How To Go Grocery Shopping Online and Save Money
Grocery shopping online is a game changer in our busy society. How awesome is it that we live in a time where we can tell someone what we want from the store and they will do the shopping for us. Many times, theyβll even do it for free. Crazy right?
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In addition to grocery shopping online, you can have groceries delivered to your front door, too. Itβs no secret that grocery shopping online can make life easier, below are some of the ways it can help.
Benefits of grocery shopping online
There are many benefits to grocery shopping online. Saving time just might rank at the top for most. Some other pros include:
An Unforgettable Thanksgiving Starts with premium turkey and ham, sides and desserts from Perdue Farms!- You can shop from the comfort of your home. You donβt even need real clothes on to do your grocery shopping.
- You donβt have to spend any time in store. No browsing aisles or waiting in line at the check out.
- No check out line waiting means no impulse buys in the checkout, either. Your budget will thank you for that.
- Your favorite groceries are saved for you. Purchase history allows you to easily buy your staples each week without trying to remember or needing a list.
- You can easily see how much youβre spending as you add things to your cart. This can help you stick to a budget.
- You can compare prices without worry. No more moving around in the aisle to make space for others while youβre trying to see what pasta sauce is cheaper.
There are some cons to grocery shopping online. For example, you might not always get exactly what you ordered, and you canβt pick out your own produce.
Related: How to Start a Grocery Budget
However, as a busy mama of four, grocery shopping online is a complete game changer. Gone are the days of figuring out how to put two toddlers and a cart full of groceries in the same cart.
Nope, now I have Walmart Grocery Pickup for that. But still, I keep reading of these services that could deliver groceries to my door. In rural Nebraska, grocery delivery isnβt a thing, yet.
Until I stumbled across Imperfect Foods.
Why you should grocery shop online
Imperfect foods is a grocery subscription type service that allows you to purchase βimperfect foodsβ and have them delivered to your doorstep weekly or bi-weekly.
They specialize in foods that were rejected by grocery stores but are still perfectly good. Things like blemished produce, surplus products, or discontinued products, those are just a few of the reasons stores reject products.
Related: 3 Tips for How to Stick to a Grocery Budget
Shopping with Imperfect Foods allows you to help prevent food waste by buying items that stores canβt sell. Of course, those foods come to you at a discount, saving you money.
Intrigued?
So was I.
Is it cheaper to buy groceries online?
I thought it was too good to be true until I ordered a large box of produce. Before I purchased, I price compared to Walmart just to make sure it was cheaper.
My Imperfect Foods items came in at about five dollars cheaper than Walmart.
The catch? The Imperfect Foods included a $5.99 delivery fee. So it was actually more like $10 cheaper AND was delivered to my doorstep!
You can go here to sign up for your Imperfect Foods delivery. Maybe youβll get the worldβs largest carrots in your shipment, too. Seriously, Iβve never seen bigger carrots in my life, those suckers were massive!
Donβt worry, thereβs no pressure. You can cancel your subscription, skip deliveries, or change the size without any extra fees.
They also offer a reduced cost box for those with lower incomes. Typically, those that meet the income requirements for some sort of government/state food assistance would qualify for a discount.
Related: How to Meal Plan on a Budget
Grocery shopping online can help you save time and money, if you do it right. Utilizing the convenience of these types of services while still being mindful of discounts and sales is a recipe for grocery shopping success.
Is grocery shopping online worth it?
Absolutely. Time and money are precious. Here are some tips for making the most of grocery shopping online.
- Purchase staples from your cheapest store overall and utilize that storeβs pickup option. I choose Walmart because I know I can get most of my regular items cheaper there than anywhere else in my area.
- Use browser extensions to find even more discounts. Ibotta is my favorite browser extension for grocery shopping online. You can earn cashback on your purchases even though youβre shopping online.
- Use apps to save even more. Fetch Rewards is one of my favorite apps for grocery shopping online. Fetch allows you to enter your receipts for points that you can then use to redeem rewards. Now, you can sync your email so that your eReceipts are counted, too.
- Utilize online grocery subscriptions or discounted markets. Imperfect Foods is clearly my favorite. But, there are other online markets that offer foods at better prices than the big stores, especially if you follow a specific diet. A quick google search will show plenty of options for where to go grocery shopping online.
Related: How To Use The Best Cash Back Apps To Save Extra Money Every Month.
Grocery shopping online can save your time and it can save your money. But donβt forget about How to Save Money on Groceries no matter where you shop. No coupons needed.
There are so many ways to save money, grocery shopping online is just one of those ways. Do a little research. Get creative. You can do it!
10 Comments
mummageddon
Shopping online is so much easier once you get used to it and can be really quick once you have a usuals or saved list! Also limits all those last minute unnecessary stuff you pop in the trolley like sweets and chocolates
thriftinandlivin
Completely agree! I save a ton of money, just by avoiding random purchases! π
Holly
Great post!! I think online shopping is vastly underutilized. I think the time savings and the money savings (no impulse purchases!) are overlooked!! Thanks for sharing.
thriftinandlivin
Yes! Definitely! Technology is changing our world as we speak. As a busy mama, I love the convenience of buying nearly everything online! Thanks for reading! π
karsenlynn
Online shopping has become such an integral part of my life since the beginning of the pandemic. Love the tips and insights!
thriftinandlivin
Thank you so much for reading! As a busy mama, online shopping was already a big deal, for me. Buying groceries online was not something I did before, however. Crazy how life’s events make us change our ways, huh? π
Daddy401k
At one time, this option was more expensive. Now with more competition, free shipping, and the tips you provided – it’s probably cheaper than shopping in person. If you add in how it reduces impulse purchases, then this is now the best option.
thriftinandlivin
Absolutely! I do a side by side comparison before I purchase online (usually) and even with the extra shipping charges, online is still cheaper. Add in occasional promo codes or free shipping deals and it will save you even more money! You’re right, avoiding impulse purchases will help tremendously, too. I talk about that in another post. Thanks so much for reading!
Melissa Jones
I absolutely LOVE Ibotta! It’s amazing how much money I save with that. I use that as my travel splurge money (matching t-shirts, other things I want to pack with us, etc…)!
thriftinandlivin
YES! Same! That’s what I typically use it for, too. Extra fun or vacation money. I’m always amazed how much I can earn back with it! Thanks so much for reading! π