How Ordering Groceries Online Could Actually Help You Save Money

One of the reasons people avoid using grocery delivery services like Instacart or GrubHub is because of excessive fees or upcharges on goods. We're here with great news, though: If utilized properly, ordering your groceries online can actually help you save money because it's easier to keep track of your cart total.

When you're doing your grocery shopping online, your total updates as you add items to the cart. That sum might appear as you shop, or you can click on the cart to see how much you're spending so far. In a physical grocery store, on the other hand, you might have a rough estimate of how much you're spending, but no exact total, and it's easy to get distracted or lose track of how much you're spending as you give in to impulse buys. It's also easier to remove superfluous items (leaving items at the checkout is so awkward) and you can even compare prices across multiple stores to make sure you are getting the best deal. 

Online grocery shopping does more in the way of saving your money than curbing impulse purchases and allowing you to check on your cart total as you're adding items. When you search for a specific item, even a specific brand, grocery shopping apps typically give you all the options that fall into that category. This can lead you to less expensive versions that you might have overlooked in the store.

There's also the fact that some retailers offer special "online only" savings to customers. For example, Sam's Club — which doesn't take coupons — designates certain items as eligible for "Curbside & Delivery Savings," special discounts that apply only to orders placed on the app or website.

There is also the convenience factor. When time equals money, you can "buy back" precious hours of your life by delegating the shopping and transport of groceries to someone else (if only unpacking and putting them away were part of the service!). And if grocery delivery, which includes tips and service fees, is too expensive for you to include in your budget, pick-up options are a great middle-ground, as the associated fees are often much less, and you don't have to worry about tipping a delivery person.