Experts Suggest 5 Frugal Shopping Habits for Retired Boomers To Pick Up

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If you’re on a fixed income, it’s important to find ways to spend less when shopping. Sure, you may already check sale flyers and clip coupons, but you can do a lot more than that. There are plenty of creative ways to save money at the store that might not be on your radar.

If you’re willing to dedicate a little extra time and energy to the cause, you can be rewarded with savings that add up fast. This may allow you to have more room in your budget for fun extras or less stress about the amount of money you’re spending each month.

There’s no time like the present to get started. Here’s a look at several frugal tips that retired boomers and even younger folks can use to cut costs on every shopping trip.

Download Money-Saving Apps

“There are so many apps that will help you with daily expenditures and help you save money,” said Dawn-Marie Joseph, founder and president of Estate Planning & Preservation. “Google ways to save money on your phone or computer. I usually Google ‘free apps to save money on gas or groceries,’ etc.,” she said.

One app you might want to download is Flipp, which can help you save up to 20% per week on groceries. You can browse weekly digital flyers and search for items you need at 2,000 stores — i.e., Walmart, Kroger, CVS — add coupons directly to your loyalty cards and even make shopping lists in this app.

Additionally, the Fetch app offers rewards for taking pictures of your receipts. You’ll earn points for buying products from more than 600 brands — i.e., Betty Crocker, Cheerios, Cottonelle, Dove, General Mills — that can be cashed in for gift cards to stores like Amazon, Target, Starbucks and Panera Bread.

Find a Bulk Shopping Partner

“When shopping for daily essentials, you might think big bulk stores won’t work because you don’t need the quantities,” Joseph said. “Consider asking family members or someone close with you to split the cost and quantities.”

Technically speaking, Costco and Sam’s Club memberships are only supposed to be shared with members of the same household. However, you don’t need a joint membership to split purchases with others.

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There’s two ways to do this. Either you or your shopping buddy can purchase a membership, knowing that the member has to be present on every shopping trip and must pay at the register — or you can both get memberships and take turns shopping.

Regardless of how you structure your setup, the two of you can buy bulk items you both need — i.e., toilet paper, paper towels, snack foods, meat, eggs — and split them up. This allows you to enjoy the per-unit savings without having to buy more than you want.

Search for Secondhand Deals

Instead of shopping at traditional stores, Joseph recommended visiting local resale shops.

“Lately I have been shopping at high end furniture resale stores,” she said. “The bargains you can find are absolutely unbelievable.”

In addition to saving money, you’ll likely find more interesting and unique items at resale stores. This, combined with the ability to get things you need (and want) at a fraction of the price you’d pay in a big-box store, is a double win.

Comparison Shop

Identical or notably similar items aren’t always priced the same at different stores. However, Joseph said her kids taught her a trick that helps her save big.

“Take a picture of an item, whether in person or from a catalog with your phone,” she said. “Then go to Google and hit the little icon that looks like a camera.”

From there, she said to select the picture of your item and conduct a Google search for it. “It will show you the item and the prices you can purchase it for,” she said. “The results will shock you.”

Look for Senior Discounts

“One of the biggest ways boomers can save when shopping is by taking advantage of senior discounts,” said Michael Collins, CFA, founder and CEO at WinCap Financial. “Many stores and restaurants offer discounts for seniors, typically starting at age 55 or 60.”

Simply asking if the retailer or restaurant offers a senior discount can amount to serious savings.

“This discount can save retirees around $50-$100 per month, especially if they frequently dine out or shop at participating stores,” he said.

If you’re feeling shy about asking for a senior discount, try to work up the courage by thinking about the money you could save. And keep in mind that retailers won’t think twice about this, as it’s such a common request.

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