If you’re like me, you will notice that the majority of your money (that isn’t being applied to student loans) is spent on FOOD.

I always like to have quite a few grocery options on hand, as you never know what may strike your fancy to eat during the week. I also tend to splurge on organic produce and specialty items. My mindset is that there is nothing more important than what you put into (and on) your body. Therefore, you have to buy quality items, and not cheap, processed foods.

However, my problem is that I don’t always have the budget to match my expensive tastebuds. This is why I am glad to have discovered the following apps, which definitely help to make grocery shopping more affordable. They also help to shape my meal plan by allowing me to preview sale items to include, as well as to remember to purchase and include seasonal produce.

Below are my Top 3 Money Saving Apps for Grocery Shopping:

1. The new Whole Foods App 7.0 version complete with DIGITAL COUPONS

I had NO idea this app existed until I was checking out at Whole Foods the other day. The very kind cashier told me about the digital coupons on this app, which I couldn’t wait to download. I felt like I had  been missing out, and I was right. This updated app is amazing. First, you add in your store and then you can scan the sales for the week.  The digital coupons are perfection. You select the ones you want by tapping them, which will add them to your barcode. The coupons are awesome too—-For example, one coupon for the week includes a free 16oz Peanut butter with any 10 dollar purchase. Another coupon is for 2 dollars off any Nutiva product. As I said, great coupons so far! Highly recommended!

2. The Cartwheel App for Target

Recently, I’ve been talking about this app to everyone. It’s another example of digital couponing, which is so perfect because it can be rather time consuming to cut coupons. On the few occasions when I’ve had a physical coupon, I’ve either forgotten to bring it with me, or lost it. That’s why it’s great to have a quick app to load with all of my savings included on it.

With this app, products are organized by categories, making it easy for the consumer to browse which products have savings associated with it. Another great feature is the scanning capability. This means that you can scan any item you may have picked up to see if there is an associated coupon. If there isn’t a coupon at that time, the app is likely to suggest a similar product that has a savings (if there is one).

Target is an excellent place to find healthy groceries. They have a good variety of fresh salsas, hummus, guacamole, organic produce (for cheaper), and interesting snacking options. They carry the Plum Organics line, which is great, and they try out many different products, so keep your eyes open!

3. The Grocery Pal App by Twicular

This app serves a variety of purposes. Once you put in your zip code, the app helps you find weekly sales at all of your local grocery stores, pharmacies, and other food vendors. They include a LOT of nearby markets, some I didn’t even know existed near me. This app can help you decide where to shop that week, based on the sales, or even allow you to plan your route as you hop between stores to get the best items at the cheapest prices.

Additionally, you can select coupons to print out. My favorite feature is the shopping list, which allows you to organize your items by store. This is super helpful to prevent you from being forgetful (like me) when shopping.

Hope you enjoy these free apps. Happy shopping everyone!!