocery printables from the Freebies page.)

Grocery Shopping Tip 8: Do Not Shop Hungry Or Thirsty

It is said that going grocery shopping on an empty stomach can empty your wallet because you are more prone to bad decisions when you are nutrient-deficient.

This is not the first time that you have heard or read that shopping while hungry can mess up your budget. In fact, it is backed up by science.

Direct quote from a study by the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences:

Hunger can drive people’s responses to food. It makes food seem more attractive and motivates people to spend time and money seeking, acquiring, and consuming it. Hunger can also increase people’s desire for money that can be exchanged for calories.

So, grab a bite before you shop to help you stay on budget!

A Study Says

PNAS STUDY (2015) The study involved 379 volunteers who took part in five behavioral experiments.

The results indicate hunger has a direct impact on how many items a person buys, even if the items themselves can’t satisfy hunger.

Grocery Shopping Tip 9: Understand The Basics Of Food Dating

Different types of food items have different types of food dating, and they serve different purposes.

Yes, you read it right: EXPIRATION DATES are not created equal. Food manufacturers and supermarkets have different systems and wording for expiration and best-before dates.

From the US FOOD SAFETY AND INSPECTION SERVICE site, these are examples of commonly used phrases:

A “Best if Used By/Before” date indicates when a product will be of best flavor or quality. It is not a purchase or safety date.
A “Sell-By”date tells the store how long can a product stay on the sales shelf for inventory management. It is not a safety date.
A “Use-By” date is the last date recommended for the use of the product while at peak quality. It is not a safety date except for when used on infant formula as described below.
A “Freeze-By” date indicates when a product should be frozen to maintain peak quality. It is not a purchase or safety date.

When you know these important food dating systems, you can buy with confidence. You will have the knowledge that you are getting quality food items that not only save you money but are also safe for the family’s health.

Grocery Shopping Tip 10: Visit The Clearance And Sale Aisles First

Grocery stores and supermarkets do not have an advance notice to shoppers when something goes into the clearance and sale bins. Therefore, you must check them out for yourself.

Armed with your grocery lists (GROCERY TIP 5 and 6) and your knowledge of expiration dates (GROCERY TIP 9), you are ready to check out the items in those bins.

Are there things that you can use right away (before they go bad) or, food items you can hoard (in the case of long-lasting items like salt, spices, and pasta, etc.)?

Nugget of Momsense

TAKE NOTE: Not all items on CLEARANCE are nearing expiration.

Some of them are overstocks. Some of them are being removed from the store inventory for some reason (e.g., low sales and they are occupying space on the shelves).s

Grocery Shopping Tip 11: Avoid The Eye-Level Displays

Prime placement of any product (grocery items, apparel, etc.) is the eye level shelf. EYE LEVEL IS BUY LEVEL.

This is true most especially in the grocery stores, as the shelves are targeted for the decisionmaker/buyer. These are typically the parents, and to a larger degree, the moms.

Since eye-level shelves are the prime real estate locations, the more expensive brands are placed here. The merchandisers hope that the items will get the attention of the moms/dads who do not need to bend down or tiptoe to grab them.

Be wise and look up or down. The cheaper brands and value packs are located at Stoop and at Stretch Levels.

Grocery Shopping Tip 12: If Possible, Shop Alone

When you really plan to save money (and time, too), leave the other people at home when you go grocery shopping.

It is already tough to make decisions alone – to wrestle with yourself if you need to buy this brand over that brand or this meat cut over this other one.

To bring another sparring partner in this wrestling match is brutal, stressful, and completely unnecessary.

The presence of little tykes, too, can bring additional, unlisted items into your cart to the tune of gimme-gimme-I-want-I-want.

Grocery stores are marketing to kids, too! This is so true that even the merchandisers are now in on it – see #11 (ABOVE) and the Stoop Level for adults is actually Eye Level or Touch Level for kids.

And these grocery stores market to budding tweenagers also! Yes, these same human beings who are too young to be employed and/or contribute to the family budget are also considered a demographic to be sold items to.

Furthermore, these tweenagers are starting to be picky about food and are learning to insist on having the brands of their choice (insert major eye roll here ).

So yeah, it is best to do grocery shopping alone.

Grocery Shopping Tip 13: Buy In Bulk Long Shelf-Life Staple Items On Sale

Did you notice that there are FOUR criteria right there?

