Having dinner delivered shouldn’t be a waste of your budget. whether you are using Instacart Whether you’re stocking up on world-famous chili ingredients or looking to fill your DoorDash cart with essentials and snacks each week, Rakuten makes it simple to rack up cashback, coupons, and membership perks so grocery delivery won’t break the bank.
Below are seven proven strategies to save money on grocery delivery with Instacart and other services. Major delivery platforms. Using these two together, you can consistently increase your margins, reduce delivery fees, and turn everyday grocery orders into reliable cashback. This is the best way to save money on grocery delivery. Eat plenty!
1. Accumulate Rakuten Cashback with a delivery subscription
Weekdays are spent creating spreadsheets and attending meetings, which may be emails. My weekends are filled with yard work and cheering on my kids’ soccer games. Who can afford to spend two hours at the supermarket? This is where grocery delivery services like Instacart come into play.
For a small fee (starting at $3.99 on Instacart), you can order groceries online from your local supermarket and have them delivered to your doorstep. Or, you can sign up for a grocery delivery subscription ($9.99 per month for Instacart+) and get delivery fees waived on most orders. Your membership starts to benefit when you order more than three times a month, but it becomes easier to break even as you rack up Rakuten Cashback on your orders.
How does Optimism work? Brands like Instacart pay Rakuten to send shoppers, and Rakuten shares that money with its members. With the savings per order you get from signing up and earning cashback on your grocery orders, you can actually make money delivering groceries.
Here’s how to do the math for a hypothetical Instacart shopper with an average order value of $30 who orders four times a month. (This example assumes a $3.99 shipping fee, 5% cashback upon membership signup, and a $5 Rakuten promo code.)
script | monthly shipping cost | membership cost | Order cashback (5%) | Rakuten Membership Promotion | net effect vs. no members |
no members | $16 | $0 | $6 | $0 | base line |
Membership without Rakuten promo code | $0 | $9.99 | $6 | $0 | Save $6.01 per month |
Membership using Rakuten promo code | $0 | $9.99 | $6 | $5 | Save $11.01 per month |
2. Use Rakuten coupons when paying
wait. Optimism is other How to build savings? yes. The chart above includes a $5 Rakuten promo code, a discount code that can be applied at checkout to further lower the price. Rakuten frequently offers coupons and promo codes from Instacart and other grocery delivery services (and over 3,500 other retail partners).
Before signing up for a grocery delivery membership, please check the following on the Rakuten store page: Instacart Or, you can check out all of our current cashback rates and grocery delivery coupons available through your other favorite services. The bottom line is that a promo code not only reduces your shopping cart subtotal, but it can also reduce the service fee that many shipping services charge as a percentage of the subtotal. Use coupons or promo codes to lower your subtotals and lower those pesky fees.
Here’s a quick guide on how to stack Rakuten coupons and cashback: (Pro tip: Download the Rakuten browser extension that does most of the work for you.)
- If you don’t have the Rakuten browser extension, start shopping on Rakuten to find available coupons or promo codes. Prioritize code that reduces subtotals.
- Click the Shop Now button at Rakuten. Instacart store page.
- You will arrive at the Instacart site. Shop as usual, add items to your cart and enter the promo code at checkout.
- Please order. Cashback is applied automatically.
- Track pending cashback in your Rakuten account.
3. Receive your order
Delivery is so convenient. You just place your order and then move on with your life. Groceries magically arrive at your doorstep hours later, as if dropped by a stork. However, service fees can be very onerous. This is especially true if you place multiple large orders each month.
If you’re willing to sacrifice a little convenience to save a lot on price, you can avoid these fees by simply picking up your order in person. Instacart’s curbside grocery pickup service lets you order online. Just like ordering delivery, Instacart lets you do the actual shopping and then go to the store to pick it up in person. The best part is, there is no service fee for pickup orders!
4. Avoid small orders and late night fees
You’ve been dreaming about making Parmesan Crusted Salmon all day. Finally, I got home, took out all the ingredients, and… Uh-oh. There is no parmesan cheese. People flock to Instacart to see if they can deliver, but the small order fees are more expensive than the cheese itself.
Small order fees are often just a few dollars, but when you add service fees and shipping costs, a cheap order can quickly turn into an expensive splurge. Typically, a fee is charged when your order is under $10 to $15 (Instacart’s cutoff is $10). Also, be aware of similar late-night fees that many stores charge for orders after 10 p.m.
Here are some strategies to avoid large commissions due to small orders:
- Planning your meals and grocery list in advance means you don’t have to order separately for a single item you forget.
- Schedule delivery earlier to avoid late night add-ons.
- Counterintuitively, spending a few more dollars to get over the small order threshold can actually save you money on your total order cost. This is especially true if the Rakuten Cashback you earn can make up the difference.
5. Stock order
The best way to save on grocery delivery costs is to deliver less often. So why not combine your order with that of your roommate, neighbor or family member? By consolidating multiple grocery orders into one delivery, everyone can split the shipping cost and earn cash back on larger subtotals. (If you really want to share, you can alternate between who placed the order and who receives the cashback.)
Let’s compare the price of one consolidated order with the price of three separate orders. We assume the following:
- Three shoppers, $100 subtotal each.
- Shipping fee $3.99
- 10% service fee
- 5% Rakuten Cashback
order type | Total Subtotal | Service fee (10%) | delivery fee | Rakuten Cashback (5%) | Net amount after cashback | per person |
Order 3 separately | $300 | $30 | $4 x 3 = $12 | $5 x 3 = $15 | $327 | $109 |
1 group order | $300 | $30 | $4 | $15 | $319 | $106 |
6. Take advantage of discounts for first-time users
Instacart and other grocery delivery and grocery pickup services often offer amazing discounts for first-time users. The most common method is to waive shipping fees for the first few orders. Offers change regularly, so check the Rakuten store page for details. InstacartDoorDash and other delivery services See what the current deals are.
7. Compare grocery delivery apps using Rakuten
Cashback rates, coupons, promo codes and other offers change frequently, so check back often to get the best prices on a variety of grocery delivery and grocery pickup services. To consistently find the lowest actual total cost, you can frequently perform quick comparisons in a spreadsheet.
- Price the same item in at least two locations: Instacart and the supermarket’s own site.
- Itemize your prices, then calculate shipping, service fees, small order or late-night fees, and tips.
- Consider all available Rakuten coupons and current cashback rates.
- Choose the lowest out-of-pocket total.
Frequently Asked Questions
How does cashback work with grocery delivery promo codes?
Cashback is usually tracked when you use a promo code listed or approved by Rakuten. Third-party or private codes may void your cashback, so always check store terms and conditions for eligibility.
What is the best strategy to combine Rakuten Rewards and Shipping Membership?
Sign up for a membership with Rakuten and rack up cashback and coupons to offset monthly fees and speed up your return on investment.
How can I reduce fees for small or late night orders?
If a small order fee applies to your order, please add other less expensive items to your cart to bring your order slightly over the minimum threshold. To avoid late night surcharges, order before 10pm.
Is it worth buying a discounted gift card to save money on future grocery deliveries?
Rakuten frequently offers discounts and cashback on gift cards. Check out Rakuten gift card page Check to see if there are any offers for Instacart or another grocery delivery service.
How can I track which delivery app is giving me the best price, including fees and cashback?
Price the same order across multiple services, calculate all fees, apply Rakuten coupons and cashback rates, and choose the lowest final total after rewards.
