How to Price Match at Wal-Mart

You may have heard the Wal-Mart price matches. Sounds good doesn’t it? But a lot of people don’t take advantage of it because they don’t really know what it means.

Just yesterday I read a Facebook status from a friend who said they saved $30 just by price matching at Wal-Mart. Imagine being able to save actual money just by using other stores ads! Sounds pretty great doesn’t it? Here how you can do it.

1. Gather up ads from all your different stores. Note the best deals and write them down. For example if you see Kroger has Granny Smith apples on sale for $.49 cent a pound, write that down in your list and keep a hold of the ad. Do this until you’ve made a list of everything you want to price match. It will be easier if you have a list with what paper the ad is in. Being organized with this is very important so that checking out goes smoother.

2. Study the Wal-Mart ad matching rules listed below. You can also print one out HERE.

We gladly match the price in the following types of ads:

• Buy one, get one free ads with a specified price
  • Example: Buy one for $2.49, get one free (BOGO)
• Competitors’ ads that feature a specific item for a specified price.
• Preferred shopping card prices for specific items that are in a printed ad.
• For fresh produce and meat items when the price is offered in the same unit type (lb. for lb.; each for each)

*The following are guidelines and limitations:

• We will match any local competitor’s advertised price.
• We do not require customers to have the ad with them to honor a competitor’s ad.
• Items purchased must be identical to the ad (size, quantity, brand, flavor, color, etc.)

We DO NOT match the price in the following types of competitor ads:

• Items that require a separate purchase to get the ad price
  • example: “Buy [item A] to get [item B] for $C”
• Items with no actual price that require a purchase to get free product
  • example: “Buy both [items A & B] to get [item C] for free”
• Items that require a purchase to get a competitors’ gift card
  • example: “Buy [item A] to get a $B gift card
• Buy one, get one free (BOGO) ads with no actual price given
• Going out of business or closeout prices
• Percentage off
  • example: “All mascara, 40% off”
• Competitors’ private label price promotions

We do not honor:

• Ads when the actual price for items cannot be determined.
• Internet pricing
• Misprinted ad prices of other retailers
• “Going out of business” sales or “close out” prices

3. Go to Wal-Mart with your list and your advertisements. Do your normal shopping, but keep these things you want to price match together.

4. Check out. Keep your price matching items separate from your regular items. It would actually be best to do them last so your cashier can be warned you will be price matching. Have the rules of price matching with you so that if you hit a snag, you can refer to them.

5. Save money!

How much have you saved at Wal-Mart price matching?

Meal Planning to Save Money

Growing up my parents went to the store almost every day. I guess they thought about what they wanted for dinner and went to the store. It wasn’t until I was older and started doing that myself that I was spending more at the store than I needed to. Then I stumbled into the amazing world of meal planning. I was amazed at how much money I started saving.

Meal planning helps in so many ways.

1. It helps you avoid impulse buying. If you go to the store every day you don’t just buy what you need for dinner, you end up buying things you don’t need.

2. You’ll avoid eating out. We all know eating at home is cheaper than eating out. I guarantee that you are more likely to eat out without a meal plan. I know anytime I don’t meal plan, we end up going out and spending a weeks worth of meals on our bill.

3. Less waste. When you meal plan you are more likely to use what’s in your pantry and freezer.

4. Save time. When you go to the store once a week or even twice a month, you save all that time you didn’t go to the store.

So how do I start meal planning?

Contrary to many beliefs, meal planning is quite simple and isn’t nearly as time consuming as some think it is. I hear all the time people say they don’t have time to meal plan. Personally I spend triple the amount of time on meals or going out when I don’t meal plan.

1. Pick one day a week that you will plan and shop. This is the easiest way to get it done. Pick a day you are usually home and just do it. You don’t need anything fancier than a pen and paper.

2. Look around your pantry and cupboards. Take a mental inventory of items you already have. It’s best to use what’s in there to save money.

3. Make a menu. Don’t worry about a list right now. Break it down by days and even breakfast, lunch and dinner if you prefer. We only plan dinners right now since we usually do leftovers for lunch.

4. Make a list. Once you have your menu, make a list from it.

5. Go shopping and make sure you have everything on your list. You don’t want to have to go back to the store. Our point is to save time.

Now you have everything for the week and you shouldn’t have to go back to the store. But, there are some tips to remember.

1. You don’t have to follow your menu religiously. Don’t feel like spaghetti tonight? That’s ok, switch it for Fridays meal. Even though you have a menu, you can be flexible.

2. If you are flexible make sure to cook foods first that may spoil. This especially matters if you cook with a lot of fresh vegetables like we do.

3. Save your menus. It’s hard to come up with new ideas every week or even ideas to rotate. So I always keep my menus so I can go back to them.

Do you meal plan? What’s your strategy for thrifty meals?