I’ve been trying to save money on groceries lately, but baby, it is hard.  We love to eat in our household and a lot of organic foods are more expensive than their non-organic counterparts.  This means I only buy organic on certain foods.  I have been using coupons but I find most coupons are for processed foods and really don’t save me much.  The only exception to this is the coupons I receive from the grocery store which are tailored to our buying habits.  Besides coupons, I have had a little luck saving money using these techniques:

1. Stick to a list:  I know I’ve talked about this before, but when I make a list I’m less likely to splurge on things I don’t need.  Lists are my friend.  They help me save money and buy only what I need, not whatever looks good that day.

2. More no-meat meals: We are not vegetarians by any means, but if I plan one or two no-meat meals a week, I save a bunch of money.  Meat is expensive and the less I buy the more I save.  There are lots of pasta meals that don’t use meat and taste delicious!  Also, we love black beans and can make lots of great Tex-Mex meals using them.  Soups are also a good way to eat without meat too.  According to a New York times article last year, Americans consume too much meat, especially compared to other countries. We don’t need that much meat to get our daily dose of protein, so if you’re serious about saving money, try one no-meat meal a week.

3. Use coupons when there’s a sale:  I learned this when I signed up for a free trial using The Grocery Game.  I didn’t continue using this site, because I realized what their strategy was: Use coupons when the item is on sale.  Buy more when the discounts are deep.  Avoid sales that only get you ten or twenty cents off an item–those aren’t real sales.  If you can use these strategies when you shop regularly it does help, although it also means be organized and pay attention to prices.

4. Stock up when it’s a great price:  Recently I found boneless chicken breasts for an astonishing low price.  I bought at least a half dozen packages.  When I found bison burger for half price, I bought twelve pounds.  Yes, it hurts when I pay that one grocery bill, but then for weeks afterward I reap the benefits: I don’t buy much meat.  If you can stock up and freeze certain items it may cost you more one time, but in the long run you will definitely save.  It helps to figure out what are you most costly items at the store (meat, milk, etc.), then figure out what a great sale price is. I don’t do this as much with lower priced items because the savings are not as great and it wastes my mental energy on trying to keep track of everything. When you see a great sale, buy a lot and your monthly grocery bills will eventually show the savings.

5.  Make from scratch: Some people hate to hear this, but if you are really serious about saving money on groceries, make foods from scratch. Processed foods are convenient, but cost more and usually have added preservatives. Homemade foods tend to be cheaper because you’re doing the preparation and using household staples.  We also like homemade foods because they taste better and are better for you too.

Any other ideas on how to save money on groceries?  Let me know!  We all can benefit by saving a few bucks more.  Happy shopping.