Saving money on groceries with coupons and without
How much do you spend on groceries each month?
When I started evaluating my family’s finances, one of the biggest expenses we had besides the mortgage, was our grocery bill. Not our car payment, not our gas bill, but food!!
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My husband did most of the food shopping at the time and when he told me we spent OVER $800 a month on groceries I almost fell out of my chair.
We no longer clip coupons but use iBotta to get cash back just by taking pictures of our receipts. Check it out and get a sign-up bonus with this link!
Our daughter is 3 and our son is 1 and although we buy foods specifically for them, it definitely shouldn’t cost close to a thousand dollars.
Here are the things I did that helped us reduce our food spending that you can do right now.
And no, you don’t have to live on ramen noodles and bread to cut your grocery bill in half.
#1 Stock up/buy items when they are on sale
Our pantry always has pasta, cereal, canned goods, oatmeal, pancake mix, canned tomatoes, and sauces. Try to keep items like these that are both shelf-stable and versatile on hand.
Last year, after Halloween, I was able to stock up on liquid hand soap at 25 cents a piece. At retail price they normally run around the $1.50 range. I know this isn’t food, but it’s a household item.
When you see an item on sale try to purchase enough to last you at least until it goes on sale again. You obviously don’t want to purchase too much that it ends up expiring before you can use it all.
I’ve also bought “holiday” saran wrap, chocolates, cookies, and even diapers. There are lots of things you should buy after the holidays to save money.
#2 Shop carefully at wholesale clubs
When we were members of Costco we rarely left without spending at least $200. I often left wondering what we actually bought.
Don’t get me wrong, I loved the free samples, $1 churros, and cheap hot dogs, but what was our money getting us? We often needed to shop at our regular grocery store to get the produce and protein we didn’t get at Costco.
We are now members of BJ’s Wholesale Club. They accept multiple coupons on multipack items and accept both manufacturer’s and their own coupons. We get some really good deals there and also shop at our own grocery store for smaller portions. Remember, bigger isn’t always better.
Updated 5/25/18: We are no longer members of BJ’s. It wasn’t convenient for us to drive there and now that my husband has been eating healthier (he’s already lost 27 pounds!) we eat a lot less.
We do some of our shopping at the local farmer’s market and the discount grocery store Aldi’s, which offers generic brand goods at a much cheaper price. I’m not saying drive around town trying to find the best deals, because you’ll just be wasting your time and gas, but if you happen to be in the area or checked their circulars ahead of time then by all means head there.
#3 Coupons/iBotta
I’m too lazy for extreme couponing. I shop the sales and often time find deals that are even better than if I had used coupons.
I use iBotta, which is an app that has virtual coupons. You don’t have to clip coupons and get discounts AFTER you’ve already gone shopping. Just select the coupons that apply to your order and take a photo of the qualifying receipt.
I love that they have coupons such as 25 cents off ANY item.
Join using this special link to score a $10 welcome bonus and become a part of my team. We can help each other earn savings at a faster rate and monthly bonuses!
Other ways to earn/save cash:
*Things to cut out of your budget to save money
*16 Ways to reduce your electric bill
#4 Don’t go to the store as frequently
The best way to spend less money on groceries is to not go as often. This may sound like a no-brainer, but it works. We used to go shopping 1-2 times a week. I found myself buying things I didn’t really need or things I thought were good deals.
We now go shopping every two to three weeks. We only go more often if we are having guests over, or run out of the perishables such as milk, bread, produce, or protein.
When we don’t shop as frequently I get more creative with the foods I make and use more of what is in our pantry or freezer.
#5 Compare stores
Like I briefly mentioned in tip #2, shop the sales at various stores, but don’t drive around all over wasting gas and time. Check the ads and sales online before you go to the store.
After a few times you’ll learn which stores offer the best sales on which products. E.g., I buy my milk and yogurt from BJ’s. I buy cheese from Aldi’s.
#6 Plan meals
Meal prepping is a great way to cut your grocery bill in half and eat healthier.
Here are 19 easy frugal meal prep recipes you should check out!
This doesn’t need to be anything complicated. Just sit and make a quick list of what you want to eat over the next two weeks.
We like to buy rotisserie chicken because it can be eaten alone, made into a pot pie, chicken salad, or enchiladas. Try to come up with recipes that have similar ingredients so you aren’t buying a little bit of a lot of ingredients.
#7 Select your method of payment
One way to cut back on your grocery spending and spending in general is to pay cash.
This will make you more aware of how much you are spending each month.
We used to pay with credit card when we received 6% off groceries, but have since changed our strategy to save more money.
Whichever method you choose, allot yourself a certain amount to spend on groceries each week/month and once that amount runs out you will have to wait for it to be reset.
#8 Don’t stick to one brand
I see it all the time, people are creatures of habit. We get comfortable and like to do and buy the same things from the same places. Try different brands. The generic (aka cheaper) version of a product may surprise you.
