HOUSTON – Groceries are going up in price, but there are ways to cut costs in Houston with several options from grocery store memberships to wholesalers.
If you’re able,
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- Shop more than one store to score the best deals
- Download the store’s apps and get plugged in digitally
- Take advantage of the stores’ full suite of benefits, from gas to movie tickets. These are especially great for stores with membership fees.
Here are some of the places where you can save throughout the Houston area.
99 Ranch Market
Multiple locations.
You can get 5% off your $65 purchase. The grocery also offers free same-day delivery and free shipping on orders over $50 after the website discount is applied. Look for exclusive details (like its current Fourth of July promotion) on its website. The grocery chain also offers an app that has a percentage off your grocery purchase. The more you buy with the app, the more you save.
ALDI
Multiple locations.
Low prices and non-name brands help keep costs low. ALDI offers grocery pickup and delivery at some locations. Look for Aldi Savers Tags. As Taste of Home notes, these prominent red tags indicate “regular items that have been given a significant price drop.” They look like big arrows pointing down, and they may even be handwritten if a particular store really needs to move stock of a certain item. Keep an eye out for deals like this…and stock up ASAP! There’s nothing quite like Aldi’s prices when it comes to shopping.
Capital Sales Damaged Freight
4663 Telephone Rd, Houston, TX 77087
“You can get discount prices on every thing that you need,” one Google reviewer wrote. This store is open from 9 a.m. - 6 p.m., and offers damaged freight and groceries at low prices.
Costco
Multiple locations.
There are several levels of membership, but for individuals there is the executive and gold star levels, $120 per year plus applicable sales tax and $60 per year plus applicable sales tax, respectively.
Though Costco says it doesn’t offer free or discounted memberships, it says that the cost of membership can be recovered quickly “thanks to massive price savings once you start shopping.” The company adds that “there are substantial savings on our many Costco Services, which you can use every day in your business and personal life.”
Family Discount Foods
8805 Homestead Rd. Houston TX 77016
With over 20 different “meat deals” to choose from, the Meat Department at this Houston neighborhood food market, sends you back in time. All meats are hand-cut and served by meat cutters, according to the store’s website.
“No longer settling for pre-determined prices, you can get what you can pay for,” the store’s website says. “Specializing in ‘hard-to-find’ southern meat items: hog head cheese, rope sausage, deer sausage, goose liver, summer sausage, cajun links, and more. So when you are ready for a great ‘Power Lunch,’ hard-to-find meats, and great food prices, come to your Houston neighborhood food market, Family Discount Food.”
You can view the store here. Call for additional information at 713-631-7000.
Fiesta Mart
Multiple locations.
Sign up for the brand’s weekly newsletter to get its ad to save more and prep for your trip to the store. The store promises home delivery with items the same price as in-store. Fiesta is now celebrating its 50th anniversary with giveaways, so now might be a good time to check that out.
Foodarama
Multiple locations.
You can print or claim digital coupons at this grocery chain. The Foodarama app also has access to manufacturer coupons, its weekly ads, rewards and exclusive deals and coupons.
Food Town
Food town has 30 stores in the Houston area. The store has an app and online presence. The store tells KPRC 2 it offers a weekly digital deal, a Sunday one-day Deal (mostly free items like Free Mrs. Baird’s bread, Free Fisher Nuts, etc. with a $20 purchase or more), and a large number of coupons both nationally-issued and exclusive to our store. Also, customers earn a $5 reward for each $400 spent in our store. Get the app here. Here’s how to get the store’s digital coupons.
H-E-B
Multiple locations.
H‑E‑B doesn’t have a membership or savings programs but if you work there you are entitled to Valued Partner Perks that offer a 10% discount on all H‑E‑B Own Brand products, plus special offers throughout the year. Look for digital coupons and free delivery options in the beloved chain’s app.
H Mart
Multiple locations.
Go here for weekly sales and events. The store also has a savings card that accrues points. Points added to the card will reflect the amount of purchase excluding tax and points will be redeemed to a reward certificate, according to the chain’s website.
Joe V’s Smart Shop
Multiple locations.
This store accepts cash, debit, credit cards, WIC, and LoneStar Cards only. You can create an account. “Low prices and quality groceries” is its catchphrase. The app takes you to your specific store and the flyer for that store.
Kroger
Multiple locations.
You can save at Kroger with digital coupons, fuel rewards, weekly digital deals, and also $15 on your first pickup or delivery order of $75 or more where available. The diversity of opportunities to save at Kroger seems its biggest draw.
La Michoacana Supermarket
Multiple locations.
You can sign up for weekly email specials here. The grocery store lists its weekly specials here. The store also periodically offers giveaways, including this one for gift cards for gasoline.
