In these tough economic times, people are looking for ways to save money any way possible. One area that most people have a lot of flexibility in is with the grocery budget. Sure, there will be some staples like milk, bread, and eggs that will be on everyone's list every week, but what about all of the other stuff you buy? The choices you make, sales you find, and the tips you use can amount to big savings over time. If you could find a way to just save $20 each week you'd save over $1,000 a year.
So, I'm looking for your help. I want to know how you save money on groceries. Whether it's tips on how to spot sale items, compare store brand with name brands, or anything else you can think of, I want you to share. We have a new tool here on the site that allows me to gather input from readers and then publish it on the site so it's available for everyone to read. Your tips are valuable and can help others save money as well. So, stop over through this link to submit your own grocery saving tip.
We save roughly $200-300 a month (or 50% of our monthly grocery bill) by shopping at an ALDI market rather than the larger supermarket chains. ALDI carries mostly generic brands; we have had good experiences with most of their products. We typically walk out of there with a cart that is chock-full of groceries for $120.
I shop more than one stroe for deals and use some coupons.
I heard about a new site at Church. http://www.mygroceryspy.com It compares prices at the top stores here in Atlanta. From what I’ve read, it updates twice a week and shows where the lowest prices are on a few hundred items. You can print out your shopping list or have it sent to your phone. (I’m not savvy enough for that though). I email them since their not up yet, and they told me they will be up on January 20 in Atlanta and Birmingham AL. then other cities. I can’t wait to try it.
Group buying or “groupons” can be a great way to save money, as can daily deal websites. Websites like Groupon and Living Social will keep cropping up as the trend of save money continues. I use these to help save money on groceries and other food purchases.
Another great site is http://www.dailydealpool.com. It compiles a list of the deals and sales in your area and emails them to your email inbox daily, keeping you from having to search endlessly and ensuring you won’t miss out on a great buy.