Not only is it possible to buy groceries at Walmart without spending a dime, doing so is also relatively hassle-free. The key to walking out with free food is to use rebates and coupons to lower your out-of-pocket cost and match them to Walmart’s competitors’ prices, rollback prices or Walmart’s everyday low prices. Even better, there are many websites and blogs that can do these match-ups for you.
Newspapers
While newspaper will vary from region to region, in general, most newspapers contain at least two coupon inserts each Sunday: one from SmartSource and one from Red Plum. From time to time, there may be additional inserts from other manufacturers such as General Mills, or SmartSource may include a second insert as well.
To make the most of your newspaper coupons, consider subscribing to your local paper and inquire as to whether there are any specials for new subscribers. Some people may try to drive to a nearby convenience store to purchase their papers, but if stores are not within walking distance, you risk losing money in gas and time. In addition, consider seeking out community and local newspapers, which are often available at little to no cost since these papers may also include the same coupon inserts as the larger newspapers.
Coupons
According to Walmart’s coupon policy, customers are able to make money on their purchases if the value of the coupon exceeds Walmart’s price of that item. Overage from one item can pay for the cost of another item, including products that rarely have coupons such as seafood, fish, meat, poultry, vegetables and fruit. As you begin to collect coupons, figure out the best method by which you will organize them, whether that is the “clip-and-sort” method via a binder or the “unclipped” method in which you simply place whole coupon inserts into labeled folders.
You can find clippable coupons in mailers and in your newspaper’s inserts. For added savings, consider printing out coupons from various websites and retailers, and scour the store for “peelies,” or stickers found on the products. Similarly, hangtags are located directly on products, typically around the neck of bottles, and tearpad coupons are located in-store on pads of paper. Ever notice those coupon dispensers on the front of shelves? Those “blinkies” can also help to lower your out-of-pocket cost.
Once you have a stash of coupons, do some research. Read the week’s ad, browse the Internet for match-ups and make a list of the items you intend to purchase. Remember: For the best savings, stack as many coupons as you can or price-match your product and use a coupon to reduce the cost. Before long, you will be wondering why you went so long actually paying for your groceries.