Knowing how to properly search for sales and discounts on groceries is one of the most important skills for reducing your grocery bill in Edmonton. Instead of blindly going to the store and paying full price, people who want to save money develop a system that allows them to consistently get groceries at significant discounts. The good news is that in today's world, this no longer means collecting coupons from newspapers or waiting in line at the checkout with a stack of paper. Instead, there is a whole arsenal of apps, websites, and strategies that make finding deals as easy as scrolling through your smartphone. Let's take a closer look at how the deal-finding system works in Edmonton and how you can use it to maximize your savings.
Flipp — your digital guide to all the deals in town
Flipp is undoubtedly the most popular and well-known tool for finding food deals in Canada, including Edmonton. It's a free app (available on both iOS and Android) that aggregates digital flyers from more than 2,000 stores across Canada. Instead of searching through thousands of physical flyers distributed in mailboxes, you simply open Flipp, enter your location, and the app shows you all the current deals at stores near you.
When you open Flipp in Edmonton, the app shows you flyers from Walmart, Real Canadian Superstore, Save-On-Foods, FreshCo, Safeway, No Frills, Giant Tiger, Costco, and many other stores. Each flyer is updated weekly, usually in the middle of the week when new promotions take effect. This means you can see what items are on sale this week before you even leave your house.
However, the real power of Flipp lies not just in browsing flyers. The app allows you to search for specific items and see which stores have them on sale and for what price. For example, if you need milk, you type “milk” into the search bar, and Flipp shows you all the stores in Edmonton that have milk on sale at that time, with the exact price and store name. This allows you to compare prices between Walmart, Superstore, and other stores without any extra work.
One of Flipp's most useful features is the “stick” or “circle” feature. When you see a promotion that interests you, you tap the small plus (+) or circle the item, and it is automatically added to your digital shopping list. Then, when you go to the store, you have a ready-made list of all the deals you want to buy, and you can show that list to the cashier for price matching.
Price Matching: A Technique That Can Save You Hundreds of Dollars a Year
Price matching is a strategy that allows you to shop at one store but pay a competitor's prices if they are lower. At first glance, it sounds simple, but it's actually a powerful savings technique that many people in Edmonton don't fully understand. Not all stores offer price matching, and those that do have different policies, so it's important to understand which stores do it and under what conditions.
Real Canadian Superstore is one of the biggest players in Edmonton that offers price matching. They will match competitors' prices if you show them a competitor's flyer. However, it's important to know that Superstore limits price matching to four items per order. This means you can get a price match for four items, but no more. In addition, they don't price match all stores — they have a list of authorized competitors that they are willing to match. As of mid-2025, the list includes Walmart, Save-On-Foods, FreshCo, and a few other stores.
No Frills (which is also owned by Loblaws, like Superstore) also offers a Won't Be Beat policy. They will match a competitor's price if you show them the competitor's digital or paper flyer while the flyer is valid. Like Superstore, they have limits on the number of items, although the details may vary.
FreshCo offers a Lowest Price Guarantee policy, where they don't just match a competitor's price — they even go 1 cent cheaper. That means if a competitor offers milk for $5.99, FreshCo will give it to you for $5.98. It's a small difference on one item, but if you do this for several items per week, it adds up.
Giant Tiger also offers an Ad Match Guarantee, where they will match or even beat (by 1 cent) competitors' advertised prices. Unlike some other stores, Giant Tiger does not typically limit the number of items for price matching, making them one of the best options for those who are serious about price matching.
However, it is important to understand the limitations of price matching. Stores typically do not match prices on items on sale on a specific date (e.g., “buy one, get one” offers), they do not match prices on items that are clearly misprinted in a competitor's flyer, and they reserve the right to refuse to match if they believe the advertisement contains errors.
The most important tactic for effective price matching is to use Flipp. Browse the flyers of several stores, circle all the promotions you are interested in on Flipp, and then give the cashier your Flipp with the selected items. The cashier or manager will be able to quickly check the prices and apply the price match. Reddit users from Edmonton report that with this strategy, they were able to reduce their bills by 40-50% by shopping at one store (often Save-On-Foods, which is more expensive) but paying the cheaper prices of competitors.
Loyalty Programs and Reward Cards: Free Money You're Leaving on the Table
Most major stores in Edmonton have loyalty programs that allow you to earn points for every purchase. These points can then be redeemed for discounts or free merchandise. The problem is that many people don't fully understand how to maximize these programs.
PC Optimum is a loyalty program from Loblaws that includes Real Canadian Superstore, No Frills, Shoppers Drug Mart, and other stores. When you shop at any of these stores, you earn points that can be redeemed for discounts. The base rate is about 1 point per dollar, although different stores have different rates. For example, at Shoppers Drug Mart, you can earn up to 15 points per dollar.
