Saving Money on Groceries the Painless Way

Many of you have probably heard about methods to saving lots of money on groceries by paying to join a service, buying newspapers, clipping coupons, watching sales, waiting for your coupons to match sales and then making a grand trip to the grocery store (or stores) and getting $200 worth of groceries for which you pay only $50. There is only one problem; that method takes a lot of time and you end up with stuff you may or may not need.

If you would like to get more of the food you use everyday for less, keep reading. I am going to give you a few tips you can use to save money on groceries without clipping coupons. The reason I chose to eliminate coupons is because they are usually only for name-brand items, they are time-consuming, and they can be messy if you don’t have a good organizational system.

You are more than welcome to add to your savings by using coupons. I like to use coupons that will save me at least $1.00 on an item that I would buy even without a coupon.

Methods

Each method can be used alone or combined with other methods to maximize savings

Know your prices and stock-up on sales:

This is especially true if you have a special diet. Example, if you are trying to eat whole-wheat bread instead of white, it is good to know what it usually sells for so you can keep your eyes out for specials and stock-up.

The most important items to know your prices on are the more expensive items where you can save dollars instead of pennies when a store puts it on sale. Examples are meats, cheeses, milk, etc.

Always be on the lookout for your most frequently used items costing less somewhere other than where you normally shop. I like to check the dollar store for soaps and cleaners.

Check your paper Ads or go online to www.ShopLocal.com or www.Cairo.com

When you browse your ads, make a list of the things you feel are a really good deal (loss leaders) and/or that inspire menu ideas. Be aware that some stores (including Wal-Mart) will price match your items if you don’t feel like making multiple stops. Often, I find that there are only one or two stores who really have things I want that week.

Hit the store for only a quick stop during another errand and only buy the items on your list for that store. The best time to go to the store is very early in the morning if you can manage that. The worst time is probably after 4pm on a weekday and after 9am on a weekend.

Make a Menu and a list:

When making your menu, consider the sales and the items on your shelf or in your refrigerator that are nearing the end of their useful life. Put on your list things that you need to make your meals.

Know about how much your meals cost so that you can use the least expensive ones when money is tight

Either go to the store rarely or stick diligently to your list:

Additional Tips

No time to cook ideas

• It usually costs less (and is often healthier) to buy a pre-packaged meal than it does to go get fast food.
• It doesn’t cost much extra time to double the amount you would normally make. Then you can refrigerate or freeze the leftovers for an easy and quick meal later.

If you do eat out:

• Consider getting take-out from your favorite restaurant, it avoids the cost of tips
• Skip the soda, just get water
• Go out to a restaurant just for dessert or shakes
• Check out your favorite restaurant at lunch time if it costs less

Storage & Freezing ideas

• When bell-peppers or onions are in season, I cut them up and freeze them.
• Shredded cheese freezes nicely
• Bread freezes well too
• When freezing meat, make sure that it is in an airtight package and that it is separated into useable portions. I like to use Glad press n’seal.
• Milk can be frozen if you take about ½ cup out of it first.
• Buy boneless roasts or round steaks when they are on sale and have the store grind it for you. When you have the store grind your meat for you, it is very delicious and inexpensive and you always know exactly what is in it.

Here are some examples of food items on sale where I live:

• Milk 1.99 or less/gal. (available about every other week—grocery ads)
• Bread, Orowheat or similar 2.00/loaf (Costco, must buy 2)
• Cheese $3/lb or $1.50/8oz (available about 1 time per month—grocery ads)
• Butter $1.51/lb (Costco, must buy 4)
• Boneless, skinless chicken breasts 1.99/lb or less (nearly every week—grocery ads)
• I don’t buy meat unless it is for $2/lb or less on boneless meat and $1/lb or less on bone-in meat in the grocery ads. Then I stock-up and store in the freezer.
• Sour Cream and cottage cheese $1/lb (1-2times per month—grocery ads)
• Produce: in-season produce is generally least expensive and highest quality at the local farmer’s market (unless another store is having an unusually good sale)

After just a few months of taking notice of the ads in your area, you will become very familiar with what sale prices you can expect on the items your family uses most.