We are all looking for ways to save money. One of the biggest variables in everyone’s budgets is groceries. Next to house payments it’s sometimes the biggest bill but that also means it’s budget that can offer you the most savings! Let me be honest we don't all gave time to clip and cut coupons like we know we should. Life takes over, things happen. I know the weeks leading up to baby # 4 being born and weeks after clipping coupon were SO far off my radar! So we needed ways to save money without using coupons for when those times arise.

One Tip Even Beginners Can Do That Can Save You $1200 a Year on Groceries. No Coupons Needed!

Hubby and I have tried many ways from shopping solely with cash to cutting our budget but this one tick that I have found saves us the most! I call it my pantry challenge! You might have seen me blog about it in my Pantry Challenge posts.  I have found 2 different ways to use this trick each saving about the same amount. One way I think is for advanced savers and one that even beginners can do!

Savings for Beginners

The one week pantry challenge. The one week pantry challenge is perfect for beginners. You take 1 week a month or every other month and eat only what you have on hand.  You can prepare the week before and buy extra milk or eggs stuff you use regularly if needed but during that 1 week no going to the store. I saw one blogger mention they play a game of Chopped (a TV show on food network) where you make new dinners out if what you have on hand. During the weeks you are shopping you should be stockpiling when you have room in your budget so this should help your no shopping week.

Now here is how this saves you money. If your budget is $400 a month (like ours for a family of 6!) or $100 a week that month you are only spending $300. Do it every month and you save $1200 a year!

For More Advanced Savers with a Stockpile

Month Long Pantry Challenge. This is the one I do normally, I do my pantry challenge for a whole month. I stockpile shop pretty hard when we are in our shopping months, so this is way easier for us. We always have a stock of meat in the freezer since I only buy when it's in sale. Plus we have a stock of things in our pantry.

Breakfasts are easy we have plenty of cereal and I make muffins or granola bars a lot of the time. Lunches are sandwiches and leftovers. Dinner is what I really have to plan.

I allow myself a budget of $100 during a Pantry Challenge month. This is what I started with to buy produce and milk and eggs but I challenge myself to try to use no more than $50 and most months I can.

During this month our eating out budget is $0 as well, that saves us about a $100 there. Our eating out budget covers things like ice cream for the kids, going to lunch with friends or if hubby has to grab food at work.

Since we try to do this 4 times a year, that's a $1200 savings for us. We make is a point to still pull this money from our budget and put it right into savings so it doesn't get spent on other things.

There you have it one simple trick to save your $1200 a year no coupons needed!