9 Easy Tips to Lower Your Grocery Budget without Coupons

9 Easy Tips to Lower Your Grocery Budget without Coupons

I love to save money when I shop! Today I’m sharing 9 easy tips to lower your grocery budget without coupons. Shopping for groceries is a necessity of life that can be stressful and expensive. While couponing can definitely save a lot of money, it can also be very time consuming and a bit of a hassle at the grocery store. There are plenty of other ways to save money when shopping for groceries. You simply need to think outside the box! Below are my 9 easy tips to lower your grocery budget without coupons.

Sit Down with the Sale Ads

Before you head out to the grocery store, grab all of the sale ads and compare prices on the items that you need to buy. Make notes about which stores have the items you need on sale. Being organized like this really helps to lower your grocery budget without coupons.

Meal Plan Around Sales

Create a weekly meal plan for your family, using the sale ads as your inspiration. While many people create a meal plan before they make their grocery list, knowing what’s on sale can help you to plan meals that will reduce the amount you spend on the grocery store. Using the sales for inspiration makes it easier to break out of a rut and stop making the same meals over and over.

Make a Complete List

Write a grocery list and be as detailed as possible. Shopping without a list will almost always result in overspending. Even having a cryptic list like “Lunch meat” or “dinner entrees” can cause impulse buying and keep you from making the most affordable choices. I tend to stick to the outside of the store since I’m eating a low-carb, no sugar keto diet. This keeps me from buying most processed foods and instead lets me focus on fresh vegetables, eggs and hormone free meat.

Stop Buying Items Because They’re On Sale

A bargain is only a bargain when it’s something that you’ll use. Those two dollar chips are only a good deal if they come in flavors that someone in your house will actually consume. The same goes for larger sized products that may expire before you use them up. I hate throwing out food, so I really watch expiration dates closely.

Shop Multiple Stores

Visit a few different stores to get the best buys for the items on your list, as long as they are within an easy travel distance. Though it isn’t always the most convenient thing to shop at several locations, your bank account will be much happier in the long run. The stores near me are Publix, Aldi, Winn-Dixie, Save-A-Lot, Whole Foods, Sprout, Fresh Market, Walmart and Target. I usually find great deals at Publix, but don’t discount Aldi or Target, as they have good deals too. My friend Mary also reminded me that you should check the farmer’s markets near you. She often walks out with 2 large bags of fresh fruits and veggies for $10 or less!

Avoid Using Credit Cards

Though it can be tempting to pay for your groceries with credit cards, it’s better to avoid using credit unless you know for certain that you will pay off your bill before you’re charged interest. Even a lower interest card will significantly increase the cost of your groceries in a month. I have a credit card that I use for household expenses that I pay off at the end of every month. I get cash back on all purchases made with that card, which is more money into my pockets!

Don’t Pay for Convenience

Instead of purchasing pre-sliced and pre-shredded items, seasoned or marinated fresh meat, or already cooked convenience foods, purchase things that are in their natural form or uncooked and do it yourself at home. The savings by volume will be significant. It really adds up and this is such an easy switch to make to lower your grocery budget without using coupons.

Stock Up When Staples are On Sale

When there is a great deal on an item that your family uses often, buy multiples to stock up. The extra you spend during a particular shopping trip will mean less you’ll have to spend on subsequent visits to the store.

Use Rebate Apps

There are a number of different phone apps that allow you to scan in your receipts and get rebates or rewards to save even more on your groceries. These are simple to use and will send you a check or allow you to redeem for useful gift cards, helping you to lower your grocery budget without coupons.

Bonus Tips

Now, I know I said no coupons, but I do feel like I should mention that some grocery stores have coupon apps for your phone. Publix (my favorite grocery store) has a very easy to use coupon app and you just go to their website and click on each coupon to get it to use when you shop. This can also help with stocking up on your staples and meal planning, since you can see all the deals at once.

Oh! Last thing, I swear. I use Envirosax reusable shopping bags when I go grocery shopping. The bags come in so many different prints that you’ll be able to find one you love. They hold up to 44 pounds each, so they hold a lot. And they’re extremely durable, yet lightweight. I keep 1 of my Dusky Damask bags in my purse with me for when I’m out shopping at the mall. My grocery bags stay in the car at all times, so that I always have them with me when I’m going grocery shopping.

I hope my 9 easy tips to lower your grocery budget without coupons helps you to save money next time you go grocery shopping! Do you have any money saving tips for grocery shopping? Share them below!

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