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If you just can’t get in the habit of finding coupons before you shop, there are still plenty of ways to save. Feeding you and your family is one of your largest monthly expenses; therefore, it is one of the first things you should look at to cut costs. Use coupons when you can and use these other tips to cut down your cost even more or when you don’t have coupons.
We’ve all done it. You go to the grocery store when you are hungry and guess what – everything looks great and you buy things you don’t need. Whether it be that last-minute snack you pick up in the checkout isle or the additional food that only looked good because you were so hungry. You’ll inevitably end up spending more, so never shop when you are hungry.
Generally, buying store brand or generic foods will save you money over the price of brand name items – even if they are on sale. It isn’t always the case since some brands release major savings from time to time, so check the brands and stick to generic or store branded foods if the end result is saving money.
When you run across great sales that only come along once in a while for foods you regularly purchase, stock up! Take advantage of extra savings whenever you have the chance.
If you shop first thing in the morning, you’ll have the best choices of bulk meat on sale. The meat department moves items to an extra savings area (generally found at the end of one of the meat isles) based on the “sell by” date. I often find deals where I save at least $6-$9.00 off the regular price just because the meat is nearing the sell by date.
Always buy your meat in bulk. You’ll need to repackage it when you get home and freeze the items you won’t use right away, but in the long run it will save a ton of money. Wait for sales and stock up on meat during good sales.
Make a meal plan! We’ve all had items sitting in the refrigerator or pantry that we bought more of because we forgot we had them. Base your meal plan around the items you already have, and you’ll save a ton by using what you have and not letting food go bad.
Always make a list before you go to the store – and stick to it! By doing this, you can estimate about how much your groceries will cost and pay with cash. If you use cash – you can’t go over your budget.
