Affordable grocery deals
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Not only is the product quality top-tier, the German-based company's business model is designed to minimize the cost to the consumer. According to Aldi , 90 percent of the products on their shelves are private-label brands. Other things, like the 25 cent returnable deposit to use the shopping carts, bagging your own groceries, and not listening to licensed music on the overhead speakers, decrease the store's overhead costs, which helps keep prices low.
And selecting produce out of the crates they came in rather than from aesthetically stacked displays is a small price to pay for cheap groceries.
This four-letter German company also operates on a low-cost model, but it's not the same as Aldi. Lidl has been offering affordable groceries since the s and is actively expanding across the East Coast of the U.
Although there are fewer locations than Aldi, they're constantly in close competition for stocking the cheapest groceries.
The selection of items is curated to keep the essentials in stock, instead of the added expense of keeping every variety and brand on the shelf. Their private label brands also have a Love It Guarantee , which means if a product doesn't meet your standards you can get your money back and exchange the item for something else.
This big-box store has all of the appeal of members-only clubs like Costco or Sam's Club , but without the expensive fees. WinCo Foods boasts locations across the West Coast, and is almost entirely employee-owned—which means their staff receive better wages and benefits. And yet the prices are still low.
WinCo purchases directly from farmers and manufacturers and has a large quantity of bulk foods, which means their prices undercut many other low-cost retailers. Another way to cut costs is by not accepting credit cards for payment.
But fear not: they do allow payment with debit cards and federal food assistance cards. Market Basket is one of the smaller chains on this list, but their savings make it one of the most affordable places to shop in the U. A recent study provided by the customer data firm dunnhumby revealed that the New England-based chain was the "top grocery retailer for inflationary times.
For over years, Market Basket has maintained the fierce loyalty of their customers for the high quality food at low prices. If you know you're going to use these products anyway or you just remember to freeze them before you use them , doing a monthly shop at Costco might just save you some of your hard-earned cash.
Of course, we can't forget about the membership costs — you have to have a Costco card to shop at the retailer. But the savings you'll accumulate throughout the calendar year should more than make up for that cost.
If you're lucky enough to live in the Northeast, you may just have a Market Basket near you. The regional grocery chain is a fan favorite for those who love to save money on their grocery bill because of its surprisingly low prices. One of the main ways the company keeps its prices so low is by making sure it stays debt-free.
While this may seem like a logical move, it's one that most companies — including most grocery chains — don't stand by. Another way Market Basket offers such competitive prices is by offering pretty much the same goods at all of its locations.
Because of this strategy, it can buy in bulk, ensuring a lower wholesale price. It can then pass those savings on to its customers, who keep going back to the store to take advantage of those low prices.
One of the main benefits of shopping at Market Basket is the fact that you can get a lot of your favorite name-brand products for significantly cheaper than you would find them at other grocery stores.
If you've never gone to a Market Basket before and you happen to live near one, you have to check it out — you may just be shocked at how low the prices are. Like Costco, Sam's Club is a membership grocery store with a focus on selling products in bulk.
When you're shopping this way, you may be spending more upfront, but generally, you're going to save money in the long run as long as you use what you buy. Of course, the membership cost of shopping at Sam's Club helps the company offer lower prices. Although Sam's Club offers its membership prices for less than Costco does, you'll generally find lower prices on goods at Costco.
But that doesn't mean you can't get a good deal at Sam's Club too. Particularly if you're a frequent shopper, you can save significantly on your annual grocery spending by shopping at Sam's Club.
In fact, you can even save more than you would by shopping at Walmart, which is the parent company of Sam's Club. If you're looking for a Costco alternative, Sam's Club is a solid way to go. WinCo is another celebrated low-cost grocery store with locations that can be found in the West and Midwest, with prices that are sometimes below what even Costco can offer.
But why is the chain so cheap? First of all, the chain buys a lot of its products directly from producers. By not going through a wholesale middleman, WinCo can get those products for less money, and it then passes those savings on to its customers.
But the store has another tactic under its belt: It doesn't accept credit cards. Oftentimes, processing credit cards can be expensive for a store, and by only accepting other forms of payment, WinCo doesn't have to pay that premium price. The upside? You don't need a membership to shop at WinCo like you do at stores like Costco and Sam's Club.
The downside is that you'll have to remember to bring a form of payment that's not a credit card. Ask any Texan what their favorite grocery stores are, and chances are that they'll mention H-E-B.
This chain has a cult following amongst citizens of the Lone Star State, and it's no wonder why. In addition to providing its customers with a wide array of top-notch products, the store also boasts relatively low prices compared to many other chains.
When it comes to produce, H-E-B can offer much lower costs than many stores because it prioritizes working with local producers. Since it's generally not shipping in produce from around the world, its transportation costs are significantly lower than those of many other grocery stores. This in turn lowers the cost of fruits and vegetables for customers, who keep coming back because of the solid prices.
This high rate of turnover makes the company money while helping its customers cut their grocery costs. The only downside is the fact that you won't find H-E-B in the other 49 states, though there are over 60 locations in Mexico.
However, if you're in Texas and you haven't yet checked out the popular chain, you need to shop there ASAP — it may just change your budget grocery game for the long haul. I mostly avoided specialty items and organic ingredients for this exercise.
For each product, I chose the cheapest available option from all three retailers: Amazon Fresh, Target and Walmart. If an item wasn't available at one retailer, I selected the next closest thing, since that's what a shopper would likely do.
In some cases, a product was only available in a larger or smaller size. In those instances, I prorated the amount and price to ensure it was an even cost comparison.
While there are other places to order groceries online , Amazon Fresh, Target via Shipt and Walmart are three of the most popular US grocers with a national presence and the option for online delivery. You'll also get Amazon Prime Video and a few other perks.
As of Feb. All three offer free in-store pickup in some form, although Amazon has fewer locations than Walmart and Target. Target-owned Shipt will send groceries to your door in a matter of hours but there are some staples, including meat, not available for delivery.
While I tried to use only items that were available for delivery, it wasn't always possible. Target and its national shipping partner Shipt don't have every grocery staple available for shipping, particularly fresh meats and some produce.
If you want to shop for your full list of groceries at Target, you're likely going to have to visit a brick-and-mortar location. In general, Walmart and Target offer the same prices online as they do in brick-and-mortar locations, but not always. Sales items, in particular, are not always coordinated between online and in-store.
Amazon Fresh is mostly online-only save for a few locations, although many products on Amazon Fresh can also be found at Whole Foods. Hungryroot is a cross between a grocery delivery service and meal kit company and encourages you to go rogue from the recipe.
Instacart is a popular national delivery service and functions as a third-party shopper and delivery outfit that allows you to order groceries from a selection of local supermarkets.
Lidl. Andriy Blokhin / Shutterstock Trader Joe's. Shutterstock Market Basket. QualityHD / Shutterstock
