Are you a coupon clipper? No? Lots of people like saving money, but don’t really buy the sort of products that have coupons, or don’t have time to waste searching and clipping. These tips are for you.
1) Don’t waste money on pre-chopped food.
Pre-chopped or single serving food is expensive! Want to save money? Buy a good knife and some plastic bags.
2) Pay attention to unit pricing.
Just because something is bigger or has a sticker on it that says “special value,” doesn’t mean it costs less per unit. If you hate doing math, use a calculator!
3) Try store brands. It might be the exact same food you’re used to eating.
The no name food you see in stores is often made by the exact same factories that produce the brand name stuff. For example, Walmart “Great Value” peanut butter is really just Peter Pan with a different label. Try the store brands. You might like them.
4) Compare prices in different areas of the store.
Deli meats, cheese and olives may be a better deal than similar products in other areas of the store — or they might not. It pays to walk around and compare, says Consumer Reports.
5) Try other stores.
The grocery store isn’t always the cheapest place to buy food. Sometimes drug stores have good deals on things like milk, and liquor is cheaper at warehouse stores. Discount stores like Aldi can have great deals. Farmer’s markets are fun and often inexpensive. Be careful not to blow your budget by driving all over the place to save $0.50 on organic turnips, however.
6) Make a list that fits within your budget.
Wandering around the grocery store when your hungry is a terrible idea, particularly if you don’t have a set budget or a list of items you need. Take a few moments to plan your trip. You’ll be done faster and you’ll have saved money.
7) Eliminate waste.
People waste a lot of food. The New York Times says we Americans toss about a quarter of what is available to eat. That’s not cool. The Guardian has a list of tips that will help you cut down on the food you waste.
Hate coupons, but love money? Share your coupon-free tips in the comments.
(Photo: flyingember )
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@Jevia: Chop up half that lettuce for a salad with your dinner. Make sure you use a plastic knife and bowl-it will keep the lettuce from going brown around the edges.
The new hand-held guns at Stop & Shop will try to entice you with individualized coupons/cents off based on your purchase history (you gain access to a gun via your loyalty card). I got the fancy, cage-free Land O Lakes eggs for $0.29 after a dollar off coupon on the shelf and a dollar savings deal from the gun. I was floored by how effectively S&S is using all of that data to actually benefit their loyal customers–it’s much easier to save more during a trip, plus you’re able to bag your items as you shop.
I get into a system. One week, I buy completely meats for my house. Next week, boxed specials. Then canned for my pantry. Unless there is some spectacular sale or coupon that calls to me in my sleep, I try to stick to this. Its almost a rotating schedule… if you are spending $150 a week on food, try it this way. You’ll find that spending $100 a week on meat, then $100 on boxed, cans, etc… you’ll be buying more than enough! You’ll have much more left over that way, which keeps your shelves stocked in case you have a short month on cash. My house has more than sufficient food at all times. And it pays to wait for huge meat sales.
As an alternative to #1, buy the amount of veggies you need off the salad bar, if you won’t use a whole one. A local chef taught me this.
It’s cheaper to buy a few cauliflower florets off the salad bar than to get “cut cauliflower” from the deli or veggie section, which is weird, because it’s still cut!
I friggin hate coupons and would rather switch brands or go without than use them. Like rebates, I find them a waste of time and an insult to my intelligence. Just lower the damn price already!
My brother is the QA manager at a very large national pasta manufacturer. He says that the store brand pasta widely available in my area is actually a superior product to the competing national brand (they produce both – he is speaking in terms of ingredients, protein content, etc.). This is probably not the case with all store brands (I have had good and bad) but it pays to check them out.
My standard advice to people about this topic is to simply pay attention. Sales usually go in cycles and if you can get a general idea of the pattern and buy in bulk, you never have to pay full price. Things like chips, soda, hotdogs, buns, rolls, etc. go on sale around cookout holidays like Memorial Day, 4th of July, etc. Peanut butter goes on sale several times a year, most reliably during August before school starts (sale price plus doubled coupon is always an excellent bargain – I haven’t paid more than 20 cents for a jar of peanut butter in 2 years). There is always something on sale in the meat department. Some sales are better than others. If you’re paying attention you know what is a good price and what is a great price and can buy accordingly. Last year at some point you could get chicken leg quarters for something like 49 cents a pound. We made fried chicken, chicken stock, chicken soup, chicken pot pie, chicken teriyaki. Bonanza.
