I do not want to store damp grain and lose it, but a digital moisture meter is costly. Are there reliable low cost ways to check moisture?
A handheld digital grain moisture meter is the accurate way, and many cooperatives, FPOs and mandis have one you can use, so you may not need to buy your own. Low cost field checks give a rough idea: well dried grain like wheat or paddy should crack sharply when bitten rather than feeling soft, and a fistful should not clump or feel cool and damp. The salt jar test also helps for many grains; shake dry grain with a little salt in a sealed dry glass jar for a few minutes, and if salt sticks to the glass the grain is still too moist. These are only indicators, so for grain you plan to store long term or sell, confirm with a proper meter at your FPO, KVK or mandi.
Our cooperative lets members use its moisture meter for a small fee, so I never bought one. For a quick field check the bite test on wheat is reliable enough to decide if it needs more sun. For long storage I still confirm on the meter.
Our FPO has a moisture meter and members use it free. Before that I used the bite test, dry grain cracks hard. The salt jar trick is surprisingly useful too.
One caution with the salt jar and bite tests: they only tell you roughly, and for paddy or maize they can mislead you. If you are storing many quintals for months, the cost of one bad lot is far more than borrowing a proper meter. Use the cheap tests for daily checks only.
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