As you browse the grocery store aisles, you likely notice that almost everything is more expensive than it was a few years ago.
Food prices rose 3.8% between April 2025 and April 2026, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Price Outlook. While inflation has cooled from its peak in 2022 and 2023, when grocery prices saw double-digit increases, consumers continue to feel the effects of higher baseline prices
One way to keep more money in your pocket is to take full advantage of coupons.
“Some people look at couponing as a tedious process that won’t save them much more than a few cents on packaged goods. The reality is coupons can help you save on the foods you enjoy and even result in free groceries or free money, as long as you know where to find them and how to use them strategically,” Andrea Woroch, a money-saving expert, wrote in an email.
How to Get Free Money at the Grocery Store With Coupons
Extreme couponing means going beyond the typical coupon clip here and there. Instead, you learn about the couponing system and how to use it to your full advantage.
Here are six tips to get you started:
1. Understand Coupon Types
Coupons come in two main types: store coupons and manufacturer coupons.
Retailers issue store coupons for use in their stores, while manufacturers issue them for their products (you can redeem them wherever the products are sold).
For example, Walgreens may issue a store coupon to use at Walgreens locations, and Colgate could issue a manufacturer’s coupon to use at any store that sells Colgate products.
To maximize your savings, Woroch recommended stacking both coupon types on top of sale items.
[Best Coupon Sites, Browser Extensions and Apps]
2. Find Coupons
There are many ways to find coupons to help lower your grocery bill. Explore a mix of digital and traditional sources to maximize savings.
You can find coupons in several places, including:
— Coupon aggregators: Various apps and websites curate and share coupons, such as Coupons.com, The Krazy Coupon Lady and CouponMom.
— Newspapers: Some local newspapers still feature coupon inserts, especially in the Sunday editions.
— Mail: Grocery stores mail out advertisements that include collections of coupons.
— Grocery store receipts: Grocery store receipts may include coupons, or some may print out at checkout.
— Grocery store websites and apps: Grocery store apps and websites often feature weekly ads and circulars that include a collection of coupons — some are clippable or printable, but others may be digital and require activation in your loyalty app.
— Newsletters: Grocery stores and manufacturers may have email newsletters that include coupons.
— Grocery stores: You can find printed coupon handouts at some grocery stores, often located near entrances and checkout stations.
— Manufacturer websites: If you’re looking to save on a particular item, you can visit the manufacturer’s website to see if a coupon is available.
— Join loyalty programs: Some grocery stores offer special discounts if you join their loyalty programs, such as Target Circle or CVS ExtraCare.
— Products: Products may come with coupons printed on the packaging, which can help you save on your next purchase. Look for tear-off coupons on store displays as well.
— Local coupon books: Many cities have local coupon books that include coupons for grocery stores, like those from Valpak.
“Most savings circulars come out a few days beforehand, so you can see what is on sale at which store and then find coupons to save more. I can usually save about 50% on these items,” Adam Schwartz, CEO of CouponSurfer, wrote in an email.
“Also, check with the store to see if they offer special discounts. Some grocery stores give percent-off discounts once a week for seniors or military members,” he added.
In addition, keep in mind that brands and retailers often release coupons on predictable schedules for certain products.
[READ: These Are the 10 Cheapest Grocery Stores in the U.S.]
3. Check Store Policies
As you plan your coupon strategy, check retailers’ coupon policies. You don’t want to waste time collecting coupons and shopping for items only to find that the store won’t accept your coupons when you try to check out.
Stores often have policies regarding various aspects of couponing, such as how many identical coupons you can use per day, whether they accept competitor coupons, whether you can earn a credit and whether you can stack coupons.
It can be helpful to create a store policy page in a notebook and record the coupon policies of the stores you frequent.
4. Strategize and Organize Coupons
Extreme couponing requires time, effort and strategic thinking. You’ll need to review your shopping list and see where you can get the best deal on each item.
“I have three stores near me, each of them has better prices on some items. The trick is to buy enough so you can rotate stores each week so you don’t spend extra time and gas or electricity going to all three stores every week,” Schwartz said.
He said he typically saves about $10 to $20 on groceries each week. “Many stores offer the same digital coupons, but going to different stores, you’re able to use the same coupons multiple times,” he said.
You can also get strategic and save coupons until items go on sale. Just pull them out when you’re looking over store circulars and see how you can piece together bigger savings.
For example, you might have a $1 coupon for a box of cereal, which is regularly priced at $4.99. If you use it on a week when the cereal is on sale for $2.99, though, you’ll score an even better deal.
