The grocery clerk who showed me her split-jar trick

Last Tuesday at the Safeway on 5th, a cashier noticed my cart and said she saves $30 a month by buying dented cans and split jars of pasta sauce. She pointed to a markdown rack near the bakery I'd walked past a hundred times. Has anyone else found hidden clearance sections in their local store?

2 comments

2 Comments

torres.grant1mo ago

Funny timing on this post... I actually watched a segment about this exact thing the other day. Some reporter did a whole piece on how grocery stores hide their markdown racks in the back or near the bakery section on purpose, so most people never notice them. The logic is they don't want the store to look cheap, so they tuck the deals away in the least crowded spots. That cashier saving $30 a month tracks too, because the discount is usually like 30 to 50 percent off, which adds up fast on stuff you'd buy anyway. Makes me wonder what else I'm walking past without seeing... probably a whole lot of half price bread and clearance produce.

faithcampbell29d ago

The real trick is timing, not location. Most stores mark stuff down at specific hours, usually early morning or right before they restock. If you show up at noon, the markdown rack might as well not exist because everything good is already gone. The employees know the exact schedule, and they grab the best stuff before it ever hits the floor. That cashier is probably saving way more than $30 a month because they're just taking what they want during their shift. Your best bet is to ask a worker when they do markdowns, then show up about an hour after that. It's not about finding the hidden rack, it's about beating everyone else to it.