Bryan Blathers: Here’s How I Saved 100% at Safeway — $84.45 in Free Items!

As a diehard bargain hunter, it’s harder than ever to save money anywhere nowadays, but especially at the grocery store. I remember the days when I could easily save 75% or more at Safeway and King Soopers with manufacturer’s coupons on top of sale prices. (Does anyone remember when stores doubled and tripled coupons? Those were the days for cheapskates!)

I never paid full price for anything, but especially shampoo, toothpaste, deodorant and household cleaners. Unfortunately, so many new restrictive coupon and store policies have made it a challenge for “coupon clippers” to save big like they once did.

That’s why I wanted to share my recent bargain haul at Safeway — a total savings of 100%! I purchased four packages of 30-roll bath tissue and one container of oatmilk for a final total of $84.45. The oatmilk was a bonus offer loaded onto my shopper’s loyalty account. (Always check your Safeway account for surprise freebies! The offers vary by customer.)

However, how did I get 120 rolls of bath tissue for FREE? I did it by earning reward points through the shopper’s loyalty program. Safeway regularly offers bonus points on the purchase of select gift cards. In this case, Safeway offered 12x the points on the purchase of a $50 Wayfair gift card. Perfect timing for me, as I shopping for new furniture. I was already shopping at Wayfair, so why not pay with gift cards?

For every $50 gift card, I earned 600 reward points — 12 x 50 points. And the 30-pack bath tissue was available for 700 points! So, for every $50 gift card I purchased, I basically earned a FREE pack of toilet paper valued at $19.99. In the end, I purchased four gift cards for a total of 2,400 reward points and combined them with the existing points (400) on my account.

Note: The gift card bonuses do not automatically apply at checkout. You must first clip the digital coupon to your account. The offers change often, so it’s good to always check your account before shopping. You can find any gift card offers available in your account under “Special Offers”. 

I won’t need to purchase bath tissue for the next several years! (For the record, I’m sharing two of the packages with family members. Always share the wealth!)

Here’s my receipt from Safeway: (Please ignore the cat hair! I have furry helper with whatever I’m doing at home.)

The trick is to always check for bonus points at the grocery store on gift cards for those places you already shop or dine — Amazon, Target, Lowe’s, Apple, Chick-fil-A, McDonald’s, etc. It works really well, if you’re going to buy a big-ticket item or planning to spend a significant amount of money at said store or restaurant. You’re going to spend the money anyway, so why not earn rewards along the way?

Safeway and King Soopers regularly offer 4x the points on gift card purchases — just look for the digital coupon on your account. The exceptions are usually store gift cards and prepaid VISA or MasterCard gift cards. However, always review the exceptions before making a purchase, especially because gift cards cannot be returned or exchanged.

And, if you don’t redeem your points at Safeway for grocery or household items, you can always use them to save big at the gas pump. Safeway also has the option to redeem points to save up to $20 on your next grocery purchase.

Reward point bonuses on gift cards is one of the best and easiest ways to maximize your savings at the grocery store. Take a look at the gift card kiosk in-store and see what stores and restaurants you frequent often. That’s the time to stock up!

Do you have any money-saving tricks you use at the grocery store? Share them in the comments below!