I’ll be honest – I can’t remember the last time I felt this much of a pinch at the grocery store. Just yesterday, all I bought was a loaf of bread and a jar of salsa, and I spent $8.00. And, this is in the South!
Being able to feed your family is a huge stressor and food insecurity is a real problem. There are some stores that have cheap enough prices where dollars can be stretched to include an extra meal or two that wouldn’t be possible at a more expensive store.
Grocery stores like Save A Lot already have cheaper prices than most of their competitors (you usually won’t find one store that beats everyone on everything) and has a reputation for clean and simple store layouts. Yet, there are still ways to spend less when you shop just right!
Check out 17 ways to Save A Lot on Groceries at Save A Lot!
1. Check the Weekly Ad First
If you’re a regular shopper, one of the best ways to save money at Save A Lot is to check the weekly ad first before you go shopping. This is a great first step before meal planning for the week to help you get the most out of your shopping trip.
Once you check the weekly ad based on your local store, make your recipe list, and stick to the foods you need for the week. Studies show that sticking to a grocery list is a great way to limit the amount of money you spend at the grocery store.
Check the weekly ad to see what’s on sale and save the most at Save A Lot.
2. Print out or Clip the Manufacturer’s Coupons
If you’ve not started couponing, now is the time! Often well known brands will offer manufacturer’s coupons that are accepted at most grocery stores. These can be for condiments, pasta, breads, snack foods, frozen foods, etc.
You can print them out or pull them up on your phone, but don’t be afraid to use your manufacturer’s coupons when shopping at Save A Lot to save more on your grocery bill. Ask an associate beforehand if they have any limitations on the coupons they accept.
3. Look For the Store Brand
Whether shopping at Save A Lot, or any other grocery store, looking for the store brand of goods is the best way to save money. Save A Lot has put a lot of time and energy into creating products that compete with national brands.
They have a simple, fuss-free layout and they’ve taken to name their store brands after company employees. They limit what’s on the shelves to keep you from being overwhelmed, but that also keeps prices low. Go for the store brands to save at Save A Lot.
4. Take Advantage of the Store Money Back Guarantee
If you buy something and you’re not happy with it, you’ll usually return it. Well, you can do the same with groceries. Save A Lot has a 100% Money Back Guarantee and vows to replace your item or give you your money back.
Don’t waste money by simply throwing something out that you don’t like. Return and make it worth your dollars on your next grocery trip!
5. Enter the Red Dot Loyalty Rewards Program
When you sign up for the Red Dot Loyalty Rewards Program, you get entered into their sweepstakes to win free groceries! Who wouldn’t want a chance to win free groceries for a year? Talk about a way to save money at Save A Lot!
6. Sign Up for Coupons and Deals
Save A Lot has a tab on its homepage that already has you in mind: Coupons and deals! Sign up with your email address to get coupons and deals delivered to your inbox!
By having the deals that reflect your area’s prices delivered to your inbox, you can stay on top of making a list and buying what’s on sale. You don’t have to go searching for anything – it’s all right there in front of you! Sign up for coupons today!
7. Check Out the Newsroom Tab on the Homepage
Save A Lot knows their clientele – people that are looking to provide for their families without breaking the bank. They go a step further by offering articles like how to feed your family for 25% less on a holiday.
You can save more money by checking out these articles before you head over to the store.
8. Find the Bulk Items in the Produce Section
There are times when bagged items are cheaper per unit than individual items, such as a pack of peppers versus individual peppers. Some Save A Lot’s have dried beans in their produce section at a remarkable rate, as compared to canned beans.
When purchasing items like potatoes or onions that are commonly packaged, look at the per unit price and how they compare to buying just one. Make sure you can eat all that you buy and have a plan for how to use it, but find bulk items to save money!
9. Bring Your Own Bags
In order to keep costs low, Save A Lot keeps a lower employee headcount in the stores. This means you’ll have to bag your own groceries. They also charge for plastic bags. Yikes! It may only be cents to the dollar, but that can add up over time!