[Read: How to Save Money When Grocery Shopping on a Budget]
Once you find the best deals, plan shopping lists for each store and organize your coupons accordingly. As you do, be sure to read the fine print on each coupon so you understand how it works and when it expires. You’ll often see couponers carrying small organizers with them so they always have them on hand.
5. Shop and Save
The final step is to shop and save on your grocery costs. Head to the grocery stores, shop for the items on your list and present the coupons when you check out.
Traditional grocery stores like Publix, Kroger and Albertsons are your best bet for coupon stacking, as they often allow you to combine manufacturer, store and digital coupons.
On the other hand, club stores like Costco and Sam’s Club excel in pricing for bulk purchases but generally honor only store-specific coupons.
In time, you’ll learn which stores are coupon-friendly and which aren’t. You may want to test the waters with a smaller number of coupons initially and then scale up.
Also worth noting is that many grocery stores offer personalized digital coupon offers, Schwartz said. “These personalized offers tend to be tailored towards your shopping history,” he explained.
For example, Schwartz noted that Hannaford recently offered him about a dozen “Just for You” deals, including $5 in rewards, a free 2-liter bottle of Canada Dry Ginger Ale, $2.50 off one Nature’s Path item and several others.
6. Adjust Your Strategy With the Times
As this year’s tariff situation has shown, prices on certain items can rise quickly even while others remain relatively stable.
“If you find a coupon for an item you use regularly that’s imported and it has a long shelf life, stock up so you don’t miss out on the discount,” Woroch suggested. She also noted that warehouse clubs, stores like Trader Joe’s, and local farmers markets might offer more competitive pricing on tariff-targeted specialty goods.
Along those lines, grocery spending can help fuel gas savings.
“If there’s a particular grocery store you shop often, find out if they offer a fuel reward program and fill up at their partner gas stations to save (or at least when you’ve earned enough points to save at their gas partner),” Woroch said.
For example, you can transfer Stop and Shop GO Rewards points to Fuel Rewards at participating Shell stations. Every 100 points is equal to 10 cents off per gallon.
What Not to Do
Coupons can help you save, but they can work against you in some situations.
“Don’t assume the coupon is going to get you the best price on a particular grocery item. It’s still important to compare prices and the per-unit cost to see which brand offers the best value. In some cases, you’re still going to get a better deal on the store brand than a name brand, even with a coupon,” Woroch said.
Also, make sure a coupon isn’t luring you into buying things you don’t need. Focus on using coupons that will reduce the cost of items you normally buy.
“Many stores will advertise a few items each week that they actually lose money on. They are hoping this will entice you into the store so you purchase other items with high profit margins. Having a shopping list will help you stay within your budget,” Schwartz said.
In some situations, it may make sense to take advantage of a deal to stock up on an item you normally buy. However, make sure you have space to store it and that you’ll be able to use it all before it expires.
Other Ways to Save on Groceries
While not coupons per se, many apps offer similar kinds of savings. For example, Ibotta and Fetch offer cash back on a wide range of items at many grocery stores. You select the offers you want, shop, submit the receipt and get points or cash back.
Woroch uses Fetch to capitalize on her grocery spending. “Just snap a picture of your receipts every time you shop to start earning points good towards gift cards to a variety of retailers, including those that sell groceries,” she said.
You can also link your email to Fetch to get points for your online purchases and e-receipts, or play games, and earn points. “I just earned 7,000 points. It adds up fast,” she added.
These apps might help you stretch your grocery budget.
| Fetch | Ibotta | Flashfood | Store loyalty apps | |
| How to save/earn | Scan receipts, link email or shop online to earn points | Activate offers, shop qualifying items and submit receipt | Buy discounted near-expiry groceries through the app | Scan app or enter phone number at checkout to earn deals |
| Best for | Shoppers who want simple receipt-based rewards | Shoppers stacking savings on name brands | Shoppers looking for deep discounts on short-shelf-life items | Regular shoppers at the same stores |
| How you save/earn | Gift cards | Cash back (PayPal, Venmo or gift cards) | Discounts at point-of-sale | Instant discounts or store points |
Cut Down Your Grocery Bill With Strategic Couponing
Grocery trips are still leaving many Americans with sticker shock, but taking full advantage of coupons, cash back and other promotions can help stretch your budget. While extreme couponing can feel overwhelming at first, a bit of persistence can help you refine your strategy over time.
More from U.S. News
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Extreme Couponing 101: How to Get Free Money at the Grocery Store originally appeared on usnews.com
Update 06/24/26: This story was published at an earlier date and has been updated with new information.