Mrs. Baird’s-Sara Lee Outlet Main Bakery
6650 N Houston Rosslyn Rd, Houston, TX 77091
Score low-cost and discounted breads and baked goods at this store from Mrs. Baird’s and Sara Lee product lines.
Sam’s Club
Multiple locations.
You can get a membership for just $8 for a limited time in-store. Here’s how to claim that price.
Sam’s Club membership is regularly $45 per year for its Club level and then Plus priced at $100 per year. You can see the comparison between the memberships here.
A standard membership comes with a membership card, the ability to share your membership with someone in your household, as well as the opportunity to add on extra memberships for $40 a year. Member-only benefits include access to low members-only prices at Sam’s Club locations, and access to Sam’s Club Tire & Battery centers and gas stations.
The higher-tier Sam’s Club Plus membership, which is excluded from the promotion, is $100 a year and includes access to additional perks, including the opportunity to earn 2% in cash rewards (up to $500 a year) on qualifying purchases, free shipping on online orders, free curbside pickup, pharmacy savings and discounts on eyeglass frames and lenses.
Sam’s Club members also receive access to exclusive deals on movie tickets, shows and events, and theme parks. They can also save on rental cars and hotels.
Sam’s Club and other wholesale superstores offer shoppers the opportunity to purchase supplies in large quantities. Purchasing items in bulk can mean securing better per-item prices, which can lead to meaningful savings.
As KPRC 2′s Briana Zamora-Nipper notes in her report, when considering a membership at a wholesale superstore such as Sam’s Club, consider which membership perks you’d take advantage of most and how frequently you’d use your membership. Determine if the yearly savings will outweigh the annual membership fee.
Sprouts Farmers Market
Multiple locations.
Sprouts Farmers Market has occasional One Day Gift Card Sales that offers in-store shoppers a $100 gift card for the price of $89.99, though the sale date is not shared in advance. The market also offers a promotion called Sushi Wednesday in which customers can purchase select Oumi Sushi Rolls for $5.
Get the app. The Sprouts app lists weekly specials and monthly digital grocery deals, and can help with building a shopping list. When you are in the app, you can view weekly specials and receive emails for savings. Learn more here.
Sun’s Wholesale Club
Multiple locations.
Sun’s Club, Inc. is a wholesale membership club. The store said its goal “is to create an exciting, convenient, and comfortable one-stop shopping experience for all customers. We procure products that are normally available only to businesses and institutions, now available to all consumers.”
The store says it specializes in different ethnic groups, such as Latino, Asian, European and more.
“When shopping at Sun’s Club, you will find quality products at the wholesale prices,” the company says on its website. “Our commitment is to understand the needs of our customers, and provide them with solutions.”
Supermercados Teloloapan
Multiple locations.
Teloloapan Supermarkets has 11 stores in Houston. Look for special events and perks on the chain’s Facebook and Instagram pages.
Supermercado El Rancho
Multiple locations.
You can print out coupons here. Be sure to check its weekly ad here for the best specials.
Target
Multiple locations.
You can save at Target using the Target Circle app and with your Target card on every purchase. Be sure to activate additional bonuses in the app to receive additional rewards. Check the back endcaps in-store to save on clearance items.
Trader Joe’s
Multiple locations.
Trader Joe’s is a national chain that’s been open since 1967. At Trader Joe’s, the company says you won’t find a lot of branded items. Instead, it says “you’ll discover a store full of unique and interesting products, along with everyday basics, in the Trader Joe’s label.”
The store doesn’t offer coupons or loyalty programs or membership cards. Instead the store says it buys direct from suppliers and purchases in volume and contracts early to get the best prices and clears way for new products if a product isn’t pulling its weight in the stores. Here’s a great guide for shopping for actual deals at Trader Joe’s from this discount-driven website. The highlights? Cheese, cereal, bananas, eggs, frozen pizza, olive oil, dried fruits, nuts, tortillas, ice cream, flowers, coffee and wine. We love their list of not-worth-it items.
Walmart
Multiple locations.
Walmart’s regular prices on products are generally low, but you can supercharge savings with Walmart+ membership. You can get a free 30-day trial membership that’s $12.95/month or $98/year with some exceptions...get the details here. Some of the perks include free shipping with no order minimum, member prices on fuel, free delivery from your store, contact-free checkout, and early access on special promotions and events. If you want to cancel membership, you can do it from your Walmart+ account page or contact customer care.
Whole Foods Market
Whole Foods? Really? Can you actually get deals at the chain nicknamed “Whole Paycheck”? Yes, you can. At Whole Foods, you can get special savings if you have Amazon Prime. In addition, Prime members get an extra 10% off yellow sale signs. You can see your store’s best sales here and the chain promises hundreds more in-store. And don’t forget those rotisserie chickens. They’re still a great deal at most grocery stores, including Whole Foods.
What stores do you use to find the best deals and discounts in the Houston area?