Grocery Shopping Tips | Ultimate Grocery Shopping Guide

Get Paid For Buying Groceries In Canada

Grocery Savings Canada

How To Maximize Cash Back Buying Groceries Using Apps

Yesterday I reached out to my readers on Facebook to ask if they had noticed a spike in prices buying groceries in Canada.

Unfortunately, the answer was yes for many of them including our household which has seen a rise in costs since Covid-19.

I have definitely found an increase. Makes you think before you buy. – Crystal Norman- Facebook

According to CTV News, “No Food Category is immune” where the pandemic is causing rising costs in Canada.

“Prices are going up. In fact, with latest report coming out of StatsCan this week, the general inflation rate is barely at zero, while the food inflation rate is almost at three per cent,” Sylvain Charlebois, senior director of Agri-Food Analytics Lab at Dalhousie University, told CTV News Channel on Sunday.

What’s surprising though is how many Canadians aren’t taking part in the various ways they can earn or save money when buying groceries.

The prices here in Fernie are outrageous! Whenever the flyers come out, I do a list of things that I need that are on sale, combine them with coupons, price match, etc. – Bijie – Facebook

Although creating a grocery budget, meal planning, price-matching, Scanning Code of Practice are all great ways to save money, there are other options.

Meal Planning

Our groceries stay relatively stable but we eat primarily vegetarian meals.

Last weekend I cooked up a pot of white beans and this week that pot will be used in a Mediterranean White Bean Salad, Bruschetta topped with White Bean Paste, Tomato Chutney and a Balsamic Glaze, an open-faced Mock Tuna Salad on Toast (loaded with parsley from our garden) and added to both a Corn Chowder and a Peasant Cabbage and Tomato Soup.

One $3.99 bag of beans became most of the protein for 2 people for a week. – Mary C – Facebook

Buying Groceries In Canada Got A Bit Cheaper

Below I’ve compiled as many grocery saving apps or apps that pay you to grocery shop in Canada.

I wanted all of you to know that we use almost all of these apps in one form or another to help slash grocery costs.

With costs rising I hope that many Canadians will jump on the grocery app wagon and save money even if it is a few cents here and there.

Using many of the apps below it also allows you to double-up on other savings and rewards programs for even more savings.

Let’s have a look at how you can bump up the savings.

Double-Dipping

Some apps allow you to use the same receipt when uploading which means you get double the savings.

For instance, you can use your Checkout51 receipt to save money when buying groceries and use it on Caddle.

Double the savings is great, but what if you can triple the savings!

We do it all the time.

Credit Card and Rewards Cards

Double and triple the savings when buying groceries whenever you can.

If you use a credit card along with a loyalty card when buying groceries you can earn even more money back.

It may come back to you in points towards purchases in the store such as the PC Optimum program but it’s still savings.

In-Store Coupons

Using paper coupons or apps such as Save.ca and Groupon allow you to use coupons to save money when buying groceries in Canada.

Best Ways To Get Paid For Buying Groceries In Canada

From start to finish these are 13 ways we utilize online sources to cut grocery costs when buying groceries.

If you have ever wanted to slash your savings further look no further than any of the following deals for Canadians.

Let’s go.

1. Rakuten

Rakuten Canada

By far one of our favorite apps to get money back after buying groceries is Rakuten.

It has 1000’s of stores available to choose from especially if you buy some of your groceries online as we do.

Being that we eat a gluten-free, keto diet in our house (well Mrs. CBB mostly) she orders grocery products online.

  • Amazon Canada
  • Kiss My Keto
  • Natura Market
  • Hello Fresh
  • Prana
  • Walmart Canada

How does Rakuten Afford To Pay Subscribers?

Groceries aren’t the only way to get paid to shop as there are so many available stores that offer you a % back.

Rakuten gets a percentage of money just for sending you to their website and in-turn Rakuten offers you a percentage of what they are paid.

They also have an amazing referral program where you earn $25 cashback when your friend or family member joins.

Sign Up For Rakuten Here

2. Drop App

Coupon Savings Canada

The Drop App is relatively new in Canada and also available in the United States.

Like most apps, you’ll find the Drop App easy to use and perfect for saving money after buying groceries.

There are 3 ways to earn points

  • Games
  • Surveys
  • Shopping

How to use the Drop App;

  • Sign Up here and download the Drop App ($5 Bonus Link) or use my bonus code n5cx9
  • Link your bank card to access more offers
  • Spend with your card at Select Brands
  • Shop through the Drop App

Grocery stores such as Costco Warehouse, Hello Fresh, Uber Eats, Natura Market, Insta Cart, Door Dash, Voila by Sobeys

3. Checkout51

checkout51 app

One of the most popular online cashback apps that covers everything from groceries to health and beauty to alcoholic beverages.

Coupons took a nosedive a few years back and Checkout51 along with other coupon apps such as

The Checkout51 app also has store specific grocery deals for Costco Canada, Walmart Canada, Zehrs, Sobeys, IGA, Freshco, and more.

Lastly, Checkout51 also offers cashback if you watch short videos which may seem like only cents but they do add up when buying groceries.

