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12 Ways to Tackle High Grocery Costs You Won’t Hear About From Your Grocery Store

A carton of eggs
Last updated Aug. 10, 2026 | By Team FBZ

If you're feeling the pain of high grocery prices, you're not alone.

🚨Inflation is a problem: Data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics shows food prices have exploded from before the pandemic … up over 25.1%!

This means that your cart of groceries, which was $80 in February 2020, now costs you $100.08 — and you feel that struggle every time you check out.

You're no fool: You look for deals, clip coupons, and buy in bulk. But it just doesn't feel like enough.

So what can you do? This list offers ideas to improve your finances outside the grocery store. Read it to ensure that you're not missing out on money — because you can't afford to right now.

  1. Most grocery chains offer free loyalty programs with member-only pricing — no paid membership required. Simply signing up at stores like Kroger, Safeway, or Publix can shave off your total at checkout.
  2. Store-brand products can help you save significantly compared to name brands, and the quality is often just as good. Aldi, Trader Joe's, and Costco's Kirkland line are all worth trying if you haven't already.
  3. Many stores will match a competitor's lower price if you ask. Target, Walmart, and Best Buy all have price-matching policies. Just show the ad or pull it up on your phone at the register.
  4. Timing your shopping around seasonal markdowns can make a big difference. Buying grills in September, winter coats in March, or patio furniture in October can help you score because stores need to clear space for the next season.
  5. TJ Maxx, Marshalls, and Ross get new shipments during the week, so saving your shopping trip during the weekdays can give you a better selection at already-discounted prices.
  6. Stacking your store's rewards program with a cash-back credit card means you save twice on the same purchase. A card that earns cash back on groceries adds up quickly over a year.
  7. Warehouse clubs like Costco and Sam's Club can be worth the membership fee, especially for household staples, paper goods, gas, and pharmacy items where the per-unit savings really add up.
  8. Senior discount days are more common than you'd think. Stores like Kohl's, Ross, Goodwill, and many local grocery chains offer senior discounts on specific days of the week.

Knowing about these hacks could help you save even more money on your weekly grocery haul or next shopping trip. And since you’re already thinking about how to maximize your money, check out these offers from our partners below.

Set up direct deposit and complete qualifying activities - pocket $500

If you aren't banking with Truist, you're missing out on a boost of extra cash just by following a few simple steps.

Earn a bonus of $500 after you open a new Truist One Checking account online, in a branch, or by phone between July 14, 2026 and February 2, 2027 using a valid promo code.1To earn the $500 bonus, your account needs to receive at least 2 qualifying direct deposits totaling $2,000 or more and complete 20 qualifying debit card purchase transactions within 120 days of account opening. The reward will be deposited to the new checking account within 10 business days after the qualification requirements have been met and verified. Terms apply.

This is a great way to supercharge your earnings. It basically takes no extra work at all other than following the steps above. Plus, your new account offers benefits like no overdraft fee and options to avoid a monthly maintenance fee on top of the bonus.

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Over 50? Your first year of AARP is just $15, and it could pay for itself the first time you use it

If you’re over 50 and don’t have AARP, you could be missing out on huge perks. An AARP membership is only $15 for your first year (about $1.25 a month) and gets you massive discounts on:

  • Restaurants (save up to $450 per year!)
  • Airfare, hotels, cruises and rental cars
  • Meal deliveries
  • UPS shipping
  • Eyeglasses and even prescriptions that aren't covered by insurance

Plus you’ll also get insider info on social security, caregiving, retirement planning and you can add a member for free. That’s double the perks and potentially hundreds in savings for the same price.

Joining takes about two minutes:

  1. Click the link below, choose your free welcome gift, and select "Join Today"
  2. Create your account by answering a few quick questions
  3. Start using your discounts and perks right away!

Join AARP for $15 your first year (renews at $20/yr). Start saving today.

This plan helps protect select Ohio homes from many expensive appliance and home repairs (see if you qualify)

Everyone talks about home insurance, but hardly anyone talks about this. If you live in Ohio and own your home, you could save $1,000s on home repairs without much work at all.

American Home Shield is currently helping homeowners slash appliance repair bills. Instead of paying $1,000s, you pay for a monthly plan and a simple one-time service fee per covered repair.

Getting a monthly plan could help you tap into immense savings for nearly any system or appliance in your home that’s covered.

Not everyone is eligible for this plan so here’s how to check:

  1. Click the link below and enter your name, address, phone number and email.
  2. Hit the “Get Free Quote” button.
  3. If you qualify, select a plan.

Complete this short form to see if you qualify

P.S. Use the link above, and you'll get 50% off your first year on select plans!2

Earn as much as $1K doing simple online tasks

Is there such a thing as easy money? If you know your way around the web, there certainly is.

That’s because data is currency these days, and many companies are willing to pay cash for it — up to $1,000.

