Grocery shopping, I would guess, doesn't top
anyone's list of favorite chores. Not
only does it require getting out of the house (usually, when you really just
want to stay home), you also have to spend that hard-earned money. But since we all must eat, we might as well
try and save a few dollars while doing so.
Let's take a look at two grocery store loyalty cards: Kroger Plus and
Meijer Mperks.
Kroger
Plus Card
Most people
know about using the Kroger Plus card.
You scan your card at the register (or enter your alternate ID). And most are familiar with the discounts at
the Kroger fuel pumps for using our loyalty cards. For every dollar you spend, a reward point is
added to your account. When you spend
$100 on groceries (certain restrictions and within a month's time frame) you
can earn $0.10 off per gallon at the pump during one fill up (up to 35
gallons). For most prescriptions filled,
you get 50 points per prescription, added to your card. When you purchase a gift card (with some
restrictions), you earn double points.
Not bad. We all have to eat, and
if you have a vehicle so does your car!
Coupons! If
you have a smartphone, you can download the Kroger app. If you don't have a smartphone, you can set
up a user name and password at Kroger's website. That way, you will still be able to download
their digital coupons.
This is a great
way to save on items you are going to buy anyway. Take a few minutes before your shopping trip
to go online (or to the app) and see if there are digital coupons attached to
any items you may need. Simply select
the coupon from the list, and it is added to your Kroger Plus card. At checkout time, your digital coupons will
automatically be applied.
This is an
awesome tool. You don't have to worry
about remembering your coupons or double-checking them for size, quantity
limitations, or expiration dates; it's all done for you! One thing to remember: if you are using a manufacturer's
coupon and have a similar digital coupon, the register will accept the digital
coupon first, and you won't be able to combine both coupons for one item. For example: you have a digital coupon for
$0.25 off Dawn dish liquid. You also
have a paper coupon for $0.50 off Dawn dish liquid. When you purchase this
item, you will receive the $0.25 off.
The paper coupon cannot be combined with the digital coupon for that one
item. However, if you have two Dawn dish
liquids in your basket, you can then use both coupons (one for each item.)
Also, look
for Kroger's Free Friday Download. Most
Fridays, Kroger adds a digital coupon for a free item. You have to add this coupon to your card that
day, and the coupon is usually good for a couple of weeks. Since this item is free, it often flies off
the shelves quickly. I find if I wait
for a few days, it gets restocked and is easy to find. If the free item isn't something you like or
would enjoy, pick one up anyway. Maybe
it can be a blessing to a friend or relative.
Check out
Kroger's website for a full list of what's available: the details, rules, and
exceptions.
Meijer
Mperks
Let's move
on to Meijer and its Mperks program.
Meijer doesn't have a tangible loyalty card to scan. Instead, you go to their website and sign
up. You will have an Mperks number and
PIN. When you check out at the register,
select the Mperks icon on the screen and enter your Mperks number. You will then be directed to enter your PIN
on the key pad. You will need to do this each time you go to the checkout.
The Meijer
loyalty program is set up differently from Kroger. Most sale items you see in the store, you
don't need your Mperks number to receive.
Meijer uses rewards. Go online or
download their app. At the beginning of
each month, you will be able to choose three different rewards to work
toward. For example, this month, I
selected $5 off your total purchase when you spend $20 or more in produce, $5 for $20 or more spent in Beauty Care and
Cosmetics, and $5 for $20 or more in apparel.
Once you select your rewards, you have the whole calendar month to meet
that goal. You can even see your
progress online (it usually updates within 24 hours). After you meet your goal, you will receive a
digital coupon as your reward. For
example, once I spend $20 in produce, I will receive a coupon for $5 off my
next purchase, which I can add to my Mperks account. Not bad for shopping I would do anyway!
Meijer also
has pharmacy rewards and baby rewards.
These don't show up on the app.
You will need to go online to their website to sign up. The baby reward is a wonderful money
saver! For every $100 you spend on baby
items (some restrictions), you will receive a reward of $10 off any subsequent
purchase. Not bad when you are buying
diapers, wipes, formula and baby food.
The costs add up quickly and so do the savings!
Meijer has
digital coupons as well. To use these,
you go online (or to the app) and add them to your Mperks account. They will automatically be used at the
register when you enter your Mperks number and buy the qualifying items. As with Kroger, the digital coupons will take
precedence over paper coupons.
Both Meijer
and Kroger have great added ways to save on things you buy anyway. It's worth the small amount of time and
effort to go to their apps or websites and clip the coupons or sign up for the
rewards. The time you spend can equal
money you save. For a while when
shopping at Meijer, I didn't bother signing up for the baby rewards. I told myself I was just running in, “to buy
one or two items, so why bother?”. Well,
those one or two items added up and I could have saved a lot if I had taken a
few moments to look into the Mperks program.
I know this
has been technical, but I wanted to provide some details and real-life examples
into what is available out there.
Remember to check out the Kroger and Meijer websites (kroger.com, and meijer.com, respectively). They will have all the accurate facts and
exemptions for their programs. I am
writing this to the best of my knowledge, you need to review the terms and
conditions posted on their websites.
Christmas is
coming, so next time, we'll talk about some money-saving tips for this year,
and tools to help you save for the next year!
Until then,
keep your eyes open, because savings abound!
-Stephanie
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