When gas prices go up, so do food prices. If you’ve noticed your grocery bill going through the roof, try some of these tips.

• Make a list - and stick to it! The number one tip for saving money on groceries, making a list helps you in a variety of ways. First of all, making a grocery list forces you to think about what you are buying and if you actually need it. In addition, making a list - and sticking to it - will prevent impulse buys!
• Never shop hungry. While we’re on the subject of impulse buys, do not go to the grocery store while you are hungry! You will be much more susceptible to picking up food that is on display - and is often more expensive - and will tend to buy more food than you actually need. Eat a snack before grocery shopping, and stick to your list!
• Buy generic or store brand products. Many store brand products are actually made by the same companies that make more expensive brands, so you don’t have much to lose, except for the pretty packaging.
• Use rebates. Many people tend to buy a certain product because of a rebate and then forget to send the rebate offer in! Avoid this by sending the rebate in as soon as you make the purchase - you will save money and not have to worry about finding receipts later.
• Organize coupons. First of all, only use coupons for items that you already buy! Buying something that you won’t use does not save you any money! When using coupons, it often helps to organize them by subject and expiration date.
• Buy in bulk - but don’t go crazy. We’ve all heard the stories of people who go to Costco and buy 200 pounds of rice for a family of two. However, if you don’t go too crazy, buying in bulk is a good way to save money. Bringing a calculator with you to figure out which item is a better deal can save time.
• Watch sales. When something that you buy regularly is on sale, stock up! Make sure you’re not buying more than you can use before it goes bad, but buy what you can when it is on sale.
• Check out Deal Locker’s new printable grocery coupons! These coupons can save you tons of money on all sorts of groceries! In addition, we have other grocery coupons, and coupons for groceries on Amazon.

This entry was posted on Monday, March 10th, 2008 at 8:48 am and is filed under Grocery, Money saving ideas. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.