Save on grocery costs using apps

There are a number of free smartphone apps (for both iOS and Android) designed to help you save money on food, cleaning supplies, paper products and more. These tools are especially useful for lower-income families, SNAP/EBT recipients, or anyone trying to get more value out of each trip to the store. Learn more about grocery shopping apps as well as the digital coupons, savings and deals they offer below. Grocery shopping can be complicated. You must make lists and search around if you want the best offers as well as lowest prices on the market. And if you're in a rush or not well, you end up paying higher prices to finish shopping for groceries. Grocery shopping apps help you find coupons, the best prices at all the local stores, give cash back and they can even assist you with drafting a grocery list.

Flipp

Flipp helps you save a significant amount of money on groceries without cutting-out coupons . Flipp is one of the strongest all-round tools for grocery savings. Rather than relying purely on rebates, it aggregates weekly ads and digital coupons , including those with the best deals, for thousands of stores. You can browse your local store’s circular, mark deals you’re interested in, and build a shopping list based on sale prices. Start at https://flipp.com/ and the app hub at https://app.flipp.com/ . Because it’s geared toward the planning stage, it’s best used before you shop. Use the Flipp app to scan what’s on sale, build your list, then pick the store offering the best deal. Some users report saving a significant percentage of their usual grocery spend when consistently using Flipp.

Tip:

Set your preferred stores in the app so you skip ads from far-away chains you don’t use. Flipp has access to Publix, Wal-Mart, Shop Rite, Aldi, and many others. Use the “Watch List” feature for items you need and wait for the sale. You can also add digital coupons to the app's "Favorites" folder. Apply them to your preferred loyalty card. According to Flipp’s developers, the app can save you up to about 20% on your weekly grocery expenses. It also provides access to flyers and free coupons to save even more money. While most shoppers will likely save less than the maximum, the key point remains: free savings are available.

Mealime

Mealime is an all in one grocery shopping app which helps users create customized and healthy meal plans for the week. It may be the best to both save money and be more productive. You'll discover the best recipes and draft lists with the ingredients which you need. It has a large variety of options which that you only cook, and save money on the ingredients , the type of food which you enjoy. You could be on a Paleo diet, have a vegetarian lifestyle, or you could even prefer gluten-free foods. Whatever diet you're on, Mealime will make sure you stick to it while saving money on the groceries for those meals. The app is available in free and paid versions. With the paid version, you can access more recipes and even save more money on your food shopping. Mealime will add the ingredients to your next grocery list. And if you change your mind about a specific dish, you can use the "Edit" button to swap it with something else. Your optimized list is now ready to help you during your next trip to the grocery store.

Propel (formerly Providers)

Propel is a free app that is focused on low-income families, people with little or no money and those in poverty. However anyone can use and download the app, which is available on both Apple iOS and Google Android devices. Propel helps people manage their SNAP food stamps and EBT balances while also offer discounts and savings on groceries. The app helps people save money in stories such as WalMart, Target, Kroger and thousands of other grocery stores. People that pay with an EBT card (or balance) at a grocery store will save anywhere from 5 to 20% off their grocery costs at approved retailers. In addition, the grocery shopping app helps families manage their SNAP benefits, EBT account as well as other government benefit. Find more details about Propel (Providers) app for EBT .

Grocery apps focused on shopping at certain stores

There are of course apps that can help customers shop at specific grocery stores, super centers, discount and other retailers. The apps can help any shopper save money. There will be free coupons, savings, rebates, and other programs given on these free to use apps. Many major stores have them. For example, Target has their Cartwheel App . It is available on Android phones as well as iPhones. Shoppers may save anywhere from 1 to as much as 10 or 20% on almost all their shopping. For current program pages, see Target Circle at https://www.target.com/l/target-circle/-/N-pzno9 Wal-Mart has their Cartwheel and Pay apps , which match prices and even give customers rebates if another store has a better price. Get the Walmart Grocery at https://www.walmart.com/grocery Kroger and Publix also have digital coupon programs inside their store apps. Find Kroger digital coupons at https://www.kroger.com/i/kroger/coupons and Publix digital coupons at https://www.publix.com/savings/digital-coupons .