- - - - the food must have long shelf-life
      - they have to be your staple food items
      - they must be on sale (or else, what’s the point ?)
      - and that’s when you buy in bulk

These food items must have a long shelf life and not easily perishable, like pasta, beans, spices, and condiments. And they should come in good packaging to store them for longer or you must provide a good storage system for them.

These food items must be your staple foods or else you will just be hoarding them. Things that you have in abundance, but you do not consume regularly may end up spoiling.

Also, these food items must be on sale or else what is the point of buying them in bulk?

(Download and print the FREE grocery printables from the Freebies page.)

Grocery Shopping Tip 14: Shop For Locally Produced Food Items

Buying locally grown and produced food items is beneficial to you in many ways.

For one, they are relatively cheaper because they came from nearby locations.

Second, they are fresher because they did not travel far and were not as exposed to the elements compared to the ones coming from abroad or other states.

Third, since these food items are produced by local farms and companies, the tax they pay aids the local community, which you are a part of.

Local food directories can be accessed through the US Department of Agriculture’s PORTAL here.

Grocery Shopping Tip 15: Skip The Ready-To-Eat Food Section

One small (12 oz) tub of ready-to-eat Tomato Feta Soup at $3.99 is barely enough for one person. If you make it yourself, you spend about $10 for the same dish, enough to feed 4 to 5 people.

A one-person Cobb salad lunch meal from a nearby deli is $9.99. If you make it yourself, a $15.00 worth could feed about 4 people.

The same is true for almost all ready-to-eat meals. They are expensive because of the time and extra effort to prepare them.

The key here is time and prepping in advance. Buy your own ingredients and learn some basic skills in the kitchen and you should be good.

Grocery Shopping Tip 16: Skip The Ready-To-Cook Food Aisle

Pre-peeled and pre-cut foods are expensive because of the extra effort that was done to them.

The finer the cut, the more expensive the food item because of the additional time, effort, and expertise involved. Most times, the creativity in the presentation and the packaging adds to the price, too.

For example:

- Minced garlic is more expensive than peeled garlic.
- Carrot matchsticks are more expensive than carrot circles.
- Chicken drumsticks are more expensive than chicken leg quarters.
- Boneless chicken thighs are more expensive than bone-in chicken thighs.

Learn some chopping skills and invest in affordable tools like peelers, mandolins and even an electric chopper or food processor if you are afraid of knives .

Time and prepping in advance are the key here.

Grocery Shopping Tip 17: Shop For Items In Season

The grocery store charges more for vegetables and fruits that are out of season. This is because they still need to be brought in to stores near you from the faraway countries and farms where they grow at that time of the year.

Therefore, to save money at the grocery store, plan your meals around what produce is in season. You also get better and fresher items when they are in season because they do not lose many nutrients and quality during their short travel.

CUESA.ORG (Center for Urban Education about Sustainable Agriculture) has several charts of seasonal food (vegetables, fruits, and nuts) and flower availability.

Grocery Shopping Tip 18: Know Which Fruits You Can Ripen

There are fruits that you can ripen yourself but there are also some that cannot be.

CLIMACTERIC fruits will continue to ripen after they are harvested, such as bananas, avocadoes, tomatoes, and pears. NON-CLIMACTERIC fruits are those that stop ripening once they are picked from the plant, like oranges, watermelons, berries, pineapples, and pomegranates.

You can stretch your food supply of these climacteric fruits when you buy them in bulk but in different stages of ripeness. This also stretches your budget by saving you from going to the store repeatedly.

When you choose fruits this way, they can be available at their peak of ripeness on different days. No one will be in a hurry to eat them, and nothing will be thrown as waste because they ripened at the appropriate intervals.

Grocery Shopping Tip 19: Bring A Calculator And Basic Math Skills

Calculators are not just for checking if your purchases are within budget. No, they are more than that. Bring them with you and save time and money.

Calculators are also very helpful when reviewing the charge at the counter. Cashiers and self-checkout counters are not perfect.

Advocate for your own bottom-line and re-calculate if in doubt.

CONVERTING BETWEEN METRIC AND IMPERIAL

COMPARING PRICES BETWEEN BRANDS

COMPARING PRICES ON PROMOTIONS AND PACKAGE SIZES

REVIEWING AND CORRECTING REGISTER CHARGES

CONVERTING BETWEEN METRIC AND IMPERIAL

COMPARING PRICES BETWEEN BRANDS

COMPARING PRICES ON PROMOTIONS AND PACKAGE SIZES

REVIEWING AND CORRECTING REGISTER CHARGES

Calculators are not just for checking if your purchases are within budget. No, they are more than that. Bring them with you and save time and money.

