I fall in and out of love with coupons on a regular basis. Sometimes I will go weeks or months using them religiously, until I inevitably become disenchanted with the thought of being a slave to them and fall off the coupon wagon.
During those times, it is great to still be able to save money on groceries without using coupons.
Get a Freezer
When you have a freezer you can save money on groceries at least two ways. You can take advantage of sales and buy extra food and then store it in your freezer until you are ready to use it.
You can also buy items in bulk packages. A whole chicken, for example, will be cheaper than buying it in parts. A package of 3 pounds of ground beef will be cheaper by pound than a package of 1 pound of ground beef.
Plan Meatless Meals
Every meal that you make without using meat should save you a couple of dollars per serving. Plan in some other protein sources, such as beans. You can also reduce the meat portions of regular meals and encourage more vegetables into the meal. This will also be healthier. Bread is a great filler for a hungry family. Stick to whole grains for better nutrition.
Cook from Scratch
The less processing that goes into your food before it gets to your home, the less expensive it will generally be. Cut your own vegetables and make your meals with basic ingredients to save money.
Start by eliminating one processed food a week and go from there. You really can make easy simple meals from basic ingredients with really not much trouble at all. If you aren’t sure how to get started, think about taking a free cooking class at Williams-Sonama. They cover everything from baking to knife skills. You can also go on YouTube for step by step instruction.
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