How to Save Money without Coupons

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Some rights reserved by Sklathill

I hear a lot of people say that there just aren’t coupons for the items they buy. While that may be true for some, there are still other ways you can save at the grocery store. Use these tips and tricks to save from 30-50% at the grocery store without coupons! It’s inevitable, it is bound to happen that you will need an item that you don’t have a coupon for, so I wanted to provide you tips & tricks for saving money without coupons.

Use Your Price Book

The number one way to save money is having an effective price book. 70% of your savings comes from knowing when to purchase an item and how many to purchase. Yes, it’s nice when you have a coupon to go with it, but the main savings comes from the retail discount when an item is on sale and the only way you will know that is with a price book. Start keeping a journal of the dates and prices of the items you buy the most, then watch for when the sales seem to fall and stock up then.

Save on Other Things

Coupons changed my financial life, but it took a lot of work to begin with. Everyone can coupon, but until you are ready to jump in and figure it all out, there are many ways to save on other things like entertainment, insurance, cable, clothes, home decor and more. Sometimes just being mindful and executing on the opportunity to save creates a great windfall than a mere coupon alone.

Commit to Only Buying What You Need

When you make a list and stick to it, you are more likely to save money because you no longer have “unplanned purchases” that jump into your cart and ruin your budget. Also, evaluate if you really need something or are just buying it out of habit.

Create a Meal Plan when at home

When you create a meal plan, you have less moments, you have less waste, and you are more productive with your purchases.

Avoid Convenience Foods

Convenience foods are found throughout the market. Although they can help a family find extra time during the day there are a prices to pay. Initially these foods are often more expensive due to the amount of processing that was required for their creation. Convenience foods that immediately come to mind are in the frozen food aisle however they can also be found in the produce aisle.

Seasonal Produce

Growing your own produce is an excellent way to save. Obviously the savings will increase as the size of your garden increases. Even a few tomato plants can be used for several months. Turn the tomatoes into sauces and salsas and can them for the months ahead. Seasonal produce is potentially grown closer to home so it doesn’t have to travel as far to reach the store shelf. In addition when there is abundance basic economics will drive the price down.

Stock up when things go on sale

Set aside a certain amount in your budget each month for stocking up on sale items. Then, when items you often use go on sale dirt cheap, stock up. Purchase as many as you can afford, store and use before the item goes bad.

You never want to pay full price if you don’t have to, so experiment with a few of the tips above and see if they work for you. With a little imagination in the kitchen and simple math at the market you can save yourself quite a bit of money without coupons.

Willow Stevens

Willow is a mother of six who begins to feel the empty nest, with faer oldest child living with his long-time girlfriend in another state, and the next three begin their talks about jobs and the excitement of college and living alone. Willow started couponing in 2007 to save their family some money on the grocery budget. That's how Freetail Therapy was born, so that fae could share their knowledge of saving money with others. Though the site has become so much more since then, and now includes homeschooling and homesteading info, Willow still does it all on a budget and shares how. Willow enjoys snagging freebies, snuggling with their dog, Xander, drinking decaf coffee, gardening, cannabis and of course, their large frugal family.

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