Most grocery shoppers are familiar with loyalty programs and digital coupons—but far fewer take full advantage of the price-tracking features built into store apps. If you’re trying to cut costs without spending hours hunting for deals, these tools can give you an edge in planning, budgeting, and saving on essentials.

Here’s how to use grocery store apps to stay ahead of price hikes and unlock savings with minimal effort.

Use Weekly Ads to Compare Deals Before You Shop

Retailers like Kroger, Safeway, Walmart, and Target update their app-based circulars every week. These ads don’t just show what’s on sale—they give you insight into price trends, seasonal cycles, and bulk savings opportunities.

How to maximize it:

• Scan the digital ad on Tuesday or Wednesday when most stores refresh their offers

• Make a short list of items you buy often and check how this week’s prices compare

• Look for loyalty-exclusive discounts that appear only in the app

Track Personalized Pricing Through Loyalty Logins

Some stores—like Albertsons, Meijer, and Fry’s—offer personalized pricing based on your shopping history. Logging into your loyalty account in the app can unlock discounts specific to you, not just what’s in the circular.

Tip: Enable notifications or email alerts to get price drop alerts on items you frequently purchase.

Use Price Lookups for Real-Time Checks

Need to know the price of something before heading to the store? Most apps now include in-app search tools that show real-time pricing at your preferred store location.

Examples:

• Target Circle lets you search any item and compare prices across stores

• Walmart’s app shows prices by store location, ideal for price matching

• Kroger’s app includes unit pricing, helping you spot better bulk value deals

Combine Price Tracking with Cashback Offers

Once you’ve identified sale items through your store app, it’s time to stack the savings. Use apps like Ibotta, Rakuten, and Fluz to layer rebates or gift card cashback on top of store discounts.

Example stack:

• Kroger has eggs for $1.99 (down from $3.29)

• Ibotta has a $0.50 rebate

You pay using a Kroger gift card from Fluz and get 3% cashback
Result: A triple-layered deal on something you already planned to buy