Bring your own bags to Save A Lot to keep money in your pocket throughout the year.
10. Shop Temporary ‘n’ Terrific
When Save A Lot wants to run deals on name brand products or limited supply options, they often have a Temporary ‘n’ Terrific (aka T’n’T) bin on the floor. They may have a deal on these products and they’re not meant to last long, so stock up while you can!
11. Look for Meat Markdowns
No matter where you shop, meat is usually one of the most expensive items in the grocery store per pound. When you’ve got a family to feed and need to save money, look for markdowns on meat! Meat is usually marked down in the morning, but call to ask!
You can also shop for cheaper cuts of meat like chicken thighs instead of chicken breast or ground beef instead of steak. Become friends with the butcher and don’t be afraid to ask questions about markdowns or cutting up bigger pieces into one that fits your budget a little better!
12. Follow Save A Lot on Facebook
Let’s face it – sometimes we are more plugged into social media than we are email. That’s ok! Save A Lot likes to promote deals and steals on their Facebook page, as well. Follow their Facebook page to stay on top of the latest deals to save more money!
13. Ask About Save A Lot’s Delivery Schedule
Moving produce, meats, and dairy is important in keeping fresh options available for consumers at grocery stores. When new perishable deliveries come in, the older items need to be priced to sell, usually immediately. Many items start to lose their quality after a few days in the bin.
Getting to know when items are delivered to the store will help you learn when items will be marked down. Apples that may be full price today might be half off tomorrow! Ask both the produce and meat department to find out when you can save the most money!
14. Try the Pick 5 for $19.99
This is a steal! Save A Lot stores have an area where you can get FIVE packages of meat for $19.99. This is a great way to save money! Even if that’s more meat than you can eat in a week, grab some to freeze for later.
They also have this option for some of their freezer foods, as well. Every store is a little bit different but you can see why this is worth the trip to Save A Lot!
15. Walk Through the Clearance Section
Every store pretty much has a clearance section these days. Whether it’s soaps and hygiene products, vitamins, or a few leftover packages of food that aren’t worth shelf space elsewhere, clearance shelves and bins are great for saving money! Check out the clearance section at Save A Lot!
16. Enter Save A Lot Sweepstakes to Win Big
One way Save A Lot is different from other grocers is the amount of sweepstakes they have available on their site. They’ve even got one where you can nominate an awesome teacher from your community! The teacher can win $500 and you can win $100!
Other sweepstakes they have include letting you do a 5 minute grab in the store, allowing you to fill up your cart for free!
17. Get Cash Back with Ibotta
When you shop at Save A Lot, keep your receipt! When you use the Ibotta app, you get cash back for purchasing select items. Add items to your list, shop, then upload your receipt! It’s pretty easy to use Ibotta. Don’t leave money on the table when grocery shopping!
FAQs on Save A Lot Grocery Shopping
Is Save A Lot Cheap?
Save A Lot has a reputation for cheap, but good, products. They are often compared to Aldi when it comes to storing layout and prices.
Does Save A Lot accept coupons?
Always check with the store first, but most Save A Lot stores do accept manufacturer’s coupons. They also have coupons and deals listed on their site and they come out twice per week!
Does Save A Lot carry name brands?
Yes! Save A Lot very frequently options its own brands, and limits how many choices of a particular item they offer, but they also carry big name-brand food items, as well. From what we hear, their store brands are good quality, as well.
Is there a rewards program at Save A Lot?
Save A Lot does have a rewards program called Red Dot Loyalty Rewards Program! When you’re looking to save money, joining rewards programs is a great place to start!
Is Save A Lot Worth It?
I would say after digging in a bit, it looks like Save A Lot is worth checking out if you want to save money on groceries. They have sales, accept coupons, and keep prices low with limited employees and in-house brands.
Check out Save A Lot to Save A Lot on groceries and let us know how you save on groceries below!
