by Rocket

Created on: March 28, 2009

Saving money on groceries without coupons means getting the most for the least amount of money. My husband and I do that. We have a joint partnership on our weekly and daily grocery shopping. In our country we have an open shuk two days a week. There fruit and vegetables and even packaging is sold at half the price most supermarkets offer. The produce is fresh and there is a larger variety than what you would find in the grocery store. The down side is the shuk is usually open at night, there are many people, and at the hour of the day when you have the least energy you have to fight the crowds just to get to pay for your goods.

Where we live now there are a few places opening up in industrial centers offering the same fruit and vegetables at even lower prices than the shuk and with less crowds. As they build up clientele, they start to add other goods, and sometimes the nature of their store changes. But there are always new places opening up.

Not only do we save a lot of money weekly by buying in this manner, but we also save money by spending 80% of our budget on fresh fruit and vegetables. It does not take that much more time to make homemade soups and sauces. These foods we make ourselves also taste better and are healthier, and I secretly think, keep us well and save us money in the long run by preventing doctor visits and days off work, which also result in income loss.

When we do buy detergent, shampoo and soap, we not only buy in bulk, but we buy products we know are good, and we usually case the ads for sales. We also bring along a calculator, and figure out the cost per kilo, allowing us to make a more educated decision.

I have found that generic brands from the store for peanut butter, ice cream, diapers, even soft drinks will be at least $1.00 cheaper per unit and be just as good as the popular brand.

Comparative buying always saves money. Read the weekly sales in the papers, and when you buy meat be sure to buy only at the sales. There are always sales, and you can lightly cook and freeze to use at a later time.

Try not to buy "instant" foods. These have no nutritious value, cost a lot of money, and will very quickly inflate your grocery bill.

Make a list and try to stick close to the list. Impulsive buying will also inflate your grocery bill to twice its' size. So plan ahead. The attitude of watching your dollar will contribute more to savings than any coupon will.

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