Grocery shopping can be a big expense for most households and families, especially due to the recent rise in cost of living. These days, the inflation is at an all time high of 7.8% here in Sydney, Australia.
As the cost of goods and services increases, it becomes more expensive to maintain the same standard of living. This can be especially challenging for families households, as they may find it more difficult to afford necessities like groceries. In order to mitigate the impact of high inflation on your budget, saving money on groceries is the key.
Of course, if you are living off one income or make less than $2000 a month, there are still effective ways you can manage your spending. On top of that, if you have spare time or energy, consider these low stress side hustles to increase your household income over time.
Apart from doing your weekly meal planning to avoid food wastage, shopping around for the best prices, using coupons, and buying in bulk are smart ways to save money on your weekly grocery shop.
My favorite way of getting the best grocery deals is by using mobile phone apps. Some apps such as Shopfully, Shopjam and Frugl help you find the best price for household staples, and money-saving coupons.
In this post, I will show you the best Android and iPhone apps to help you save money on groceries in 2023. Hopefully these apps will help you alleviate the stresses of dealing with high inflation.
11 Best Free Apps For Australians To Save Money On Groceries
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Nowadays, finding the best deals for your groceries is easier than ever using smart mobile apps! Instead of physically checking prices at various grocery stores, you can find the best deals by simply installing free apps on your mobile phone.
All of the apps in this guide are available for both Android and iPhone users in Australia.
1)Shopfully
One of the first free grocery apps available in Australia, Shopfully allows users to browse and compare prices at their local supermarkets, as well as access exclusive coupons and deals. Download the Shopfully App here to get started!
2)OzBargain
Ozbargain is a free app that features a range of discounts and deals on groceries and other household items, sourced from various retailers across Australia. Apple users can download the Ozbargain app here, while Android mobile phone users can download the app here.
3)Frugl Grocery
Enjoy lower prices for your groceries, while you choose healthier options with Frugl Grocery. This app helps users to find the cheapest prices on groceries and other household essentials by comparing prices at different stores.
Get more money in your pocket the next time you grocery shop by downloading the Frugl Grocery app here.
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4) Shopback
One of my favorite cashback apps ever, Shopback not only rewards you for retail shopping! When you order groceries online with Coles, Woolworths and Hello Fresh, you can save up to $20 cashback.
Get a bonus $10 to use towards your next online grocery shop when you sign up for Shopback. To learn more about how Shopback works, check out the complete guide here. You can also read my detailed review of Shopback to find out why it is my favorite cashback app ever!
5) Wise List
The Wise List app is the closest thing we've found to an Amazon-like grocery shopping experience in Australia, but with delivery instead of pickup or store delivery.
It allows you to build your shopping list on the app and then deliver it to a local ‘personal shopper' who quickly shops and delivers your groceries. The service is 5% on top of what you paid for items at the store, so it's not particularly cheap, but testimonials indicate that it can be worth it due to savings on your bills.
Compare grocery prices across supermarkets in Australia, get grocery delivery to your door and meal plan with the Wise List app today!
6)Shopa Docket
Shopper's dockets have helped Australians save money for over 34 years! You can find these nationwide at Chemist Warehouse, Target, Kmart, Big W and more. Check the back of your shopping docket for any available offers and present them to the cashier when you shop at the store. It's that simple.
Learn more about how Shopa Docket works and download the mobile app here.
7) SmartCart
SmartCart is a free Google Chrome extension that finds and applies sales and promo codes to any site you shop on, no matter how many people make those sales. It also gives you detailed product pricing and review comparisons across thousands of products so you always get the best deal for everything you need.
SmartCart also works on all major brands including Amazon, eBay, ASOS, Coles and Woolworths as well as Australian stores like Big W and Costco.
If you frequently shop for groceries online, definitely download SmartCart for free to start saving money on your grocery bill! According to this news article, customers save an average of $30-$35 per shop using SmartCart regularly.
9) Flybuys
If you ever shopped in Coles or Kmart, you will already be familiar with the Flybuys free app. Flybuys is a free app that helps you collect points on your weekly grocery shop. Whenever you shop at Coles, make sure to scan your Flybuys card within the Flybuys app. Once you reach 2000 points, you can redeem Flybuys dollars at Coles, Liquorland, Kmart, Coles Express and other participating stores.
The Flybuys app is not necessarily a coupon app, but it does reward you over time for shopping with Coles and participating stores.
Download the Flybuys app here for Apple and Android.
10) Half Price
The free Half Price app shows you all the half price deals from Coles and Woolworths, which saves you time and money within seconds. This Australian TikToker saves up to $50 a month on groceries using the free Half Price app, so it's definitely worth using!
Using the Half Price app on your phone, you will be able to find the cheapest groceries without the need to glean through catalogues.
Download the Half Price app for your iPhone or Android mobile phone.
11) ShopJam
Last but not least, ShopJam is the ultimate grocery shopping app every savvy Australian shopper should have! Not only does ShopJam let you store your shopping list, you can also manually add items or scan products using your mobile phone's camera on the app.
The best part is, ShopJam gives you the best price for all the supermarkets you live close to. This saves you the pain and effort of working out which store has the cheapest grocery deals. On top of that, when you scan items to add to your grocery list within the app, it even split them into separate stores and aisles to easily find items when you're shopping.
You can also share your shopping list to family members, so that you can shop at multiple stores at once for the best deals.
However, the ShopJam app is not without its drawbacks. The app does not give you price comparisons on home brands, fresh meat and other grocery items due to the difference in bar codes.
Download the free ShopJam app for an easier grocery shopping experience that also helps you keep more money in your pocket.(This app is only available for Android users at the time of writing).
Final Words
By using these free mobile apps, you can save money on your grocery bills and stretch your budget further.
Be sure to check for any exclusions or limitations on the coupons and cash back offers, and always remember to read the fine print. Happy saving!