One of the easiest ways to save on your monthly bills is through your grocery shopping. You will not be surprised to learn that there are a host of different options in a crowded marketplace. Make a detailed analysis of your weekly grocery list. To make the most out of the following article, you need to plan and prepare a little. The more effort you put in before you start buying, the more benefit you will see.
Straight savings via receipts
iBotta – this is one of the most popular apps in the grocery rebate area. The rebate app works across a huge number of retail brands. You have to spend some time setting up the brands you want to ‘unlock’. This usually means you must complete an action like watching a short video. Once you have your brands in place then you go to your grocery store and shop as usual. Keep the receipt and scan it into the iBotta app and the rebate will follow. iBotta users have so far generated over $500/month in savings.
There are many similar apps available, like Checkout 51, Receipt Hog and Dosh. So, if you use several them you can make sure you cover as much of your grocery bill as possible.
Price comparison
Paribus is a really smart app that takes a slightly different angle when it comes to saving money. It does it AFTER you have made your purchase. The app syncs with your email account to keep track of your receipts and if the price drops over the following couple of weeks, the company negotiates on your behalf to have that price drop that you missed applied to your purchases. The fact is that a lot of online retailers have a price protection clause in their terms, allowing Paribus to fill this niche.
Healthy options
If you are interested in only looking at healthy options, there are a few great apps to reward your efforts!
Healthy Savings is an app that gives you a large range of savings on all the healthier options in your usual grocery stores. You can set favorites and get your rewards automatically. The Makeena app focuses solely on eco-friendly and healthy grocery products. The app helps you discover natural, organic, non-GMO, gluten-free and vegan products. SavingStar is a general savings app that has a Healthy Offer of the Week, increasing the savings you can earn on fruit and vegetable brands.
Credit cards that give you points/rewards/cashback.
There are different cards that make sense for you depending on where you regularly shop. If Target is your thing, get a Target RED card, Walmart has its own card, if you are a regular there. However, in general, it’s difficult to beat American Express’ Amex Express Blue Cash Preferred Card & Blue Cash Everyday Card.
The Blue Cash Everyday card offers 3%, with no annual fee. The Preferred card ups the cashback rate to 6% but you will be charged $95 per year for the privilege. Both allow you to earn up to $6,000 total cash back at the initial rate, then over that at 1%. You also get 2% back at gas stations back a maximum of $6,000 a year
So, try these out and see what combinations work best for you. This is a sure-fire way to have a significant impact on your monthly spending.