Download Checkout51 Here

4. Caddle

Caddle App Canada

Buying groceries and saving money in Canada got a bit easier with the Caddle App.

Caddle is comparable to Checkout51 where new offers are loaded every Thursday.

After you download the Caddle app use my (Promo Code 320Q34MS52) for $1 Cash Bonus.

Based on Caddle offers available you get to shop at your favourite store then upload the receipt for cashback.

For example, for a limited time if you upload your grocery receipt you get cashback.

Here are some of the grocery stores they offer cash back when buying groceries in Canada.

  • Metro
  • FreshCo
  • Loblaws/Zehrs/Provigo
  • Giant Tiger
  • Food Basics
  • Super C
  • Costco Canada

The offers change often so you have to act on them before the expiry date.

Caddle also offers grocery coupon app savings similar to Checkout51 but certainly not as diverse.

However, if buying groceries and saving as much money as possible is your game, sign up for Caddle.

Lastly, Caddle offers short surveys you can take online with an instant cashback offer.

We’ve saved $100’s of dollars using Caddle so I’d highly recommend using the app.

Download the Caddle App Here

5. Nielsen Home Scan Canada

Shop, Scan and Earn Rewards in Canada Nielsen Home Scan Canada Panel

This is one of my favorite programs to participate in to save money after buying groceries.

I used the Nielsen Home Scan in the UK and was able to pay for a new refrigerator with my points.

The Nielsen Homescan Consumer Panel is made up of thousands of households across the country that have chosen to have their say and make a difference while earning great rewards.

By scanning the barcodes on their purchases and completing opinion surveys, Homescan® panelists truly make their opinions count in the Canadian marketplace, by influencing product manufacturers and retailers.

Nielsen is a global information and measurement company with leading market positions in marketing and consumer information, television and other media measurement, online intelligence, and mobile measurement.

You can read my full review of Nielsen Home Scan Canada here.

Sign up for Neilsen Home Scan Canada Here

6. Receipt Hog

Receipt Hog

What is Receipt Hog?

Receipt Hog is an opportunity to join an exclusive group of shoppers who get paid for uploading pictures of their receipts for market research.

Snap pictures of all your household receipts to earn Coins, Hog Slot Spins, and Sweepstakes Entries.

Earn bonus coins when you play the Hog Slots, win the sweepstakes, answer surveys, complete weekly bonuses and more.

Redeem your coins for cash or gift cards to Amazon, Visa, MasterCard, or PayPal.

How many coins do you get for each receipt?

You can upload 20 qualifying receipts each week.

  • Under $10  – 5 coins
  • $10-$50 – 10 coins
  • $50-$100 – 15 coins
  • Over $100 – 20 coins

Receipt images must be uploaded within 14-days of the instore transaction to be eligible for awards.

The minimum reward redemption is $5 which is pretty good grocery savings if you ask me.

Receipt Hog is available for use within Canada, the United States, and the United Kingdom.

Receipts obtained from within other countries will not be accepted

You can download Receipt Hog from Google Play or the App Store.

7. Ampli

Ampli referral

When you Sign up for Ampli first then enter my Promo Code: AMPLI5 and link your account you will get $5 Free Cash added to your balance.

  • Hello Fresh Spend $100 on your grocery meal plans and get 1% Cash Back
  • Rexall Pharmacy is listed but currently, I don’t have any offers
  • Well.ca is a great cashback option through Ampli for groceries if you shop online.

At Well.ca you can find everything from cereals, snack bars, pasta, oils, soups, grains, bread, beverages, butter, baking supplies, and more.

You can also shop from Rexall Pharmacy at Well.ca and have it delivered right to your door.

If you also use the app Rakuten Canada (formerly Ebates.ca) they also offer a 1% cashback offer when you shop at Well.ca

Read my full Amplii App Review Here.

Get The Ampli App Here.

8. Flash Food App

Flashfood App

 

I wanted to touch on the Flash Food App for a minute because it’s such a new program and underrated.

FlashFood offers ridiculously cheap grocery deals from No Frills and Loblaws stores across Canada.

Honestly, we use the Flash Food App all of the time and get fantastic deals on groceries that are near the expiry date.

You’ll find they even offer boxes of fruits and vegetables for as low as $5 which is what I love about this grocery savings app.

Here’s the best deal of all, if you refer your friend to the Flash Food App they get $5 and you get $7 towards your next Flash Food App purchase.

So, you see buying groceries in Canada gets a little bit cheaper when you refer your friends and family to the Flash Food App.

I have been using the Flash food app a few times. Latest was $9+, included a big box of fresh fruit $2.50 (bananas, avocado, apples, oranges, and pears), 2 x (12 pieces) pans ($2 each)of banana choc chip muffins, 2 pkg ($1.79 each) of large Tilapia fillets. It helps expand our variety and the budget.Mary D – Facebook

You can read my full Flash Food App Review Here.

Join the Flash Food App Here

9. Paymi App

Paymi App Cashback Canada
paymi app get more cashback for Canadians

No time for grocery shopping?

