We picked the best deals for home delivery of groceries given three scenarios:
Guide to Scoring the Best Deals in 2018
- Disrupter Deal: The Instant Pot
- Get the Real Deal for Less
- Top Tech Bargains of 2018
- Refurbished and Open-Box Deals
- Disrupter Deal: No Strings Streaming
- Best Deals in Low-Cost Cloud Storage
- Skip the Sales Tax
- Sales on Consumer Staples Stocks
- Disrupter Deal: Trade Stocks Commission-Free
- Trade Funds Commission-Free with Charles Schwab
- Hot Savings on Flights to Hawaii
- Get a Free Hotel Room
- Rent an RV for a Dollar a Day
- Disrupter Deal: Two-in-One Trips
You want to restock staples or household items: On orders of $35 or more, Walmart offers millions of items with free, two-day delivery in the contiguous U.S. (look for the “2-Day Shipping” flag). If you can wait a little longer, Walmart offers additional items with free three- to five-day shipping.
You need quick delivery of fresh or frozen items: You can get your groceries delivered within one hour with Instacart, but you can also schedule delivery up to five days in advance. The service partners with more than 190 retailers, including national and local chains, and is widely available throughout the U.S. (except in Montana, South Dakota and Wyoming). You’ll pay a $10 fee on orders of less than $35, or a $6 fee on orders of $35 or more. Instacart also offers a membership plan: If you pay $49 for the first year and $99 a year thereafter, you get unlimited deliveries for orders of $35 or more—worth considering if you place orders a couple of times a month.
Sign up for Kiplinger’s Free E-Newsletters
Profit and prosper with the best of expert advice on investing, taxes, retirement, personal finance and more - straight to your e-mail.
Profit and prosper with the best of expert advice - straight to your e-mail.
Amazon Prime Pantry (for Amazon.com Prime members) charges a monthly fee of $4.99 (after a 30-day free trial) for free delivery of orders worth $40 or more, or a flat $7.99 per order. If you get at least two deliveries a month, the monthly fee can be worth paying. Delivery takes one to four days.
You are a warehouse club member: Costco offers free same-day delivery via Instacart to its members on orders of $35 or more (prices will be marked up, however). Costco also offers two-day delivery of non-perishable and household supplies in most states through its own service. There’s no minimum order and no fee on orders of $75 or more, but the service isn’t available on weekends.
-
Cord Cutting Could Help You Save Over $10,000 in 10 YearsHow cutting the cord can save you money and how those savings can grow over time.
-
The '8-Year Rule of Social Security' — A Retirement RuleThe '8-Year Rule of Social Security' holds that it's best to be like Ike — Eisenhower, that is. The five-star General knew a thing or two about good timing.
-
Five Ways to Save on Vacation Rental PropertiesTravel Use these strategies to pay less for an apartment, condo or house when you travel.
-
How to Avoid Annoying Hotel Fees: Per Person, Parking and MoreTravel Here's how to avoid extra charges and make sure you don't get stuck paying for amenities that you don't use.
-
How to Appeal an Unexpected Medical Billhealth insurance You may receive a bill because your insurance company denied a claim—but that doesn’t mean you have to pay it.
-
Amazon Prime Fees Are Rising. Here’s How to Cancel Your Amazon Prime MembershipFeature Amazon Prime will soon cost $139 a year, $180 for those who pay monthly. If you’re a subscriber, maybe it’s time to rethink your relationship. Here’s a step-by-step guide to canceling Prime.
-
How to Haggle for Almost AnythingSmart Buying Learning how to haggle is an invaluable skill. These strategies will help you negotiate a better price for just about any product or service.
-
Disability Insurance Can Provide COVID CoverageCoronavirus and Your Money If you are concerned about long-term complications from COVID-19, consider disability insurance coverage.
-
21 Things You Can't Return to Amazon — Either Online or In-StoreDid you know there are things you can't return to Amazon? Before adding these 21 items to your cart, be sure to read Amazon's return policy first.
-
How to Avoid a Charity Scampersonal finance Scammers never quit, even when you're trying to be altruistic. But you can avoid getting duped if you do your homework.
