How Shopping at These 5 Grocery Stores Will Stretch Your Money Further

Groceries can consume a large part of your paycheck. So, if you’re like many people, you’re constantly looking for ways to save.

As of December 2023, the average weekly cost of food at home for a 19-to-50-year-old male following a moderate-cost plan is $84.60, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Women in this age group, following the same budget, spend an average of $72.80 per week on groceries.

It’s no secret that some supermarkets are more expensive than their competitors. It’s also not uncommon for certain items to be cheaper at some stores than others, meaning you can save more by shopping around.

Knowing exactly where to shop to save the most on different types of foods can be a challenge. So, here’s a guide to create a savings roadmap that can help stretch your grocery budget to the max.

When you’re looking to save money on groceries, Aldi is the best place to shop according to Samantha Landau, consumer expert at TopCashback USA.

“For basic produce, dairy products and even paper goods, like paper towels and toilet paper, Aldi’s low prices are unbeatable,” she said. “However, it should be noted that they don’t typically have the largest selection when compared to other local grocery chains, such as Shoprite or Stop and Shop.”

Melissa Cid, consumer savings expert at MySavings.com, said the grocery chain has become more popular than ever since the pandemic. In fact, she said she shops at Aldi when she can’t find coupons for name-brand snacks.

“Chips, peanuts, cookies, yogurt and ice cream are 25-50% cheaper [at Aldi] than traditional grocery stores,” she said.

“If you’re looking to buy groceries in bulk for a large household, Sam’s Club is a great choice,” Landau said. “They’re often cheaper than competitors, like Costco, by a few cents depending on the item.”

She added that you’ll also pay less to get in the door. “They have a lower membership fee, which adds to their value.”

For reference, a baseline Club membership costs $50 per year. In comparison, a Costco Gold Star membership is $60 and The Club Card Membership at BJ’s is $55 per year.

“Walmart’s everyday low prices keep me coming back for most of my groceries every week,” Cid said. “Walmart’s store brand, Great Value, has kept their prices low, while mainstream brands continue raising their prices.”

She also has a Walmart+ membership, which she gets a ton of value from.

“As a member, I get free shipping, no minimum and free same day grocery delivery,” she said. “My membership keeps me out of the store where I’m more likely to be tempted to make last minute, unplanned purchases.”

To save even more money on groceries, she said to be on the lookout for Walmart Rewards. “Clip these offers online or in the app and you will earn store cash on future purchases.”

When it comes to finding grocery deals at Walmart, Adam Schwartz, CEO of CouponSurfer, said the most competitive prices are typically on processed foods, such as cookies, breads, pasta and rice.

“Prices are usually less than anywhere else and Walmart has a pretty wide selection of brands,” he said. “When many people think of Walmart they don’t always think natural or organic, but Walmart tends to have a very wide selection of these categories that are typically priced below most other stores.”

If you’re looking to stretch your dollar at Costco, Schwartz recommended taking advantage of what is quite possibly the store’s most famous item.

“Almost everyone knows about the rotisserie chicken for just $4.99,” he said. “To really stretch out the budget, you can buy a bunch of them at once and then freeze the ones you don’t eat right away.”

As long as the chicken is wrapped well, he said it can stay fresh in the freezer for several months.

“Don’t forget the discount closeout retailers like Dollar General or Big Lots,” Schwartz said. “While they don’t have the full selection of a dedicated supermarket, you can complete a good portion of your grocery shopping at these places.”

He said to also look for deals at some of the regional stores in your area like Ollie’s Bargain Outlet or Ocean State Job Lot.