I fell in love with rebate apps for grocery shopping in the first click. They are mobile friendly, easy to use and I didn’t have to search for the stuff I was buying like with coupons. But … Something weird happened … I actually spent MORE money by using these rebate apps!
If you’ve read my post, 5 Things you can do to Save Money on Groceries, you know that I don’t mention any coupons. Why? Because I’m one of the most impatient people and am terrible at cutting straight lines with scissors. But seriously, I’ve just never been able to get into couponing, and I ain’t got time for that!
That’s why I LOVE using rebate apps. There’s a few that I consistently use and they have definitely upped my savings game. (Check out the specific apps I use HERE.) It didn’t always help me save money though. One thing I did notice is that when I first started using the rebate apps, I actually ended up spending MORE money on groceries. WHAT?! I thought they were there to save you money! I know, so did I. The trick’s on me. Since I don’t want you to make the same mistakes and end up spending more money, I am going to show you the BEST way to use those rebate apps to your advantage and dramatically reduce your grocery costs!
How They Trick You
I’m going to tell you a secret. Stores are very, very tricky. You don’t even know it but they are making you buy so many unnecessary things that you don’t even see it! How are they doing this? By discounting! But wait, I thought that was a good thing? Sure … Except you don’t really need to buy five bags of chips when you know they’re going to go bad in two weeks. Stores trick you into thinking you’re getting a good deal, when really they’re just tricking you into buying more and more of their items. (You totally just had a light bulb go off didn’t you!)
How to ACTUALLY Save Money with Grocery Apps
Now that you know how the stores are tricking you, I’m going to show you EXACTLY what to do so you can be in charge of those stores and trick them instead. Because using rebate apps can help you save money and it’s an awesome way to lower your grocery costs.
First things first, make your meal plan. (Stop that eye roll right now!) For goodness sakes, just freaking do it! This is a guaranteed way to save you money by helping you to:
1. Stop eating out
2. Get groceries that you NEED instead of think you need
3. Increase organization in your life – you know you don’t need more stress!
I have a super simple, handy-dandy two-week meal plan in my freebies page that you can download. I don’t advise planning out your meals for a whole month because that’s just a lot. Simplify it and just do two weeks.
You have your meals planned out, now you’re going to write down every possible item that you’re going to need for meals for those two weeks. Don’t forget to include snacks 🙂 And DO NOT touch your phone! We are not looking at the rebates yet.
Of course I do have a grocery list also in my freebies page that you can easily download (have you ever known me not to have a printable?)
Pro Tip: One way people go over on their groceries is by including things they purchase that aren’t actually in the grocery category. Make sure to put toilet paper, paper towels, laundry detergent, etc … in a household category. This means you’re going to need to keep track of your receipts so you can see how much each item was.
Checking your Apps
Finally, the moment you’ve been waiting for … You can now check your apps! Go through each app that you have and look to see if any of the items on that grocery list are up for rebate. A lot of times there will be items I am getting but a different brand than I typically use. Don’t be afraid to try different brands, especially if it’s going to save you a little extra.
I want to be sure that you don’t wander from your grocery list. If there’s no rebates that you find, don’t force it. You don’t need to buy something just so you can get some cash back. This is how they get you, by bribing you to purchase something you weren’t planning on buying, by discounting it.
Are There Exceptions?
Occasionally, if there’s something that’s not typically a rebate, such as meat or chicken, and I don’t have a meal with meat or chicken for that week I might change a meal. This is ONLY if that item is rarely on rebate and you don’t have to purchase any additional ingredients than you already have or were going to get.
A lot of people get confused because they like to look at the app first before they plan out their meals. I know it may seem easier to look at what rebates there are, but it may just be costing you more money. This only works for people who are very disciplined with their spending (obviously I wasn’t!) If you do tend to make purchases just because they are on sale, or on rebate, then this option is not for you. Stick to planning your meals, making a grocery list, then looking at your rebate apps.
What to Avoid
One of my favorite rebates on Ibotta is when they give you a rebate on an item such as bread, eggs or chips and you get to purchase any brand you like. It makes it super handy when you have a favorite brand and don’t like to vary. But, sometimes when I see those I tend to say to myself, “Kenzy! You can get some chips!” Even though in reality, I know I’m not going to eat all those chips before they go bad. Nor do I really want them, I just want the cash back on it. Don’t fall for this, you are stronger than that! Use your willpower and say NO!
Recap
You may think you’re saving money because of all the cash you’re getting back on groceries you buy. But, if you’re spending even more money on unnecessary items just to get that cash, you aren’t actually saving. Be cautious when using rebate apps and even coupons, stores are always tricking you to buy a ton more than you need. But, I trust you to make the right decisions 🙂
The system you need to do in order to actually save money from those rebate apps is plan out your meals, write down groceries to get and then check the rebate apps. Sometimes I don’t even check the rebate app until I get home after purchasing my groceries.
Remember, you CAN save a lot of money using rebate apps. If you want to know the specific apps I use click HERE.
If you want access to the freebies page so you can download the meal plan and grocery list click HERE.
Good luck and happy saving 🙂
Leave a Reply