Wednesday, April 6, 2016

Cut Your Grocery Bill WITHOUT Cutting Coupons

FTC disclaimer:  This post contains affiliate links.

Everyone knows someone who is a coupon queen.  (I used to be one.)  But what about those of us who don't want to take time to clip coupons and still get a good deal at the store?  Is it even possible? Yes!  Absolutely!   Here are my tricks for couponless savings.


1.  Savings Apps.   I wrote a whole post on how to save money using savings apps on your smart phone.  Of them all, Ibotta has the most "general" savings.  I have seen savings on any brand of milk or bread.  If you sign up and redeem a rebate that is not an "any brand" in the next two weeks you will get a $10 bonus by going through this link.

2.  Compare prices at different stores.  I'm not saying to make tons of trips to multiple stores, but one of my tricks is if I know that several things are cheaper at a certain store, I plan my weekly shopping around that store.

3. Sales -- plan your meals around them and stock up.  There is one store that has great quality meat in our area.  I watch the sales circulars and when it is on sale, I buy quite a bit at a time.  A time saving trick for me is to plan my weekly grocery shopping for that store when meat is on sale.  I might pay a little more for milk, but it's not worth it to me to run to different stores every week.

4.  Watch the cost per ounce.  It is amazing to me sometimes how a smaller container is sometimes cheaper than a giant container when you compare cost per ounce. It doesn't always work this way but it can, and it's worth watching the tags on the shelves to see which size is the best value.  Of course, don't buy more than you can use before it goes bad, because that isn't a savings.

5.  Watch the clearance section.  I have found great bargains there.  Sometimes it's products being discontinued or packaging changes, but there can be some good savings there.

6.  Don't get processed foods.  Sure, it's tempting because it's easier, but most convenience foods can be made at home.  Plus it's healthier for you.  I even make my own seasoning mixes.

7.  Plan some meatless meals.  It's not just for Lent anymore!  One of my family's favorite meals is "Vegetable Medley".  Everyone picks one can of something from the pantry.  It might end up being odd combinations, like macaroni and cheese, cranberry sauce, and green beans, but it's a cheap meal.

8.  Use your slow cooker.  I have a friend who got a pricey WiFi Enabled Crock Pot as a gift.  This allows her to change temp or cooking time while she is away at work.  She has saved hundreds of dollars because she used to get fast food for her family all the time.

9.  Watch for after season specials.  Does it really matter if the marshmallows are red and green?  It might, it depends on what you want to do with them, but if it doesn't make a difference and you can buy holiday items after they are marked down, go ahead and buy them.  (For the record, red and green marshmallows turn Rice Krispie Treats gray, so if you are serving them to kids, then you might want to stick with white ones.)

10.  Stick to a list.  It's easy to go through the store and think, "Oh, Moose Tracks ice cream.  That's my favorite.  I'm going to go ahead and get some.  But before you know it all those impulse purchases will add up.

11.  Buy only what you need.  The above mentioned cranberry sauce from "Vegetable Medley" night?  One too many bought during the holidays.  If it's not something you eat often, just get what is required to make the recipe you are planning.

There are many different ways I save at the grocery store, but these are my favorites.  It is possible to cut your grocery bill without cutting coupons!




4 comments:

  1. I also tend to have a general idea of what items are cheapest at what places. I also take advantage of price match policies so I can get the sale price, but actually have the item in stock.

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  2. Good tips! I like to save money on groceries!

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  3. These are all great tips. I would love to have you link up with us at Family Joy Blog Link Up party this week. Check it out http://thinking-outside-the-pot.com/?p=2629

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  4. Great tips! I love using the Ibotta and Cartwheel apps. Thanks for joining the Family Joy Linky Party.

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