If you love shopping at Trader Joe’s, your bills can get very expensive sometimes. If you want to get your money’s worth out of Trader Joe’s, here are some tips and tricks you can use to save money while shopping.
How to Save Money at Trader Joe’s in 2023
#1. Take a Look at the Fearless Flyer of Trader Joe’s
The Fearless Flyer is a list of the deals and new releases of Trader Joe’s. Trader Joe’s usually releases the Fearless Flyer every month with new products and cooking recipes for their customers. If you are planning to visit Trader Joe’s for a specific product, the Fearless Flyer would help inform you when Trader Joe’s has stock of it.
#2. Take Advantage of the $2 Wine of Trader Joe’s
Trader Joe’s offers various bottles of wine for as low as $10. One of the most famous wine bottles of Trader Joe’s is its Two Buck Chuck or the Charles Shaw wine. Based on its name, the bottle of wine costs only $1.99 last 2002. However, certain price changes in the United States brought the price to $3.79 per bottle.
Here are a few bottles you can consider picking up too:
- Reserve North Coast Brut Sparkling Wine ($9.99)
- Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon Sonoma County 2019 ($9.99)
- Reserve Russian River Chardonnay ($9.99)
#3. Look for Sample Items
Trader Joe’s usually provides samples along with certain isles for you to try out the product. By trying these samples before buying, you will not end up spending money on something you would not use.
#4. Carry an Eco Bag
Trader Joe’s encourages its customers to bring their own bag by offering various raffle prizes and gift cards. Not only would this strategy be beneficial to the environment, but it would save up on additional costs you would incur by using plastic bags.
If you are interested in bringing your own bag to Trader Joe’s, ask the cashiers if they offer the raffle coupons and gift cards before handing your credit card over to them.
#5. Avoid Prepared Produce
Try avoiding the pre-cut produce at the produce sections. These products usually cost significantly more to account for the costs of processing and packaging instead of the quality of the meat.
Furthermore, pre-cut produce removes the choice of buying lower quantities of the same product, forcing you to spend more on your groceries.
#6. Take Advantage of Discounts and Rebates
The best part about shopping at Trader Joe’s is the discounts and rebates it offers to its customers. Trader Joe’s usually announces their discount offers on their website for you to get ready for.
However, do not let discounts encourage you to spend on groceries that you don’t need. Even if meat is 20% off, you still spend an additional 80% on your overall grocery bill.
Nevertheless, you can always ask the cashiers for any discounts Trader Joe’s has on that day to cut down on your grocery costs.
#7. Focus on Non-Perishables
The way for you to save your money at Trader Joe’s is to look for what Trader Joe’s is most popular for. For example, one of the biggest reasons customers constantly shop at Trader Joe’s is its iconic Speculoos Cookie Butter. By stocking up on these products would prevent you from needing to visit Trader Joe’s every week.
Furthermore, avoid making Trader Joe’s the place to shop for fresh veggies. Unfortunately, most of its veggies are pre-packaged, making them less fresh and more expensive than its competitors.
#8. Apply for Refunds on Selected Products
If you find any defects in the groceries you bought, you can always ask Trader Joe’s for a full refund. If you find any molds, defects, or deficiencies in your goods, Trader Joe’s will not hesitate to give you a full refund to encourage you to continue buying from them.
#9. Avoid Novelty Products
Do not let curiosity tempt you to buy the newest products at Trader Joe’s. If these products are new entrants into the market, they can still be relatively expensive for you. If you keep following the trend, you could end up with a larger grocery bill to buy things you don’t even want.
#10. Use a Credit Card with Grocery Rewards
Because Trader Joe’s does not offer national products in their supermarket, it might be very difficult to find discounts to cut down your costs significantly. However, some credit cards provide their customers with grocery rewards that you can get from the credit card service provider.
Although you would not get your money back directly, these rewards can grant you rebates, discounts, and cashback on your future purchases. Here are some credit cards that provide you with grocery rewards with very purchase:
What is the Best Way to Save Money at Trader Joe’s?
We provided you with ten of the best ways to save money at Trader Joe’s. However, the best way to save money at Trader Joe’s is to avoid spending money on unnecessary things. Carrying a shopping list with you every time you enter the supermarket would force you to only get the things you need.
Furthermore, creating a plan includes only shopping for the products Trader Joe’s is popular for. For example, you would want to buy the non-perishables from Trader Joe’s while shopping for your vegetables and meat at another alternative store.
How Does Trader Joe’s Stay Affordable for its Customers?
Most of the products offered by Trader Joe’s are created by the company, allowing them to dictate the prices to make it more affordable. Furthermore, Trader Joe’s buys the materials to create these store brands directly from their suppliers to prevent unnecessary costs from the middleman.
What Should I Buy at Trader Joe’s?
Here is a list of the best products you can buy at Trader Joe’s that will not make a heavy dent on your wallet at the end of the day.
- Organic Virgin Coconut Oil ($4.99)
- Pitted Salted Kalamata Olives ($0.49)
- Dried Mango Slices ($3.29)
- British-Style Crumpets ($2.99)
- Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups ($4.49)
These products are all lower than $5, making them extremely affordable for almost every grocery shopper. These products received numerous acclaims by Trader Joe’s customers and different culinary websites.
What Should I Not Buy at Trader Joe’s?
Despite the many excellent selections, you need to avoid certain products at Trader Joe’s because they are expensive and of lower quality. Here are some products you need to avoid saving money and prevent spending more on lower-quality products.
- Meat and Seafood. Trader Joe’s pre-packages its meat and seafood, which could force you to buy larger and more expensive products than you need.
- Vitamins. Avoid buying vitamins if you only need to restock your inventory. Consider buying your vitamins only at registered pharmacies for better deals.
- Cereals and small snacks. One of the most expensive products at Trader Joe’s is their cereals and granola bars.
- Organic milk. Other supermarkets provide cheaper alternatives with better quality than Trader Joe’s.
You can buy these products at other supermarkets at better deals than Trader Joe’s to avoid buying lower quality products just for cheaper prices.
What Discounts Does Trader Joe’s Offer?
Discounts play an important role in providing important savings for the customers at Trader Joe’s. Here are some discounts you can apply at Trader Joe’s to save money on your groceries.
- Coupons. Stack up on coupons to Trader Joe’s for its non-Trader Joe’s products. You can get these coupons either at Trader Joe’s or its partner companies.
- Employee Discounts. Trader Joe’s provides its employees with a 10% discount on selected food and merchandise in the store.
- Reusable Bags. Bringing reusable bags to selected Trader Joe’s franchises rewards you with some coupons and entries to raffle prizes.
Conclusion
The best way to save money at Trader Joe’s is to focus on buying the things that Trader Joe’s is known for. Since Trader Joe’s already offers cheaper products, focus on non-perishables and Trader Joe’s brand products to get the best deals on your purchases.
Furthermore, taking advantage of different discounts, rebates, and cashbacks will help you reduce your grocery bill. Unfortunately, because Trader Joe’s is already affordable, you might need to look at the discount policies of your credit card service providers and external organizations.