You’re not alone if you’ve talked to your neighbors or friends about making multiple stops to complete your weekly grocery shopping. It seems more shoppers in the United States are hitting multiple stores to save money — and sometimes going well out of their way to make those trips.
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And there’s a good reason so many families are trying to save money and hitting multiple stores — grocery prices are around 30% higher than four years ago, according to Forbes. Whether you call it grocery hopping or multi-site shopping, hitting multiple stores can save you big bucks when many consumers struggle to make ends meet amid higher prices.
According to the Wall Street Journal, which calls it “treasure-hunt grocery shopping,” here is what’s happening with many families in the U.S.:
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Shoppers bought groceries from an average of nearly 21 retailers between March 2023 and February 2024. That’s up 23% from the same months between 2019 and 2020.
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Shoppers are making about 8% more trips to different retailers to stay within budget.
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Consumers are traveling to cheaper ZIP Codes to shop.
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Consumers are using loyalty programs and promotions in greater numbers.
With trips to different stores and loyalty program rewards, some families said they save hundreds of dollars each month.
You also may be among the growing number of shoppers using more coupons when getting groceries. About two-thirds of the more than 8,000 American consumers surveyed by Advantage Solutions this past fall said they now lean heavily on in-store coupons, compared with the 33% who said they used them in 2021, according to the Wall Street Journal.
And those in-store coupons, along with cheaper prices on store brands and other promotions, are helping to bring shoppers to physical stores rather than filling their carts online.
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This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com: Here’s How ‘Grocery Hopping’ Can Save You Hundreds of Dollars Each Month
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