by Bonnie Christiano

Created on: August 05, 2008   Last Updated: August 22, 2008

Grocery stores can be a land of temptation. Everywhere you turn there are delicious foods that are hard to resist. But with a few useful tips, you can avoid breaking the bank when shopping to feed your family.

Tip #1: Eat before you go. There is nothing worse than shopping on an empty stomach. Before you know it, things end up in your cart that you normally would not have purchased.

Tip #2: Make a list. Better yet, list your food items in the order that you will find them in the store. If your produce section is first, list all of the fruits and vegetables first. Knowing where things are in your market will stop you from roaming the store, which is when things can catch your eye. Keeping a list and sticking to it will allow you to purchase only the items that you know you need and avoid items that you don't.

Tip #3: Log prices. Keep a food diary where you can keep track of everything you buy on a regular basis and the price that you pay. Knowing the price of the food you buy will help you determine if something is really on sale when the store advertises a sale.

Tip #4: Buy store brand rather than name brand. If you check the labels of the store brand items and compare them to the name brand, the ingredients are the same. In fact, most of the store brand goods are made in the same facilities as the name brand. When you buy name brand, you are paying extra for the packaging and advertising.

Tip #5: Check the ads and use coupons. Most chain grocery stores, drug stores and dollar stores have advertisements in your local paper. Check which store has the best price for your regular items. Clip the coupons for the things that you normally buy and don't buy something unless you have a coupon. But be cautious. You may still save more buying store brand than if you buy the name brand and used the coupon. Take the time to do the comparison because you can save in the long run.

Tip #6: Check the unit price. Most grocery stores will list the price of the product as well as the unit price. The smaller package may be cheaper but the unit price may be much higher than the larger package. The unit price will tell you the cost per unit of measurement, which is the more important determinant of price.

Tip #7: Avoid packaged foods. If you are contemplating purchasing packaged foods, take a look at the ingredients. You may be able to recreate the food by buying the ingredients and making it yourself. It may take extra time in the kitchen but you can usually duplicate it and make more

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