This Challenge Can Cut Your Grocery Bill by $600 or More

Editor's Note: This story originally appeared on The Penny Hoarder.

We’re not crazy. We’re not asking you to skip the ice cream or anything else you can’t help but bring home from the grocery store.

We simply challenge you to take a few extra steps when you shop for groceries and other common household needs — it could cut your grocery bill by more than $600 this month.

Are you up for the challenge? See how much you can slash from your grocery bill.

1. Unlock Hidden Discounts With This Free Tool

Wouldn’t it be nice if you got an alert when you’re shopping for groceries online at Amazon or Target and are about to overpay?

That’s exactly what Capital One Shopping does.

Just add it to your browser for free, and before you check out, it’ll check other websites, including Walmart, eBay and others to see if your item is available for cheaper. Plus, you can get coupon codes, set up price-drop alerts and even see the item’s price history.

Let’s say you’re shopping for a new TV, and you assume you’ve found the best price. Here’s when you’ll get a pop up letting you know if that exact TV is available elsewhere for cheaper. If there are any available coupon codes, they’ll also automatically be applied to your order.

In the last year, this has saved people $160 million. You can get started in just a few clicks to see if you’re overpaying online.

2. Add Up to $526.44 to Your Wallet for Skipping the Grocery Store

Running errands is the worst. Seriously. After a long day of work, the last thing you want to do is go to the store and deal with the traffic and the crowds.

We get it. That’s why we like a free site called Rakuten — they’ll pay you to skip going to the store and shop online instead.

No, really. They work with just about every online store you probably shop at, and they can make sure you get some cash back every time you buy — up to 15% cash back.

We talked to Denver resident Colleen Rice, who’s earned more than $526.44 in cash back since she started using Rakuten. For doing nothing. She just uses Rakuten for things she already has to buy, like rental cars and flights.

It takes less than a minute to open a Rakuten account and start shopping like you normally would. You just need an email address.

They’ll pay you with a check in the mail every few months or deposit it to your PayPal account. Talk about money for nothing.

3. Let This Free App Save You $50/Month on Dining Out and Groceries

It’s no secret that things are getting more expensive these days — including food.

But an app called Upside can help you save money every time you dine out or buy groceries. They keep it simple: Spend money at a participating grocery store or restaurant and earn an average of 13% cash back on groceries, or 17% at restaurants. Oh, and that’s real cash, not points.

Here’s how it works: Just download the Upside app and create a free account, then browse the map to find participating restaurants and stores in your area and claim an offer.

Pay for your groceries or meal with a card that’s stored in your Upside wallet, then tap “Check In” or take a picture of your grocery receipt — this will confirm you actually bought groceries or food (dine-in or takeout) at a participating location.

Upside will tally up your cash-back earnings. And when you’re ready, you can transfer your funds to a bank account, PayPal account or exchange them for a gift card from brands like Starbucks and Amazon. You’ll get your money in two days or less.

People who use the app regularly save an average of $240 a year on groceries and $160 on dining out. Download the Upside app to get started — it’s completely free, and it works at more than 50,000 businesses, including gas stations.

4. Share What’s in Your Fridge

Remember the Nielsen company? The one that’s always tracked TV ratings? Well, now it wants to know what’s in your fridge.

Once you sign up to be on the Nielsen Consumer Panel, you can either use your smartphone, or the company will send you a free barcode scanner. Every time you go shopping, you simply scan the UPC codes on the back of each product and send your data to Nielsen.

Nielsen will reward you with gift points, which you can redeem for free electronics, jewelry, household items or even toys for the kids.

The longer you stay on the panel, the more opportunity you have to earn points toward prizes. You’ll also receive entries for the panel’s many sweepstakes. Prizes include vacations and brand new vehicles.

Applying to become a panel member is straightforward. You’ll answer some basic questions about you and your household, then Nielsen reviews your application and will contact you when you’re eligible to join.

5. Store Your Food Properly

You buy a container of spinach or bundle of avocados, but before you’re able to devour all the green goodness, it goes bad.

Avoid wasting money at grocery stores by storing your food properly, so it lasts longer.

6. Cancel Your Car Insurance and Put $610 Back in Your Grocery Budget

Here’s the thing: Your current car insurance company is probably overcharging you. But don’t waste your time hopping around to different insurance companies looking for a better deal.

Use a website called EverQuote to see all your options at once.

EverQuote is the largest online marketplace for insurance in the U.S., so you’ll get the top options from more than 175 different carriers handed right to you.

Take a couple of minutes to answer some questions about yourself and your driving record. With this information, EverQuote will be able to give you the top recommendations for car insurance. In just a few minutes, you could save up to $610 a year.

7. Ask for a Rain Check

You know when there’s a BOGO for Nutella — but then you get to the store and it’s gone because someone else got greedy?

Don’t be afraid to ask your grocer for a rain check so you can still snag the sale when the store restocks.

8. Ask This Website to Pay Your Credit Card Bills This Month

If you have credit card debt, you know. The anxiety, the interest rates, the fear you’re never going to escape …

And the truth is, your credit card company doesn’t really care. It’s just getting rich by ripping you off with high interest rates. But a website called AmOne wants to help.

If you owe your credit card companies $50,000 or less, AmOne will match you with a low-interest loan you can use to pay off every single one of your balances.

The benefit? You’ll be left with one bill to pay each month. And because personal loans have lower interest rates (AmOne rates start at 2.49% APR), you’ll get out of debt that much faster. Plus: No credit card payment this month.

AmOne won’t make you stand in line or call your bank, either. And if you’re worried you won’t qualify, it’s free to check online. It takes just two minutes, and it could help you pay off your debt years faster.