The Rachel Cruze Show - 27 Money-Saving Food Hacks Most People Don’t Know About

Episode Date: September 19, 2022

Get ready to see BIG savings in your food budget! Join me to hear about the deals, fast-food secrets, and cash-saving hacks that will help you take control of your money and create a life you love.  Here’s the lineup: Save Big at Aldi by Spotting THIS 18 Money Hacks for Underrated Fast-Food Chains Helpful Resources: Meal Planner & Grocery Savings Guide Christian Healthcare Ministries Sponsors pay the producer of this show, The Lampo Group, LLC, advertising fees for mentioning their services or products during programming. Advertising fees are not based upon or otherwise tied to any product sale or business transacted between any consumer or sponsor. The following sponsors have paid for the programming you are viewing: Christian Healthcare Ministries Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

anywhere you can find money in your food budget, specifically where you shop, is so important. So some of these you may have heard of, but regardless, this is going to help you save money, especially these days. Hey guys, welcome to the Rachel Cruz Show podcast. I'm so glad that you're here. So in today's episode, we're going to talk about some of the money hacks that most people don't know about. I'm also going to go over my favorite underrated fast food chains.

Oh, yeah. and ways to save money from ordering from them. But first, let's talk about some secret ways to save at Aldi. So take a listen. We love talking about saving money and everyone's food budget. It's always the thing that we overspend on, including ours. Actually, I was doing my every dollar budget this weekend and moving transactions around.

And I was like, Winston, our grocery budget still keeps creeping up. It still keeps creeping up. So it is so hard, you guys. It is so hard. And so I really wanted to talk about this subject today because anywhere you can find money in your food budget, specifically where you shop, is so important. So we're going to talk about saving hacks when it comes to Aldi because I know so many of you, lots of you love Aldi. So some of these you may have heard of before, some of them are going to be brand new to you. But regardless, whether it's a good reminder or a new idea, this is going to help you save

money. And again, it's so important to do it, especially these days. So first up, number one, savings hack at Aldi is to shop on Wednesday or Sunday. So some store locations restock their shelves on Wednesday and some stores restock their shelves on Sunday. So ask an employee at your store and see, hey, when do they restock stuff? So you know when to get the freshest stuff. Number two, get bakery items two days before they expire. So if you look at the expiration date on bakery items. If it is two days before they expire or less, you get up to 50% off. Wonderful. Number three, don't overlook their return policy. So this is actually known as they're twice as nice guarantee. So this is amazing. So if you're not happy with the product for some

reason, you actually can get a refund and a replacement. Uh-huh, both. Because I know sometimes if it's something you don't like or it's not what you thought, I'm like, oh, to go to the grocery or return something. It may feel like a hassle and not worth it. But in Aldi's case, it is definitely worth it. Number four, subscribe to their weekly newsletter. So this includes weekly ads, which let subscribers in on special deals and promotions. And sometimes they include coupons. Anyways, it's a great place to save money. Number five, join the Aldi Insider Facebook group. Oh yeah, members in this group, man, they know everything. So they are the first to know about products and giveaways. And you can also follow Aldi on all their social media

platforms like Instagram and Twitter and Pinterest to get the inside scoop on all the upcoming deals. Number six, check out Aldi finds. So this is a very specific section of the store where they feature certain items that will only be available for a limited of time. It's also a great place to look for deals on seasonal items like fall decor. And they even showcase some of the Aldi finds online, so you can look there as well. Number seven, ask for a price adjustment. So if you buy something and then you see that it gets marked down a few days later, you can actually ask a cashier for a price adjustment and be refunded the difference.

Keep your receipt, know what's going on, but it's amazing you can get money back. Now, keep in mind, the markdown has to be at the same store that you bought the item from. So different stores have different rules and locations, all that may be different. but make sure to keep your eye on at those prices. Number eight, shop at different Aldi locations. So speaking of locations, if your city has more than one Aldi, check out the other store, because sometimes prices will vary store to store,

and you can get a better deal at one Aldi versus the other. Number nine, probably my favorite, you have to try their pizza. So you can get a 16-inch take-and-bake pizza at Aldi for only $3.99. That's half the price of what Walmart costs you. It's amazing. Now, they sell out really fast on Friday, so make sure that you get it earlier in the week.

But hey, it'll feed your old family for four bucks. I mean, it's absolutely amazing. And it's pizza. We all love pizza. So, you know. All right, you guys, make sure to share this with a friend that loves Aldi and needs to know about these money-saving hacks. Because, again, no matter where you are in life, saving money, especially when it comes to food. It's so important.

It really is. and it's an easy place to save a lot of money. All right, for the next few minutes, you guys, I'm just going to be honest. We're going to set our health aside for seconds because we're going to talk about some of my favorite fast food chains that are underrated

and how you can save money at them. So, listen, we can do the asterisk of the health stuff. I get it, I know. But sometimes it's 6 p.m. and you've got the kids in the minivan and you think, we got to go pick up dinner, and I got to put you in bed at seven so mom can lay in bed and read a book. So where are we going, kids?

We're going somewhere quick. It's usually what ends up happening. So the first place that I will always stop at with my kids, because I genuinely love it, is Sonic. Oh, you guys, it's just, it is so good. My go-to order is a number four bacon cheeseburger, and I'll get fries and a dietary line-made. love it. When I was pregnant, I would go multiple times a week and get the mozzarella sticks in a dietary line made. It was fantastic. So there are some great ways to save money at Sonic, though, so you have to know this. And I hope you all have Sonic in your area. If not,

I'm really sorry. But Sonic has a happy hour from two to four, and the drinks are half-priced. So you can get, like, the root 44. You can get a huge one, and it's half the price of what you normally pay. It's great. And you can also get half-priced drinks when you use the app. That's another big deal. Love it. And the My Sonic Rewards Program gives you first exclusive deals right away, and they have deals every single week. And you can earn rewards through the app. So, all that together, you can honestly get so much food for not a lot of money. Tuesday is family night. So all cheeseburgers are half price after 5 p.m. Every Wednesday, the kids meals are only $1.99. The wacky packs.

