Your best grocery savings tip?

[lazy23]

I'm a bit new to the grocery game (having lived mostly in dorms or with relatives in the last few years) and was wondering what are some good ways to save money on groceries?

What is the most efficient way to use coupons? I see people at grocery stores with these super-organized accordion folders filled with coupons. Some of them even have color-coded excel worksheet printouts tracking their coupons.

I look pathetic standing behind them in line with my $0.75 Folgers Coffee Crystals coupon that still carry gnaw marks on the edges.

[Julie Rains]

I use coupons but am not a super-user that I've heard about. It has taken a while but I've found the best store brands (warning: avoid generic peanut butter!) and those are usually less expensive than the brand names with coupons. Spaghetti, mandarin oranges, sour cream, lunch baggies come to mind. The 365 brand at Whole Foods has some great prices btw. Most stores have periodic sales of the same items but in cycles so you can buy certain staples at reduced prices. For starters, avoid the specialty items -- they're fun but can add up very quickly.

[imagine girl]

I love the 365 brand, especially their teas and vitamins.

My best advice is never go shopping while you're hungry or tired. You make a lot of poor decisions while vulnerable.

[katlady]

When something you always use is on sale, take full advantage of it. 20 items only per customer? Make several runs. People giving you dirty looks? Screw them!

I've cleaned out entire shelves at supermarkets before. Sure, you look like a crazy lady but I still have 34 cans of Bush's Chili at home that I bought for $1.25 per can (usually cost $3.00).

[Sophie]

My tip is somewhat lame, but when you have a few hours to spare, comb through all your cupboards, drawers, the pantry, fridge etc. and see exactly what food you have lurking in there... throw out the stale stuff and you'd be surprised what you can do with the rest. It amazing how much stuff gets accumulated that you forget about without the "stock rotation".

[katlady]

This is especially true for pack rats like me. My dad used to call it spring cleaning. As a single woman, I call it "scavenging for canned goods because I'm too lazy to go outside."

[lucille]

I don't use many coupons. Most of the coupons are for highly processed convenience food that isn't much of a bargain even with the coupon. So I look for coupons for the few items I can't easily make at home and the store brand doesn't exist or isn't worth buying.

Learning your habits and what you go through just about every week will give you a good idea of what items might be worth hunting for coupons to use. I find better deals by looking at the store flyers and picking up a bunch of certain items when they are on sale. Some stores put certain items on sale on a cycle. Our local grocery chain puts refried beans on sale about every three months for half of the normal price. Target puts Method brand cleaning products on sale about every three months also, so I only buy those items when they are on sale and I buy extras.

[Catherine Shaffer]

I've only just started getting into coupons, but it's really addictive. Here are a few tips to get you started. First of all, invest in a coupon organizer. I use a little one I picked up at the dollar store. I may need to upgrade to a binder or a box or something, but for now I am doing okay. Second, subscribe to your local sunday paper. You'll get the coupon inserts. Go through them each sunday and clip everything that you might use, even if it is not something you normally buy (but you might use if it was free or nearly free). If in doubt, clip it. Now, when you get your grocery circulars, go through them and look for good deals. For example, Kroger has a lot of 10 for $10 sales. (By the way, you don't have to buy 10 to get the price.) For bread, for example, that would be a pretty good deal. When you find the sale, look in the appropriate category in your coupon organizer and see if you have coups for that brand of bread. If you have a 35 cent coupon for the bread, and your grocery store doubles coupons, you're getting a loaf of bread for 30 cents!

That's the 101 course. The next level is buying extra sunday papers (imagine getting 10 loaves of that 30 cent bread), or using resources like <a href="http://www.hotcouponworld.com/forums/index.php">Hot Coupon World</a> or <a href="http://www.thecouponclippers.com/">The Coupon Clippers</a> to track down more coupons and deals. Also, keep an eye out for those little blinking coupon machines at your grocery store and grab a handful of them. Have fun!

Catherine Shaffer
Wise Bread Contributor

[katlady]

For example, Kroger has a lot of 10 for $10 sales. (By the way, you don't have to buy 10 to get the price.)

I'm embarrassed to admit that I didn't know this until very recently.

Great tips Catherine!

[Tennessee Riddle]

I've been buying in bulk, as I'm able, for the past three months. I'm also cooking from scratch enough to feel like I'm in Little House on the Prairie. Our grocery bill (family of four) has gone from $120 a week to $50-$70 a week. This lifestyle change costs an extra 1-3 hours a week, and is definately worth it. The great thing about living in the 21st century is that if I don't want to to bake bread, or make my own yogurt I can just skip it.
The other big money saver is to enjoy the food I have on hand. We like chedder cheese. In the past, if we ran out, I would run out to just pick up cheese and anything else. Now I have relinquished my role as food genie in the interest of improved mental health, more creative cooking, and financial prosperity.