JUST some grocery shopping tips to help save money from AARP.....
Grocery prices are ticking up, but older shoppers can nab deals at these stores
Published May 26, 2022
/ Updated June 27, 2025
Albertsons • Bashas' • Brookshire's Food and Pharmacy • Food Bazaar Supermarket • Fred Meyer • Fry's Food Store • Gristedes • Harris Teeter • Kroger • New Seasons Market • Super 1 Foods • Tops Markets • Weis Markets
Grocery costs are rising, and certain foods could see big price hikes in the coming months as a result of President Donald Trump's sweeping tariffs. But there's good news for older shoppers: Many supermarkets across the country offer people over a specific age a percentage off their bill.
These grocery stores typically pick one day per week, known as a senior discount day, to extend deals to older shoppers. The discounts tend to range from 5 percent to 10 percent off your grocery bill or select items.
Keep in mind that some big grocery chains, including Safeway and Giant, don’t have a corporate-wide senior day on the books, but individual stores may extend a discount, so it’s best to check with your local store. Veterans can also save at the grocery store, with some supermarkets offering similar discounts to individuals who have served in the military.
Here’s a list of more than a dozen grocery stores across the country that offer senior discounts.
1. Albertsons
Locations: Over 2,200 stores in Arizona, California, Louisiana, New Mexico, Texas and 10 other central and western states
Age for discount: Varies
Deal: Senior discount is available at select stores throughout the country. Customers are encouraged to reach out to their store to confirm if there’s a senior discount.
2. Bashas’
Locations: Over 100 stores in Arizona
Age for discount: 55+
Deal: The first Wednesday of every month, customers 55 and older get 10 percent off their purchase. Customers are required to use their Thank You rewards card to receive the discount. The discount cannot be used for prescriptions, alcoholic beverages, tobacco products, postage stamps, gift cards, Western Union, taxes, fuel or lottery tickets.
3. Brookshire’s Food & Pharmacy
Locations: Over 200 stores in Arkansas, Louisiana, Texas and Oklahoma
Age for discount: 60+
Deal: Every Tuesday, customers 60 and older can save 5 percent off their grocery purchase when they use their Brookshire’s Thank You Card. Eligible adults need to ask for the discount at checkout. The discount does not apply to milk and other dairy products in Louisiana, or to alcohol, tobacco and fuel in any state.
4. Food Bazaar Supermarket
Locations: 31 stores in Connecticut, New Jersey and New York
Age for discount: Varies
Deal: Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m., seniors get 10 percent off their grocery bill. Sales found in the weekly circular are not eligible for the senior discount.
5. Fred Meyer
Locations: Over 130 stores in Alaska, Idaho, Oregon and Washington
Age for discount: 55+
Deal: The first Tuesday of every month, adults 55 and older get 10 percent off select items, including private-brand groceries, apparel, shoes, accessories, all home goods and most electronics.
6. Fry’s Food Store
Locations: Over 125 stores in Arizona
Age for discount: 55+
Deal: The first Wednesday of the month, people 55 and older get 10 percent off most items in the store.
7. Gristedes
Locations: Nearly 30 stores in Manhattan and Brooklyn, New York
Age for discount: 65+
Deal: Every Tuesday, adults 65 and older get 10 percent off their purchases.
8. Harris Teeter
Locations: Over 260 stores in Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Maryland, North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia and Washington, D.C.
Age for discount: 60+
The deal: Every Thursday, Club 60 customers receive a 5 percent discount on their bill. To receive the discount, a shopper must have a valid VIC rewards card.
9. Kroger
Locations: 2,700 stores under a variety of banner names in 35 states
Age for discount: 55+
Deal: Periodically, independent Kroger stores run senior discount days, giving customers a percentage off their bill. Kroger’s Columbus Division, which operates 118 stores in Ohio, recently gave customers 55 and older 5 percent off their in-store purchases one day during the week. Since Kroger says it’s a division-by-division decision, it’s best to check with your local store before heading out.
10. New Seasons Market
Locations: Over 20 stores in Portland, Oregon and Vancouver, Washington
Age for discount: 65+
Deal: On Wednesdays, people 65 and older receive 10 percent off most items in the store.
11. Super 1 Foods
Locations: 48 stores in Arkansas, Louisiana and Texas
Age for discount: 60+
Deal: Every Tuesday and Thursday, shoppers 60 and older receive 5 percent off most purchases. ID is required to receive the discount.
12. Tops Markets
Locations: Over 150 stores in New York, Pennsylvania and Vermont
Age for discount: 60+
Deal: The first Tuesday of every month is Young at Heart Day, when shoppers 60 and older get 6 percent off their entire grocery bill and out-of-pocket prescription drug purchases. Customers have to sign up for a Tops BonusPlus rewards card to get the deal.
13. Weis Markets
Locations: Nearly 200 stores in Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Virginia and West Virginia
Age for discount: 60+
Deal: Every Tuesday, people 60 and older get 10 percent off participating Weis-branded products.
AARP editor Daniel Bortz contributed to this report.
Donna Fuscaldo is a contributing writer and editor focusing on personal finance and health. She has spent over two decades writing and covering news for several national publications including The Wall Street Journal, Forbes, Investopedia and HerMoney.