The key to maximizing PC Optimum is understanding when to use your points. Every 10,000 points gives you $10 off your groceries. However, Shoppers Drug Mart sometimes offers bonus redemption days, when 10,000 points can get you $15-16 off instead of $10. If you keep an eye out for these special days and wait to redeem your points on them, you can get 50% more value.
In addition, PC Optimum allows you to receive personalized offers based on your purchase history. When you open the PC Optimum app, you can see offers that have been selected specifically for you — for example, “save $2 on milk” or “get 10 extra points on any meat purchase.” These personalized offers are often much better than the general offers available to everyone.
You'll need to register your loyalty card in the app. Instead of carrying a physical card and risking leaving it at home, most stores now allow you to provide your phone number during registration, and the cashier can look up your account using that number. This means you'll never lose points, even if you forget your card.
Cashback Apps: Get money back on items you already want to buy
In addition to loyalty programs, there is a whole class of apps that allow you to get cashback on purchases you already plan to make. This means that after you order and pay, you upload your receipt to the app, and the company returns a percentage of what you spent.
Checkout 51 is one of the most popular cashback apps in Canada. The app updates its list of offers weekly (usually on Thursdays), which includes offers from popular brands. You choose the offers you are interested in, make purchases (from any store, not necessarily in one place), then upload your receipts to the app, and Checkout 51 returns cash to you. The minimum withdrawal amount is $20, and they send you a check by mail after you have accumulated enough.
For example, this week Checkout 51 might offer: “Get $1 back when you buy Lactantia butter,” “Get 50 cents back when you buy any yogurt,” and “Get $2 back when you buy organic eggs.” If you plan to buy these items anyway, you might as well select the offers in the app and get cash back.
However, it's important to understand that offers are limited in quantity. Once a certain number of people have selected an offer, it ends. Some users recommend setting a reminder on their phone for Thursday night to check new offers as soon as possible, as popular offers (especially on meat and dairy products) can sell out within an hour or two.
Save.ca is another savings app that allows you to browse flyers, clip coupons, and get cashback offers, all in one place.
Flashfood, Food Hero, and Too Good To Go are specialized apps that allow you to purchase discounted food items that are approaching their “Best By” date. This is discussed in more detail below.
End-of-day markdowns: when to get real significant discounts
One of the least savvy but very effective tactics for finding deals is to visit the store at the end of the day, around closing time. Many stores in Edmonton mark down meat, baked goods, flowers, and other perishable items a few hours before closing so they don't have to leave unsold products on the shelves until the next day.
At the meat counter, this can mean discounts of 30-50% on fish fillets, ground meat, and other cuts. In the bakery section, baked goods are often marked down at the end of the day. Even fresh vegetables can sometimes be discounted if they are close to their expiration date.
However, note that these discounts are not always advertised. You need to physically go to the store at the end of the day to see them. A trip to the meat counter 30-60 minutes before closing often gives you the biggest discounts. Also, if you see a product that is being discounted, it is best to buy it right away, as discounted items often sell out quickly.
Some people in Edmonton also report finding great discounts on meat and fish during Happy Hour, which some stores offer from 3-6 p.m. On some days, one type of meat is included in the happy hour special, which is significantly lower than the regular price.
Digital coupons and coupon websites
In addition to Flipp, Checkout 51, and Save.ca, there are several other places to find digital coupons and deals on groceries in Edmonton.
Websaver.ca is a website where manufacturers and brands provide digital coupons. You can download Websaver as an app or use the website on your smartphone. When you find a coupon you want to use, you download it, and when you check out at the store, the cashier scans your phone number or email and applies the coupons to your bill. Unlike paper coupons, you don't have to remember anything — they are simply applied automatically.
The Coupons App and Go Coupons are two other popular apps for finding coupons from manufacturers and brands. They do the same thing as Websaver, but with different manufacturers and brands.
Specialized apps for cheap groceries: Flashfood, Food Hero, and Too Good To Go
If you don't mind buying groceries that are close to their expiration date, these three apps can give you discounts of up to 50-60% on fresh produce, meat, fish, bread, and other items.
Flashfood is an app that partners with Loblaws stores (Real Canadian Superstore, No Frills, Loblaws) and other independent stores in Edmonton. They show you a photo of a specific product that is close to its expiration date and the discounted price. You can select the items you want, pay for them in the app, and then pick them up at the store in a special refrigerator near the customer service desk. Discounts range from 25% to 60% depending on how close the item is to its expiration date. The commission is 5% of the order (max. $2.99).
Food Hero is a similar service, but partners with Sobeys (Safeway, IGA, Thrifty Foods) and other stores. It offers discounts of 25% to 60% on items that are nearing their expiration date. The commission is a fixed $1.79 after the first three orders.
