CLEVELAND — Rachel Krych, a mother of three and founder of the website Couponing with Rachel, has built a following by teaching others how to stretch their grocery dollars using a mix of coupons, store apps, and good old-fashioned planning.
“One of the biggest budget busters people make with their grocery spending is they don’t prepare,” Krych said. “You need a plan before you walk into the store.”
That plan often includes a printed grocery list, a store circular, and mobile apps—tools she says are essential for tracking deals and finding hidden savings.
On a recent shopping trip to Giant Eagle, Krych demonstrated how digital coupons, such as buy-one-get-one-free offers, can cut meat prices nearly in half. And if the cut on sale isn’t what you need? Ask the butcher.
“You can take it to the counter and ask them to cube it or slice it thinner,” she said.
Krych also advises shoppers to think beyond the sticker price. Deals like “10 for $10” often allow you to buy fewer items while still securing the discount.
“You don’t always have to buy all 10,” she said. “Most stores will just charge a dollar per item.”
Her biggest advice? Stock up when it makes sense—especially on nonperishable items or family favorites.
For families looking to start saving, Krych says it begins with awareness. Tracking weekly deals and being flexible with brands or store selection can add up fast.
Her final message: Never pay full price if you don’t have to.
Grocery prices continue to strain household budgets—and that's exactly why we’ve launched a weekly price tracker to help you save before you shop.
Each week, we’ll visit Meijer, Giant Eagle, Aldi, Walmart, Heinen's and Dave's Market, checking prices on everyday essentials.
Those include: 2% milk, a loaf of wheat bread, chicken price per pound, ground beef tray or patty per pound (80 lean 20 fat), 12 dozen white eggs, and toasted oats cereal.
This week, Aldi came out on top with the lowest total, just $17.76 for our six staple items. This is up $2.28 from last week.
If you're willing to shop around, you can snag even deeper discounts on meat, dairy, and pantry goods—especially when you factor in this week’s bonus deals.
We’re also giving you a chance to see how your favorite stores stack up week to week. We’ll compare how grocery prices change at each store each week.
Here's how prices compare across stores this week and the brands for easier shopping:
Meijer
- Milk 2.73 (2% Meijer Brand)
- Bread: $1.49 (Fresh and Soft Wheat Bread)
- Chicken: $2.49/lb (Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts)
- Beef: $5.29/lb (Certified Angus 80/20 Ground Beef)
- Eggs: $4.99 (Penny Smart Grade A)
- Cereal: $1.89 (Toasted Oats Meijer Brand)
Notable Deals:
- 10 for $10 Chobani Flip Yogurts
- Mother’s Day Flowers: Mixed arrangement for $14.99
Giant Eagle
- Milk: $2.99 (Store Brand)
- Bread: $1.99 (Store Brand Wheat Bread)
- Chicken: $3.65/lb (Nature’s Basket, 2 for $7.29 deal)
- Beef: $5.99/lb (80% Ground Beef)
- Eggs: $4.99 (Crystal Spring, 12 ct)
- Cereal: $2.99 (Toasted Oats, Giant Eagle Brand)
Notable Deals:
- Buy 2, Get 1 Free on Pepsi products
- Buy 2 cereals, Get 3 free (Starting Thursday)
- Buy 2 Bob Evans side dishes ($9), Get a free rotisserie chicken (starting Sunday, $6.99 value)
- Tulip bouquets: $8.99 for Mother’s Day
Aldi
- Milk: $2.99 (Friendly Farms 2%)
- Bread: $1.49 (L’oven Fresh Wheat, 20 oz)
- Chicken: $2.49/lb (Boneless Skinless Fillets)
- Beef: $4.59/lb (80% Lean Ground Beef)
- Eggs: $4.35 (Goldhen)
- Cereal: $1.85 (Millville Crispy Oats)
Notable Deal:
- Mother’s Day bouquet: $10.99
Walmart
- Milk: $2.38 (Great Value 2%)
- Bread: $1.42 (Great Value Wheat)
- Chicken: $5.57/lb (Perdue Thin-Sliced, No Antibiotics)
- Beef: $6.33/lb (Ground Chuck Tray)
- Eggs: $3.94 (Large White, same price as Cage-Free)
- Cereal: $1.67 (Great Value Toasted O’s)
Notable Deal:
- Fresh-cut carnations: $10.97 for Mother’s Day
Heinen’s
- Milk: $3.19 (Heinen’s 2%)
- Bread: $2.99 (Schwebel’s Whole Wheat)
- Chicken: $1.41/lb (Gerber Boneless Skinless Thighs)
- Beef: $7.06 each (80% 1/3 lb. Patties)
- Eggs: $4.79 (Heinen’s Cage-Free)
- Cereal: $3.00 (Cheerios – 2 for $6)
Dave's Market
- Milk: $2.99 (Farm Fresh)
- Bread: $2.39 (Dave’s Brand; OR 2 for $5 Dave’s Split Top Wheat)
- Chicken: $2.99/lb (Store Brand)
- Beef: $5.99/lb (Natural)
- Eggs: $4.99 (Dave’s Eggs)
- Cereal: $4.99 (Honey O’s OR 2 for $8 Cheerios)
Notable Deals:
- 2 for $5 Dave’s Bread (Save $2.89)
- Buy 4, Get 4 Free Gatorade
- Buy 2, Get 1 Free Pepsi Products
- 2 for $8 General Mills Cereals (Cheerios)
From buy-one-get-one-free meat deals to cereal under $2, our Don’t Waste Your Money team will be keeping an eye on store shelves and sharing what we find.
Find a better deal? We want to hear from you! Submit your finds through the form below. If you beat our prices, we’ll feature them.
And if you’re a savvy shopper, always chasing the best deals, we may even join you on your next grocery run.
