Saving Money at the Grocery Store - It's More Than Just Cutting Coupons
By Katelyn Grace Willett

We all know about cutting coupons. I'm not sure how many of us actually do it in this fast-paced day that we live in. I know that sometimes I am guilty of passing by my Sunday paper thinking I'm too busy, too tired, or just too lazy to go through the trouble. But with the recent rise in grocery prices to almost ridiculous levels (over $2 for a carton of eggs?) I am convinced that there is time to do things right. I just don't have over $150 for five days worth of groceries. So, being the frugal mom that I am, I've come up with several sure fire ways to cut weekly grocery spending. Stretching the almighty dollar is the name of the game.

Cutting Coupons - Yes, it may be a bit time consuming, but if done right it can be well worth the extra ten minutes per week that it takes you. The golden rule when cutting coupons is to avoid the temptation to cut coupons for things that you don't already use. I've fallen into this trap upon occasion and it's never paid off. Once, while printing coupons online I saw a coupon for $3 off a certain brand of frozen chicken. I'd never bought it before, but thinking it must be a fabulous deal, I proceeded to print at least ten of these little gems. I was going to stock up! When I finally found the item at the third grocery store I checked, it was astronomically priced. Even with the $3 off, that still didn't bring it down to a reasonable price. So much for savings! All I did was burn gas.

Compare Everyday Prices - Another thing I've found to be true is that regardless of the coupon amount, you will only achieve the best deal if you compare the price of the item you have a coupon for with the normal everyday grocery price of the other similar items. For instance, if I have a coupon for 50 cents off of two cans of Del Monte green beans, which retails for 89 cents per can, but the store brand green beans are 50 cents per can, then I really haven't gotten my best deal if I bought the Del Monte brand. Checking the everyday prices of the foods at your local grocery store is an invaluable tool to bringing down your weekly grocery bill. By doing this you can also determine which grocer in your area has the "overall" lowest prices. Sometimes I've been lured into a particular store by the sale ads only to realize later that the prices of everything else is 5-15% higher than another grocer in my area. If you check a grocery price book on the internet, you can compare the "everyday grocery prices" of popular stores. They also have a large selection of printable coupons that change regularly. Once you get into the routine of checking this site, it will become second nature and weekly trips to the grocer can actually become an enjoyable experience again, instead of a worrisome guessing game.

Some things I will switch brands on. Laundry detergent, cleaners and shampoos, for instance. I simply go for the best deal. I'm not loyal to a particular brand when it comes to these items.

Grocery prices continue to climb, without a real end in sight. With this in mind, we can't afford not to adopt new ways to save. The basic two that will reduce the most off your bottom line are cutting coupons and comparing everyday grocery prices. Happy shopping!

Katelyn Grace Willett is a busy mom of two boys. She recommends saving time while saving money by checking her favorite coupon forum, TheCouponCupboard.com and comparing grocery prices at GroceryPriceBooks.com.