7 Ways to save Your Grocery Budget without Using Coupons ...

1. Make a Menu

This tip is so helpful to me. There is nothing worse than getting to the store and standing there trying to figure out what you might want to fix for dinner. This usually ends up in you buying more than you should or only buying part of the ingredients, which sends you back to the store to spend even more, especially when you pick up extras on the trip back. Making a menu not only keeps you organized but it helps you save on your grocery budget. This also gets you in and out of the store quickly.

2. Make a List

I do not want to go to the grocery store without a list. That is where things begin to go quickly downhill. You begin just throwing things in the buggy without thinking and end up spending way more than you intended to. Make a list before you go to the grocery store. Sticking to your list helps you to save even more.

3. Shop Sales

Shop sales in the grocery store. If you can, get hold of the sales paper before you go to the grocery store. Scan it and plan your list around it, taking advantage of the best sales to get more for your money. Sometimes it is even wise to buy just a little bit ahead to have for future meals. For example, you might want to pick up an extra barbeque sauce if it is on sale for the next time you are in the mood for ribs.

4. Shop Generic

You know, I have my products that are name brand that I do not want to swap out for generic. That is absolutely okay. But I also have a lot more products that I choose to buy generic in. If you are not sure which products that you would like in generics, you just have to learn that through trial and error. You can always go back to name brand products.

5. Buy in Bulk

I try to buy in bulk. I do not buy in larger quantities than I can use but I do purchase a lot of things in bulk if I feel fairly certain that I can use them. The prices are almost always lower when you buy in bulk. I am even more likely to buy in bulk when it comes to cleaning products and hygiene products because their shelf life tends to be very long. Take a moment to compare sizes when you are shopping and see which is the better buy.

6. Shop What’s in Season

It is good to learn what is in season at what time of year. This can help you to plan what to buy. For example, our family enjoys apples and pumpkin items the most in the fall and early winter and melons and berries the most in the summer. This is when the prices on those items are best. Do a little research to learn more about this subject.

7. Individually Package Things Yourself

Buying things that are individually packaged is almost always going to cost you more than purchasing the product and portioning it out yourself. My daughter takes her lunch to school daily so we do a lot of portioning things out. This saves us money for only a moment of time. It also helps to stretch my grocery budget further. That is always a good thing.

These seven tips will help you to save money at the grocery store without using coupons. What do you do to save money on your grocery budget? I would love to learn from you!