How To Buy Discounted Groceries and Save Hundreds

We love shopping at our local salvage stores, it’s easily the number one way we save money on groceries as a family of 8! You can shop sales, use coupons and meal plan until the cows come home, but there is nothing like the money you save when shopping at salvage stores. Here’s everything you need to know!

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Shopping at Salvage Stores

After our first son was born, I was bombarded with advice on how to afford all the newborn necessities. Where I worked at the time, everyone seemed to have loved going to the local salvage stores.

I had very briefly remembered going with my aunt as a child, but hadn’t been to one as an adult. And to be honest, at the time I didn’t understand the hype.

Well, after parenting for almost a decade now while running a household, managing bills and a budget, and feeling a sense of drowning trying to afford groceries after our second son was born – I understood the hype!

So, What is a Salvage Store?

Locally, a salvage store is run by the Amish. These are stores that sell items that the big grocery stores can’t or won’t sell due to damaged boxes, expiration dates, dented cans, or even just overflow.

These stores have anything from cleaning supplies, kitchen gadgets, craft supplies, toiletries, baked goods, baking supplies, snacks, drinks, and even frozen foods.

The best part, these products are ALL at a discounted price! A lot of times, the prices are discounted to 50% or more of the original price.

What You Should Pay Attention to When Shopping at a Salvage Store

As mentioned before, salvage stores sell products that the big stores can’t or won’t sell. This could be due to damaged boxes, dented cans, or expiration dates.

Just recently as last week, I scored a GIANT tub of natural peanut butter that we use regularly. I was so happy with this purchase – until I got home. Unfortunately, this peanut butter was so discounted because the seal under the lid was already opened.

Dang, I wish I would have checked it!

What You Should Check Before Purchasing Products:

Expiration dates: Most products will have a “best by” date and this is simply because there are guidelines companies need to follow when selling food. For us, we will set a 3-6 month limit on products we will buy, depending on what it is.

See, if the product is packaged, it is still good to eat up to 3-6 months past the best by date. However, if this is a fresh, frozen, or refrigerated item, I don’t suggest going more than a couple of days.

Check seals and packaging: Many times we have found products that are not set to expire for months, but their boxes or cans are damaged. Usually, these products are pantry items that are already individually wrapped, so no harm done. Be sure to double, even triple check seals as they can be tampered with.

Watch for dented cans: Use caution when buying dented cans as this could be a health risk. A small dent is nothing to worry about, while a deeply dented can can post health risks.

Check prices: While this isn’t always the case, some items are priced the same as the big stores and may not be worth purchasing. Watch for sales on cereal in the big stores as they can sometimes be cheaper than buying from the salvage store.

If you see it and will use it, grab it: A big mistake I made recently was not grabbing a giant case of coffee based drinks when I had the chance. Less that $5 for a case that originally costs $34 at the big store! UGH!

For salvage stores, they get what they can but don’t have the same products every day/week. So, if you see something that you will use, grab it because it most likely won’t be there the next time you go.

Keep Google handy while shopping: There will be so many great finds at the salvage store, but you may not know if what you see is actually a good price. Be sure to keep google handy to check if what you are looking at is worth purchasing. It’s always a good idea to compare prices before committing.

Some of My Best Finds

One of our best finds at a salvage store was when our oldest son was just a baby. It was one of the first times we had gone and we found 2 giant unopened tubs of formula. The lid was broken but there was no damage to the seal. We scored big time that day! We all know formula is NOT cheap!

Just last week I found a 4 pack of shakes that cost $24 at the big store – I paid 99 cents for them!!

Protein bars are another big item – I found a bin of them that were only 20 cents each, originally between $2/$3 a piece.

My best salvage find of all time – Raos Spaghetti sauce! Normally somewhere between $7-9, I scored for only $1.29! I grabbed every jar off the shelf as fast as I could!

Now, I can’t always find these deals but shampoo and conditioner have been great finds as well! I just kinda pick what I think will work for me and throw it in the cart. When I google prices I see that the shampoo and conditioner are closer to $20 a piece while I have only paid $3 for them each.