Another thing that I don’t see mentioned here is that when a company puts out coupons for a common product, that product WILL go on sale some time before the coupon expires. So if you go out on Ebay and buy 15 50 cents off Skippy peanut butter coupons that expire on 9/30, you can be fairly sure there will be a sale on Skippy over the next two months. Also, grocery chains usually don’t have sales on the same items at the same times. Skippy will be on sale a Stop and Shop one week, then on sale at Price Chopper the next. I’ve watched products on sale “hop” from one store to the next (Stop and Shop, Price Chopper, Shaws, Hannaford) for weeks.
My #8, do mental math.
Add up what your buying as you go around. I account for tax as I do it.
If your end bill is off by more than a few dollars, then something is up.
I have found items that were accidentally rung up multiple times as well as “miss marked” items.
“when your hungry”
YOUR != YOU’RE
oh, and a big ol’ friday afternoon grrrrr.
When I was a poor student in I would go to a grocery outlet store in
chinatown that sold to all the local restaurants. Anything not sold in bulk
was sold the next day to the public at about 25% the usual price (the meat
was closer to 50%, so I mostly switched to tofu until graduation). Overall
I was eating super healthy (cooking *everything* from scratch) on about
$100/month.
I save LOADS of money by eating lots of beans, whole grains, and seeds as the base of my diet. IMO, the last thing this country needs is cheap processed “food”. I think it’s a good thing that the cost of this junk is going up.
And speaking from experience, eating healthy food is much, much cheaper than eating junk. I have no idea how this myth got started, but it’s about time it stopped.
Shopping at the small ethnic stores really does save tons of money. This is a great tip and probably the most effective.
Bag you own salad!
I buy the red, the green and baby spinach in bunches. I have a salad spinner at home and wash these together. Then I separate handfuls into ziplock bags (you can wash and reuse). Sometimes you can find specials on other field greens to add:
[www.foodsubs.com]
When you compare how much the bagged pre-mix salads are, and the age of them, your own mix is cheaper, fresher and lasts longer (spoilage).
Also, for “bachelor bread” and “bachelor milk”, I buy the potato-wheat bread (can last weeks without mold) and lactaid milk (gallon). The milk usually has a sellby date atleast 6 weeks away.
@Jevia: The Debbie Meyer Green Bags of infomercial fame really do work. I’ve found them on eBay for cheaper than what her website sells them for, too. My lettuce stays crisp and fresh for two weeks in one of those.
Go with a list and shop the perimeter of the grocery store first. Only
go down the aisles if you still need to and be selective about the
aisles you choose based on what you actually need. Not only does this
cut down the amount of impulse purchases of expensive packaged foods, it
also cuts down on calories! Generally you can get those staple items
that are more nutritious – produce, dairy, deli, meat and grains -
without going down the aisles.
Also, Trader Joe’s has a great frozen section, especially when it comes
to fruits and vegetables. They are cheap AND individually flash frozen
so they’re not all packaged in a solid clump of ice and freezer burned
when you use them. Stock up on them when seasonal produce is minimal.
@MissPeacock:
I have the same problem, MissPeacock. If I buy a large package or bag, it doesn’t get eaten and spoils. Also, I get tired of eating the same thing every day in order to use it up quickly.
It is actually more economical for me to buy a smaller size of something and eat all of it. I only buy nonperishables in large sizes like TP or trash bags or something.
As for coupon hints, I don’t use them much. Most of the time, I forget I have them, or they’re not for anything that I use, except toothpaste or something like that. I try not to go in the “convenience” food aisles at the store too much, because it’s more expensive. And I shop at Aldi’s for most staples.
I’ve found that a little effort goes a long way. Specifically, I plan out meals about a month in advance.
I actually don’t plan very far in advance before I go to the grocery store because I want to see what they have on sale. That said, I usually go with a few ideas in mind, and replenish any ingredients needed to accomplish the task.
When I get home, I plot out entrees, sides, and vegetables on a spreadsheet and sort by urgency (e.g. if something requires a fast expiring ingredient). Finally, I sort by variety (don’t want chicken 3 nights in a row) and make a plan. It also helps to include leftover nights every 2 days or so.
I’m sure it sounds pretty geeky, but almost nothing goes to waste, and we can feed a family of 3.5 (pregnant) breakfast, lunch, and dinner, for about $300 a month. And it really only takes me about 2 extra hours a month to figure it out.
That drugstore anecdote isn’t true for me. At my local daves supermarket a box of rice krispies is $2.50. At my local walgreens a box with around 4 ounces less of cereal costs $4.50.
However, alternate stores are great! My local price rite halfs my shopping bill.
