Eight Rules for Buying Groceries without Coupons

by Mary Ann Romans | More from this Blogger

There are two types of grocery shoppers, the coupon cutters and the non coupon cutters. I have fallen into both camps at one time or another. While popular media may tell you that you can't save money on groceries unless you use coupons, this is not true. The famous tightwad herself, Amy Dacyczyn, author of the newsletter (and now books) called "The Tightwad Gazette" was never a big fan of coupons.

If you choose not to use coupons, then follow the following eight rules. And of course, they are good to know even if you do use coupons.

Shop with a grocery list

When using a grocery list, you can avoid impulse purchases. Impulse purchases are a quick way to increase your food bill, and grocery stores do all that they can to entice you into buying things that you didn't anticipate buying.

Compare unit pricing

The only way to truly know if something is a bargain is to compare the unit pricing on items. I have seen things marked up when they are on sale, larger packages costing more per unit than smaller packages and name brands costing less than generics. So look at those numbers and take a calculator if you need one.

Buy in season

Produce is getting very expensive. So are other forms of groceries. Buy things in season, and you will naturally save. Turkeys in summer and strawberries in winter may be available, but they will cost you extra money.

Buy frozen instead of fresh

If you really want something that is out of season, then consider purchasing the groceries frozen instead of fresh. Actually this can apply when the item is in season as well. Frozen foods are very nutritious, since they are usually frozen very shortly after being harvested. There is usually a lower cost to the production of frozen food compared to fresh, and that savings can be passed on to you.

Check back for the next post when I will share the next four tips.

You can read more blog posts by Mary Ann Romans here!

Favorite Deal Websites:

FreeCoupons

Related Articles:

Coping with the Grocery Shrink Ray

Adjusting Your Price Book with Escalating Grocery Costs

Coping with No More Coupon Inserts

Learn more about Mary Ann Romans

Mary Ann Romans is a freelance writer, online content manager, wife and mother of three children. She lives in Pennsylvania in the middle of the woods but close enough to Target and Home Depot.

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