Frequently Asked Questions

The cheapest supermarket varies every week based on flyer deals. Generally, Maxi and Super C offer the lowest prices, but deals change constantly. JustShoppingSmart automatically compares prices across 7 stores to estimate the cheapest store for your specific grocery list (estimate for items not in the flyers).

It depends on your province! In Quebec, Maxi and Super C are often cheapest. In Ontario, No Frills and FreshCo. Out West, Superstore and Walmart. JustShoppingSmart compares flyers in your area to spot this week's deals.

The top 3 strategies: 1) Plan your meals around this week's flyer deals. 2) Compare prices across stores for each item. 3) Stock up when discounts are significant. JustShoppingSmart handles steps 1 and 2 automatically in seconds.

In 2026, a family of 4 spends an average of $250-350 per week on groceries in Canada. In Quebec, it's slightly less: $220-300. JustShoppingSmart calculates, for your specific plan, the gap between regular prices and current flyer prices — the amount shown is specific to your week and your store. See the Methodology page for the full calculation.

The key: start with deals, not recipes! Check what's on sale this week, then build your meals around those ingredients. JustShoppingSmart does this automatically — our planner scans flyers and generates an optimized meal plan in seconds.

Flyers come out every Thursday in Quebec. Look at front-page deals (the most aggressive discounts), compare price/kg or price/litre rather than total price, and check validity dates. Or let JustShoppingSmart do it for you — we automatically scan the flyers of 7 chains (Super C, Maxi, IGA, Metro, Walmart, Costco, Giant Tiger).

Price matching lets you get a competitor's advertised price without switching stores. In Quebec, two chains offer it: Maxi (« Imbattable. Point final! ») matches the prices of major competitors designated by each store, and Giant Tiger sells 1¢ below a local competitor's advertised price. Both require an identical item and the competitor's flyer, printed or digital, and exclude member prices among others. Walmart no longer matches competitor flyers, only Walmart.ca prices; Super C, IGA, Metro and Costco have no published price-matching policy at checkout. Policies checked on the official websites in October 2026. In your list, JustShoppingSmart shows when a price match is possible.

JustShoppingSmart is a free app that reads the flyers of 7 major grocery chains and builds your weekly menu from the deals. Our planner automatically compares flyers from 7 stores and creates an optimized meal plan for you in seconds.

Maxi and Super C take turns from one week to the next depending on the flyers — there's no permanent winner. Maxi has the advantage of PC Optimum points, while Super C sometimes has lower base prices. JustShoppingSmart compares both automatically to spot this week's deals item by item.

IGA and Metro are in the same price range — more expensive than Maxi/Super C, but with better selection of local and organic products. Their weekly deals are often competitive. JustShoppingSmart compares both so you get this week's deals from each.

PC Optimum offers redeemable points at Maxi, Provigo, Shoppers Drug Mart and more. Tips: load your personalized offers every Thursday, stack offers with flyer deals, and wait until you have 50,000+ points before redeeming (better ratio). Combine PC Optimum with JustShoppingSmart to maximize your savings.

It's possible with planning! The keys: batch cook, buy proteins on sale and freeze them, rely on legumes and eggs, and plan meals around this week's deals. JustShoppingSmart automatically generates an optimized meal plan for your budget.

In Quebec, new flyers come out on Thursday. The best time: Thursday or Friday morning, when shelves are full and deals are fresh. Avoid Sunday afternoon (peak traffic). Tip: check JustShoppingSmart Thursday morning to plan your week with the new deals.

Instacart connects consumers with personal shoppers who do your grocery shopping. Some stores charge higher prices on Instacart, plus variable fees (see Instacart's pricing page). Tip: use JustShoppingSmart to spot this week's deals, then order on Instacart to combine savings and convenience.

It depends on the service! PC Express offers free pickup over $35 at Maxi. Instacart+ ($99/year) offers free delivery on orders over $35. For other services, fees range from $3.99 to $9.99 per order.

Best strategies: take advantage of lunch menus (often 30-50% cheaper than dinner), look for promos on delivery apps, use restaurant loyalty programs, and eat on weekdays rather than weekends. JustShoppingSmart's Restaurants section (beta) lists hand-spotted restaurant deals in the Montreal area.

Look for happy hours (2-for-1 on drinks/appetizers), Mondays/Tuesdays (quietest days = best promos), and apps like DoorDash/Uber Eats that often offer promo codes. JustShoppingSmart lists restaurant deals in the Montreal area — beta section.

Prices vary based on current promos. Generally: The three apps don't cover the same restaurants and their fees change with promos: compare all three for the same restaurant before ordering. Tip: compare all 3 apps for the same restaurant before ordering.

Start by tracking your current spending for 2-3 weeks. A realistic budget in Canada: $200-300/week for a family of 4. Tips: separate your 'grocery' budget from 'restaurants/delivery', plan meals on Thursday with the new flyers, and use JustShoppingSmart to optimize every dollar.

In 2026, Canadians spend an average of $1,200 per month on groceries for a family of 4. That's a 25% increase in 3 years. In Quebec, it's slightly less (around $1,000-1,100). JustShoppingSmart computes, on your own list, the gap between each item's regular and flyer price, and what the same list costs at each store.