We Asked ChatGPT For Grocery Shopping Tips To Save Money & This AI's Got It Hacked
Now if only it could do the shopping for us...
A robot at a grocery store. Right: Women checking out at a grocery store.
A visit to the grocery store can feel a lot like you're being squeezed for every penny by a heartless corporate machine, so why not use another machine to fight back?
That's what we were thinking when we fired up ChatGPT, the cutting-edge AI chatbot that's specifically trained on vast quantities of data from the internet. If this thing can write a Master's thesis or help you with a pesky return, it should be able to deliver some grocery tips, right?
ChatGPT may not know first-hand the pain of inflation or what it's like to make sacrifices at the grocery till, but the bot does seem to have some pretty solid tips for saving money.
Our question for ChatGPT was simple: What are the best ways to save money while grocery shopping?
You might expect it to spit out some random nonsense in response to a question like that, but much to our surprise, these ideas line up with what many experts have been saying throughout the recent downturn.
Here's what ChatGPT has to say about saving money on your groceries.
Make a shopping list
"Before heading to the store, make a list of the items you need to purchase. This will help you avoid impulse purchases and stick to your budget," ChatGPT says.
That tip certainly checks out, because you don't want to make multiple trips to the store for something you missed.
Compare prices
"Take the time to compare prices at different stores and look for sales and discounts," ChatGPT says.
That falls in line with what many other experts have recommended, and there are actually a wide variety of price-matching apps you can use, depending on where you live.
ChatGPT also recommends "purchasing generic or store-brand products, as they often cost less than name-brand items."
This tidbit is fairly common knowledge, but still: good tip!
Buy in bulk
"Purchasing items in bulk can often lead to significant savings, especially on non-perishable items such as pantry staples and household supplies," ChatGPT says.
Never underestimate the savings you can find when buying in bulk, as others have told us in the past.
ChatGPT also makes a good point about focusing on non-perishable items, because you can get to those as you need them.
On the other hand, buying perishables like meat will only last you so long, even if you have a freezer available.
Plan your meals
"Planning your meals in advance can help you make the most of leftovers and reduce food waste," ChatGPT says. "It can also help you avoid buying unnecessary or overpriced items."
We're going to give this a "meh" rating in terms of tips, because you could lump this in with "make a shopping list."
Still, it's useful to do!
Use coupons
Don't sleep on coupons. Others have told us this in the past, and even the machines have figured it out.
"Take advantage of coupons and promotional offers, but be mindful of not overspending just because you have a coupon," ChatGPT says. "Only use coupons for items that you actually need and would have purchased anyway."
This tip is surprisingly nuanced, because the robot is making a good point: you're not really saving money if a coupon pushes you to buy something you wouldn't normally buy.
Buy fresh produce in season
This tip is insightful, because some items simply cost more in the winter than they do in the summer.
"Fresh produce that is in season is usually less expensive than produce that is out of season," ChatGPT explains. "Try to plan your meals around what is currently in season to save money on your grocery bill."
This article's cover image was used for illustrative purposes only.
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