Finding these companies can be time-consuming on your own. But a company called Freecash has compiled all sorts of quick cash tasks from about a dozen advertisers and market research companies thirsty for more data. Freecash has paid out over $100 million to users since 2019, and has over 100,000 five-star reviews on Trustpilot.

You can pick and choose your tasks and complete them at your convenience. The coins you earn from each completed task can be converted directly into things like Visa gift cards, Amazon gift cards, cryptocurrency or cold-hard PayPal cash.

Signing up for a Freecash account is easy and if you’ve got enough free time on your hands, you can join the ranks of Freecash users making more than $1,000 in extra cash.

Sign up here to see how much you could earn.

Borrow from your home’s equity (even with a lower credit score)

You could get a good amount of money in your pocket from your home equity. You just need to know where and how to get it.

If your credit score is between 580 to 679, a company called New American Funding could help.

More and more homeowners are getting HELOCs due to how effective they can be. But even with a lower credit score, New American Funding helps you find home equity options to get you out of crippling debt or fund home improvements. All without affecting your mortgage.

If you need money now, it couldn’t be easier to see what you qualify for. Just go to New American Funding, answer a few questions, and check out their personalized options for you.

Visit New American Funding

Pay no interest on balance transfers into 2028 with this no annual fee card

If you're struggling to pay down high interest debt, this might be the exact thing you need. There's a card that allows you to completely pause the interest on balance transfers into 2028 ... and the best part is that it could be easier than you think.

The Chase Slate®(Rates and fees) is an extremely powerful card that gives you 0% intro APR for an astounding 21 Months on balance transfers (then 18.24% - 28.24% Variable). That's right — you can now transfer crippling high interest debt to this card and let your payments go directly to paying down your balance, without piling on additional interest charges — all with no annual fee.

But it doesn't end there, because this card comes with an additional perk: If you have a large purchase coming up, finance it easily with 0% intro APR for 21 Months on purchases. After the intro period, the APR for balance transfers and purchases is 18.24% - 28.24% Variable. Don't delay — apply for the Chase Slate®, finance the large purchases you've been waiting on, and pay down crippling high interest debt!

Apply now for the Chase Slate®

See if your credit card debt is eligible for this debt relief program

If you have a lot of debt, getting rid of it can feel stressful (and nearly impossible). Here’s the problem: the longer you put off tackling it, the harder it may get to fix. If you don’t take control of it early on, it can add undue stress to your life for years. But what if there was a way to get rid of unsecured debt?

Freedom Debt Relief could help. If you have more than $30,000 in debt from credit cards, medical bills, collections, or personal loans, their certified debt specialists may be able to help you resolve your debt for less than you owe — with one affordable monthly deposit.

Best of all? There are zero upfront settlement fees, and you could reduce debt in as little as 24-48 months3. To get started, just answer a few simple questions and get connected with a Certified Debt Consultant. It only takes a few minutes to see if you qualify, and the consultation is completely free!

See if your $30k+ in credit card debt is eligible for Freedom Debt Relief

Did You Know?
On average, debt settlement saves clients around 32% of their enrolled debt after fees, according to a 2023 study by the Association for Consumer Debt Relief. The consultation costs nothing. People who enroll and complete the program could be debt-free in 24 to 48 months.
Sources: Association for Consumer Debt Relief (2023)

Save potentially $1,000 or more on home insurance in Columbus

We have some unfortunate news: You might be throwing away $1,000s on expensive home insurance for no reason.

If you want better or more affordable home insurance, there is ONE thing you should never skip in the process of finding a policy: Getting multiple options from a variety of home insurance providers with our new home savings tool. 

Too many homeowners skip this step — not realizing that they could save potentially $1,000s over the lifetime of owning their house just by switching. And yes, you can switch your home insurance at any time starting today. 

The best part is it's free to check!  Just answer a few questions and enter your zip, email, and phone number to see if a lower rate is in your future. 

Enter your zip code to see if paying too much

Earn a $200 bonus with this incredible cash back card

The Chase Freedom Unlimited®(Rates and fees) lets you earn a $200 bonus after you spend $500 on purchases in your first 3 months from account opening. 

In addition to this welcome offer, this card lets you earn cash back on everything you buy. Earn 5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 3% cash back on drugstore purchases and dining at restaurants, including takeout and eligible delivery service and unlimited 1.5% cash back on all other purchases.

And it gets better (really): This card also gives you 0% intro APR on purchases and balance transfers for 15 months. That means you could finance large purchases or pay down high-interest debt for over a year. After the intro period, the APR is 18.24% - 27.74% Variable. Oh, and the annual fee is $0. 

It's almost a no-brainer to apply. 

Good or excellent credit (typically 670 or higher) is recommended.

Click here to Apply Now to the Chase Freedom Unlimited®

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