15 Grocery Shopping Tricks That Will Save You Time and Money

Before you head out the door, hold up. "Build your meals around what you already have," Amy Roberts, the blogger behind Raising Arrows, says. "If I see something that needs to be used up, I will purposely pull together a meal with that item or simply leave it out on the counter where the kids can find it."

There are few things worse than getting home from the store to realize that something never made it onto your shopping list. Put an end to that! "I keep a printed grocery list hanging on a clipboard in my pantry," says Renee Bergeron, mother of 14 and writer of the Little Earthling Blog. "Attached is a pen and highlighter. I highlight items as soon as we are running low, and use the pen to jot down any extra items not on the list."

The whole family can edit the same virtual list on some of newest grocery shopping apps. The Good Housekeeping Institute's Chief Technologist Rachel Rothman likes AnyList, which also suggests common items as you type and then intuitively organizes them into categories based on different sections of the store.

RELATED: 7 Best Grocery Shopping List Apps

Almost every mom we spoke to said couponing wasn't worth her time. "We don't typically eat foods that offer coupons and the hassle of playing the coupon game stresses me out," says Angela Coffman, the blogger behind Grocery Shrink. Of course, the mom of six will save a useful coupon if she happens across one, but typically she watches the grocery store sale rotations and buys fruits, vegetables, and meats when they get marked down.

Early mornings are always going to be your best bet for fresh produce, fish, and more, says Jaclyn London, MS, RD, CDN, Nutrition Director at the Good Housekeeping Institute. Shelves at most retailers often get stocked before work hours, and promos can start as early as 8 a.m. — meaning the good stuff doesn't last long.

Whole Foods data suggests that suburban stores get more populated in the morning and urban ones have more crowds after work. "Personally I like shopping late night to beat lines, but you do that knowing you may not get 100% of the items you want," London says. "Less than 10% of us shop between the hours of 8 p.m. and morning!"

Sure, you've planned your meals for the week and know what you'll need. But what if pork is on sale and chicken isn't? Sandy Christensen, who writes about life with her 12 kids at Twelve Makes a Dozen, says it's all about adapting: "I'm always open to picking up a bargain. If I can't find what I want at a reasonable price, I just change the menu."

At the beginning of the month, Coffman puts the allotted grocery money in an envelope. "When the money is gone, I'm done shopping for the month," she says. "It's easy for me to see where I stand with the budget and, because I'm not about to let my family starve, I make careful choices as I shop to make sure the budget will last." She used to pay for groceries with a credit card, which was great because she'd get rewards, but Coffman says that paying with cash has reduced her spending by half!

Moms with big families know efficiency is the name of the game. "I try to plan shopping trips when my littlest is at preschool, so I don't have to listen to anyone ask for everything in the store," jokes Christensen.

Whole Foods told London that the best day for sales is Wednesday, but definitely avoid the weekend if you're looking for deals. Prices can get marked up during the Saturday and Sunday surge. Her biggest tip: Download the apps for the one or two retailers you shop at the most so that you can find out about digital promos that price match in store.

Fill you cart like a pro. "I start on one side of the store and move across, so I don't have to retrace my steps," says Coffman. She uses the bottom of the cart for bulky items and keeps like items together as she fills the cart. "Boxes stack better with boxes and cans with cans. Bread and soft produce get shifted to stay on top."

RELATED: 30 Healthy Canned Foods You Should Stock Up On

"I find that, if I go more than once a week, I tend to buy extras that we don't need and I don't stick to the budget," says The Pennington Point blogger Lisa Pennington. "If I forgot something at the store, I just figure out a way to go without it until the next week." But with nine kids at home, she does make an exception: "Unless it's toilet paper — I draw the line at running out of toilet paper!"

"It may be a hassle, but shop the circulars and go to multiple stores to complete your list," says Jennifer M. Swartvagher, who writes about her eight children at Beyond the Crib. "You can really save a lot in the long run." She'll buy bulk items at a warehouse shop, snacks for lunches at an Aldi grocery store, and specialty items at a local market. And she'll fill in where needed at Shoprite, Stop and Shop, or Hannaford, depending on the circular deals.

That giant container of Greek yogurt? It might not be cheaper than the smaller, individual-sized ones. "It's important not to assume that, just because it's bulk, it's cheaper per serving," says Coffman. "Always do the math to make sure." But all the moms suggested buying some things in bulk — the key is to do it smartly. Unless your family goes through a particular food like wildfire, stick to non-perishables or make sure you can freeze or store anything not used right away.

Get the most out of your Amazon Prime membership by using Subscribe & Save for discounts on the household items you already buy on the reg (like dish soap) and Dash Buttons for instant reordering. For an extra $14.99 per month, Amazon Fresh will also deliver your shopping list picks from a local grocery store (including Whole Foods!) directly to your door. FYI: Walmart also offers free 2-day shipping on select items as well as free standard shipping for all orders over $35.