Download Or Sign-Up online For Paymi for Cash Rewards.

Simplicity and Deliciousness at your doorstep with HelloFresh a grocery delivery service and meal plan all in one.

If you’re someone who is not confident in the kitchen or has limited time Hello Fresh is the perfect option.

With Paymi they offer a $10 Cash Back offer when you shop with a connected Hello Fresh Card.

That means once you sign up for Hello Fresh you use your Paymi App that directs you straight to your Hello Fresh online order plan.

HelloFresh packs the recipe and the ingredients and delivers it right to your door.

Buying groceries this way saves time, no food-waste, flexibility, money savings as you’re not buying more than you need and it’s stress-free.

You’ll find many other options to earn cash back on groceries as they are offered in your area as well, eating out with Skip The Dishes, Mary Browns, Burger King, etc.

10. Reebee

Flyer Apps Canada

The weekly grocery flyers have always been a source of grocery savings for Canadians.

By downloading the Rebee app you browse flyers for great deals, find the best prices then add the items to price match with ease.

You can also tap a deal on the flyer, add it to your grocery list or share it on social media or through email.

Buying groceries and saving money doesn’t always mean getting cashback it also means keeping cash in your pocket from the start.

I use Reebee and my PC points to keep on top of sales, etc. and then try to do a meal plan for the next two weeks.Tanya M – Facebook

You can download the Reebee App from the Google Play Store and the App Store

11. Flipp App

Flip App Canada

Flipp is your one-stop app for grocery shopping savings and deals from over 1000 retailers all over Canada.

It is the most popular grocery comparison site in Canada where you can source the best prices and deals for your budget.

You can also source deals via the trending page on the Flipp app and use notifications to get alerts for hot deals in your area.

Available on the App Store and Google Play

12. Great Canadian Rebates

great canadian rebates

We use Great Canadian Rebates (GCR) often for online purchases to save money when buying groceries and other items.

Stores such as Walmart Canada, Well.ca,  Natura Market, Hello Fresh, and more offer you money back for buying groceries.

By joining Great Canadian Rebates as we did you get to enjoy all of the best savings rebates in Canada.

It’s great to have different savings apps because you can compare which one offers the best rebate.

Practically every purchase made through Great Canadian Rebates will qualify for a Cash Back Rebate.

You must have or are willing to sign up for Paypal which is how they pay you monthly pending your rebate amount.

They also have an excellent referral program where you earn money when your referrals shop up to 3 years.

Overall, we use it when we can get a higher cashback % over any of the other apps. Worthwhile, You Bet!

Sign up to get in on The Great Canadian Rebates.

13. My Points

 

Earn points while shopping at your favorite stores.

Open to US and Canadian residents.

MyPoints members get up to 40% back with every purchase at 2,000 top retailers such as;

  • Walmart
  • Best Buy
  • Home Depot
  • Amazon Canada or Amazon USA

How My Points Works

Shop just like normal but start your trip by clicking to your favorite retailer from MyPoints.

Earn up to 25 Points per dollar spent on your purchases.

Redeem your points for Amazon gift cards or 75+ other retail and restaurant partners.

Join My Points Here.

Buying Groceries And Saving Money Takes Effort

Overall, there are many ways to get paid for buying groceries in Canada whether it be from using an app to price matching deals.

The only catch to get paid for buying groceries is that you have to do the work to ensure you get paid or save money.

Every dollar you save is money in your pocket.

Discussion:  What are your favourite apps to use when buying groceries to save money?

Leave me your comments below and if there is an app I’m missing let me know and I’ll add it once I review it.

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5 Comments

  1. InterestIng article, but I am still annoyed at all these bonus opportunities for people with expensive phones ! Flash Food was my first rant, now Save on Foods has Darrels Deals (often fairly good) but again ONLY FOR THOSE WITH
    EXPENSIVE AND CONFUSING PHONES. Yes I have spoken with Canadian Superstore but was told (in nicer language) that was just too bad for me!! Yes I have a (older) computer but it takes up a lot of desk space and would not be going with me to the checkout for app use. Could I get a fancy phone?? possibly, with saving. But why should I have to do that to become eligible for cheaper food prices? 2nd rant!! ann lee s

  2. Hi Mr.CBB,
    I had no idea that there were so many Canadian apps that you could potentially use to save money on groceries.
    We already use Checkout51 and love Rakuten for almost everything we purchase online.
    The Flash App is one that I’m definitely going to sign up for as I was not aware of it.
    Can you shop all over with the Flash Food app or only the city you live in?
    Thanks for sharing such an in-depth post.

    Karean Hall

    1. Hi Karean,
      Thanks for sharing your experience with Rakuten and Checkout51 to save money when buying groceries.
      We love the Flash Food App and certainly hope you check it out.
      You can get all sorts of grocery items for 50% or even more sometimes off the price.
      Yes, you can use the Flash Food App in any city.
      So, if you are visiting someone out of town or on holidays and plan on cooking in a hotel room (example) you can use the app to shop.
      I hope that answers your question.
      Best of luck saving money!
      Mr.CBB

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