Your best grocery savings tip?

[Tightwad]

I don't go with my husband. He is worse than a kid grabbing this and that and putting it in the cart when I am not looking.

I make a list off the sale ads and stick to it. If the store is horizontal rows, I go straight to the back and work my way back to the front. If they are pushing a U-shape, I go right and stay on the outside border until I need to go up a specific aisle. I also pay attention to the aisle signs of what is located where and NEVER go down all the aisles just because they are there.

[WoG]

Originally Posted by Tightwad

I don't go with my husband. He is worse than a kid grabbing this and that and putting it in the cart when I am not looking.

I'ts true. I'm that guy- my wife is much better alone, not tired, and with a list. I pretty much ruin everything, the kids make it impossible to look for the best deals, etc. She hates it but I'm sure she would agree.

[stardanced]

I have to set myself a time limit. If I let myself stay in the store too long, I start browsing and making delicious, expensive mistakes, even if I come in with a list.

I agree with the tip about keeping your kids out of the process. I don't have kids, but I remember when I was little my brothers and I would always beg for whatever exciting product we'd seen advertised on TV that week or whatever was displayed prominently in the store.

[rorich]

Originally Posted by MSMomsmoney

Don't shop with kids.

I used to worry about this. Whenever I take my six-year old to the store or supermarket, the minute she asks for something, I asks her why she "needs" the item. My next question is how much is it? My favorite line to her is — and she always fills in the blanks —"If you want it, it can wait; but if you need it get it". Ultimately, I determine if she needs something. At least until she grasps the concept of need and want.

[MGDCyndi]

I posted this in another thread too, but, thought it was worth repeating here:

HI All:
I am more and more concerned about how much my grocery bill is climbing. I pulled down some statistics of the FDA site and I seem to be on net with the statistics (about $550 to $600 to feed a family of 4 with 2 kids under 9) but I'm determined to find ways to save!

One way I save on my groceries is to find the cheapest sale price for the product I want and then add a coupon!

I just did some intense research yesterday and found that although many of my local stores were boasting boneless, skinless chicken breasts on sale, only one store really had them "on sale". That store's price was 3.88/lb versus the 5.99/lb that the other stores were boasting. That is almost half! They were all supposedly this this week's flyer deals for each store!

I love the bargain hunting game and I am especially motivated when it comes to groceries. I actually work for a company that has built a site around this concept. Our site (www.MyGroceryDeals.com) posts a local flyer sales and you an easily find the best deal of the week for your items, then add your coupons! We will also soon be offering automatic coupon matching to sale items, I can't wait for that!

Good luck and happy deal hunting (and couponing) all!

[hermione]

If you're new to frugal grocery shopping, a very helpful tool is the "$_.__ per oz/lb" part of the price stickers on the shelves. It's usually in very small print on a corner (upper left-hand corner at my grocery store). I grew up in Hawaii where the grocery stores didn't have that handy reference. Now that I live in CA where grocery stores have them, I always check that part - it saves you time (because you don't have to do the math in your head) and money because you can easily compare brands and see exactly how much you can save. Sometimes package sizes are deceiving - sometimes a smaller box actually has more in it (usually generic/store brands - brand names often come in prettier, bigger boxes but have less food weight-wise).