Sunday, February 17, 2013

Groceries=Cheap Gas!

Up until a few weeks ago, I had a well tested grocery shopping routine.  I first would go to the Aldi on Sterling Ave. to pick up the basic items I needed, then made my way across the street to Kroger to pick up brand name items and produce. This route was a great way to save money on groceries and gas by eliminating having to drive across town from one store to the next. After only a few months, I had this down to a science.

Recently the Aldi location on Sterling closed to support the opening of a larger and nicer Aldi store on University Ave. While I was excited about a new Aldi opening, this meant that my two stop routine was no longer possible. Because I was never a very loyal customer of Kroger I was willing to search for a new grocery store closer to the new Aldi. 

We receive grocery advertisements in the mail from the larger grocery store chains in the area. Although I don't typically shop there, Hy-vee's ad is the best produced and is the one I find myself reading at breakfast. Recently they have been advertising a new program called the Fuel Saver Card. By purchasing particular items, you can earn anywhere between one to 10 cents off a gallon towards your next gas purchase. Intrigued by this new program, I decided to make a stop at Hy-vee today after my routine trip to Aldi. Without even noticing, I saved five cents a gallon from my purchase of more than $50. If I had actually paid more attention to the items that qualified, I could have gained more points.



Points, or cents, you earn from the program are unlimited and you can use the card at any Caseys, Shell or Hy-vee Gas station. But here's the catch, the discounts expire 30 days after the purchase. Personally, I may never go over a dollar in savings, but with the way gas prices keep rising every penny counts.

I know other grocery stores have similar programs, but I feel that by gaining cents per item bought makes earning discounts far more obtainable. This program also gives customers who are not loyal to Hy-vee, like me, more incentive to choose Hy-vee over Kroger. It's really smart!

I'm going to make my next trip to Hy-vee in 29 days and fill up on gas the same day (so that I can still use the cents I earned today). I'm excited to see how much this program can save me!

4 comments:

  1. I had no idea this program existed, and it sounds like maybe one of the most beautiful things ever. Probably around every third time I need to get groceries, I go to Hy-vee, but with this new knowledge, I might have to choose them more often!

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  2. This is a great program and and a great idea on Hy-vee's part. They can really build loyalty with their customers with this program. I always love programs where you get something for just buying what I would normally buy. Knowing this now, I may change where I go grocery shopping! Thanks for the info!

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  3. Hyvee's ads ARE pretty! I haven't figured out exactly what makes them different, but they do stand out.

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  4. Kroger does a similar point system with Shell gas stations but the Shell in Campus Town is always one of the most expensive stations in around. I'm looking for an alternative way to save, and I'll be sure to try Hy-vee now. Thanks!

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