Now, I am not an extreme coupon shopper that tries to buy a thousand dollars worth of groceries for less than five bucks. I’ve watched the shows (and been amazed), I’ve read and learned about all the techniques on the various websites and forums that exist for this purpose, and I know the general principles fairly well. But let’s face it, for the average woman or family, this type of shopping just isn’t practical. The amount of research and preparation that has to go into each shopping trip, plus all the time spent collecting and amassing the necessary amount of coupons to do this to begin with, is simply beyond the scope of most people.

I’m not saying it can’t be done. It is possible and there are plenty of individuals out there who do it all the time, I’m just saying I don’t think it’s useful information that a lot of people hoping to save a few bucks on their regular grocery bill can put into immediate use. If you’re looking for that type of information, there are plenty of those websites out there already – and I can even refer you to some if you like – so I’m not going to talk about those techniques here.

With that said however, cutting and using coupons is still very useful and can save you a lot of money, and I highly recommend it, I just don’t feel it has to be taken to extreme levels to be successful.

Besides, I have twin infant boys. I can’t cut out coupons half of the day. Do you know how hard it is to clip coupons with two babies trying to crawl on you?

So, I thought I’d put together a more practical list of shopping techniques. Most of these things can be put into practice immediately, and overall they require only a small amount of pre-shopping planning to be effective. Best of all, they work. I use these methods all the time, and I can usually walk out of the grocery store with an overflowing cart of quality items for less than a hundred dollars.

It’s also worth noting that I don’t live off of beans and rice (or the like). I do buy fresh meats and fruits and vegetables. I buy the normal things that most families would when doing their shopping, I just do it a little better – for less.

Buy fresh ingredients whenever possible instead of pre-prepared meals, or “heat and eat” dinners.

Look at the weekly store ads they send you in the mail and see what items are on sale, then try to plan meals around these. Keep this in mind for side dishes as well.

Make a list after you look at the ads and stick to it, trying to buy only things that are on sale each trip.

If you want something in particular, try to wait until it goes on sale. If possible buy a little extra to last until the next sale, so you don’t spend full price and waste money inbetween sales cycles. Most items (or types of items) will usually go on sale at least once every few months, though some items go on sale every few weeks, so try to keep track of the items you buy the most. (The period can vary depending on the item and where you live.)

Buy fruits and vegetables that are in season and priced lower.

If you eat a lot of a certain fruit or vegetable, and it’s on sale at an extremely low price, consider buying a little more and freezing the extra for future use so you won’t have to pay top price for it later on.

Do the same thing for meats when there’s a really good deal on ones you buy all the time or use a lot of.

Compare prices at your local supermarkets and farmers markets to find the best prices.

Typically certain items will go on sale at several stores at the same time, but each store will have slightly different prices/offers on each item, some which are better than others. Go to the store that has the best overall deals for the items you will be getting.

If a different store has a much better price on one particular thing you want (or only a handful of things) – like the meat you really want for dinner, for example – whereas the vegetables and pantry items and everything else are better priced at the first store, buy everything at the first store and stop at the second store (if not too far out of the way) and pick up just the meat (and handful of other items that were priced better) on the way home. I only recommend this if it’s a significant price difference though, otherwise it’s usually not worth the extra gas and driving time.

Try to limit grocery shopping trips to twice a month for your main shopping, where you buy all the primary items for your meals and stock up your pantry, and once a week (on the weeks inbetween your main shopping trips) for incidental and fresh perishable items that you use more quickly. The less trips you make, the less you will chip away at your food budget with little purchases here and there. I find that it’s the little trips that tend to add up more, because you’re less likely to keep track of what you spend during these visits, and it tends to add up quite a bit more than you might realize over the course of the month.

Look for combined values and savings. Sometimes stores run specials that will take $5 or $10 off your overall purchase if you buy a certain amount of items (usually 10) from one section of the circular. Look through the ad and see if these are items you might be buying anyway, and make sure you have the proper total amount. Sometimes grabbing that second extra box or jar of something makes the difference between 9 and 10 items off the list, which can save you more than that last item would cost on it’s own.

Don’t be conned into buying more of an item by “10 for $10” and similar ads if it’s not something you need a lot of that you will use before the next sale cycle. Unless it says “must buy 10” to get this price, it still means they’re only $1 each, whether you buy 1 or 10. If you only need 3, only buy 3. Don’t buy 10 just because the sign says so.

Don’t be fooled by “fake” sales either. Sometimes a store will list an item as “2 for $3” for example, which means $1.50 each, but the regular price may only be $1.29. If you keep track of how much the items you buy generally cost, and how much you usually pay for them, these bumped up prices disguised as “deals” should stand out.

Check the unit prices on items – that is, the price per pound, or per once – and try to buy the size that is the cheapest per unit. This is not always the largest size! Many people assume the biggest size is the biggest value, but this isn’t always the case. I often come across items where it’s cheaper to buy two medium sized (or smaller) units than one large one, and sometimes you even get more of the product overall for less.

Many people assume the biggest size is the biggest value, but this isn’t always the case. I often come across items where it’s cheaper to buy two medium sized (or smaller) units than one large one, and sometimes you even get more of the product overall for less. Do clip and use coupons and combine them with sale prices for maximum savings, but only on the items (or types of items) you would regularly buy anyway, and only for the amount of food that you actually need and will use.

Consider buying a different brand if it’s on sale, or if you have a coupon, of something you would already purchase if it’s cheaper that way. Only do this if it’s really something you would buy and use though!

Consider buying value brands/generic items when possible. Many items there is absolutely no difference between the generic brand and the regular one. Sugar anyone? Could you tell the difference between store brand and name brand flour? Salt? Spices? Be practical and ask yourself if it really matters and save yourself the markup for a label.

Check the clearance bins and daily specials in the store. Most grocery stores have a bin, shelf, or rack somewhere in the store (usually in the back) of items that are still perfectly good but are priced to move because they have to rotate their stock. These items aren’t usually advertised, so you have to look for them.

Look for other sale prices and deals in the store that aren’t advertised on things you regularly buy and use.

Try not to buy extra snacks and junk food! It’s okay to treat yourself to something extra here or there every once in a while if you must, but limit these purchases to one or two items per shopping trip. Try to focus on what you need for your family’s meals.

Buy in bulk if the unit price for that item is cheaper that way, but only if it’s a product that you use regularly enough that a bulk purchase makes sense – and only if you will use all of the item before it goes bad.

if you will use all of the item before it goes bad. Make sure you sign up for, and use, the store rewards card for the places you shop if they have one. These are free and save you a lot of money, and sometimes the stores even have programs that give you a certain amount of store credit back off future shopping trips based on how much you use your card in a given period, so keep your information up to date and use your rewards when you earn them.

Also look online at the store webpages for extra electronic coupons and deals that you can load to your store rewards card before your shopping trip. These extra savings will automatically come off your bill during your checkout when you swipe your store card.

Finally, don’t go to the grocery store hungry! You’ll be much more tempted to buy extra snacks and goodies that you don’t need or wouldn’t regularly buy.

Was this list helpful? Was there anything you saw here that you might not have thought of before? or that you don’t already do when shopping on your own?

What other tips and money savings techniques do you use when you go grocery shopping?