Check the “international” aisle for better deals. In the baking aisle of my super market they have condensed milk. In the international food aisle they also have a different brand of condensed milk, but at a cheaper price. I’ve bought spices and nuts at cheaper prices this way.
By using a combination of all of these grocery bill saving tips my family and I have been able to save a few extra hundred dollars a month. We take what we save on our grocery bill each month and put that amount towards our debt and a little bit into our savings.
As a major foodie I understand the desire to spend money on delicious foods. I occasionally splurge on prosciutto, fresh mutz, Italian sandwich cookies, skirt steak…
How do you save or plan to save money on your grocery bill? Share your tips and tricks in the comments below to cut your grocery bill in half!
Great tips! I love ibotta!
I love it when my pantry is full! I don’t coupon as much as I used to but am a big fan of Sams club!
Definitely the thing that saves me the most money is one that is already on your list–plan meals. If I have a meal plan I’m less likely to impulse buy convenience foods or an expensive last minute thing. Another suggestion is to look for mark-down items, especially meat and dairy if you eat them. One store where I regularly shop will mark down meat items within a day or two of their pull date and I can save almost half. If I put them in the freezer, I can incorporate them into my next week’s plan.
that is so funny that you say that. I just happened to buy ground beef the other day that had a $5 off coupon because it was close to the store’s pull date. I’m going to have to keep an eye out for those more often. thanks!
Great tips for someone shopping for a family. I don’t have any kids at home so my grocery bill is only about $40 a week, but I remember how expensive it used to be feeding all of us.
thank you. the funny thing is I think we spent a lot on groceries even before kids..
I spend way too much on groceries each month! With 5 kids still at home (2 being hungry teen boys), I can use all of the savings advice I can get 😉
My son is 1 and is a big eater, my 3 year old not so much. I can’t imagine once they’re teenagers. The grocery bill will definitely go up then so I guess I should enjoy saving now lol
This is a fantastic post! I just used the link to sign up for iBotta and am so excited to explore it a bit more! I am constantly at the store and spend so so so much money on food so these are some really amazing tips to get me reflecting on what I am spending and buckle down. Thanks for sharing!
thank you 🙂 Yea couponing isn’t my favorite, but I like that iBotta let’s you do the coupons after you shop.
I really agree with nunber 4; dont go as frequently. I go once a month for big shopping trips, and only go back to replenish things that run out. I feel that it saves me money that way.
We were going 2 to 3 times a week and with 2 kids it wasn’t always fun. We probably do 2 big shopping trips a month, but have been much better.
I’ve never been good with couponing! I’ve tried, but… As a family of 10, we stick up on the pantry goods (rices, flours, sugars, pastas etc.) at our bulk foods store and I plan our meals around what’s on sale at our regular store each week. It is so important not to go several times a week, as well- too easy to overspend and impulse buy. It’s incredible how much we spend on food, but I guess it is a necessity! Great tips. 🙂
wow! As a family of 4 I was having a hard time, I can’t imagine 10. Great job and thanks for the tips.
Great tips! I’m pretty proud of the fact that I do most of these! 😁
that’s great. I can’t believe how much money we could have been saving. The “extra cash” is helping pay off our last bit of debt faster.
Oh man, this is great advice! Not going as often is one thing that I do a lot, partly because I really dislike grocery shopping. So improvising and coming up with new meals is something that I’m familiar with. It really does work!
Lol I’m the same way. I only like going to pick up snacks, everything else is work
We need to get into iBotta! My hubby does most of the grocery shopping right now due to my sensitivities to being in buildings right now. These are good tips!
Just tell him to give you the receipts and look and see if any coupons apply. They usually have the 25 cents off any product available.
These are super helpful tips. I love finding new ways to save money! It is such a satisfying feeling!
thank you. i know what you mean, it is a great feeling.
I also stock up on things when they’re on sale; saves money and then you have them when you need them. Great read!
all excellent points! I never stick to a specific brand either, I just compare stores and brands like you said and go for the best deal I can get! Meal planning makes all the difference too!
Meal planning makes a huge difference in our grocery costs. Really good tips!
Thank you. Some weeks I’m better at planning than others.
Great tips and advice, especially concerning the international food aisle! That surprises me the most.
Thanks! yes I know I’m like staring at the condensed milk wondering if something is wrong with it since it was a lot cheaper than the one I saw in the baking aisle.
About a year ago I started getting meat in bulk from Zaycon Fresh. With a family of 5 including a hungry husband and 2 almost teen boys, we go through a lot of food. When they do sales I can get the best chicken breast I have ever used for $1.49/pound. You do have to buy bulk but we separate and freeze. We go through 40 pounds in about 4-5 months. Then I can focus on bulk items like and snacks I don’t make myself at Costco and the weekly dairy/ produce at Aldi. We generally stay around $600-700 a month. I do a lot of baking and I have just started buying bulk organic flour from Amazon saving quite a bit compared to the grocery stores.
I think that’s what I’m going to try next. Freezing different proteins and keeping them organized in the freezer.