7 Savvy Ways to Save at Kroger, According to People Who Always Shop There

Sure, Kroger is the largest chain in America by revenue and the second-largest general retailer only after Walmart. But with most of us caring more about convenience than loyalty to one store, who knew that Kroger also had a huge cult following? And that its biggest fans are also its biggest savers?

When we covered 9 Secrets Every Kroger Shopper Should Know, our readers had a lot to say, and the most Kroger-obsessed among them sent in their own best tips. Read on for their secrets to saving more at Kroger.

1. Go Far With Gas Cash

We've covered how the Kroger Fuel Center can offer you discounts based on your grocery expenditures. But did you know that you can maximize your savings beyond the standard fuel point per dollar?

Shopper Steve Sitzes does. Not only does he make sure to stock up on gift cards for brands he frequently shops, such as Amazon, when Kroger offers four times the fuel points on those purchases but he also teams up to double down. "My wife and I take both of our cars and fill up at the same pump, especially when we're eligible for $1 off per gallon. You can pump up to 35, saving you $35!"

His latest feat? "I saved $39 when filling up our vehicles last month because I had 1,000 fuel points, which is a dollar off, and I used the Kroger credit card to receive another 25 cents off." As gas prices reached all-time highs, Sitzes scored full tanks for the family and gallons of gas essentially for free.

2. Gift Yourself Groceries

Sitzes applies his quadruple Kroger Points gift card strategy toward other retailers, but Mary Parker doesn't mind double-dipping. She keeps an eye out for Visa gift cards instead and essentially uses them as debit cards.

"You can get, like, $50 on a Visa gift card, which you can then use for the groceries you're going to buy anyway," she says. "It really helps on getting a cheaper gas price." But, beware of the pesky activation charges universal cards may carry. The charges could come out to be more than your savings, so load it up wisely.

3. Search for Surveys

Used to tossing out receipts? You're not alone. Kroger has a lenient return policy and keeps a record of your past purchases when you set up a Kroger Plus account. Even if you pay cash, the store can process returns pretty easily just by scanning your SKU.

Well, Kroger customer Jeremy Clark urges you to take a look at your receipt first. "Surveys don't appear on every receipt," he says, but when you are lucky enough to get a survey, "do it weekly to get 50 bonus fuel points for a total of at least 200 bonus points per month."

To make sure he doesn't miss out on savings, he sets an alarm to fill out a survey every Wednesday at 6 p.m. Why? "The points post immediately when I do the survey at this time or later in the day," he says. This is especially helpful toward the end of the month when he checks to see if the survey will get him over the 100-point benchmark for the 10-cent redemption. If not, he's found that he can retake the survey on the first day of the next month.

4. Save Big With Kroger Boost

At Kroger, you can spend money to save money. For $59 a year, Kroger's new Boost program gives you free next-day delivery on orders of $35 or more, double the Fuel Points at Kroger gas stations, and special welcome offers worth up to $100 off affiliated brands like Murray's Cheese, Vitacost, and Home Chef. You also get bonus coupons automatically loaded to your Shopper's Card, no clipping necessary. For $40 more per year, you can upgrade your Boost plan to get your deliveries in as little as two hours.

So, where do the savings come in? If you go with the $99 Boost program, spend $91 per week on groceries, and fill your tank with 31 gallons of gas using Fuel Point redemptions twice a month, you'll save $1,057 a year, according to Kroger's calculations.

5. Say Yes to Substitutions

Ordering groceries online can feel like rolling a dice, as you're not able to browse for substitutions in person when items are out of stock. But, when you place an order with Kroger for pickup or delivery, in-store shoppers will substitute your out-of-stock groceries with more expensive ones at no additional charge, says Kroger customer service delivery driver Delora Ferguson.

"The customer pays for the product they ordered, but they may receive a larger count or size or [pricier] name brand if we cannot fulfill the order," she says. So, you may just hit the grocery jackpot with a substitution like Kerrygold butter or an extra-large box of Cinnamon Toast Crunch. You can then accept or reject substitutions via the same emails that alert you of unavailable items.

6. Sign Up to Spend Less on Prescriptions

As millions of Americans stop their medications because of high costs, Kroger teamed up with GoodRx (a company that provides discounts on prescriptions) to introduce a prescription savings program. Individuals can enroll in the Kroger Rx Savings Club for just $36 a year, while family plans for up to six, including pets, go for $72 annually.

This discount program offers exclusive access to thousands of prescriptions, including some of the most prescribed medications, for up to 85 percent off. And if that weren't enough, Clark points out that "new prescription refills earn 25 fuel points."

7. Consider Kroger Your Walk-in Clinic

Why go to a walk-in clinic when you can go to your grocery store? Kroger has set up The Little Clinic locations in stores in Arizona, Colorado, Georgia, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Ohio, Tennessee, and Virginia.

You can see medical professionals at The Little Clinic for common illnesses like abdominal pain, allergies, colds, ear pain, eye irritation, and other general concerns. They can also administer vaccinations like the COVID shot; provide annual screenings to assess your health status; and provide physicals for employers, schools, and sports teams.

While visits start at $99, the clinic accepts a long list of insurance providers, depending on the state. And as the cost compares to that of uninsured urgent care, you can save more with the $45 virtual visit option on the Healow app.

Related:

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