Grocery Shopping Tip 20: Using Common Sense On Food Choices

Common sense in all areas of life is needed to save money – and grocery shopping is one vital battleground of savings. The sense of knowing that not all deals are good deals is nothing short of a gift.

BUY THE BIGGEST ONE IF PRICE IS NOT BASED ON WEIGHT

For example, a bag of onions is priced the same – would you not buy the bag that has more and bigger onions?

For example, melons. These fruits are either sold per piece or per pound. If melon is sold at $5 a piece – regardless of the size of the fruit that you bring to the counter, would you not buy the biggest one?

BUY ACCORDING TO YOUR NEEDS AND WANTS

Still on the example of melons: They are selling for $5 each, big or small.

Would you buy the biggest one?

Because we love watermelons. We have a big family, too.

This is a great buy!

I am the only one in the family who likes them. With that size,I do not know if I can finish it before it spoils.

Common sense dictates that while you would like to save money, you are also taking into consideration many other things – like preference, portion control, and whether there is a need or not.

BUY IN BULK IF YOU HAVE A WAY TO STORE THEM

For example, there was a bumper crop of garlic and the stores are selling them at a very low price. And it’s a staple in your house, too!

But you still have a lot. Would you buy more?

Where will you store them? How will you store them?

Grocery Shopping Tip 21: Bring Your Basic Science Know-How

More mass means more weight: If at all possible, remove unnecessary parts of the plant, like stems, when weighing your produce.

- If a banana, in a bunch of bananas, is rotten, remove it before weighing.
- Shake off the water from leafy vegetables like Napa cabbage or lettuce before you weigh them.

Swollen canned products may mean spoilage: The can may have a dent or a small part where bacteria was able to come in and thrive and it is now producing gas. A bulging can may also indicate inadequate canning process.

In any way, it is best to avoid a bulging can at all costs, as it may cause problems that may require medical attention.

Inflated bag of produce: Vegetables, especially the green leafy ones because their packaging is not typically punctured with holes, produce gas over time. A fresh bag of greens has less gas in it compared to an older stock.

Darkening seafood and fishy smell: Raw shrimp should be white and somewhat transparent when purchased. A darkening head of the shrimp and black spots on the shell are indications that the shrimp is no longer fresh, and the fat is starting to decompose into the flesh. The discoloration coincides with the fishy, rotten odor – another indication that the item is no longer fresh..

The same is true for squids: Raw squid should be white and somewhat transparent when purchased. When the squid is starting to darken, it means that the cells of its body are bursting and releasing their fluids, leading to deterioration and spoilage. Thus, a dark and discolored squid may no longer be fresh.

Grocery Shopping Tip 22: Knowledge Of Cost And Value Based Pricing

For example, if someone is going to sell you, today, a 100g bar of gold for $1000 would you buy it?

Why or why not?

Do you know that, as of this writing, a 100g bar of gold sells at $5,600? If you do not know this piece of information you are losing out on a very good deal.

Why is this relevant and what does it have to do with the topic of grocery shopping?

Knowing about pricing strategies can help you get the best bang for your grocery buck!

For example, a Wagyu Tenderloin went on sale for $35 a pound, would you buy it?

YES, I WILL BUY IT

I DO NOT KNOW, SO I WON'T

I KNOW ABOUT WAGYU BUT I'LL PASS

YES, I WILL BUY IT

I DO NOT KNOW, SO I WON'T

I KNOW ABOUT WAGYU BUT I'LL PASS

Knowing the usual price points of expensive items could you score a great deal if it does happen.

Grocery Shopping Tip 23: Meatless Days Or Lesser Meat Days

Meat is easily one of the most expensive food items on a grocery list.

To save money, what about trying the following:

- Have meatless Mondays
- Experiment with meat substitutes like tofu or beans
- Or choose to swap an expensive meat cut with a cheaper cut.
- Swap to a cheaper type of meat like chicken instead of beef.
- Choose to use vegetables and other food items as extenders (to multiply the quantity of a dish) instead of it being all-meat.

If there’s a strong will to save money, there will always be ways.

Grocery Shopping Tip 24: Rotisserie Chicken And Similar Strategies

It had to be said. We have to say it. BUY THAT ROTISSERIE CHICKEN.

