PHOENIX — If it feels like you’re paying more for the same groceries than you did just a few years ago, you’re not alone.
Hollie Reihl has been couponing since 2017. She lives in the Valley with her family of three — her husband and daughter — and has seen that price hike firsthand. She said she spends several hours a week digital coupon hunting.
The work pays off. Reihl keeps her family's food budget at around $150 a month!
While inflation has eased some, grocery prices are still more than 20% higher than when inflation started surging more than three years ago. From 2019 to 2023, the USDA said food prices rose about 25%, nationally.
We spoke with Reihl to find out how she does what seems impossible. This is what she recommends for keeping costs down.
Tips and tricks from a Valley mom
Reihl said that she can meet her family’s food needs, from meat to cheese, eggs, milk, fruit and vegetables, by just putting in a little elbow grease to find the best deals she can.
1. Find what's free:
When weekly grocery shopping, Reihl starts by looking for what she can get for free.
One of her credit cards offers free DashPass. Reihl said DoorDash then offers deals to keep her using their services. This week she used her quarterly $10 DoorDash credit at a DashMart, the company’s grocery store. There, she found a party tray with turkey and ham for $12.
“I can use my $10 off on that, pay $2 and probably make at least 10 lunchables for my daughter," Reihl said. "And then it’s all of the lunches for the week for $2. Then I just throw in a banana or something and she’s good to go."
Those are huge savings when the average deli lunch meat prices are anywhere from $5 to $10 a pound.
2. Apps, Reddit and rebates
App developers like having people use their product. Whether that's through re-subscribe offers or publicly posted codes, they'll often go the distance to keep you around.
Riehl said she found a referral code on Reddit for free HelloFresh every week where she only pays for shipping. That means her husband, who is a weight lifter, has no issues with meal prep.
Another of Reihl's favorite money-saving apps for groceries is Ibotta. It's free to sign up and there are cash-back deals every time you shop in-store or online. Once your Ibotta earnings hit $20, you can withdraw the money to your bank account or a gift card.
“There’s a ton of money on there," Reihl said. "In the last five years of having it, I have over $6,000 I’ve made just from that rebate app itself, just that one.”
Reihl said another rebate site she likes is called Aisle. It gives rebates when buying specific products and scanning your receipt. There’s also Social Nature, which allows you to try natural products and earn cash-back rewards.
Another of Reihl’s deal-saving apps is Misfits Market. There she can find high-quality meat for her family.
3. Pick your stores carefully
Many local stores will have their own rewards programs and deal offers to keep shoppers coming back.
When choosing a local grocery store to shop at, one of Reihl's favorites is Safeway. It's on her direct route home and saves her time as well as money. Fry’s deals for her current week also had $0.97 strawberries, and a free pack of Sargento cheese. At Basha’s, shoppers can sign up for weekly text deals sent straight to your phone.
One of the best savings Reihl found recently was for breakfast.
“There’s Cheerios for $1.99 when you buy three," Reihl said. "There’s a coupon on top of that on the Safeway app for an extra dollar off when you buy three. Then there’s an Ibotta rebate. That knocks it down for 3 dollars for three boxes of cheerios when the retail price is for 5 dollars for one box.”
It doesn't even need to be big-brand stores. There’s a bakery near her home that offers discounted fresh bread one day a week, which she’s able to stop in for when she has time. It's all a matter of finding what's right around the corner from you.
4. Speak up!
Reihl said her final deal-finding tip is calling the comment line on your favorite products to tell them what you like about the food you eat.
In Riehl's experience, many companies will connect customers with deals and discounts for the products that they enjoy. Reihl added two major brands that did this for her were Smuckers and Kind Bars.
But even with that in mind, Riehl says you don't need to tie yourself to one brand, app, or even location. Shop around, keep your eyes open, and find the right approach for you!
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