@Jandek:
Jandek: Dave’s Supermarket as in Rhode Island??
I’m in the West suburbs of Chicago and the farmer’s markets have terrible prices. I was led to believe this is the cheapest way to get produce but now I don’t believe it.
You have to watch out for farmers markets. Some are actual farm markets and some are jokes. Look for poor people and you will find your best deals. If you see a Denali parked beside a new VW, might skip it.
I disagree that you should buy plastic bags, they are wasteful to the environment. Buy reuseable containers!
My number one money-saving tip? Do not buy any product with high-fructose corn syrup in it. I w as diagnosed with a corn allergy and had to start reading labels for this stuff. No more granola bars, fruit chews, frozen dinners, packaged snack foods, many candy types…it is unbelievable ow a box of granola bars here or there adds up. I save so much money on groceries now, it is insane.
My other trick is to have certain things on-and all the time and to freeze individual ingredients as opposed to pre-made dinners. In the time it takes to heat up some quick-cooking brown rice, rice noodles, pasta or couscous, I can thaw half a can of of beans from the freezer and a cup of frozen vegetables. Toss them with the pasta or rice and some sauce, or onto a baked potato, or into a wrap, or into some soup broth, and voila, almost instant dinner.
Senior day at Kroger. First Wednesday of the month, and my grandmothers phone number.
@Triborough: I love Trader Joe’s! I know that Jarlsberg is about half the price there as it is at any other grocery store in the area. Their house brands are also really really good.
@bnelson333: This is great advice. I use a program called YummySoup to do this on my Mac, but Recipe Box, which is also very good, is cross platform.
[hungryseacow.com]
[sonoragraphics.com]
bringing my lunch has saved me literally HUNDREDS of dollars a month. also, my biggest money saver is acknowledging my bad habits and working with them..i know that in the summer i’m lazy and hot and don’t want to cook, so i only buy stuff that i can eat raw or is easily prepared. also, i know i am really bad at waking up in the morning to make lunch, so i keep a stash of microwaveable stuff (like ramen, frozen burritos, etc) and some fruit on hand so i have something to grab when i’m in a rush. it’s gotten to the point now where i’d actually rather go hungry than buy lunch (not that it comes to that) so i think i finally turned this bad habit around.
also, i only buy stuff on sale, which is usually the store brand. NYC supermarkets are expensive, i don’t know how you people can buy peanut butter for.20 cents or meat for .49 cents. that would be a miracle here.
I have found (lol) that a box of Dexatrim will save me $200 a month on lunches. Oh wait, nevermind, that was one of those Olsen twins’ ideas.
An old acquaintance of mine told me he used to hop around Sam’s Club eating all of the snacks/foods to sample on Saturday afternoons. He said he wouldn’t have to pay for lunch that way. Holy cow! I never thought people would actually do this. Does Sam’s Club provide an aisle menu for those looking to eat free?
@Japheaux: When I was single and poor (who am I kidding?–I’m still poor, just not single), my Saturday lunch was always made up of samples from my local market. These days, my family does our Costco shopping on the weekends, and we load up on samples while we’re there. The kids love it because they get to try things I won’t normally buy, and we’re all usually stuffed by the time we leave the store. I haven’t had to buy or prepare a Saturday lunch in ages.
@Dansc29625: some “uppy” farmer’s markets have good deals mixed in with the expensive stuff. My local market has cheap organic veggie stands next to booths selling hand-painted silk scarves at $100 and up.
@Advertising Guru: “In this era of skyrocketing gas prices and rent prices – there is no shame in using your resources to the fullest”. That’s the whole reason why we are in a mess. Rising costs is NOT the reason why you should be using your resources to the fullest. People have a waste mentality. Frugality, saving, saying no to yourself, being responsible are not a typical part of most people’s vocabulary. This is where people expect the government to fix their problems instead of taking responsibilty for themselves. BTW, if you think gas prices are bad now, wait til the dems get in office. the only thing Obama is not happy about is that we got to these price levels too fast. figuring out how save money on groceries won’t be a problem b/c you’ll be paying soo much more in taxes, yes you to Mr. “I only make 30,000 a year” person, that you won’t be able to buy groceries. Now that’ll be some change!
