9 Ways to Save Money on Groceries (No Coupons or Credit)

I'm very careful with couponing since I try to shop in bulk and as unpackaged as I can. Most of the products that couponing is for are more packaged, less healthy, less natural, and generally more expensive than if you skipped the couponing and bought generic in the first place or made your own.

So, what do I do besides couponing? I use overspending prevention and cashback grocery apps, but only after I already purchased the items. Here are the 9 ways I'm able to feed our family of 5 healthily for $100 a week, including 9 cashback apps:

Go to the Grocery Store without Being Hungry and Stay out of Most of the Aisles

I feed everyone before we shop and bring snacks for everyone in the car so we're less likely to eat out afterward. We make sure to stick to the "edges" of the grocery store and only venture into the aisles for items on the list.

We purchase meats, produce, dairy,  bulk- grains, whole wheat flour, legumes, peanut butter,  honey (in 25-50 lb bags or fill up our own containers at Winco for the best price), some canned vegetables, and some frozen fruits and vegetables. This keeps us away from processed foods which are both expensive and unhealthy.

Go With a Meal Plan and a Budget

I go to the store with my budget in mind and a list of what I need for my meal plan for the week. I find the best deal in the store on what I would have bought already and then try to see where I could save money further.

I try to leave my meat selection flexible by picking recipes that any kind of meat will work, like ___ pot pies, ground meat, ___ curry (which can be meatless as well), etc. We also eat meatless about half of our meals, so things like lentil burgers (Tightwad Gazette- weirdly this is a family favorite), cheese enchiladas with homemade sauce and tortillas, baked macaroni and cheese, etc.

We use either bake ahead or night prep breakfasts. I've found that UG1 and UG3 want breakfast the minute they wake up, so I have breakfast prepared and ready to eat. We stick to overnight oats, leftovers, universal muffins, and fruit bread where we use whatever fruit is on hand or cheapest.

I'm trying to prepare so that I bake all of the fruit bread, muffins, bread for sandwiches, etc. on the same day. This creates a more peaceful transition in the morning, as no one has to think about breakfast.

Since we've planned ahead for all of our meals, including snacks, we don't give in to as many impulse buys and deal chasing, although I try to leave some room for adjustment if Mr. Greenie comes along.

Bring out My Receipts

Once we get home from the grocery store, we put away the groceries quickly, this is due in large part to UG3 wanting to help. Then I put my receipts on the counter and go alphabetically down the list with my free grocery cash back apps.

9 Grocery Cash Back Apps I Actually Use

BerryCart: Only gives cash back on healthier foods= all-natural, organic, Non-GMO, etc. Explore products on the app, read more about products, and unlock rebate that you can redeem after you buy the product.  Just take a picture of the receipt, and within 24 hours BerryCart will send you real money that can be cashed out through PayPal at $5.



Checkout 51: This app works similarly to Ibotta, in that you buy as you normally would. After your grocery trip, you find any products that are eligible through your store. You select the eligible products and then submit your receipt. Unlike Ibotta, you don't have to scan any barcodes. Cash out at $20 to receive your check in the mail.



Dosh: This app wants to drop some cash in your wallet. After you link your credit and debit cards, it will give you points whenever you make a Dosh-qualified purchase automatically. This can happen when you’re shopping online, hailing an Uber or even shopping at Wal-Mart.

You don't have to use it with receipts or anything.  The cashback just adds up automatically. Once you get $25 in your "wallet", request your cash! If you use my link, we both get $5!



Drop: This company wants to drop some cash in your wallet. After you link your credit and debit cards, it will give you points whenever you make a Drop-qualified purchase automatically. This can happen when you’re grocery shopping, hailing an Uber or even ordering a pizza.

You don't have to use it with receipts or anything. The points will add up, and you can exchange them for gift cards to popular retailers like Amazon and Starbucks. You can exchange at as little as $5 (5,000 points). If you use my referral code: y1lic you will get a 1,000 point bonus.



Fetch Rewards- Scan your grocery receipt from any store. Every time you purchase a product from one of their participating brands, you'll earn points. It finds these products on your receipt for you, so it is simply click and earn. You also get bonus points whenever you submit a receipt from participating stores. I get points when I submit Smith's grocery store receipts. Cash out your points for gift cards. The code Y2GBD gives you 1500 points ($1.50) when you join.  Cashout at only $3.



Ibotta: This app pays you cash for taking pictures of your grocery store receipts. You can also shop online through the app to receive cash back. After shopping, search for items on your shopping list within the Ibotta app. When you get home, snap a photo of your receipt and scan the items’ barcodes to get your cash back.

I may not get many offers as we stay away from packaged food, but I usually get at least $0.25 a week with any item "offer". You can cash out with Paypal at $20. You’ll get a $10 sign-up bonus after uploading your first receipt when you use my referral code: oerqefm



Paribus: This app gets you money back for your online purchases. So, if you do any online shopping, including grocery shopping, it's worth it. It's free to sign up, and once you do, it will scan your email archives for any receipts. If it discovers you’ve purchased something from one of its monitored retailers, it will track the item’s price and help you get a refund anytime there’s a price drop.



Receipt Hog: This app gives you cash back for almost any kind of receipt, no need to select products or scan barcodes. Just take a picture of your receipt and build up your cash back. I recommend cashing out with Paypal at $40, to get the most money for the least amount of points, but you can cash out with as little as $5.



Receipt Pal:  Another receipt app that gives you cash back for almost any kind of receipt, no need to select products or scan barcodes. Just take a picture of your receipt and build up your cash back. You can also forward your e-receipts and get cashback. I recommend cashing out with a $25 gift card, to get the most money for the least amount of points, but you can cash out with a $1 Amazon gift card or a $5 gift card.

That is How We Do It

After I get the maximum cash back, I put the receipts next to the computer to remind me to enter it into the spent part of our budget. So now you know, by eating before, going with a meal plan and budget in mind, and using BerryCart, Checkout 51, Dosh, Drop, Fetch Rewards, Ibotta, Paribus,  Receipt Hog,  and Receipt Pal: to maximize my cashback, I'm able to feed our family of 5 healthily for $100 a week, plus I have extra money in my pocket.

How do you save money on groceries?

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