How to Save Money with Grocery Sale Cycles (2024)

Jan 25, 2019 6 Comments The links in the post below may be affiliate links. Read the full disclosure

Grocery Sale Cycles for All 12 Months

In order to understand how to stockpile, it is important to understand sales cycles. Much like produce is seasonal, so is almost every item you purchase at the store.

Understanding when the products you purchase go on sale will allow you to strategically stock up on items throughout the year. You’ll then be able to build a stockpile for your family which will save you tons of money.

Sales Cycles by Month

January

Christmas clearance items:Not all stores are cleared out for Christmas the day after Christmas. Keep your eye out for Toys onclearance, wrapping paper, decorations, lights, ornaments, candy and much more. Look for the Target toy clearance sale in January too!
Health Products: Diet shakes,diet bars, vitamins, medicines for cold and flu season and smoking cessation medications.
Fitness Equipment: It is time to think about getting healthy again! You can find workout games,Fitness DVD’s,fitnessequipmentandfitnessmagazinesat great prices.
Quaker products: Look for a sale on Quaker products at your local grocery store and stock up on granola bars, oatmeal, and cereal for a great sale price!
Super Bowl Party: Super Bowl is around the corner and stores will start having sales on food and snacks. Looks for deals on soda, crackers, chips, dip, salsa, cream cheese, crackers, and cookies. This is also a good time to get anew TVif you’ve been looking for one.
Linens:Towelsandbeddingtend to go on sale.
Semi-annual sales: and Gap and many other stores in your local mall will start having sales.
Winter Clothes: Look forwinter clothesonclearanceand stock up for your kids, spouse or yourself for next year.
Storage Bins:Storage binsgo on sale every January. January is a great time to clean out the house and put things away.
Snow Sleds: Get great deals on gear for the Winter Snow.
Diapers for Babies:January usually brings a goodsale on diapersand other baby products. Albertsons usually runs a baby promotion in January.
Cleaning Products: Cleaning products tend to go on sale in January.

February

Valentine’s Day: Candy and chocolate, jewelry, flowers, cards.
Canned Food sales: Veggies, fruit, tuna.

March

Frozen Food Month: Which means you will find almost every variety of frozen food on sale at some point during the month!
St. Patricks Day: Find sales on corned beef, cabbage, and clearance deals on St. Patrick’s Day stuff after St. Patricks Day.
Easter: Find sales on ham, eggs, rolls and candy. Be sure to hit the clearance sales after Easter.

April

Easter clearance sales: Look for deals on candy, baskets, Easter decorations, etc.

May

Cinco De Mayo is coming so you will find sales on party foods, chips, salsa, tortillas.
Garden Supplies: Seeds, wheel barrows, gloves, tools.
Memorial Day: BBQ/Camping foods, BBQ sauce, hot dogs, ground beef, chips, Hershey’s Chocolate Bars, Marshmallows, Honey Maid Graham Crackers. Camping supplies will also be on sale. You will start to see bug spray, sunscreen, camping supplies, tents, coolers, BBQ Grills.

June

National Dairy Monthcomes in June which means you will find almost every variety of dairy food on sale at some point during the month!
BBQ/Camping supply sales:BBQ sauce, hot dogs, chips, capri sun.
Albertsons Gift Card Promo: There is usually a gift card promotion at Albertsons this month. You can buy $100 worth of gift cards and get $20 back in catalinas to spend on groceries. Use the money you’re saving for Christmas and buy gift cards to use later, get free groceries NOW.

July

4th of July BBQ foods hot dogs, charcoal, chips, mayo, drinks, ketchup, mustard, sunscreen, paper plates, cups, Hershey’s Chocolate Bars, Marshmallows, Honey Maid Graham Crackers.
School Supplies Sales: Some of the best school supply sales come in July. Look for deals on crayons, pencils, folders, binders, paper, scissors, hand sanitizer, Kleenex, pens, markers, paper, highlighters, scissors, notebooks.

August

More school supply sales: Crayons, pencils, folders, binders, paper, scissors, hand sanitizer, Kleenex, pens, markers, paper, highlighters, scissors, notebooks.
School lunch items: Snack packs, crackers, juice boxes, lunchables, lunch chips, granola bars, fruit snacks.
Kraft sale: Kraft will usually have a sale. Find items like cheese slices, macaroni and cheese, sandwich meat, crackers, cookies and more.
General Mills Sale: The General Mills cereal will go on sale and so will the cereal bars, cake mix, frosting, chex mix, pillsbury rolls, and fruit snacks.

September

Labor Day BBQ items and the end of school supply sales. Campbell’s sale, and more school food items on sale.

October

Halloween candy:Candy and more candy! You’ll start seeing toy sales and toy coupons this month too.

November

Halloween clearance items:Candy, costumes, decorations, etc.
Thanksgiving dinner and baking items: Turkey, stuffing, broths, condensed soup, rolls, boxed potatoes, frozen pies, gravy, canned veggies, cool whip, chocolate chips, canned pumpkin, flour, sugar, nuts.

December

Thanksgiving clearance items:Decorations, napkins, etc.
Christmas dinner and baking items:Ham, egg nog, Chex cereal, cake mixes, marshmallows, flour, butter, sugars, sweetenedcondensedmilk, pudding, evaporated milk,chocolatechips, corn syrup, baking powder, and salt.

