10 Coupon-Free Ways to Save Money on Groceries

Coupons can save you hundreds of dollars a month on your grocery bill, but they can be time consuming and they aren’t for everyone. If you are looking for quick and easy ways to save money on your grocery bill but don’t want to resort to couponing, check out these tried and true tricks.

1. Buy Seasonally. Produce is always cheaper when it’s in season and most fruits and vegetables freeze well so you can stock up while the price is low. My 7-year-old son loves mangoes but if you buy them at the wrong time they can be pricey. He learned a great lesson on saving money when we checked the price of mangoes over a period of several weeks. Mangoes started at over $2 each and I let him know that he could buy 1 now or wait and get quite a few more. He chose to wait. A few weeks later they were priced at $0.33 and we bought extra and stocked our freezer with sliced mangoes that lasted us for 6 months. Lesson learned.
2. Waste Less. No matter how much money you spent on your groceries, food that goes to waste is always going to end up costing you money. Save money by limiting food waste. Clean out your refrigerator and pantry often to stay on top of expiration dates and plan meals around what you already have as often as possible. Dinner leftovers can be used to pack a frugal lunch the next day or mixed into soups, stir fry’s or other great catchall dishes.
3. Shop Weekly and Make a List. Last minute shopping trips always end up being more expensive than you planned on. Every mom has run into the store to buy milk at one point or another and come out with a shopping cart full of groceries she didn’t really need. Limit impulse buying by shopping once a week and sticking to your shopping list as much as possible.
4. Eat Less Meat. Meat is often the most expensive portion of your meals. Limiting meat is not only good for your health, it’s also easier on your budget. Make meat go further by combining it with beans or cooked wheat berries (which can easily be cooked by throwing them in a crockpot for a few hours and refrigerated until needed).  When serving meat as a main course, supplement with several filling side dishes so that you can dish up smaller portions of meat. Recipes such as soups, homemade pizza, and stir-fry use less meat than serving meat as a main course and they are a great way to use up leftovers.
5. Shop at the Farmer’s Market. Seasonal produce can be purchased at extremely low prices from your local farmer’s market. After a few visits, you’ll start to become familiar with your local farmers and learn who offers the best value and the freshest produce.
6. Cook from Scratch. Processed foods can quickly max out your grocery budget, especially if you aren’t using coupons. Aim to cook from scratch as much as possible to save money and provide your family with healthier food choices. If you can find a bit of extra time in your schedule, you can save quite a bit of money by cooking basics such as bread, pizza dough, and granola bars from scratch.
7. Plan your Meals. Menu planning can save you hundreds of dollars a month on your grocery bill, but only if you don’t scrimp in the planning stage. It’s easy to rush through your meal planning and plan meals around whatever you happen to have lying around in your kitchen, only to have dinnertime roll around and the meal not sound appealing at all. We’ve all done it. Take the time to plan meals you actually want to eat and you’ll limit last minute trips to the grocery store or drive through window.
8. Cook Once, Eat Twice – Time is usually an issue when it comes to preparing meals. If you are rushing to get dinner on the table, chances are high that you’ll turn to your stack of pizza coupons or send your hubby through the drive through. Shorten the time you need to spend in the kitchen by cooking extra chicken, hamburger, or whatever meat you are serving and use half of it in a meal the next night. You’ll save time and money.
9. Stock up on Sale Items – You don’t have to use coupons to take advantage of sale items. Make a point of finding 2 or 3 great sale items during your weekly grocery trip and buying enough to last your family until the next sale. Stores usually run promotions on a 3-month rotation for non-perishables so if you estimate what your family will use during that time period you can avoid paying full price.
10. Plant a Garden – A garden may feel overwhelming if you don’t have much of a green thumb, but starting with a few easy to grow basics like tomatoes, zucchini, and green beans can give you a stash of fresh vegetables all summer long and make a good dent in your grocery budget.