Checkout 51

is a free grocery shopping app which compares special offers from major retailers such as Target, Walmart, Kroger and others. The app is free to download and it provides savings on grocery shopping as well as other items such as gasoline. Families can save money on food, detergent, fruits, vegetables and many other goods using Checkout 51. There are select weekly offers , buy at your preferred store, upload a clear receipt, and get cash credited to your account. You can cash out when your balance reaches the published threshold. For food and grocery, it features rotating brand-funded rebates on pantry goods, snacks, beverages, personal care, and occasionally produce or dairy. You select your preferred products, add them to your list, shop as usual, and then upload the receipt in the app to receive cash back. Offers rotate weekly, so the biggest savings come from matching rebates to items already on your list. Current information is at https://www.checkout51.com/ .

Rakuten

The app is a cash-back / rebate platform that works at in-store grocers or online . Rakuten will allow you to earn a percentage of your purchase back in cash when you use their app or link a credit card for in-store offers. For food and grocery purposes, there are a few specific flows. Online grocery or food delivery is available. You might click through Rakuten to a grocery delivery service or meal-kit provider, purchase groceries online, and earn cash back. The app also allows in-store cash back offers if you link a credit/debit card, activate an offer in the app, then pay in store to earn the cash-back. Find more details on Rakuten https://www.rakuten.com/ . Tip for most savings, use the correct section . As there is a groceries and pantry items category on the Rakuten site. It lists snack, pantry, organic items and canned groceries that are eligible for cash-back. Ibotta Ibotta is a free app which helps its users earn cash back on grocery shopping, both online and in-store, including at grocery stores and food retailers. IT is a mainstream cash-back app for groceries and household items, with a well-documented average annual savings claim of roughly $261 per active saver . Ibotta operates like digital coupons. But instead of applying a discount, it transfers cash back into your checking or savings account. You can withdraw the savings from your Ibotta account any time you want through PayPal and Venmo. But you can also exchange your balance for gift cards which you'll sometimes find at good discounts. Learn more at https://www.ibotta.com/ . To use Ibotta in-store, create an account with the app and start to search for offers on products which you need. "Find Rebates" helps you search for items at Publix, Aldi, Kroger, WalMart and Target. Next, select your favorite offers and go shopping. But don't forget to keep the receipt because you must take a picture of it to proceed with cash back at Ibotta. You must scan the bar codes of each product and upload a photo of the receipts. Tip: Use Ibotta in tandem with your grocery list. Before shopping, browse the offers in the app, pick the ones you’re likely to use and treat the “cash back” like a small rebate fund, as the money in it and savings adds up over time.

Flashfood

Flashfood takes a slightly different approach when it comes to grocery shopping. Flashfood is a food-waste reduction marketplace used by participating supermarkets to sell short-dated meat, produce, dairy, and bakery items at steep markdowns. It works with participating grocery stores to list surplus or soon-to-expire items (fresh produce, meat, pantry staples) at steep discounts, often up to 50% off. The app can therefore help some people save as much as 50% on fresh food. Therefore if you have a nearby participating store and are flexible about brands or cut-off dates, Flashfood may be the most effective.

Tip when using the app::

Check early in the day because the discounted items go quickly. Think of it as supplemental savings rather than your entire grocery strategy. Learn more on Flashfood https://flashfood.com/ . Using SNAP (Food Stamps) and EBT with grocery store apps and online orders Many large grocers accept EBT for in-store and online orders in eligible areas. Always check your store’s EBT policy on its website before placing an online order. Propel helps you monitor deposits and balances so you do not overspend, and it includes grocery-deals and security features. If your state or a local nonprofit offers a fresh-produce incentive like Double Up Food Bucks , you can combine those in-store discounts with digital coupons in the store app during the same trip and learn more how to save using Double Up Food Bucks .

Free physical grocery coupon websites

There are of course all these free smartphone apps available. But shoppers also can use more traditional websites, with coupons, to save on food and other needs . Some have apps, but some are strictly online. They are all free to use. The savings are for low income families and anyone looking to get ahead. Save money on groceries, OTC prescription medications, clothing, diapers, personal care stuff and tons of other products. Once again, the process is easy and simple to use, and find the leading coupon websites .

Bottom line on grocery shopping apps

If want to easily save money on your grocery shopping, or get cash back, these apps will do that for you. They also help shoppers find the best prices. They are all free to get and use. Almost all retailers accept the use of these apps for grocery shopping, from big box stores to super centers, discount stores, and grocery outlets. They are available for iPhones, Samsung, Google, and other smartphones. You'll soon enjoy the benefits of great prices, saving money and earning rebates.