One thing that inflation definitely impacts is consumables. Groceries and fuel are the two biggest areas that people feel the pinch the most, especially when the increase gets in the range of 10 percent or more. And in some cases like meat it has gone up as much as 20 to 30 percent. That said, there's no reason why anyone should be paying full retail for the cost of food. In fact, if you are, you are literally leaving hard-earned money on the table for no good reason. Fortunately, there are a number of digital ways that you can reverse this quickly.

In-Store Loyalty Programs

Most big grocery stores now have a loyalty program. They actually find them extremely useful for marketing feedback and research, especially as to what products are selling which ones are not. Shelf space is limited, so stores only want to be carrying what is going to move and generate income versus collect dust. This is the big difference between chain stores and mom & pop places that have all sorts of weird stuff for sale. If you go to one of these big stores regularly, it's worth checking in to see if they have a loyalty program, particularly one with an app. Almost always, they will have a digital coupon program, and the savings can be as much as 10 to 40 percent on what one buys. Plan your groceries well, and you can regularly reduce your grocery bill by as much as $50-70 a visit. In addition, frequent customers get additional coupons and bonuses to return, which add to the savings. I tend to prefer the cash bonuses that I can apply directly to my next grocery bill versus points. 

Ibotta App

Among the grocery apps available on a phone or mobile, Ibotta has been a long-standing player. Based in Colorado, the company tries to work with all the big players, including Costco for example, and produce coupons. Since the big inflation problem began two years ago, coupons in general have become a bit scarce, but Ibotta has continued to provide a laundry list of benefits and savings bonuses. The app pays collected savings in cash to PayPal account, so make sure to have that set up ahead of time.

Fetch

A bit different from the above, Fetch provides points for buying specific grocery products as well as for receipts in general. Unlike Ibotta, Fetch can be used for all types of receipts, from restaurants to gas stations as well. The nice thing about Fetch is that the points can then be turned into gift cards. I use my regularly to generate Amazon gift cards which I then funnel into my Amazon gift card balance online.

ReceiptPal

A third player in the receipt scan bonus arena, ReceiptPal works similar to Fetch with points for receipts. Unlike Fetch though, ReceiptPal gives a set point amount for every valid receipt. Receipts can range from department and hardware stores to gas stations to groceries. Once you hit the set amount, you can withdraw the point value as an Amazon card or as Paypal. I choose Amazon on this one again since its easier, less point value needed and works smoothly.

It's Your Money, Don't Waste It

Again, you decide what you spend on groceries, not the stores. By taking advantage of available discounts and savings, you make your money go farther and produce added benefit for your life. Buy smart and it can quickly become a productive habit which helps you find additional discounts all over the place.

All images in this article were used free from PikWizard.