How to cut your grocery bill in half without coupons
Learning how to cut your grocery bill in half without coupons won’t be nearly as hard as you think. No long lists of strategies, no waiting for sale dates or buying in bulk needed. I’ll show you how I do it.
I’m a foodie–obviously. All the good things are what we like: fresh fish, vegetables, a good steak even. But all that shopping can be pretty pricey. Especially when you have to make a meal at home for multiple people 5, 6, or 7 nights a week.
On average I spend $150 to $175 a week on groceries (even after shopping at Aldi) when I make the traditional dishes my family likes. That price includes all the other stuff I have to have too–like laundry detergent, toilet paper and soap so don’t freak out.
But then, do freak out. ‘Cause THAT’S STILL A LOT OF MONEY Y’ALL!
And I really wanted to do better,; but I have a long list of things I’m NOT gonna do:
- I will not have my ankles run over by an 80 year old with a shopping cart trying to get a deal at Kroger.
- I will not keep a coupon binder that Martha Stewart’s obsessive compulsive self would want to frame and show to her friends.
- I will not dumpster dive for 37 toothbrush coupons so I can save 50 cents.
- I will not buy items that are on sale just because they are discounted and I have zero use for them.
- I will not attempt to seduce, scam, or weasel my way into the personal life of my butcher so I can find out when the chuck roasts go on sale.
- I will not compromise on the quality of the ingredients in the food we eat (you haven’t seen my kid on artificial colors or you’d agree).
If you want to do those things, go for it. Store yourself 20 bags of cat food even though you have a dog.
That’s sure to make dinner TONS easier.
I need the food we like, and I need it when I have time to grocery shop, and I need it to not require me to refinance the house.
And I need to do it without using coupons.
How you can cut your grocery bill in half without coupons: My Experiment
Several months ago I found a meal planning site called 5 Dinners 1 Hour. (affiliate) And I was reluctant because I’ve found that most meal planning programs usually offer two things I hate (I’m so negative today!) 1) all slow cooker recipes and 2) everything with a can of cream-of-mystery processed soup. Neither of which will work in this house.
But to my surprise 5 Dinners 1 Hour wasn’t really any of those things. There are some slow cooker recipes, yes, but because I get to choose what recipes I want to make, I don’t have to pick those.
And also to my surprise there’s a clean eating meal plan option that’s packed with vegetables, lean meats and pretty much nothing processed.
I thought I’d give it a try. So I bought a $2 sample menu (affiliate link) and took my grocery list that auto-generates to the store. I bought what was on the list and looked at my cart. How was that going to feed my family?
I checked out with just $60 worth of groceries for 5 nights of dinner and enough servings for 6.
Then (here’s the best part) I came home and put those meals together in less than 30 minutes and put them in the fridge so they can be cooked through the week. Wish you’d seen how? I’d never let you miss it! Here’s the Facebook video I recorded of the whole wild thing:
Make 5 Dinners in 1 Hour with me! Learn more (affiliate link) https://mealplans.5dinners1hour.com/rachelballard/3
Posted by Feast and Farm on Tuesday, October 24, 2017
And now, my fridge is stocked with food and ready for the week. I love 5 Dinners 1 Hour for lots of reasons–and I can always add our our labor intensive family favorites back in once or twice a week as my schedule allows–but this plan is how you can cut your grocery bill in half without coupons and still eat well–no cart wielding elderly people required.
If you’d like to try 5 Dinners for yourself, and discover how to cut your grocery bill in half without coupons, hop over and get a $2 sample menu (affiliate) and see how much you can save!
About the Author
Rachel Ballard, RN, BSN brings more than 20 years of professional nursing expertise to Feast and Farm. With a love for nutrient dense foods that support wellness, she works to distill complex health information and current trends into recipes that fuel the best version of yourself. Read more about Rachel here.