SAVE FOR LATER
When my first baby was born, we made a frugal living plan that let me stay home with him. We downsized our apartment, created a budget, and cut back on extra spending.
One of the easiest places for us to cut back and save extra money was in our grocery budget. I’m sharing with you how to save money every month on groceries so you can reach your goals.
I focused on couponing and saving money in every area I possibly could!
6 years later and we’ve added 2 more babies. Our life is busy and I have reduced my couponing, BUT not all the savings! We save money on groceries without coupons…yes! It can be done!
RELATED: How to Earn $1000 per Month Online
Here’s how we save on groceries without coupons:
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1. Shopkick App
This is another super easy app that I like to use to earn gift cards from grocery shopping. All you have to do is walk into the store! You earn points that can be traded for gift cards. There are also options to earn points by scanning products in the store or purchasing products and scanning the receipt.
2. Ibotta App
Ibotta is the best grocery saving app! All I do is check the Ibotta app to see if there are any cash back items that are on my grocery list before I head to the grocery store. Then when I get home I scan the items and the receipt as I’m putting my groceries away.
Read More: Ibotta Review & Referral Code
3. Create a Grocery List
Every time I go to the grocery store with a “mental” list of things we need, I always end up forgetting things or buying things that weren’t on the list! When I have taken the time to prepare our meals for the week, I like to create a grocery list based on meal planning and sales that are happening at my favorite stores.
4. Meal Planning
There are many different ways to meal plan. You can scour Pinterest for ideas of budget-friendly recipes, use the same recipes every week, or sign up for a service that sends meal plans to your inbox. One of my favorite membership sites is Dashing Dish. Katie of Dashing Dish shares healthy, nutritious recipes that you can use to set up your own meal plan.
I love cooking in batches and freezing meals to have something on hand when we are busy, or I’m just too tired to even think about cooking. Having a meal plan will help you save not only time but also you won’t be rushing through the drive-thru for dinner.
5. Use Leftovers
When I cook dinner, I try to cook enough to have leftovers for lunch the next day. Thursday night is our leftover night for anything that hasn’t been eaten yet. It saves me from having to cook a full meal one night a week…and it saves us money. I also try to use up what we already have available in the pantry. Sometimes, if we have leftover meat, I’ll use it in a different recipe on another night.
6. DIY Your Own Food
When looking to save money on groceries without relying on coupons, one effective strategy is to opt for homemade meals and snacks over pre-packaged options. While grabbing a frozen lasagna from the store may seem more convenient, preparing your own meals can be more cost-effective in the long run. By taking the time to cook from scratch, not only can you save money, but you also have control over the ingredients you use, ensuring that you make healthier choices for yourself and your family.
By planning your meals ahead and dedicating some time to cook, you can significantly cut down on your grocery bill while enjoying delicious, homemade dishes. Additionally, cooking at home allows you to buy ingredients in bulk, which often works out to be more economical than constantly purchasing pre-made meals. When you prepare your meals from scratch, you also have the freedom to experiment with different flavors and ingredients, tailoring each dish to your preferences. This not only saves you money but also enhances the overall dining experience, making mealtimes more enjoyable and satisfying.
7. Shop the Sales
Every product goes on sale approximately on a 6-week sale cycle. I try to stock up on items that I know we will use over the 6 weeks. For example, spaghetti sauce will go on sale for $2.49, which saves me $0.50. I buy 6 of those because spaghetti is usually in our weekly meal rotation. 6 spaghetti sauces will last us until the next sale, and I won’t have to buy spaghetti sauce at regular price. I do this for several other items, but since we don’t have a freezer chest right now, I don’t buy anything that needs to be frozen.
8. Clearance Section
Frugal living isn’t just about buying cheap stuff. You can buy great products on clearance. Find ALL the clearance sections at your favorite stores. My favorite grocery store has 3 clearance sections. There is one clearance section in the bakery, another section in the produce department, and a clearance section of non-perishables. I always check the clearance sections to see what I can get a deal on each week.
9. Get to Know the Markdown Schedule
Take some time to talk to the employees! They will let you know when meat will be marked down. You can get a heads-up for the best time to raid the clearance rack for produce! I know that at my local store Wednesdays at 5 pm is when they mark down meat.
10. Compare the Unit Price
When you look at the price of an item that is on sale, make sure you compare the unit price to find the best deal. The unit price is in small print in the corner of the sales tag. It usually will say $0.32/ounce or something similar. Sometimes, the sale price is cheaper than even the store brand when you compare the unit price.
11. Pay Attention to the Sales
My favorite grocery store often has specials that are Buy 6 items save $3. They have a variety of items to choose from that can be mixed or matched, but you HAVE to buy 6 items, or you don’t get the savings.
If you don’t pay attention to the number of items you have, you could end up spending more money!
A couple of helpful frugal living hints while saving on groceries without using coupons… when shopping a sale like I described fill up a bag with all 6 sales items. Once the bag is filled I tie it together so I know I have 6 items from the list. Sometimes I need a filler item to get the discounted price. In that case, I will buy something like a bag of chips for $0.79.
