Nearly every grocery store has a loyalty card. Key rings and wallets are filled with these barcode printed plastic cards. The cards allow the stores to track the buying habits of its customers. People get the cards to gain discounts on their grocery bill. Many people do not like these cards, but I do not mind. There are some great benefits that come with using store loyalty cards.
Electronic Coupons
Many store loyalty programs are linked with electronic coupons or eCoupons. Just visit the store’s website and log in. They will have promotional coupons for many popular items in the store. In addition to name brand savings, I have benefited from offers like $3 a deli purchase or $1 off store brand cereal. Grocery store websites often have coupons for items like dish detergent, vitamins and yogurt. Non-store related websites have also appeared to link online coupons with your favorite grocery store. Shortcuts is my favorite. They always have Pillsbury biscuit coupons, cereal coupons and body products. Five minutes of surfing these sites could bring you $10-$20 savings on a shopping trip.
Postal Mail Coupons
Another great aspect of having a store loyalty program is being sent coupons by the grocery store itself. Coupons are not just for discounts, but sometimes for free items that you purchase frequently. I routinely get coupons for free frozen vegetables, free butter and produce. These packets also contain coupons for items that do not get regular coupon such as store brands, meat and fresh produce. These mailings from the grocery store sometimes contain $5 off a $20 total purchase. That is instant savings!
Discounted Gasoline
Many grocery stores are offering discounted gasoline with points earned through purchases and filling prescriptions at the grocery store pharmacy. My local grocery chain gas station is competitively priced with other gas stations in the area. Adding the three cent to one dollar discount on top of a competitive price makes it a great value. At my grocery store, consumers get 50 points for each prescription and 1 point for each dollar spent elsewhere in the store. For every 100 points, I get ten cents off per gallon during a fill up.
By joining Upromise, you can turn grocery store spending into college savings. Instead of loading coupons onto the grocery card, you load college savings opportunities. The account grows each time you purchase products. Savings can range from a percentage of your purchase to a set dollar amount. It costs nothing to link your card or gain savings. Just purchase the products you are going to buy anyway!
There are a host of benefits to having a loyalty card for the local supermarket. Make the most of your local program by taking advantage of all benefits offered to you. The discounts add up quickly, saving hundreds on groceries over the course of a year.
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