Coupons aren’t for everyone. Sometimes, I need a break myself. Just because you’re not using coupons doesn’t mean you shouldn’t save some money while picking up groceries. Here are some easy tips to help you save money at the store, no coupons needed.
1. Don’t go grocery shopping hungry.
The last thing you want to do is go into the store with your belly growling. Before you know it, everything looks good and you think you must have it all. At the register, you’ve suddenly spent way more than what you intended to. You get home and have no idea how that can of Spam got in your bag or what the heck you’re supposed to do with the dragon fruit you bought. If you haven’t had a meal in a while, try having a light snack before heading to the store. Your purchases will be more about what you need for the days ahead and not what your stomach wanted immediately.
2. Make a List
Having a list keeps you on task with what you need at the store. Without a list, you’ll question yourself on what you needed from the store in the first place and end up spending more on items you think you may be out of at home.
3. Grab the appropriate size shopping basket.
If you’re going into the store for a few items, grab a handbasket. Shopping for a week of food or for the family? Get a smaller two-tiered basket or the full sized one. With lack of extra basket room available, you’ll have room for what you went in for and not the impulse items.
4. Grab an ad on your way into the store.
The store ad is at the supermarket entrance, so grab one on your way in. It only takes a minute to scan it over and see if any items on your list are on sale. Take advantage of those deals and save some money without any coupons.
5. Shop in season.
In the Summer, I usually buy a watermelon just about every week. Why? For one, it’s a favorite fruit for me, Tara and our dog, Finnigan. Secondly, watermelons are always on sale at one store or another because they are in season. Have you tried finding a good watermelon in December?
Produce isn’t the only thing at a grocery store that is more affordable in season. There’s corned beef and cabbage in March followed by ham and asparagus for Easter. Spring and Summer brings in veggies and fruit by the bushels. August has back to school items like cereal and lunch box items. Fall has pumpkins and other squashes. There’s turkey in November. Baking goods good on sale in November and December for those Christmas cookies. These are just a few of the many seasonal options at the store.
6. Don’t buy individual servings and pre-prepped food.
In the stores there are premade meals as well as individual packaged chicken breasts and burgers. There’s single serve cups of macaroni and cheese, rice, and vegetables. Then, there are snack packs of pudding, crackers, chips, and cookies. Don’t forget the produce like cored pineapples, presliced apples, bagged greens and onions that are already chopped. While these items (and more) are at our disposal, they come with a price….and it’s higher.
After doing the math, I find I cry less when I cut up an onion or prep food myself. These items are more expensive because of the cost in preparing them and the additional packaging. The cost gets passed on to you, the customer. The amount you spend on the convenience is sometimes 50% higher. If you have the time, prep the veggies or burgers yourself. Buy packages of meat or lunchbox snacks and portion them out into smaller size packages at home for your family. Doing these things yourself can save big.
7. Did you spy a coupon on the product you picked up or maybe a dispenser attached to the shelf?
Ok, I know I said no coupons. Sometimes though, they are in front of you just wanting to be used. You might as well make good use of them. Products like cans of soup or boxes of crackers sometimes have coupons stuck to them. Other times, new products, as well as established products, will have blinking contraptions on the shelf near them dispensing coupons for the taking. Take a second to read the coupon and use it to your advantage if you’re buying that product. If you don’t use the coupon on the product you’re purchasing, you’re putting money into the stores profits instead of saving it to your benefit
8. Try Generic……I mean Private Label products.
I bet most of you remember the word generic when it comes to groceries. Does anyone remember like I do when “generic” meant a white box with black block lettering? I have been buying private label products for years. I find most of them just as good as the branded comparison. I’m not saying give up that Coca-Cola for Cola or Pop Tarts for toaster pastries, but do you always need the brand name rice, canned tomatoes or shredded cheese? Because they are not branded by the big names, private label products can sometimes save you up to 50% in cost. Also, they often also come with a money back guarantee if you’re not satisfied with the product. Give them a try and save a few dollars on your grocery budget.
9. Buy in bulk.
If you only need a small amount of something try looking in the bulk bin area of your store. Flours, nuts, beans, granola, snacks, coffee, spices and more are often sold in bulk. Buy a little, buy a lot. The choice is yours. In addition to saving some money in buying the amount needed, it will prevent you from having a big package that may spoil. Spoiled food you throw away equals lost money.
10. Sign up for a shopper’s rewards card.
Grocery stores Shoppers rewards cards are great for saving without even trying! It seems like almost all grocery stores offer lower prices and special offers to their loyal customers if you use their rewards card. If you go to multiple stores, then get a card for each store. They’re free and don’t require much time to set up the account. It can often be done by the cashier checkout.
Having multiple store cards can lead to bulky key chains. To help with this, I like to use an app on my smartphone. For example, I use one called KeyRing . It’s available for iOS and Android. You can scan all your shoppers’ cards into the app. Just open the app and the specific store needed when checking out. I have around 30 shoppers’ cards saved to my app currently so maybe the KeyRing app would help you too.
11. Try shopping at another store.
Fianlly, one last tip is as easy as changing your view. If you’re always shopping at Store “X” how do you know what Store “Y” has to offer? Take a chance with another grocer. You may find their pricing to be better on the products and services that you normally buy.
I hope these tips help you save some money the next time you shop for groceries.