Too Good To Go is an app that mainly partners with restaurants and cafes, but also works with some grocery stores and bakeries. They offer “mystery bags” — bags of food that have a stated “expected value” (e.g., $15 worth of food), but you pay much less (e.g., $4.99). You don't know exactly what will be in the bag until you unpack it at home, but it often includes fresh produce, baked goods, and other items.
H&W Produce: a local alternative for saving money on fruits and vegetables
There is a local chain of stores in Edmonton called H&W Produce that specializes in fresh fruits and vegetables at prices that are often 50% less than large chain stores. H&W has five locations in Edmonton and is a locally owned and operated business.
People in Edmonton constantly praise H&W on Reddit for its incredible vegetable prices. For example, one user reported spending $33 at H&W and getting two large bags of fresh vegetables, while the same amount at Superstore would cost about $150.
H&W also offers weekly specials, which they announce on their Facebook page. If you follow them on Facebook, you can see what's cheap this week and plan your shopping there every week.
In addition, H&W has a program where if you spend more than $30, you get a bonus item for free. Because of this, some people make it their primary choice for fruits and vegetables, even if they then go to other stores for the rest of their needs.
The best time to shop: the best strategy
Research shows that the middle of the week (Tuesday-Thursday, especially Wednesday) is the best time to go to the store to get the best prices and the least crowds.
The main reason is that most stores start their new weekly promotions in the middle of the week, usually on Tuesday or Wednesday. New flyers are distributed, new price tags are placed on the shelves, and old promotions from the previous week are often still valid (allowing you to get a “double discount”). In addition, store clerks go around the shelves with discounts on items that remained unsold at the old price promotion.
Furthermore, Tuesday through Thursday are the least crowded days for shopping compared to the weekend. This means faster checkout lines, less stress navigating the store, and, importantly, fewer temptations for impulse purchases.
As for the time of day, morning (right after opening) and late evening (1-2 hours before closing) are ideal times. In the morning, the shelves are fully stocked with new products and fresh discounts from the middle of the week. Late evening is when the store marks down meat, baked goods, and other perishable items so they don't stay in the store overnight.
In contrast, weekends (especially Saturdays and Sundays) are the most popular days, when crowds are large, selection is often limited (especially on major promotions), and checkout lines are much longer. If you can avoid weekends, you'll not only save time, but you'll also likely spend less money due to less shopping stress and impulse purchases.
Strategy for building a shopping list based on sales
Instead of deciding what you want to cook this week and then going to the store and paying full price, the most effective strategy is to build your weekly plan around what's on sale this week.
When trying out this strategy, here's how it works:
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On Tuesday or Wednesday, when new flyers become available, you open Flipp and browse the sales at all stores.
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You mark all the items you're interested in and look for ideas for dishes with those ingredients.
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For example, if tomatoes are cheap this week, you plan to make tomato sauce. If eggs are on sale, plan a meal where eggs are the main ingredient. If chicken is cheap, then barbecue or roast chicken is planned for this week.
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You make your shopping list based on these sales and cheap items, rather than what you usually cook.
This strategy allows you to always cook low-cost meals and get the most out of every dollar. People who use this tactic often report cutting their bills in half compared to those who just go to the store with a fixed list.
Avoiding mistakes when searching for sales
Once you become a pro at finding sales, it's also important to understand the common mistakes people make.
First, not all “sales” are actually real discounts. Sometimes stores raise the price of an item and then announce a sale that is actually lower than usual but still higher than the original price. This is especially common with items that don't have digital flyers or competitive prices to compare.
Second, don't be tempted by sales on items you don't need. A 50% sale on chips is still more expensive than their regular price if you don't need them for your lunch plan.
Third, be mindful of product size. Sometimes a “sale” on a larger size appears cheaper, but when you look at the cost per unit, it is more expensive than the smaller size without the sale.
Fourth, don't forget about your time. If you spend hours searching for the perfect deals, the cost of your time should be taken into account. For most people, an effective strategy is to spend 15-20 minutes browsing Flipp on Wednesday-Thursday and visiting the store once with a shopping list, rather than making several trips throughout the week to organize discounts.
Conclusion: a system that works
Finding deals and discounts on groceries in Edmonton doesn't have to be a complicated or time-consuming task. When you combine Flipp to find deals, price matching to ensure the lowest price, loyalty cards to earn points and cashback, H&W Produce for fruits and vegetables, and specialized apps for products close to their expiration date, you create a system that practically guarantees you big savings.
People in Edmonton who are serious about tracking deals report savings of 30-50% off their regular grocery bill. That means if you normally spend $200 a week on groceries, you could cut that down to $100-140 just by being more strategic in your search for deals.
Over the course of a year, that's a savings of $3,000 to $5,200 — an amount that can change the quality of your life.
Start by downloading Flipp, spend a day browsing midweek deals, and see how much you can save. We guarantee you'll love it.