Conclusion

It should be noted that sales cycles can change and you may find different stuff on sale during certain months. It’s great if you take notes on sales and prices so that you can be sure you’re getting the best price every time.

We also recommend simply printing this sales cycle sheet out and keeping a copy in your binder! That way you can makenotes on it as you learn more things about sale cycles!

By Cathy Yoder

FAQs

How to Save Money with Grocery Sale Cycles? ›

Start Slow with Loss Leaders

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Is it better to grocery shop weekly or monthly? ›

“A smaller household may find it better to shop weekly sales and to buy smaller amounts, to not only stay on budget but prevent food waste,” she said. “But if it's a larger household, it may pay to do bulk shopping less often, like on a monthly basis.”

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How many times a month should you go grocery shopping? ›

You'll definitely be spending more time making trips, and likely spending more money than you should. So, even if you're busy and have a hard time making time for a larger shopping trip, try to keep your store visits down to no more than twice a week.

Why do grocery store sales cycles matter? ›

Grocery store sales cycles inform consumers about the optimal times to purchase products at reduced prices, often aligning with the availability of seasonal foods, and are thus essential for cost savings and meal planning.

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What is the best day to go grocery shopping for sales? ›

You also need to know when to buy certain items. And timing is everything. “Wednesdays are the best day to shop for food, as this is when most supermarkets release new circulars, ensuring you have the first pick of the top deals,” said Woroch.

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What day is the cheapest to buy groceries? ›

Specifically, many experts advise shopping on Wednesday and Thursday. Going to the store during the middle of the week can allow you to get better prices because many stores restock their shelves at this time when their weekly deliveries arrive.

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What is the 6 to 1 food shopping method? ›

What is the 6-to-1 grocery shopping method? The 6-to-1 grocery method instructs shoppers to buy six veggies, five fruits, four proteins, three starches, two sauces and one fun item. Coleman says, “Anyone can use this method, anywhere, at any time.” He advises choosing foods that are on sale, in season and versatile.

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What is the most purchased grocery item in the US? ›

While pantry staples and foods like chicken, milk, and eggs are probably frequently found in your grocery cart, none of these products have the distinction of being named the top-selling grocery item in the country. Instead, that honor belongs to bananas. That's right!

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How much is too much for groceries per month? ›

Groceries, housing and other essentials should take up no more than 50% of your monthly income.

What day of the week is best to grocery shop? ›

The best days to buy groceries are Tuesdays and Wednesdays due to the lower volume of shoppers and the chance of getting the freshest produce. “Opting for midweek days, like Tuesdays and Wednesdays, can often be more budget-friendly,” said Hassa Sanders, founder of Diabetic Life Solutions.

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Why do sales start on Wednesday? ›

For example, retailers may offer discounts on Wednesdays to attract customers who are looking for mid-week deals. Thursdays, on the other hand, may be designated as clearance days when stores offer deeper discounts on overstocked or discontinued merchandise.

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Why do grocery stores sales start on Wednesday? ›

A majority of grocery stores around the country begin their ads mid-week, usually on Wednesdays. That gives customers plenty of time to plan their shopping, whether they're getting their groceries in the next day or so, that coming weekend, or even early the next week.

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What is the most important step in the sales cycle? ›

The Needs Assessment

This is arguably the most important step of the sales process because it allows you to determine how you can truly be of service. To be a highly effective salesperson, that is to sell to the prospect's needs, you first have to understand what those needs are.

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Is it OK to taste grapes before buying? ›

As long as you follow the proper etiquette, it is totally acceptable to make sure your potential bag of grapes is suitably ripe. In fact, some grocery store employees encourage people to test out the grapes prior to buying. Ask them if you can sample a grape to see if it's ripe enough, and they'll probably oblige.

What's the best day to shop at Walmart? ›

“A weekday morning, especially mid-week like Wednesday, is a great time to shop at Walmart,” said Melissa Cid, consumer savings expert for MySavings.com. “You're more likely to encounter a less busy store, stocked shelves and fresh produce and meats.

Is it better to go to the grocery store in the morning or at night? ›

Going early in the morning may also help you get fresh picks, she said. "There may be an abundance of food, especially in the produce aisle. If you're shopping for freshly prepared items they may run out if you shop later." Google can provide you with the busiest and slowest times for shopping at different stores.

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Is it better to grocery shop once a month? ›

Grocery shopping once a month has a ton of benefits for our family and helps us in the following ways: Save time—fewer grocery store trips. Save money—no grocery budget surprises plus the ability to buy in bulk. Less waste– fewer leftovers that get thrown out.

Should you go grocery shopping once a week? ›

“A smaller household may find it better to shop weekly sales and to buy smaller amounts, to not only stay on budget but prevent food waste,” she said. “But if it's a larger household, it may pay to do bulk shopping less often, like on a monthly basis.”

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How often does the average person go grocery shopping? ›

The average person makes 6 grocery store trips or orders per month. Additionally, on average, people shop at 2 grocery stores per week.

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Do people grocery shop every week? ›

The Habit: We go to the store more than once a week. Statista reports that Americans visit the supermarket 1.6 times per week.

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