The one from Costco, for example, we buy one or two of them every visit.

Why?

We cannot say no to a whole roasted 3-lbs chicken that sells for just $4.99. Not counting the prep time and effort that was saved and energy (gas or electricity) that was used to cook the chicken.

The $4.99 is a bargain.

You can make so many dishes out of one roasted chicken – chicken salad, chicken sopas, chicken quesadilla, etc. Here’s an article we found with the title, 25 Ways to Use Leftover Rotisserie Chicken.

Similarly, if you can find another food item that sells cheap and you can make it into a variety of dishes, go for it.

Grocery Shopping Tip 25: Bring Your Own Bags

One bag, an easily ripped brown paper bag, is $0.25 in our county and the same is $0.10 in the county next to us.

If we do not bring our own bags, that would be $1.00 for 4 bags for a week’s worth of groceries.

That is $4.00 a month and a grand total of $48.00 a year.

Bringing your own bags is not only for the sake of saving money but saving the environment as well.

Grocery Shopping Tip 26: Avoid Buying Bottled Water

More water is wasted in the production and packaging of the water being sold to you.

According to this article by MASHED.COM, it takes an average of 1.39 liters of water to make a single liter of bottled water.

In an article by National Public Radio, Ertug Ercin, spokesperson for the Water Footprint Network, says that when you include the water that goes into making the packaging materials and bottles, you’re looking at more like seven or eight times that number.

You would be better off having a water filtration system at home for your drinking water.

Buy a reusable water bottle that you refill at home. Even if you buy expensive, reusable water container, it will soon pay for itself after several uses when compared to a bottled water that costs a dollar each.

Bringing your own bottled water from home is not only for the sake of saving money but saving the environment as well.

Grocery Shopping Tip 27: Study And Maximize Your Store's Ads

Grocery stores constantly lure you to visit them by having regular promotional discounts on some popular products. They are not shy about letting you know about these sales, too, as they advertise a lot.

Supermarket circulars are helpful in informing you what are in season, what are on sale, what are future sales and when and what new products are coming in.

Some of our friends report that they map out their menus based on what is on sale that week or that month as advertised on the grocery store’s circulars, mailings and online offers they receive.

For example, if tail-on shrimps are on sale, our friends would be having Shrimp Alfredo, Shrimp Scampi and Cajun Shrimp Pasta without breaking the bank. (That meal planner printable is useful for this one)

(Download and print the FREE grocery printables from the Freebies page.)

Grocery Shopping Tip 28: Maximize The Use Of Coupons

The grocery store circulars also include some coupons that you can use.

Adding a manufacturer’s coupon on top of the store’s sale coupon is called “layering,” or “stacking”. You are fortunate to come across these in the circulars.

For example on how to use these coupons: A box of brown sugar that usually sells for $2.99 is on sale for $1.99. That alone is a $1.00 savings per pack.

If you have the manufacturer’s coupon of this product and it says $1.00 off, it means that you can buy the item for only $0.99 for a total savings of $2.00.

Grocery Shopping Tip 29: Do Not Be Fooled By Quantity-Based Promos

Grocery stores often put shelf tags on some products to encourage you to buy more, like $3.99 for 5 items that usually sell for $1.00 each.

As a result, you buy more than what you actually need for a savings of $0.20 apiece.

This promo deal is beneficial to you if the product on sale happens to be one of your STAPLE FOOD ITEMS lists but still you have to be mindful of the expiry dates and how to store it. (Check out Tips 5, 9 and 13 above).

Otherwise, stick only to buying what you need despite paying a bit higher.

You can even do away with paying a higher price if you have the time and energy to dispute the wording of the ads.

If it says $3.99 for 5 pieces, you do not need to buy 5 unless specifically mentioned in the ad. Meaning, if you need just one, pay for one for $0.80 only.

Grocery Shopping Tip 30: Know The Store's Schedule Of Deliveries

At our favorite supermarket, we noticed that the fruits, especially the bananas, are replenished twice a week – on Wednesdays and Sundays.

At our local Home Depot, the fresh cut-flowers and indoor plants are delivered every Tuesday.

New and fresh – Knowing when your store restocks its shelves benefits you. Make an effort to inquire about it.

You may ask an employee at the store when do the deliveries of your favorite items usually arrive, so you can have the best and freshest choices.

Older is not necessarily bad – The store’s restocking schedule almost always coincides around the time when they also clear out older inventory, like week-old vegetables, fruits, canned goods, etc. You may be able to buy these food items at a very steep discount.

