Save Money on Your Grocery Bill (Without Using Coupons)

Many people will tell me that they don’t have time to coupon shop, and for some of people that may be somewhat true (remember though, I really only spend 2-3 hours a week getting ready for my shopping trips, and then about another hour or so actually doing my shopping.) With the cost of gas expected to continue to rise in upcoming months, who isn’t looking to save a little more on their groceries each week? The truth is you can still save money on groceries even without coupons (but I can tell you using coupons has made a huge difference in my grocery budget!)

Here are a few tips to follow before heading to the grocery store:

• Survey your fridge, pantry, and freezer for items you already have
  
• Look through store ads/websites for items on sale that week
  
• Plan your weekly menu based on items you already have and items on sale that week
  
• Make out your grocery list based on items you still need to complete your menus and items that are on sale that week. Don’t forget to include the basics like milk, produce, and bread.
  
  • If there are good sales on items that you might use in the next few weeks, I would go ahead and buy them now too. It will save you money in upcoming weeks.
• Stick to your list once you get to the store.
  
  • Unfortunately, I usually spend the most money on “ad on” items I find throughout the store. Just because something “looks good” doesn’t mean you have to buy it, especially when you’re trying to stick to a budget. The hardest part for me is trying to stick to my list when my kids are with me.
• Buy store brands if you can (and if you like store brands of certain products)
  
  • I will buy store brands to save money if it’s for a product I don’t mind not having name brand for. Crackers are usually something I will only buy name brands for, but pasta I don’t have a preference.

Planning ahead

By simply planning ahead and using items you already have on hand, following sale fliers, and making out weekly menus, you can indeed save money each week on your grocery bill. Of course, I would recommend trying to see what kind of coupons you can match up with sales to save even more money on your groceries.