How to Save Money on Groceries at Walmart

Read my 15 helpful tips to shop smart and save money on groceries at Walmart! From a mom who shops exclusively at this grocery store!

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I almost exclusively grocery shop at Walmart, and I have learned some valuable tips on how to save money on groceries there over the years!

Every grocery store has its own characteristics and ways to save money. The longer you shop at a grocery store, the more ways you learn how to cut down the grocery bill.

While my groceries have gone up over the years due to inflation and our growing family, I have managed to find ways to cut back and save money where I can. Our family of six currently spends about $1000 a month on groceries (including toiletries, cleaning products, and baby products!).

I can’t wait to share all the grocery savings tips with you below!

15 Ways to Save Money on Groceries at Walmart

Without further ado, here is how to save money on groceries at Walmart:

1. Buy food in bulk.

Buying food in bulk can help you save money on groceries. For example, instead of purchasing a package of pork chops, buy a pork loin and chop it into pork chops yourself. Then, separate the pork chops for multiple meals, place them in freezer quart or gallon bags, and freeze. Often buying a large portion of meat costs less than buying prepackaged or individual portions. The same applies to other types of food.

Tip: You can confirm if buying in bulk is actually saving you money by comparing the unit prices!

2. Buy produce on sale.

Different produce is on sale at different times. Take the time to look around and see what is on sale. Sometimes, fruits and vegetables cost less when they are in season (and they are fresher, too!). Walmart may also put produce on sale if they have too much of something or if it’s about to go bad. Instead of buying the produce you like the best, buy the produce that costs less. Remember, just because it looks ugly, doesn’t mean it isn’t good!

3. Shop generic brands.

Buy Walmart’s generic brand products, such as Great Value, Sam’s Choice, Equate, and Marketside. These brands are cheaper than name-brand items, and the quality is often just as good as the name brands. Compare the ingredients of a name-brand product and a generic-brand product — you may be surprised to find the ingredients are the exact same or the generic brand is even better!

4. Place online grocery pickup order.

Walmart’s grocery pickup is one of the biggest reasons why I shop there. After I had my third baby in 2022, I started taking advantage of the grocery pickup option, so I wouldn’t have to take three kids in the store to go grocery shopping. It has been a life saver.

A huge plus is that grocery pickup also helps me save money. It’s easier to stick to my list when I don’t go inside the store. I don’t have to walk past everything and fight the temptation to add more to my cart. I can also see the exact price of my groceries before I checkout, so I can make adjustments and stick to my grocery budget.

Walmart grocery delivery is also an option in some areas!

5. Shop discounted food items.

Walmart has carts or shelves of food that are discounted. Sometimes, the food is about to expire, and sometimes, the packaging just got a little damaged. Find where your Walmart keeps these discounted foods (my Walmart has a shelf by the snack aisle and a cart of bakery items by the dairy section). Check these areas regularly to see if you can find any deals!

Tip: Check the bakery items the day before a birthday party for cheap dessert! Sometimes, Walmart discounts bakery items because they made too much or it is only a day away from expiring. You could even freeze some desserts before they expire to make them last longer!

6. Shop the day after a holiday.

Hit up Walmart a day or two after a holiday for markdowns! Walmart will lower the price of holiday items, including candy or other related items after the holiday passes. Christmas, Valentine’s Day, Thanksgiving, Fourth of July, and even back-to-school!

Tip: Collect discounted holiday or special event items and save them for next year!

7. Get a Walmart+ membership.

Paying for a Walmart+ membership can actually save you a lot of money. Our family has Walmart+ and have found tremendous value in it. Walmart+ includes numerous benefits, such as free shipping with no order minimum, Paramount+ (our kids love Paw Patrol and their other kids shows!), Scan & Go (for easy shopping and checkout), discounted fuel, and more. If you exclusively shop at Walmart, then the membership provides a ton of value and savings opportunities. Try it free for 30 days.

8. Use cash back or rewards apps.

Using rewards apps can help you get a little money back from your grocery shopping! I use Rakuten because it is so easy and almost no work to earn a little money back from my shopping. No scanning receipts!! You can download their app to shop online and in store OR use their browser extension on your computer. Rakuten pays you actual money that you receive through a check or PayPal every three months! Join Rakuten here!

9. Take advantage of Walmart’s price match policy.

Walmart will price match certain items. Walmart does not match the prices of its competitors; however, for items purchased in a Walmart U.S. store, they will match the price of the identical item advertised on Walmart.com. So if you have your eye on something, check the price in-store and online to see if you can save a little money.

10. Claim Walmart Cash offers.

If you have a Walmart.com account, you can claim Walmart Cash offers and redeem Walmart Cash toward future Walmart purchases in-store and online.

I find numerous products that are offering Walmart Cash when I am ordering groceries online. For example, I might buy a toothpaste that is offering $2 in Walmart Cash, instead of the brand I normally choose. I used Walmart Cash in store the other week and got close to $20 off my purchase!

Walmart Cash does not expire, and you do not need to have a Walmart+ membership to take advantage of it! Just make sure you have an account on Walmart.com.

11. Check for Rollbacks.

A Rollback is another type of sale, similar to discounts! It is a temporary reduction in price. You may see a small sign stating “Was $X” (the higher price the item used to cost) and a larger sign stating “Rollback $X” (a lower price the item previously cost). If you notice any Rollbacks on items you like to purchase, make sure to grab those deals!

12. Walk down the clearance aisle.

The Walmarts in my area all have at least one clearance aisle. My husband and I frequently walk down the clearance aisle and sometimes find really good deals. We like to buy items on clearance and save them for future birthday or Christmas gifts.

13. Use a grocery planning template.

Organize your meal planning, grocery list, and more in my free Google Sheets template! This template helps you plan your grocery shopping intentionally. You can keep track of your kitchen inventory, make a weekly and monthly meal plan, and organize your grocery list by area (fridge, freezer, pantry, etc.). It’s FREE, so enter your email below and get it sent to your inbox now!

14. Don’t walk down every aisle.

Walmart is huge, and it is easy to get overwhelmed shopping there. If you walked down every aisle, it would take forever! Take note of which aisles you need to walk down and which ones you can avoid. I usually avoid the snack and drink aisles. Stay focused on your list and shop intentionally!

15. Don’t shop hungry.

Like I already said, Walmart is HUGE, so definitely take the age-old advice to avoid grocery shopping hungry! Don’t walk past the deli counter and keep your eyes off the candy bars by the checkout lanes!! Okay, maybe get one snack…but that’s it!

Looking for more grocery savings tips?

Read these 15 additional ways to save money on groceries! These general grocery savings tips can help you save money on groceries no matter where you shop!

Conclusion

You can save money on groceries (and other items) at Walmart by implementing some of the tips above! Just make sure to not buy things just because they are on sale. Buy things you normally get and like. By being intentional and getting to know how Walmart works, you can cut down your grocery expense and make their deals work for you.

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