@Jevia: I’ve read to keep lettuce fresh longer is separate out the leaves, wash and dry them and then keep a piece of paper towel between each leaf. The lettuce goes bad b/c of the moisture so keeping as much moisture off each leaf helps. also keep the whole mess in an airtight container. As for your husband, he needs to grow up. I pack my lunch pretty much everyday. Admittedly I don’t know if he’s a construction worker or maybe a salesman who lives in his car but he definitely needs to get over it. Maybe work out a deal. Since he’s spending $200 a month on eating out. Let’s say, You pack lunch for a week. Whatever you saved you split. He gets half and the other half goes to pay off either debt (CC first, then mortgage) or if you have no debt go to savings, either serious or frivolous.
2. …except when one brand or size is measured by weight, and another by volume…makes it harder. I’m seeing this more and more.
5. yes, yes, yes! Especially check out stores other than big chains. Many things (beans and spices come to mind) are cheaper and of greater quality at most ethnic stores. But, you have to hunt for them, sometimes. I didn’t find out there were two Latin food stores right under my nose until I was talking the guy that owns a Mexican restaurant here.
6/7. Also, plan your leftovers. It’s not easy (at least for those of us with common American lack of dietary tradition), but it is a way that really does make your food cheaper. You end up with less of, “the fridge is full and there’s nothing to eat!”
I’d love a cookbook of stuff that could be brought in that would keep well, not use a microwave, not take a great deal of time, and be like real food (IE, from scratch, and no microwave use).
I can rarely use coupons, as I’m vegetarian and try to stay away from processed foods – you’ll rarely (if ever) come across coupons for fresh fruit and deli-made bread, so I learned a long time ago the only lesson you really need when shopping – scrutinize and analyze everything.
If you’re really looking to save, the price per unit, ounce, or pound is really what matters.
And if you’re a fresh fruit/veg fiend, watch your cashier closely, as they get those 4 number codes mixed up often. Just today, they typed the code for “green peas” instead of “green beans” – the difference? 4 dollars per pound.
Farmers markets are expensive. Wegmans is the greatest!
We occasionally go to whole foods/giant/safeway/shoppers for sales – but Wegmans has the best prices on the usual items! Plus their store brand items are always awesome!
There are several coupon sites on the internet that have really good coupons. My family waits until the item is on sale then pull out our coupons and buy it. Sometimes the store will sell beef in really large chucks (10 pounds). When they do we buy one and have the butcher cut it up for me. If your butcher charges there are seveal websites the tell you how to cut up a side of beef. (Youtube is one of them) We shop at Wal-Mart for many items. You have to be careful sometimes the Wal-Mart brand items do not taste as good as other store brands or the name brands. The Wal-Mart yougurt taste powdery and bland to me. Always go shopping with a list. This is something your kids can help you with. List all of the meal you make and spread them out on a calendar. When you go shopping for that week you will have a better idea what you need to put on your shopping list by what meals you have listed on the calendar for that week. We always have a frozen pizza in the freezer for nights when time is tight. We use our crockpot alot. That saves time because the meal is ready when you get home. If there is any leftovers we freeze it for lunch and take it to work or school.
Being a singleparent family we have found many ways to save money. The 99 cent stores are good. Just make sure what you are buying for less is the same size as in the grocery stores. Finding bargains and become a game for our family.
Try your local butchers for meat and chicken. Ours is always cheaper then the grocery store and fresher and never shrinks up because its not filled with water.
In reference to suggestion number 5 “Try Other Stores”; I would suggest trying a different kind of grocery store, the Salvage grocery store. These stores are different from the bulk buy and discount Aldi type stores and you can save quite a lot of money. Salvage grocery stores purchase packaged food items from salvage warehouses. Salvage warehouses purchase food, that has either soon approaching or just past its expiration date or its packaging has become damaged. The food is perfectly safe to eat and can cost substantially less. I have a local discount grocery store where I purchase a box of name brand cereal for $1.00 a box and name brand instant flavored oatmeal for $0.50 a box. I also fine 28oz. cans of tomatoes for $0.80 a piece. Also some of the food has simply come from markets that wanted to try something new and it didn’t sell or markets that had to close. I have never had any problem with a product purchased from a salvage grocery store and all of the stores I have been to are more than willing to accept the return of an item that you are unsure of. Many of these stores have unusual specialty and ethnic items that I would never dream of paying regular supermarket prices just to try them; but, for what little I pay for them at a salvage store, I am willing to give them a try.
My husband stumbled across a great idea when he went to the Honeybaked Ham store to reserve our Christmas ham this year. They had ham bones for sale for $5.99 each, and he bought a couple while he was there. He trimmed off the ham that was on the bones before giving them to the dog, and found that there was enough ham to make several meals. We lived on ham sandwiches for lunch for about two weeks, and the dog enjoyed a yummy treat as well.