One of the best ways to save money at the grocery store, regardless of whether you are a senior or not, is to make a grocery list and try to stick to it as closely as possible. Check your kitchen before creating the list, especially if you are buying spices or other things that you don’t need often. Sometimes, it is easy to assume you don’t have an unusual spice when you actually might have one in the back of the cabinet. Choose grocery stores that offer loyalty and discount cards. Many can now even load coupons directly to the card to save you money, but cutting coupons is also a great way to save. There are sites online where you can print out coupons for a wide range of products. Consider switching from name brand products to the store brand. Try to shop early in the morning or in the middle of the day when most people are working. Research shows that people spend more when a store is crowded. Check the weekly sales flyers and, if the store is out of something when you get there, ask for a raincheck. Of course, signing up for BestSeniorDiscounts.com is the best way to save on your next grocery trip.

With prescription drugs rising each year, it pays to find ways to save on them whenever possible. When it comes time for open enrollment each year, shop around for your Medicare prescription drug plan. You can search for the prescriptions you regularly take to learn how much the co-pay may be for those medications. You can also sign up for a coupon website like GoodRx which often has prices that are lower than if you used insurance. Medicare also offers Extra Help if your income qualifies that can lower your copays. If your income is 300 percent of the Federal Poverty Level, you may also qualify for a Patient Assistance Program. Another option is to talk to your doctor about alternatives that may be less expensive. If you are taking medication that is related to your lifestyle, consider changes such as diet, exercise, reducing alcohol or stopping smoking as this could make the medication unnecessary. BestSeniorDiscounts.com also offers savings on many of the medication’s seniors use most, so consider signing up today.

Several national grocery store chains offer discounts for older adults. Each has specific requirements and regulations. Some of these include:

• American Discount Foods – Discounts offered on Monday; adults 62 and older can receive 10 percent off; valid ID required to get the discount
• Bashas – Discounts offered on first Wednesday of each month; adults 55 and older can receive 10 percent off; valid ID and use of the store’s thank you card required
• Bi-Lo – Discounts offered on Wednesday; adults 60 and older can receive 5 percent off; online application required to get the discount as well
• Brookshire’s – Discounts offered on Tuesday and Thursday; adults 60 and older can receive 5 percent off; must ask for discount at checkout
• Concord Food Co-Op – Discounts offered on Tuesday and Sunday; members who are 62 or older can receive 15 percent off
• DeCicco Family Markets – Discounts available any day on regularly priced items; adults 62 or older can receive the discount; must have a DeCicco Preferred Card and show ID; discounts vary by store
• Fred Meyer – Discounts offered on the first Tuesday of the month; adults 55 and older can receive 10 percent off
• Harris Teeter – Discounts offered on Thursdays; adults 60 and older can receive 5 percent discounts after other coupons are applied; must have a VIC card
• New Seasons Market – Discounts offered on Wednesday; adults 65 or older can receive 10 percent discounts; ask at the local market
• Publix – Discounts offered every Wednesday; adults 60 and older receive a 5 percent discount in Alabama, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina and Tennessee
• Tops – Discounts offered on the first Tuesday of the month known as “young at heart days;” adults who are 60 or older can receive a 6 percent discount; sign up at the customer service desk
• Uncle Giuseppe’s – Discount offered every Wednesday; must sign up at the customer service desk and show identification
• Weis Markets – Discount offered every Tuesday; adults 60 or older can save 10 percent; must present identification and ask at the store for details

During the recent pandemics, many grocery and department stores offered senior hours that allowed older adults to shop when the store was less crowded. Some companies have continued to offer those hours to make it more convenient for older adults. BJ’s Wholesale allows older adults who are 60 or older to shop from 8 to 9 AM Monday through Saturday. Food City offers the first hour of operation, from 7 to 8 AM, for customers who are 65 or older. Harris Teeter allows those who are 60 or older to shop from 7 to 8 AM on Monday and Thursday. Check with your local store to be sure those hours are still in effect.

Two national drug stores offer discounts for older adults. Rite Aid offers five times points on their loyalty card on Wednesdays for those who are 65 and older. Walgreens offers a discount of 20 percent to those who are 55 or older as well as those who are AARP members. The days vary depending on the area, so it is important to reach out to your local Walgreens to learn what day the discounts are offered. Sign up for BestSeniorDiscounts.com to save even more on your drug store needs.

Rite Aid offers senior hours from 9 to 10 AM every weekday. They do not specify an age limit for those hours, however. Walgreens also offers senior shopping hours from 8 to 9 AM on Tuesdays. They also do not specify an age limit for the special shopping hours.

The average person who is 65 or older spends about $525 per month on food while the average senior aged 65 to 74 spends around $583 per month. Seniors who are over the age of 75 spend, on average, $442 per month. The cost of one meal for the average senior citizen is $9.30 while home delivered meals average $9.00 per person.

There are many national grocery chains that not only offer delivery but shopping services as well. Target uses Shipt for their shopping order and delivery service. Shipt does have a fee which is $99 per year or $9.99 per order. If you pick up your order, there is no fee. Aldi uses Instacart for their shopping and delivery service. The cost is $3.99 per order for delivery and $1.99 per pick up. Kroger offers a shopping service with both pickup or delivery. If you pick up your groceries, there is no fee but delivery has a $9.95 fee per order. Walmart also offers shopping services with pickup free and delivery costs that vary by location. Wegman’s also uses Instacart for delivery with a $3.99 plus seven percent Instacart fee while pickup is free. Costco also offers both delivery and pickup for their shopping service. There is no fee for orders of $75 or more while pickup is free. Keep in mind that delivery may not be available in all areas.

Although these tips are great ways to save on grocery and drug store purchases, one of the best ways to save is to register for BestSeniorDiscounts.com. There is never a registration fee, and you can begin saving immediately. There are discounts on many of the things you need, from groceries to insurance to travel. Visit them today to see how you can start saving.