REMINDER: Your family’s health comes first. Therefore, make food safety the priority before whatever savings you want to have.

Grocery Shopping Tip 31: Do Not Be Limited By "Limit Number"

We have another friend who regularly sends balikbayan boxes to her relatives and to charities she supports in the Philippines. (Balikbayan boxes literally means “boxes that goes back to the motherland”.) She collects goods and fills up her boxes over a period of time (like three months, for example). And then she sends these boxes via ocean freight.

One time, she chanced upon a sale of Irish Spring soaps – one pack of 12 pieces, 3.07 oz-sized soaps, for just $4.99. This item in this quantity and size usually goes for $6.99 or higher, so was in for a sweet deal.

The sale stipulated: “Limit 3 packs per customer per sale”. The “limit number per transaction” means that she could only bring a maximum of 3 packs to the counter, 3 pack per receipt only.

But that did not deter her from filling her boxes quickly with these soaps. To work around the rule, she did the following:

- - - Spread out several transactions in a day and into the next day
    - Spread out transactions among several counters within the store
    - Spread out the transaction among several branches of the store within a geographical area (that were also running the same sale)
    - Spread out transactions using cash, gift cards and different credit cards
    - Had someone else buy it for her and she reimbursed them

Caveat: As long as it is legal to do so, you can work around the rules.

You can do the same strategy with food items, too.

Grocery Shopping Tip 32: Try The Store’s Generic Brands

Which one to choose, a national name brand or a store’s generic brand?

In the past, the most widely popular name usually equates to better performing product because it is of higher quality. Apparently, that is not the case anymore.

Nowadays, retail chains have their own generic brands: Costco has Kirkland as its generic brand and Home Depot has HDX. Target has Up and Up and, Good and Gather as its store brands.

These generic brands are at par or are even better than the popular, and oftentimes, more expensive brands.

This is because these products are also manufactured by big brand companies specifically for that retailer UNDER THE PRIVATE LABEL AGREEMENT and that is why they can sell them to you at a fraction of the cost compared to a well-known brand.

Private Label Manufacturers Association

PLAM ARTICLE says: Retail chains of all sizes develop and market store brands in various ways. They may create a whole line of products around a particular feature – such as Safeway‘s O Organics, Eating Right and Open Nature; Kroger‘s Simple Truth, Comforts for Baby, and Private Selection; Albertsons‘ Essential Everyday and Wild Harvest, or Aldi’s Simply Nature.

In other cases, a majority of the store brand SKUs might all carry the same name – such as Costco‘s Kirkland Signature, Wal-Mart‘s Great Value, Whole Foods‘ 365 Everyday Value, or Meijer Gold. The chain’s name can also serve as an eponymous store brand: Walgreens, CVS, Rite Aid, Family Dollar, DG, Wegmans, Giant Eagle, Publix, Raley’s and Trader Joe’s are examples.

Grocery Shopping Tip 33: Study The Store's Recurring Sale Schedule

Grocery stores often have set patterns for their promos and sales.

Knowing when the next sale is going to happen, you can time your shopping on those days.

At our favorite supermarket, for example, every Friday is FRY-DAY and all fried chicken (wings, breasts, thighs) and fried fish (battered cod) are $5 a pound.

Also, the store brand ice cream goes on its recurring sale of “4 for $10” for 2-quart tubs that usually sell for at least $3.49 each.

Grocery Shopping Tip 34: Ask For Additional Discounts

It may not be restocking day yet and the pretty yellow bananas are already riddled with brown “freckles”.

You may ask an employee for a discount on those even before they get to the clearance bin.

Similarly, if something is near its expiry date but it has not been moved to the clearance section yet, you may ask for a discount on it. The caveat is that you must use and consume it before it goes bad.

Ask and ye shall receive. Do not be shy or be ashamed to ask for discounts. If you do not ask, it is already equivalent to a NO.

If you ask and they say NO, at least you have tried – you tried saving some hard-earned money.

Grocery Shopping Tip 35: Ask For A Raincheck Slip

As per INVESTOPEDIA a rain check is

“…a promise or commitment from a seller to a buyer that an item currently out of stock can be purchased at a later date for the current day’s sale price. This promise comes in written form, usually as a chit that consumers can present when they return to the retailer to purchase the item in question. The term originated in baseball in the 1800s. Spectators who attended games that were postponed or canceled because of weather could receive a check to attend a future game at no extra charge.”