For starters, stop buying precut fruit and bottled water
Published September 03, 2024
Inflation isn’t the only thing pushing up the grocery bills of households across the country. A lack of awareness of the spending traps is costing them too.
The supermarket is where you go for the ingredients to prepare an affordable meal. But it’s also a place where you can overspend if you aren’t careful. That’s particularly true if you’re squarely focused on saving time and effort. “When it comes to groceries, convenience costs,” says Brian Vines, deputy editor of special projects at Consumer Reports. “You can expect to pay a premium when supermarkets help you cut corners in the kitchen.”
Money wasters are lurking throughout the supermarket, including these 10:
1. Loading the cart up with processed food
Time-strapped consumers love the convenience of throwing a frozen pizza in the oven or a burrito in the microwave when they need a quick bite, but relying on processed food to save time will cost you.
“You don’t have time to make a meal, so you buy something you can pop in the oven, but you are paying a lot more for that,” says Trae Bodge, a money expert and founder of TrueTrae.com.
That’s not to mention the impact processed foods can have on your health. Research published this spring in the journal BMJ found people who had a higher intake of processed foods had a higher risk of dying early, compared with people who ate the least amount of processed foods. Instead of buying a frozen pizza or another processed meal, Bodge encourages cost-conscious shoppers to buy individual ingredients and make meals from scratch, which are cheaper and often healthier.
2. Buying snack packs
From cookies to nuts, it’s easy to find snack packs in the grocery store. They’re convenient, without a doubt, but they’re also more expensive than buying a larger quantity and portioning it out yourself.
3. Opting for precut veggies and fruits and prepared meals
Precut produce is a time saver, but it’s also a money waster. Supermarkets attach a premium to these items because they’re doing the work of cutting and preparing the foods for you. “The last time I was at the grocery store, a woman fighting arthritis asked for my help shucking some corn. Instead of opting for the more expensive preshucked, cellophane-wrapped corn, she got a 3-for-$1 deal and a little conversation just [by] asking [for my help],” says Vines.
4. Shopping without a list
A surefire way to overspend at the grocery store is to go without a shopping list. That causes “one of the biggest budget leaks,” says April Lewis-Parks, director of financial education at Consolidated Credit, a debt relief company. “You wander the aisles, picking up extras, and before you know it, your cart is full of things you didn’t plan for or really need.”
By walking into the grocery store armed with a meal plan and an accompanying shopping list, you’ll be less susceptible to tempting displays and shiny packages. “You’ve got a plan, and sticking to it means no more impulse buys that inflate your bill,” she says.
5. Stocking up on bottled water
Last year alone Americans consumed nearly 16 billion gallons of bottled water, with sales for the industry up 6.5 percent year-over-year. That’s despite the impact plastic bottles have on the environment. “It’s so easy to make your own bottled water. Invest in one reusable water bottle per family member and get a filtered pitcher if your refrigerator doesn’t have one,” Bodge recommends. A plus: You’re not using all those plastic bottles that end up in a landfill for 450 years.
6. Being too loyal
Many of us are creatures of habit and have a favorite grocery store we tend to frequent. But being loyal to a particular store can backfire if you can nab better sales at a rival supermarket. “Let the deals lead your shopping outings,” says Vines.
7. Shunning store brands
These days most grocery stores sell their own private label products that sit next to the major brand names, with store brands up to 20 percent cheaper, says Vines.
“Generic brands are often made in the same factories [as brand names] and are significantly cheaper,” notes Bodge, who suggests doing a side-by-side comparison of ingredients before purchasing. “They are right next to each other. It’s easy to do a quick check.”
8. Fearing loyalty programs
Most supermarkets reward loyal shoppers with discounts, deals and freebies. To reap the rewards, you usually have to sign up for the loyalty program online or through an app. That typically requires giving up some of your personal information, but in return you get access to special offers. “Many supermarkets extend weekly deals to loyalty club members,” says Vines. “Those savings can be compounded by downloading store apps, which in many cases feature access to digital coupons.”
There is a movement underway to make loyalty programs easier to use for shoppers who aren’t tech-savvy. Some supermarkets now have kiosks at the entrance to the store, where shoppers can scan their loyalty card or enter their phone number to get that week’s digital offers uploaded onto their shopper’s card and applied at checkout automatically.
9. Buying small quantities
Nobody wants to waste food, but Lewis-Parks says in certain categories, including rice, canned goods and frozen veggies, it’s cheaper to buy in bulk. “You’re stocking your pantry for the long haul without burning through your budget,” she says. Buying beef and poultry in bulk can also help you save money. If you choose to freeze these foods, make sure to eat the food within the proper time frame; generally, beef can be stored in a freezer for up to one year and poultry for up to four months.
10. Not taking advantage of deals and discounts
Supermarkets pull out all the stops to get you to spend more, but many also offer ways for you to save. From manager specials to senior discount days, you’re missing out on big savings when you don’t use coupons or take advantage of sales. “Senior discount days at your local supermarket are like getting a secret membership card that unlocks a percent-off treasure every week,” says Lewis-Parks.
Donna Fuscaldo is a contributing writer and editor focusing on personal finance and health. She has spent over two decades writing and covering news for several national publications including The Wall Street Journal, Forbes, Investopedia and HerMoney.
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