Shopping for groceries has become an art form these days. It’s an extreme challenge to navigate which stores have the best deals and where to get the best produce or meats to stock your fridge each week. It seems like at this point I have four or five different grocery stores that I frequent depending on what I need that week. Every store has their staples that I prefer to buy, so I end up running all over town to fill up my kitchen and plan my weekly meals. Thankfully, I have my smart phone to help me stay organized and minimize my trips around town. Plus, a few stores have made it even easier to save money on food each week with a specialized phone app. Check out the the 6 money saving grocery apps I am using to stay organized and save bucks on essentials these days.
I haven’t cashed in any of my funds from these apps yet, but I can’t wait to see how it goes later this month. They have made grocery shopping into a fun game of hunting down deals and saving money. What other grocery shopping apps do you use? Any other ones out there that can save us a few bucks?
More Grocery Shopping Tips:
- How to Use Amazon to Save Money
- Smart Grocery Shopping Strategies to Save You Money
- 8 No-Fail Tips for Saving Big on Online Grocery Shopping
6 Money Saving and Organizing Grocery Apps to Download Now
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Snap by Groupon
Another great grocery money saving app has been released by Groupon, and the best part about this app is that it isn't store specific. You can scan any receipt from any grocery store to get money back. It works similarly to the Walmart app, where you get cash back via gift cards after accumulating funds in your account. First, you look at the eligible deals within the app and highlight items that you might be shopping for. Then you snap a photo of your grocery receipt, and the app credits your account with the money back on anything you purchased from your selections. (Keep in mind you can double dip here by scanning your receipts on more than one app!)
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Ibotta
Ibotta has been around a bit longer than Snap by Groupon, and has since expanded its offerings to more than just groceries. (Like getting ten bucks back if you spend $100 at Best Buy!) The app is beautifully designed, and probably my favorite to look at and play around in. It works the same way as most of these apps do, by offering you coupons on certain items, which you redeem after purchase by scanning your receipt. The big difference here is that Ibotta allows you to transfer your saved funds out via Paypal and Venmo, which is basically cash in your hand.
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Target Cartwheel
At Target, they have released a new app that scans items you are purchasing at the store and lets you apply coupons on your phone at checkout. I've started scanning every item I put in my basket, and it is such an awesome surprise when something pops up cheaper on the app than it would be otherwise. Just this week it saved me 20% on a new set of picture frames. It can be a gamble whether you have phone service inside the store, so be sure to sign on to their free WiFi while you are shopping.
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Kroger Co. Apps
Kroger is huge multifaceted grocery store chain that operates some of my favorite stores across the country like Ralph's, King Soopers, and Food 4 Less. Each of their chains has its own individual mobile app, so be sure to download the one that is in your area. All of the apps work similarly, though, where you log in with your rewards card from the store and are able to scan the app at checkout. Now you can just use your phone instead of having to keep an extra key-chain tag for every grocery store. In addition to giving you the automatic discounts you get just by being a member, the app also offers you weekly coupons in addition to what is already on sale. All you have to do is go through the app and select which coupons you want to use, and they are automatically applied at checkout.
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Walmart Savings Catcher
Download Walmart Savings Catcher
You would be hard pressed to find cheaper food prices than at Walmart, but with their new money-saving app they get even cheaper. The Savings Catcher is an app where you scan your grocery receipt and Walmart will refund you for any item that you overpaid for. It works by comparing all of the grocery deals and offers in your area with what you paid for an item at Walmart. The difference is then credited to your account, and you can redeem the cash you have earned for gift cards to Walmart. I've used it three times now, and it has already saved me $12. Just know that you have to scan your receipt within seven days for it to be valid.
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Remember the Milk
While not specifically a grocery app, this list app is still the best way I have found to organize my grocery lists and plan which stores I need to shop at for specific items. I just make my shopping lists and color code with labels which items need to come from specific stores. Then I shop at certain stores when I am in absolute need of a specific item, or I let the list dictate which store I shop at that day based on what I need most. There are plenty of list apps out there, but Remember the Milk actually helps me remember the milk.
