Budget Shoppers Are Cutting Grocery Costs With 8 A.M. 'Markdown Runs'
In a Reddit post, Redditor Owlyaking156 shared that they learned their grocery store marks down meat every morning at 8 a.m. They’d been shopping there for three years and they only happened to find out when they decided to shop early one Tuesday morning.
Now, markdowns are nice at any time of the day. But these ones in particular? They slashed prices by about 50% to 60%. That’s some major savings no matter who you are.
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How the Markdown Timing Strategy Works
Owlyaking156 wasn’t the only person to notice their grocery store marks down prices on meat. Many others had a similar experience. And it’s not just the meat prices that get slashed. Other perishables — like yogurt, produce and eggs — do, too.
So how does this markdown timing strategy work? Basically, grocery stores will sometimes put up special deals in the early morning. They’ll do this right after holidays, too. In both cases, the food is often marked with a yellow “clearance” sticker.
If you want to take advantage of these savings, you’ll need to shop early. Head to the store right when it opens for the best deals. You might have to hang around the section where you’re hoping to score some savings, but they’ll come — assuming your store participates.
“As someone who works in a grocery store the outright best time to shop is between 8 a.m. [and] 11 a.m.,” said Redditor Sedowa. “Fresh products like meat and vegetables from the previous day get marked down, fresh meat cuts and straight-from-the-truck produce is put out.”
Not all stores have these markdowns. On the other hand, some will have markdowns later in the day, so morning might not be your only option.
“Walmart (mine anyway) used to do a second markdown at 4 p.m. First come, first serve — so there might not be any left,” said Redditor Sparklyspooky.
You Could Save 50% or More
During that first Tuesday markdown, Redditor Owlyaking156 mentioned seeing slashed prices like:
Chicken thighs: from $8.40 to $3.90
Pork tenderloin: from $11 to $5
Ground beef: from $6.50 to $2.80
This wasn’t a one-time thing either. Like many others, the original poster has experienced this multiple times — four times in a row, in fact.
“I've gone four Tuesdays in a row now,” they wrote. “The selection varies a lot, sometimes it's great and sometimes there's not much, but the average savings have been somewhere around 50 to 60 percent off regular price.”
Owlyaking156 mentioned that their grocery store also does markdowns for the bakery.
How You Can Save More on Groceries
As per the USDA, the average family of four spends $1,002 on groceries a month. That’s living on a thrifty food plan.
If you want to cut costs, you’ve got options. A simple one is to check if your store does early morning or mid-afternoon markdowns. Asking an employee can get you this information.
But there are other ways to save, too.
“Focus on buying foods that can be used in multiple meals, so you can mix and match ingredients and stretch your budget further,” said Elisabella Ricca, consumer analyst at TopCashback. “Rotisserie chicken or eggs are great examples of high-value staples — they’re affordable, high in protein and can be used across several meals.”
If these foods are already on clearance, even better. Plan your meals around those marked down items. You can always freeze what you don’t use to preserve it for longer.
This article was provided by MoneyLion.com for informational purposes only and should not be construed as financial, legal or tax advice.
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