Just for U is Safeway’s revolutionary targeted marketing program that provides relevant, personalized offers, coupons, weekly specials and tools for each individual shopper. What does that all mean to you? SAVINGS of 10-20% at Safeway when you use their just for U program.
I spent a great day in San Francisco with 17 other bloggers learning the ins and outs of the just for U program from those most knowledgeable about it, representatives from the Northern CA executive team of Safeway. We had access to those that helped develop the website and the new Safeway App (iPhone and Android users) that run the just for U savings program, as well as those individuals that oversee the Northern CA Safeway stores.
I have used the Safeway just for U program for over a year, and I have to say I LOVE the new app for my phone. I still use the website when I am at home and building my shopping list, but the convenience of having the app in the store with my list stored in the Safeway App saves me time and I don’t have to print my list (which helps cut down my paper clutter!). Not to mention that it just makes me giddy, when shopping for a family of 6, and I’m at the check stand and I save over $100 on my grocery bill or I hit more than a 20% savings every time I shop! So here is what I learned to help you maximize your savings with Safeway’s just for U program:
If you don’t have a just for U account, you can go to www.safeway.com to sign up for one, download the Safeway App on your smart phone, or go into any Safeway store and they will be happy to get you set up and start saving today. All you will need is your Safeway club card number OR the phone number associated with that club card.
Safeway uses your 6 month purchase history to build the offers you see in your personalized just for U account. When you are signed into your just for U account, you will get your offers in three different ways: Coupon Center, Personalized Deals, and Your Club Specials. Let’s look at the difference between the categories.
Coupon Center offers you “digital coupons with no clipping required.” In this section you will find manufacturers coupons and Safeway super coupons grouped together. Safeway brings all the national deals to you in one place so you don’t have to spend time searching other sites for these deals. In order to take advantage of these deals, you need to click on the “ADD to my CARD” button to get this offer loaded onto your Safeway Club Card for use at your local Safeway. Once a deal is added, you can choose to then add the item to your list by clicking the button again.
Personalized Deals are “savings you won’t find anywhere else.” These are offers that are based where you live, what you buy and are often times unlimited in quantity. The items you purchase most are first in your list and other items that may be of interest to you based on your purchase history are also in this category. There is usually at least one FREE item offered in this category as well. There are usually 5-7 new offers in this category each week, so it pays to check it often. Check the offer dates to make sure you don’t miss out, and as with the Coupon Center, you must click the “ADD to my Card” button to load this to your Safeway Club Card.
Your Club Specials shows you “the things you buy that are currently on sale.” There is no need to add these to your card. These deals are the ones you are used to seeing at the store with a yellow tag, and they are automatically offered by using your club card at the checkout stand. You can add these to your list to help your organize your shopping. The your club specials are not currently part of the Safeway App but are planned to be released in an App update in the near future. You can still add them to your list from the website and they will appear on your list in the Safeway App.
The Coupon Center and Personalized Deals sections will work on all varieties of an item. So if Nature Valley Granola Bars are one of your offers in either of these sections of just for U, you can use this deal on any type of Nature Valley Granola Bars. This does NOT hold true with the Your Club Specials. These can have select varieties. Make sure to check the details of your coupons to get the most for you dollar.
If you have a paper coupon and a digital coupon for the same amount, you cannot double up these. If you have coupons for different amounts, the system will automatically take the greater savings coupon and you will either be handed back the paper coupon or the digital coupon will remain on your card (whichever is lesser) for use on your next shopping trip. Also, if an item has a price listed (called price point) you can use another cents off coupon along with that price point deal for more savings. There can be limits on amounts, so be sure to check the details (a handy button is provided with each coupon/offer in the just for U system and the details answer many questions such as if an offer is specific to your store). So for instance, on my shopping trip I purchased Motts Fruit Snacks that were regularly $3.59 each. They were on Club Special for $1.99 each (price point) but I also had added a J4U coupon in the coupon center for $.50 off when I buy two, making one of the boxes $1.49 and one $1.99.
Safeway provided us with a $50 gift card and set us loose on a store in San Francisco. I saved 29% on this shopping trip. I didn’t buy the best deals on everything because this store had different items than my local store, so I stocked up on a few of those. But I did pick up the large jar of Safeway peanut butter we use all the time for a savings of $4.79! In fact, everyone in our blogger group saved 29% or more, and a few saving more than 50%!
Other things I learned the Safeway App can do:
- Using the store locator, you can one touch call your Safeway pharmacy
- You can expand and collapse categories
- That there are plans to organize the list based on your store layout (which will speed up your shopping!)
- That the list can be synchronized if you are using the same club card account number with another app user (so if you send your teenager to one side of the store and you start at the other, as you check items off the list and then synchronize, you will know what each other has picked up)
- That you should have your own club card account for your family since the personalized deals are based on your shopping habits (so if you haven’t purchased diapers in 15 years but they are always on your list it may be because someone else is buying diapers with the same club card number)
- If you have any problems or want to update your purchase/store history, call the call center listed on the back of your club card
- If you ever need anything in the store, don’t hesitate to ask the store manager….they really are there to help you and keep you a loyal Safeway shopper.
About Julie: I’m a 41 year old (and yes that seems old) SAHM, independent demonstrator with Uppercase Living, a self-taught artist/crafter (whichever term you want to put with what I create), and former social worker. My life revolves around myself, husband, son (12), daughter (9), and twin daughters (7). That makes 6 to keep up with! We have an active family who loves the outdoors, scouting, swimming, and volunteering. You can find me at http://juliecorrigan.
I was provided with Safeway gift cards, groceries, and savings knowledge in exchange for this review. These really are my own thoughts and opinions.
