Did you know you could save money at the supermarket without using grocery coupons? Yes, it’s true and we are happy to share with you our money saving tips and ideas.
Coupons are great, but sometimes you can get sick of spending so much of your time looking for printable coupons online. You’re more than just a coupon mom! So we suggest saying goodbye to coupons every now and then. You’ll have some extra time up your sleeve, which is ideal to try these new money saving tips.
1. Start a Grocery Inventory
Grab a piece of paper and make a list of all the grocery items you currently have in your refrigerator, freezer and pantry. Make sure you include things like seasonings and condiments, because these will be great recipe ideas in Step 2. Easy! And you didn’t even have to look for a grocery coupon.
2. Create a Meal Plan
Now you have created a list of what you have at home, take a look and see what sort of meals you could create from these grocery items alone. It’s time to get creative with your menu for the week. You might not have enough ingredients for a complete meal, but group as many items as you can together and the write down which ones you are missing. Limit yourself to two or three items per meal. The less, the better!
3. Check the Circulars
Now you have a grocery list and we bet it’s much shorter than usual. You are already saving money. Since you are only looking for specific grocery products, it’s much easier to seek these out in your weekly circulars, sales and ads. Don’t forget to jump online to your favorite online stores and check what sales or specials are running for the week. Make a note of where each grocery item is on sale. Again, no need to use coupons.
4. Shop without Coupons
You have your list, so now it’s time to stick to it. Follow these steps to keep you on track at the grocery store:
- Only enter stores and supermarkets that have the items you need in stock and on sale.
- Don’t buy anything else that is not on your list.
- Try and shop on a full stomach, so you aren’t tempted.
- Consider doing the groceries on a busy day so don’t stay in the store any longer than you need to.
Well done! 4 steps later and you didn’t once need to use a coupon and you managed to save money!
