5 foolproof tips to save money at the market and ease the burden on your wallet

Summary
With rising prices, saving has become essential and adopting strategies such as planned purchases, proximity, technology and rationalizing expenses can ease family budgets.

With the persistent rise in food prices, in March 2025 alone, the National Consumer Price Index (PCAI) recorded inflation of 0.56%, driven by the Food and Beverages group, which increased by 1.17% and alone represents 0.25 percentage points of the index, family budgets arrive at the end of the year even more under pressure. In this scenario, saving is no longer a choice and has become a financial survival strategy, especially at the end of the year, when expenses increase, time decreases and planning becomes essential to avoid starting the year in the red.

The combination of price comparisons, planning small purchases, and using technology that optimizes the routine can yield significant savings at the end of the month. According to Eduardo Córdova, CEO and co-founder of market4u, today’s consumers are more demanding and seek convenience without sacrificing cost-benefit. “When purchasing is quick, close to home and more rational, the customer reduces travel, waste and impulses. This already represents real savings,” he says.

Below are five practices that help lighten the weight of your bag and pocket:

1. Buy out of necessity, not impulse

Repeated visits to the grocery store, especially at random times, increase the chances of taking unnecessary items. Autonomous and local markets encourage objective purchases and reduce the full basket effect typical of large chains.

2. Prioritize nearby markets

Buying close to home reduces transport costs, avoids wasting time in long queues typical of large supermarkets and also reduces the risk of overpurchasing, because the consumer goes directly to what they need. The points installed in condominiums, a booming model, promote rapid and precise replacements.

3. Use Pix as a Control Ally

Immediate payment allows you to better visualize actual expenses and avoid surprises at the end of the month. For those who need to organize their budget, transparency of financial flows is a differentiator.

4. Tailored promotions and smart replenishment

In autonomous markets, technology is already working behind the scenes to make shopping more efficient. Artificial intelligence systems analyze the pace of consumption and guide replenishment, ensuring products are always fresh and reducing the risk of items close to their expiration date. The same logic applies to promotions: smart platforms can identify purchasing habits and offer truly relevant discounts, thereby avoiding generic offers and increasing consumers’ chances of saving on what they actually consume.

Among the networks at the forefront of this movement is market4u, which has adopted advanced data analysis tools, including pricing 2.0, a system that adjusts prices, portfolio and offers based on the behavior of each co-ownership. “In our stores, for example, we are able to personalize prices and product range based on the routine of each location, which improves the shopping experience and helps customers better control their spending,” says Córdova.

5. Prefer smaller portions and frequent purchases

The illusion of saving large volumes can lead to waste. With stores open 24 hours a day, consumers can buy only what they need at that time, reducing waste in the refrigerator and pantry.

For Córdova, the combination of convenience, autonomy and data is already shaping a new logic of consumption. “Brazilians want convenience, but they also want to streamline their spending. Autonomous retail enables both: efficient shopping and everyday savings,” he concludes.