Trader Joe's Will Accept One Type Of Coupons — Even On Big Brands

If you're shopping at Trader Joe's, you're already saving yourself some money on groceries — even if its store locations don't necessarily reflect that since the stores are mostly located in large cities. However, you could save even more. While the grocer doesn't have sales or issue its own coupons, there is one type that it will accept: a manufacturer's coupon. This type of coupon is accepted at all Trader Joe's locations, the only catch is that it can't be used on any of Trader Joe's products. There is, however, a list of other brands Trader Joe's does carry that you can use coupons on.

While few and far between, there are a handful of big-name brands found at Trader Joe's. Just check out the beverage fridge, where you'll find GT's Kombucha and Healthade, as well as glass bottles of our taste tester's favorite brand of canned cold brew, Stumptown. There's also the granola and protein bar selection, where you will find everything from Clif and RXBars to Kind and GoMacro bars. Other examples can be spotted above the freezer section, where the grocer conveniently organizes much of its private-label condiments and a selection of desserts like a variety of boxed cookies from the brand Partake. These are just a few examples of brands that make manufacturer coupons to look out for and bring to Trader Joe's.

Trader Joe's does everything in its power to make sure the costs of its items are as affordable as possible, and they do it all while maintaining a high quality. The store does this by working with big-name brands to purchase products directly from them and, in turn, bypass the cost of distributors or brokers, along with the price of slotting fees and advertising. Those savings are then passed down to the customer, with an average of 20 to 30% savings on all of the big names behind Trader Joe's items.

For example, Trader Joe's pistachios are produced by Wonderful, and with just the swap of the packaging, they're priced significantly cheaper at about $6.99 compared to about $10.49 at other stores. Similarly, the brand behind Trader Joe's pita chips, Stacy's, sells its bags for significantly more at other stores than the bags for about $2.49 you'll find at TJ's. These are only a few examples, and there are many, many others. In fact, there are about as many examples as there are other ways Trader Joe's works to keep its prices so low.

Apart from its private label products, the other ways Trader Joe's saves you money are built into the actual store's design and operations. The small stores, with tiny shared — and all too often chaotic — parking lots, and the minimal product marketing are all things that go into consistently cheap store prices.