Grocery
Psst: This Supermarket Trick Can Save You Money
A simple solution to budget-friendly buying.
We've teamed up with Walmart to share tips for saving money on your weekly grocery trip. From their simple online and in-app ordering to seamless in-store pickup or delivery, shopping Walmart brands is an easy way to save big.
I”m going to let you in on a little secret: Not everything you buy at the grocery store needs to be name brand. So much of what we might purchase based on the brand name can actually be much more affordable—with the same level of effectiveness and quality—if we just buy generic. I know I’m not alone in cringing as my total increases with each item scanned at checkout, when I likely went to the store for only a handful of things. That’s why I started looking at the ingredients and comparing big-name brands with Walmart’s in-house brands. And wouldn’t you know it? More often than not, the Walmart brand is exactly the same, but for much less money.
Below, find some of the affordable items I always swap in for their name-brand counterparts—the only way I can tell the difference is how much shopping generic items help stretch my budget.
1. Our Promise Multi-purpose Cleaner
There’s simply no reason to buy brand-name cleaners, which is why I opt for Walmart’s affordable Our Promise products. I add a bottle of their lavender dish soap to my online shopping cart whenever I’m placing an order because, let’s be honest, few things are worse than running out of dish soap. Great Value Our Promise Free and Clear Detergent is under $10 and leaves my laundry looking (and smelling!) its best.
2. Great Value Organic All-Purpose Flour
To be honest, I’m not much of a baker. I keep flour on hand to make an occasional dough, thicken soups and stews, or make a quick roux for mac and cheese, but for the most part, it’s an ingredient I stock just in case. To that end, I’m certainly not going to pay for the name-brand stuff when I can get Great Value Organic All-Purpose Flour for less than $4 for a 5-pound bag.
3. Equate Allergy Relief Pills
I’ve had seasonal and pet allergies for as long as I can remember, long enough for this particular medicine to actually move from prescription to over the counter—and I’ve been taking it all the while. Just like generic prescription medication, over-the-counter store-brand medicines have the same ingredients as the name-brand ones, sometimes at half the cost. Since I have a dog I’m allergic to (I know, I know), I take Equate Allergy Relief pills every day to keep my sneezing and itching to a minimum, and I’m glad I’m saving money while doing it.
4. Equate Nail Polish Remover
Nail polish remover is often one or two ingredients, max. I like to keep a bottle of 100% acetone on hand for when I need to remove a gel or acrylic manicure myself and don’t have time to run back to the salon. The Equate acetone is less than $1 for a 6-ounce bottle, which you can’t beat.
5. Great Value Canned Goods
Like most people, I keep a number of canned or jarred items in my pantry at all times, just in case the need arises for a quick lunch or a dinner made with whatever ingredients I have on hand. I always stock quartered artichokes to add texture and flavor to a pasta dish, navy beans to round out a soup or stew that needs a bit of protein, and capers for just about anything that needs a salty flavor bomb.
6. Great Value Frozen Fruit Vegetables
Sure, it's nice to visit the farmer's market when the weather is nice, but the produce is pricey and needs to be enjoyed almost immediately. That’s why I like to keep pre-cut broccoli florets and ready-to-go zucchini slices in the freezer, so we have fresh-tasting, nutritious sides for our meals all year long. I also stock pineapple chunks, strawberry banana blend, and mango chunks for mornings or afternoons when I want an easy, delicious smoothie.
Our friends at Walmart have you covered when it comes to quick and easy shopping—just visit their website to shop online to order via their app. Shop their signature Great Value, Marketside, and Great Value Our Promise brands for guaranteed high-quality fresh and frozen food, household and pantry staples, and everyday cleaning products at affordable prices. To streamline your shopping experience, check out all that Walmart has to offer here.
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