If you’re trying to save money on food or reduce your overall expenses, reviewing your food costs is a great place to start.
Given that your food costs, primarily groceries, are the second-largest budget item for most families, its a great place to start. And unlike rent or a mortgage, which are fixed payments, grocery spending tends to be all over the place—unplanned purchases, multiple trips to the store, and buying in excess, which inevitably leads to waste.
We often discuss the benefits of meal planning on this blog, not just for healthy eating, but also for saving money. Today, though, I want to focus on one of the best tactics you can use to save at the store: making the most of your grocery store’s weekly sales flyer.
I know what you’re thinking: “Who has time to look at the sales flyer each week—I barely have time to get to the store!” Trust me, I hear you. But if you’re serious about saving money, this is one area of your budget you can’t ignore. At The Dinner Daily, we track sales at grocery stores nationwide and create weekly menus for our members based on these sales. We know how powerful this strategy can be—and our members tell us it works for them too!
So if you want to learn how to use your store’s weekly sales to drive real savings, here are our top tips to help you get started.
💡 How the Sales Flyer Helps You Save Money on Groceries
First, let’s talk about why this matters. Many of you might be thinking Grocery store sales aren’t just for stocking up on pantry staples—they’re a powerful tool for getting healthy meals on the table without overspending.
When you plan your meals around what’s on special, you can save real money each week—sometimes $30–$50 or more. Over a month or year, that’s serious savings!
One of the most overlooked ways to save money on groceries is to use your store’s weekly sales flyer strategically. Sure, stores create these sales to get you in the door—but if you use them wisely, you can lower your grocery bills by 20–25% or more, depending on your store.
It does take a little extra effort to incorporate the flyer into your weekly meal plan, but if you’re serious about saving, it really works. We do this every week for grocery stores across the country, and our members tell us all the time how much their grocery bills have dropped since they started using a plan built around store sales.
And just to be clear—this isn’t about living on beans and rice. It’s about eating healthy whole foods like lean meats, fresh seafood, and plenty of produce—just spending a bit less. You can meal plan around grocery store sales and make your budget go much further—without giving up healthy, delicious dinners.
📝 8 Smart Tips to Use Your Store’s Sales Flyer
Here’s how to make those weekly specials work for you, week after week.
✅ Tip 1: Shop the Sales Flyer First
Before you make your meal plan or figure out what’s for dinner, take a look at the weekly flyer—online or the paper one that arrives in your mailbox. It’s packed with deals on proteins, produce, and pantry staples. Start there: let the sales inspire what’s for dinner, focusing on fresh meats and seafood first, then layering in produce specials for sides and snacks. And don’t forget to consider breakfast and lunch in your planning as well.
✅ Tip 2: Make a Detailed Shopping List
When you find good sales, note them on your shopping list—brand, size, or package details (like “Spring Mountain Farm chicken, 2-lb pkg”). Whether you’re using an app or good old-fashioned paper, having these details saves time and avoids impulse buys.
And when you’re organized in the store or shopping online, you’re less likely to wander into aisles you don’t need- a big money and time saver!
✅ Tip 3: Stock Up on Essentials
Once you’ve planned your weekly meals, do a quick scan for household essentials or other items you use regularly that are on special, like paper towels, dog food, or condiments. Don’t wait until you run out!
Staying ahead means you’ll always buy those items at the best price, and avoid last-minute trips to the store, which almost always result in impulse buys that bust your budget.
✅ Tip 4: Use the Flyer to Discover New Promotions
If you’re loyal to a certain brand, you might miss out on a new brand or product with exceptional savings. Stores often offer promotional pricing for new items, and sometimes these are just as good (or better!) than your usual choice. Scanning the flyer helps you catch these deals before you shop, so you’re more likely to try them out.
✅ Tip 5: Take Advantage of Seasonal Produce
Weekly produce sales usually reflect what’s in season, meaning you’re buying fresher, more local produce (and supporting local farmers!). Incorporating these items naturally into your meal plan saves money and gives you tastier meals.
✅ Tip 6: Don’t Forget Store Brands
Even with all the weekly sales, we would be amiss if we didn’t mention that sometimes the store brand will still offer a better deal—especially for items such as pantry staples, canned goods, and paper products. Sometimes, the store brand is the best value, even if there’s a sale on the name brand, so just be sure to double check this.
(We even tested store vs. premium brands—check out the link in this article for what we found!)
✅ Tip 7: Double Up on Freezer-Friendly Items
If there’s a great deal on something your family loves (like ground turkey or boneless chicken breast), even if you are not using it in the current week, buy extra and freeze it. It’s an easy way to lock in savings and make sure you’re set for busy weeks when you couldn’t get to the store. By scanning the flyer, you will be mich more aware of when it makes sense to buy in advance. You will find you lean on take-out a bit less, and eat better as a result!
✅ Tip 8: Check Loyalty Card Bonuses
Some stores have loyalty cards or digital coupons that give you extra saving but you have to load them before you shop. A quick check beforehand on the weekly specials layered with the loyalty card bonuses or coupons can mean a extra dollars saved every week. And when you do this consistently week after week, those small savings add up!
🍽️ How The Dinner Daily Makes This Easy
If all of this sounds like a lot of work, don’t worry—we’re here to help. We’ve built our planning system around using weekly sales to make sure your dinners are not just easy and healthy, but also save you money.
How? Every week, we create a meal plan just for you based on what’s on special at your favorite grocery store. After doing this for thousands of members over a decade, we’re confident that using the sales flyer can deliver real savings at the checkout.
So try the tips above during your next meal planning session, or check out our free trial to let us do the planning for you. Either way, using the weekly sales at your grocery store can play a key role in helping you save money on groceries every week.