The KrazyCouponLady has a list of stores that issue rain checks and also a guide on how to use them.

Grocery Shopping Tip 36: Be Hawkeyed At Checkout

The checkout register is commonly the last stop of the grocery shopping experience. This is the last gate where your budget may be broken.

To avoid financial mishaps at the register, here are some of the things that you can do:

- WATCH AS CASHIER SCANS. Be sharp-eyed as the cashier rings up your items. Be sure that the 2 cans of coconut cream will not become 22 cans because someone is trigger happy with the scanner.

- SCAN CAREFULLY. Or if you, yourself, are using the self-checkout counter and you are doing it alone, be aware that scanners make so many errors that there were TV reports about it. So, be careful and double check what you are scanning.

- MAKE SURE THAT THE SALE PRICE IS INDICATED ON THE RECEIPT. Many items have the sale signs while on the shelf but when you scan them at the counter, they are not reflecting the said discount. Make sure that the ALL proper discounts, and coupons are applied.

- VERIFY THAT THE CORRECT ITEMS ARE IN YOUR CART AS PER RECEIPT. It is difficult to return a moldy kumquat when it is indicated as cauliflower on the receipt.

- KEEP THE RECEIPT FOR RECORDS PURPOSES AND IN CASE YOU NEED TO RETURN SOMETHING. Most times, the receipt gets lost in the busy-ness and chaos at the checkout counter. So, in addition to being hawkeyed, clasp that receipt like a hawk, too.

Grocery Shopping Tip 37: Be A Rewards Member

Go and get that grocery rewards card or membership card. (Not to be confused with a store branded credit card, OK?)

Usually, all they need from you is an email address and a phone number, and you get all the exclusive savings of a grocery store’s loyalty program member.

SAFEWAY, for example, offers members-only promotions almost every week. And you can even stack the discounts when you have manufacturer’s coupons (TIP #28 above).

Signing up for membership is FREE and takes about a minute or two. So, why not?

Grocery Shopping Tip 38: Cashback And More Savings From Apps

Many grocery chains have an online presence and nowadays it is not just a website but also a mobile app on your phone.

To increase the subscription and downloads of their store’s app, the stores offer exclusive online and mobile phone promos.

Many products and labels on the shelves and aisles offer additional discounts when you can scan their “suggested” QR code.

Some apps on your phone are cash back apps that help you earn money while shopping for certain products. One such app is Checkout51 and it can be downloaded through your smartphones.

The following apps can also give you cashbacks for your grocery shopping expense: Ibotta and Fetch Rewards.

Grocery Shopping Tip 39: Cash Or Credit Card For Savings

Go strictly CASH ONLY when money is tight: Shopping with a set amount of cash on hand can save you a lot. This is because you are limited by the actual currency you have in your hands.

The disadvantage of CASH-ONLY is that you cannot buy anything extra. For example, a pantry staple happens to be on sale, but your money cannot include it right now.

Some credit cards give generous cashbacks for groceries: There are some credit cards that offer perks when used for grocery shopping. Here is a list of these cards.

The added advantage of using credit cards for shopping aside from the cashback perks is that you can have a bit of wiggle room when there is an unexpected sale of your pantry staples.

This is when you could use GROCERY TIP #13 (above) and you get these items at rock bottom price.

The disadvantage of using credit cards when grocery shopping is the temptation to buy things that are not necessary. You run the risk of incurring a higher credit card purchase (that may result to a bigger debt problem), which is the opposite of your goal of saving.

Be wise in choosing. Moderation is the key.

There you have it, dear immigrants, 39 grocery shopping tips to save you money. Share the knowledge and help another new and incoming immigrant.

Do you have a tip that is not listed here? Let us know in the comments section.

Thank you😍!

MOMSENSE Maria

Maria is just a chatterbox (on a mission.😋)

NO ONE AUTHORIZED her to spew all this MOMSENSE, but she is a complicated cat and so she feels that she must. Be advised and take a spoonful of salt for every opinionated post you read here. And please, please consult a professional for individualized advice on life-altering decisions.

MOMSENSE Maria

Maria is just a chatterbox (on a mission.😋) NO ONE AUTHORIZED her to spew all this MOMSENSE, but she is a complicated cat and so she feels that she must. Be advised and take a spoonful of salt for every opinionated post you read here. And please, please consult a professional for individualized advice on life-altering decisions.

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