Madeleine Mayfair - How to Save Money on Groceries Without Coupons: 35 Money-Saving Ideas to Eat Better for Less

Are you tired of overspending on everyday items? Want to eat better for less? And do it all without clipping coupons? Then this is the book for you! Establish a budget and stay on track with 35 easy-to-implement ideas. Just a few easy tweaks to your regular shopping habits could save you cash every month, and help you get the most out of your hard-earned money! Find out how with How to Save Money on Groceries Without Coupons: 35 Money-Saving Ideas to Eat Better for Less!

How to Save Money on Groceries Without Coupons

2018 Madeleine Mayfair

All rights reserved.

The contents of this book are for informational purposes only and do not constitute professional advice.

Cover design 2018 Madeleine Mayfair

How to Save Money

On Groceries

Without Coupons

35 Money-Saving Ideas

to Eat Better for Less

By

Madeleine Mayfair

Introduction

W ho wants to save money on groceries without using coupons?

I do! I do!

By why no coupons? Whats wrong with coupons?

Nothing at all! Coupons are great. I used to be a coupon fanaticwell, maybe not as much of a fanatic as the people you see on TV, but I loved coupons a whole lot. In the early 2000s, I even belonged to a coupon train which was established by a dozen or so members of a money-saving forum I belonged to.

Coupon train? Whats that?

Our coupon train was useful and fun. The first member kicked things off by filling an envelope with manufacturers coupons she wouldnt be using. Shed then post that envelope to the next person, geographically, who would take out the coupons she would use and replace those with coupons shed collected that she wouldnt be using.

For instance, I used to accumulate a lot of coupons for diapers and baby products. Im not a parent, but a lot of the other coupon train members were. Coupons that werent useful for me proved essential for them. Wed share the wealth and usually include a few cutesy items like stickers, just for fun.

So if coupons are so great, whyd you stop using them?

Its kind of a sad story. One time I was at the register in a supermarket and the cashier had a question about a free product coupon. Shed called her manager to ask him if she was okay to accept it.

The man behind me in line became very belligerent while waiting for the manager. He started screaming and swearing, mostly at me. When his hostility didnt speed things up, he rammed me viciously with his shopping cart.

The cashier was clearly too afraid of the customer to do anything. When the manager arrived I told him what had just happened, but there were no repercussions for the man who had physically assaulted me.

After that, I noticed myself feeling nervous every time I went to pull out a coupon. I guess a part of me equated coupons with the assault. Even if there hadnt been a physical component to that encounter, the abusive customers screaming and shouting still would have echoed in my mind.

Slowly, I stopped using coupons altogether. For years I told myself Id simply outgrown my interest in coupons. But now, looking back, I realize it was that incident of verbal abuse and physical assault that led me off the couponing path.

That was a downer!

I know! Im sorry! I certainly hope youve never encountered abuse in line at the grocery store. I just wanted to give you an idea of why Ive designed a money-saving plan that doesnt involve coupons. If you want to include coupons in your plan, thats great! Youre going to save even more of your hard-earned money!

Happy Savings,

Your friend Maddie

The Absolute Basics

I n the Long Term Planning section of this book, youll find a great list of in-depth ideas to help you save money on groceries. Some are probably ideas youve already had. Some might be ideas youve already implemented. But I hope youll be inspired to try out a few new practices.

Before we get to long-term planning, here are a few rules you should know so you can choose when to break them.

If youre brand-spanking-new to saving money on groceries, heres what you need to know:

. READ GROCERY FLYERS before you leave the house.

Maybe you receive paper copies of flyers from local grocery stores delivered right to your house. Sometimes I do, sometimes I dont. Im not sure why. But luckily, flyers for just about every major store in the vicinity are available online. In fact, many stores websites make upcoming flyers available in advance so you can decide whether holding off on buying this or that will save you big.

. MAKE A LIST OF WHAT you need and see how that corresponds with whats on sale.

I used to work with a guy who had a funny Friday night routine with his wife. They received the local grocery flyers Friday afternoon. When his wife got home from work, she sat at the kitchen table, read the flyers, and made a list of things she thought they should buy. When my co-worker got home, it was his turn. He took the grocery flyers into the reading room and compiled his list on the throne. After that, they sat together on the couch, watched TV, and discussed what was on their individual lists, ultimately compiling a final grocery list for the week. I thought it was adorable how their Friday night routine revolved around groceries.

. WHEN YOU GO TO THE store, stick to your list.

This is the rule youll break most often. At least, its the rule I break most often. The key to saving money is learning when breaking this rule will benefit you and when itll just break the bank.