Oh, it's brilliant. So here's what I do. A little insider tip. So my kids, they love the wacky packs. So I get three grilled cheeses. One, I get onion rings because I love onion rings. I don't like a lot of them, but I just want a little bit. So like the kid's size onion ring, perfect for me.

They always want a tater tots, and then I'll get a fry. So, and then I get a fry, I remember was my number four. So when everything comes, I take the onion rings, I take some fries, and then I divvy up the tater tots. and the fries between the kids. So we're all happy. We are all so happy after we have a night at Sonic. Their toys are terrible, though,

and they end up all over the house, and it makes me angry. But other than that, it's wonderful. So make sure to sign up for the Sonic text messages, because, again, you get some special offers through that as well. And everyone loves Sonic Ice. Everyone, it's the best. It is those little small pellet ice.

You can get a 10-pound bag for only one. $0.99. And that's way cheaper than most bagged ice that you find at other places. So there's that. And then, on top of that, you guys, on your receipt, if there's a survey and you fill it out, you get a free, large drink. So lots of deals at Sonic. Thank you, Sonic. All right. Next, I don't know why I feel like ashamed to say it, but I'm going to just say it. Crystals. I love a crystal chick. White Castle, I just, it's not the same. It's not the same. But crystals is, it is. There's something special about. it. So the Crystal chick, wonderful, get some fries, get a Diet Coke, and I love it. So Crystal's actually fought for bankruptcy in 2020, and a lot of their stores closed. So there's not a ton of savings options. But when you're going to crystals, just no. Regardless, you're probably

going to be saving some money because it's pretty dang cheap, which is great. And so you want to look really, though, closely at their combos versus buying items individually. So people have reported, some people have reported, that if you just buy five individual burgers, they're cheaper than getting the pack. I don't know. You got to do the math, but it is, it's a big deal. It takes me back to college, and when I have crystals in my car and I'm eating a crystal chick, I feel like I have no responsibilities in life. I feel like I'm going to Com 499 and then yoga after. But that's not my reality. No, because I'm usually eating it in a minivan with three kids in the back. but it takes me back. It takes me back. All right. The next fast food chain underrated that I will be

honest, I partake in past midnight if I have. I haven't done this in a while, but it can be a go-to for the fourth meal, Taco Bell. And I just like the classic. Give me the classic soft taco. I want the fire hot sauce. I want the chips and the cheese and, of course, like a soda. So that's my go-to. So the savings tip, though, is they now have burrito bowls with steak for only $5.19 compared to the exact same thing that you get at, like, Chipotle for close to $8. Now, the quality might be drastically different,

but hey, we're just looking at price here. We're just looking at price. So you can get the Taco Bell app, which I'll be very frank, I do not have, but you can get the app, and you get a reward for every 250 points that you earn, and you get 10 points, per dollar. Hmm, it's great. And they also have a happy hour from two to five, and you can get a medium

drink for just a dollar, which are saving 56% on. That's pretty great, too. And, of course, the value menu is awesome. Everything on it is $2 or less. And if you are a T-Mobile user, I don't know why this makes you laugh, but it does. They have T-Mobile Tuesdays. So you actually get free menu items and sometimes even 10 cents off a gallon of gas at Taco Bell. I mean, you just get it all. We're hitting all areas. Our Taco Bell stop here. Another great thing, too, if you're craving the flavors of Taco Bell,

which is that something I usually say. But if you are, if you are, you can get their signature sauces at the grocery store. So we always talk about eating cheap, rice and beans, beans and rice. Again, I don't want your health to, play a hole while you're getting out of dent. But if you need some Taco Bell in your life, you can actually get the sauces at the grocery store and save even more money. It's amazing. All right. Next, I'm going to say this is a Winston Cruise stop if we're out on a road trip. And we see one. We will pull right in through that drive-through. And that is Arby's. Oh, yeah. The curly fries,

you guys, the curly fries are so stinking good, though. They are so good. So I like the beef and cheddar sandwich. Winston usually just goes with the beef sandwich. You've got to have the horsy sauce. It's great. Now, the saving tips here are, instead of ordering just one regular roast beef sandwich, you can actually save money by ordering two junior beef and cheddar sandwiches, so you actually get more food at a lower cost. You can sign up for their email deals and discounts. It's amazing. And you could also find Arby's coupons on other sites like Groupon and Retail Me Not. But it's great. But I do love an Arby's stop, you know?

So all you whole foods vegan people, don't get mad at me for this podcast. But sometimes you got to have some fast food in your life, you know. It doesn't hurt you every now and then, people. It's balanced. It's called balance. Enjoy life. Enjoy life. But if you eat all of this.

Consistently, your life might be shorter. So again, it's all about balance. It's all about balance. But I want to know your favorite underrated fast food chains and your tips on how you save money there because, again, I think it's great. Oh, fast food, you know, you love it at the moment, sometimes hang it afterwards, but it's part of life, right? Part of life. All right, you guys, thanks so much for listening to this episode. And if you have not subscribed to this podcast, make sure to hit the follow button.

And if the spirit leads, you can leave a review. And as always, make sure to take control of your money and create a life you love.