I used to chase grocery sales across three different stores every week, burning gas and an hour of my Saturday to save a few dollars. Then a cashier told me her store matches competitors’ prices at the register, and I realized I had been doing my grocery shopping the hard way for years.

Know which stores match prices

Not every grocery chain matches, and the ones that do have different rules. Call your local store or check their website for a price match policy. Many major chains will match a competitor’s advertised price on identical items. Some match local stores only, some match online grocers, and most exclude alcohol and clearance items. Once you know your store matches, the whole strategy opens up.

Bring the evidence with you

The cashier cannot match a price they cannot verify. Pull up the competitor’s price on your phone before you reach the register. A current ad or the store’s app showing the lower price works best. Have the item details ready: same brand, same size, same quantity. A different package size is not a match, so check that the product is identical before you ask.

One store, not three

Here is the trick that changed my routine: do all your shopping at the price matching store, and match the sale prices from the other stores in your area. You still get every sale price, but you only visit one building. I keep a running list on my phone during the week. When I see a good price in another store’s weekly ad, I add it to the list and match it at checkout at my regular store.

Be organized at the register

The checkout line is not the place to fumble. Group the items you plan to price match and have the phone screens ready before you start unloading. Tell the cashier up front that you have a few price matches. Be polite and patient. If the first cashier cannot do it, ask for a manager. Most stores train staff to handle it, but the willingness varies by person.

• Shop mainly at one store that matches competitors’ prices.
• Track lower prices you see in other weekly ads during the week.
• Verify the item is identical in brand, size, and quantity.
• Have the competitor price open on your phone at the register.

I now save between fifteen and twenty five dollars on a typical grocery trip, which adds up to real money over a month. Price matching lets me shop one store and still get every sale price in town. The hack was sitting there the whole time, I just had to ask.