Love it or loathe it, few of us can avoid a weekly trip to the grocery story. On any given day, 32 million adults trundle down a grocery aisle, according to a 2008 study by the Time Use Institute.
And while everyone has their own favorite grocer, Americans choose Kroger more than any other chain devoted specifically to groceries. In fact, Kroger is the second biggest retailer in America, according to the National Retail Foundation.
Frugal shoppers are well-known for clutching a cache of coupons, hoping to score big bargains at checkout. But there are additional ways to save at Kroger that go beyond couponing.
Following are seven ways you can cut costs — down to “free” for one item on this list — at Kroger. To keep things simple, we’re zeroing in on discounts at the Kroger flagship store, but you can find most or all of these benefits at Kroger affiliates, which include:
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Dillons
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Harris Teeter
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King Soopers
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Ralphs
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Smith’s
1. Get the customer card
It pays — literally — to be loyal. The next time you’re in Kroger, tell the cashier that you want to sign up for a Plus Card. The process takes just a minute, and it will score you loads of additional savings in-store — such as digital coupons — and in the mail on select products.
2. Sign up for the free Friday download
Every Friday, Kroger lets customers download a digital coupon for a FREE product — and we’re talking name-brand items, like a complimentary loaf of Sarah Lee bread. Shoppers then have two weeks from the download date to redeem their gratis item.
To take advantage of this weekly giveaway, simply create a Kroger.com account and visit this page on Fridays.
3. Double your fuel points with gift cards
Shop at Kroger with your Plus Card, and you typically earn one fuel point for every $1 you spend. But you can do even better in some cases. For example, you can earn double the fuel points for purchasing gift cards.
Fuel points can be redeemed for savings at Kroger Fuel Centers and participating Shell stations. According to Kroger:
At Kroger Fuel Centers, you can choose how much of your discount you want to use…10¢, 20¢, 30¢…up to $1 OFF per gallon! You can also redeem your fuel points at participating Shell fuel stations. Simply scan your Plus Card or enter your Alternate ID at the pump, then choose to redeem your available fuel discount.
So, you can save on gas by buying items you have to purchase anyway. Talk about a no-brainer!
4. Use a website like Kroger Krazy
The Kroger Krazy website is specifically “committed to finding and sharing the best Kroger deals to save you money on the things your family needs most.” Here, blogger Katie shares “coupon matchups, Kroger finds and general money-saving deals in a very detail oriented manner.”