Instacart is a grocery delivery service that allows you to pick out food items you like, then have a personal shopper go and grab your items and deliver them directly to your door.
For people with rough work schedules or those who could just use a hand getting food to the fridge from local stores, it’s a nice service that takes the hassle out of grocery shopping.
And a good way to get started with the service is with an Instacart coupon code.
The company offers a promo code for new users that allows them to get $10 off on their first order, and also lets people save on delivery fees with a free trial for their Express Membership package.
In this article we’ll give a brief guide to the Instacart service, show new members how they can save with a discount code, explain the Express Membership and how to sign up for a free 14-day trial, and how to take advantage of coupons when using the service.
Plus, we’ll answer some frequently asked questions about the service.
Brief Guide to Instacart
Instacart is a grocery delivery service that works a bit like most food delivery apps you know and love, just applied to groceries.
You choose a store near you, review items that you want, put them in a cart, check out, and pay for the food.
From there, a personal shopper will head to the grocery store, select your items, pay for them and get them bagged up, and someone (sometimes the shopper, but not always) will come pick them up and deliver them to your door.
Instacart lets you select the brands you like, and also provide instructions if the shopper isn’t able to find the exact item you want.
You can tell them to find a different brand, get something close to it, or just forget it if they don’t have what you’re looking for.
You can also provide specific instructions to the shopper to reflect your shopping preferences – you can tell them that you prefer your bananas on the under-ripe side, for example.
You can shop Instacart with Instacart.com or the Instacart mobile app.
The Instacart app is available on iOS or Android and looks like this:
To change what store you would like to shop at, simply head to the top of the app and click on the store name that you are reviewing.
You will instantly be taken to a menu which shows the stores that offer Instacart delivery and pickup in your area.
Instacart was founded in 2012 by a former Amazon employee, Apoorva Mehta, and was originally only available in the Bay Area.
By May 2015, the company had a $2 billion valuation.
The company exclusively provided service in the United States all the way until 2017, when it finally started offering service in some cities in Canada.
The company received major investment in 2016 from Whole Foods, who are now partners with the company.
Instacart Promotion for New Customers
Instacart offers some promotional codes to existing users which change frequently and are often localized or specific to a time of the year, but they do have a standing offer for new customers to give them $10 off their first order.
To get $10 off your first order, sign up by using this promotional link.
It’s as simple as that! The link will take you to a sign-up page that will prompt you to enter your ZIP code.
Once Instacart confirms that they offer delivery service in your area, you will be taken to a page where you can sign up for a new account.
The $10 credit will automatically be applied to your first order.
Again, this will only work for new users making their first purchase.
There is a way for existing users to save using the service, however: Instacart Express.
Free Delivery With Express Membership Trial
Instacart Express is Instacart’s premium tier for people who use the service often.
It allows people to get unlimited free delivery (not the groceries free, but no delivery fees) for any and all orders over $35.
The service costs $99 annually, or you can pay on a monthly basis for $9.99 per month.
For those who shop with the service often, it can quickly make sense financially.
(Fees per order tend to be around $3.99, so once-a-week grocery shopping with Instacart would make sense to just go with the Instacart Express option.)
What’s nice about the service is that they do offer an Instacart Express trial: a 14-day trial to get unlimited free deliveries.
For people who are unsure about Instacart or want to see what Express is like, the trial is a nice way to experiment without spending too much on the service.
Just make sure to cancel before the 14-day trial if you want to save, however, as the $99 annual fee is applied at the end of the two-week trial.
Coupons From Instacart
One of the benefits of using Instacart is that the app automatically loads up any coupons that popular stores are using, and lets you apply them directly to your Instacart orders from the app.
Not to mention they have a lot of coupons made special for the app, which can save you a lot off everyday essentials and help Instacart pay for itself in savings.
For those who aren’t passionate about clipping coupons, the app lets you get in on those savings without having to put in the work.
To look at the coupons that Instacart offers at your favorite stores, just open up the app and click on the coupon icon at the bottom of the screen.
There they organize coupons for limited-time savings on popular items.
With the screen, you can select coupons by popularity, biggest savings, and by category.
This includes personal care, household, snacks, frozen, breakfast, and more.
These coupons change constantly, but when used strategically, they can save you a lot on your weekly grocery bill if you’re willing to be a bit flexible on brands and shop smart.
Make sure to pay attention to the coupons as they are listed.
Many require you to purchase multiple of an item to save, so double check your cart with the terms of the coupon to ensure that you get the savings that you want.
FAQs
How Do You Enter Promo Codes?
Instacart occasionally offers promo codes to shoppers, or will send you a credit for an order that wasn’t up to snuff.
To enter your credit code or your promo code, first click on the person icon in the top left corner of the app, which will take you to your personal account menu.
Halfway down there is a “Credits & promo codes” menu item.
Tap that.
From there, tap REDEEM and you will be able to enter any promo codes or credits you find.
What Stores Work With Instacart?
Many of your favorite stores are on Instacart, including Costco, Whole Foods, Target, Kroger, and even Petco.
Can I Use My Costco Card With Instacart?
Unfortunately, no.
Costco insists that the membership card belongs to the personal shopper, so you won’t get points or benefits from using Costco with Instacart.
Can I Pick Up With Instacart?
Yes, you can!
But only at select locations.
If you can’t coordinate with a delivery driver or don’t feel comfortable having your groceries dropped at your house, many locations have a “pick-up” option which will allow you to have a personal shopper select all your groceries and pay for them, then have you go directly to the store and pick up the items yourself.
Do I Need to Worry About Expiration Dates?
You shouldn’t have to.
Instacart personal shoppers spend much of their days shopping, and are trained to only pick out fresh ingredients and items.
Saving With Instacart
Instacart is a great way to save, either by signing up with a promotional link and getting $10 off your first order, taking advantage of the Instacart Express trial membership to get free delivery for two weeks, or by scouring their coupons to find the best deals at your local stores.
Be smart about using the app, and it can actually save you money, not to mention all that time you would normally spend shopping!
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