Our store also offers 10 items for $10 on a regular basis. You don’t actually have to buy all 10 items to get the $1 per item deal. It’s the store’s sales pitch instead of saying items for $1.
It’s important you know your store’s sales so that you can always take advantage of getting the best deals!
12. Try Different Brands
If you don’t mind using different brands then you will have more options available to save money. There are a few items that I personally just can’t give up like my deodorant and shampoo. I just try to buy those items when there is a good deal, but for the most part we are not brand loyal. I just try to focus on what is the best deal that I can get and still meet our grocery needs.
13. Shop Around
In our local area, I like to shop at Kroger, Walmart, Fresh Market, CVS, Walgreens, and Trader Joe’s. I don’t go to every store every week…because I don’t have time for that! But I know the best deals at each store so I check the sales cycle and make a plan based around the sales cycle.
14. Keep Track
Use a spreadsheet to keep track of the best prices you get for each item. Once you get an idea of how much you need to spend, you can tell if you find a good deal. You can update this document over time.
15. Sign up for a Grocery Rewards Card
Make sure you sign up for your store’s grocery rewards card so that you get the best savings on your groceries. Some grocery stores also have discounts for gas if you use their rewards card.
16. Download Coupons to Your Rewards Card
Most major stores have some kind of app or program to download digital coupons. I like using these because I don’t have to physically worry about cutting out coupons and taking them to the store. I just check the website before I leave the house and download them to my card. At checkout, I just scan my card, and the discounts are automatically taken.
17. Shop Online/Grocery Pick-up
I have found that if I order online, then I don’t end up overspending in the store. One thing I love about shopping online is that I can see the price as I put things in my basket. I’m totally aware that I am staying within my budget, so I don’t go over. Most grocery pick-up services will let you use your store card or online coupons.
18. Shop CVS for Toilet Paper & Paper Towels
CVS is my favorite place to shop for toilet paper and paper towels. They have a special sale $10 off $30 purchase of certain brands that include laundry detergent, toilet paper, paper towels, etc. I always buy our toilet paper and paper towels at this sale. The last time I got this deal, I bought 4 packages of toilet paper and 1 ALL laundry detergent for $30. I got back $10 to use in the store on my next trip! I essentially paid $6 each for toilet paper (18 rolls) and a 32 ounce laundry detergent.
19. Grocery Shop Fewer Times
I try to stick to a schedule of grocery shopping once a week. My boys are bad about grabbing an apple, taking 3 bites out of it, and then leaving it somewhere random! By sticking to the “grocery shopping once a week” rule, they are learning not to be wasteful with their fruit.
I was shopping twice a week just because we would run out of fruit or I would forget a couple of things for particular meals. I always ended up buying more than I had planned for during that second shopping trip. Now, if I am out of something, we just try to find a substitute for what we already have in the pantry.
20. Shop for Groceries Online at Amazon
Amazon is a great way to save on items that aren’t commonly sold in your grocery store or items that are specialty items. I buy almond flour, coconut flour, and a few other items through Amazon Prime Pantry. This is a super convenient way to get bulk orders! Check out Amazon Prime Pantry
and Amazon Subscribe and Save for more savings!
See how you can save on diapers here >>> 7 Ways to Get Cheap Diapers on Amazon
21. Join Facebook Groups for Saving Money
Facebook groups are an amazing place to find like minded friends who have a passion for saving money on everything! You can type into the Facebook search bar *Any Store Name* Savings and Facebook groups dedicated to sharing the best deals at that store will pop up!
Here are a few of my favorites:
- Couponing at Target
- Couponing at Walmart
- The Krazy Coupon Lady
- Kroger Coupon Deals
- Amazon Steals and Deals
Yummy Dinner Ideas for Busy Nights
5 Easy Sheet Pan Dinners for Busy Work at Home Moms
A little bit more about Ibotta…because seriously!
Ibotta is a cell phone app that is easy to use everywhere you go to buy groceries! You can easily earn cash back rebates and transfer the money into your Paypal account. This is seriously one of my favorite ways to save money at the grocery store!
I love this app because it is so easy to use and now it’s just part of my routine when I grocery shop. You can use this at your grocery store and even Target and Walmart! You simply find the items you want to buy in your app and then scan your purchases and receipt when you get home and put everything away.
The best part is you get to earn cash back on items that usually don’t ever have coupons like fruits, vegetables, milk, and eggs! Also, they have many items each month that are NOT BRAND SPECIFIC. So you can choose any brand in that category and still save!
If you do this all year you will have a nice chunk of change saved up from doing what you already do! Join Ibotta and up to $20 cash bonus!
Want more details? Read my Ibotta Review
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You should shop at Aldi’s. I was reluctant to until I read that it was started by the brother of the guy who started Trader Joes. I cut my phone budget in half. We started by trying a few things and comparing them to other brands. We hands down prefer the Aldi brand of everything we have tried.
Yes! We love Aldi’s too 🙂 Sometimes I get better deals at Krogers though.