Thanks to the down economy, couponing is cool again. But if you’re not a fan of coupons, how else can you slim down your grocery store spending and keep some extra cash in your pocket?

If holding on to more of your paycheck is on your list of resolutions for 2010 but you don’t want to spend hours clipping and organizing coupons, then here are five tips to help you trim the fat in your food budget. I’ll display 5 new tips each Tuesday for the rest of the month.

1. Create a reasonable budget and then stick to it. What’s reasonable? Keep all of your receipts for a month to know how much you really spend on food (including trips to fast food and other restaurants). Start with that as your budget and then find ways to beat your own budget.

2. Create a meal plan for the week. I only plan meals for Monday through Friday and it always seems to work out well that we are more relaxed on the weekends. We’ll grab leftovers or a treat ourselves to a pizza if the fridge is depleted. Sometimes we’ll just figure out what to make with what we have left over. It’s a good way to make sure nothing gets wasted.

3. Keep a dry erase board on your fridge. I learned this from a friend of mine who is a chef. I keep an ongoing grocery list (which never gets lost because it’s stuck to the fridge). I also post my menu for the week, including breakfast items. Additionally, I use it to remind myself of what foods I need to eat up before they spoil.

4. Plan your meals around the weekly ads. Your weekly ad should be your best friend when you’re deciding when and what you’ll eat for the next 5 to 7 days. Don’t underestimate how much you’ll save. I love nothing more than hearing the woman at the checkout say, “You save 45 percent on your grocery purchases today … and without coupons. Good for you.”

5. Create a stock pile. Take advantage of awesome deals – especially on items you can freeze (like meats) and on canned items you can store for up to a year or more. If you buy these items on sale, you’ll save hundreds of dollars in no time at all. I only buy chicken when it’s on sale at the rock bottom pricing – which comes up every few weeks.

Question: If you had $50 extra dollars each month, what would you do with it?