How to Save 40% on Groceries Without Coupons

by Amberlee Rich

Can you imagine saving 40% of your monthly grocery bill every month? This isn’t just a one time deal; it is a continual monthly savings source. Now think back to how much you typically spend on groceries in a month, what is 40% of that number? Wouldn’t it be amazing to save that much each month! You could pay down debt, buy something you love, save for a vacation, or whatever.

So how can you save your family 40% on groceries without clipping coupons? The answer may surprise you, quit throwing away your food. I know that this is super simple, but think back to how often you throw away rotten produce, expired products, and random leftovers. If you throw away your food often, get inspired to make it a priority to not throw your food away.

The average American throws away 40% of their food according to the latest research. This percentage is insane!! That means that 40% of your grocery bill, on average is thrown in the trash. Remember what your 40% number is, now image throwing that money in the trash each month. Yikes!!

This statistic is really upsetting to me for a myriad of reasons. I hate seeing money wasted especially when there are many people going hungry in our own communities and the majority of us throw almost half of our food out. It just isn’t right.

How to Save 40% on Groceries Without Coupons 1

How to Save 40% on Groceries Without Coupons 2

In America alone, we waste $160 billion dollars a year on food according to an article from the NY Times. Beyond just the waste of money and food that could be given to those in need, this causes a huge environmental factor contributing to more landfills.

I believe that God has entrusted us to be good stewards of the money he gives us. I don’t want to be wasting God’s money, because all that I have is His. I want to be a generous person, but when I am not spending my money wisely, it becomes harder to be more generous.

So what can you do about it? How can you cut down on your food waste and not be a statistic? Here are some tips to cut your grocery bill down and not throw money out the window.

3 Ways to Reduce Food Waste

ONE

Don’t Over Buy Produce

How often do you throw out rotten produce? Don’t go crazy on stocking up on food you won’t go through. Evaluate what foods you throw away most. Produce spoils quickly, so don’t go crazy buying a Costco-sized box of oranges or whatever if it goes bad before you finish it. If you do buy extra berries or grapes, take the time to freeze them so you can add them to smoothies or pancakes.

TWO

Know What is in Your Fridge

It is easy to just let food sit in your fridge for waaaay too long. I’m sure I’m not the only one who has opened a jar of moldy nastiness. By knowing what you have in your fridge, gives you a better idea of what needs to be used up = less waste. A practical way to make this easier is to organize where things go in your fridge, use clear containers for leftovers, chose a day to go through your fridge and toss what is needing to be tossed etc.

THREE

Freeze Extras

Instead of waiting until your leftovers are beyond the point of no return, freeze them. By freezing your leftovers (and labeling well), you save yourself time and money. You did the prep work already, why wait too long and then have to throw it away.

The process of reducing your food waste isn’t going to occur overnight. It is a process. Don’t get discouraged. Be empowered with the attitude that you are not going to be ok with throwing your food out. Give yourself grace when you do have to throw something away. It is a process, and you will get there!

Knowledge is power and let’s not settle for normal!

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8 Comments

Sondra Brown on August 20, 2018 at 1:06 am

Love this!! Really going to put a focus this week and month about Knowing what I have!
Reply
- Amberlee Rich on August 22, 2018 at 4:52 am
  
  You’ve got this Sondra! It is amazing that this simple tweak can save you 40% on your groceries.
  Reply
Janie Morey on August 28, 2018 at 10:54 pm

Such good ideas that, for me, took many years to put into place. I am passing your blog info to my kids. Thanks so much!
Reply
- Amberlee Rich on August 30, 2018 at 2:25 am
  
  I’m glad that you are sharing my blog with your kids! I hope it helps them out!
  Reply
Tera Letzring on August 29, 2018 at 8:54 am

Great advice. I got tired of throwing old left-overs away, so now I use a white board to write down what I have in the fridge and the date I made it. This helps me remember to eat things while they are still good.
Reply
- Amberlee Rich on August 30, 2018 at 2:26 am
  
  That is a great idea!
  Reply
Alyson on October 23, 2018 at 5:59 am

Don’t over buy! Bah!
Reply
Ashley Harris on January 23, 2020 at 11:36 am

I love this blog! I was the one to throw away anything old in the fridge, and completely waste money every month. Now, we have an extra freezer in the garage to make sure we freeze what we can’t eat so we can always pull it out when we run low on groceries!
Reply