by Jessica Knorr

Created on: August 06, 2008   Last Updated: February 20, 2012

In today's economy, everyone is trying to stretch their hard earned money as far as it can go. What better way to do that than by saving money at the grocery store. With a little bit of planning and a few good coupons on hand you can slash your grocery bill almost in half.

Start things off by making up a grocery list of the things that you need for that week and stick to it. It is also a good idea never to go to the store hungry. This will put that impulse shopping drive into full gear and you will end up with all sorts of items you never intended to buy. Nothing blows a budget faster than impulse shopping at the grocery store. A list is the key for staying on budget.

After you have your list ready, it is time to check your local grocery fliers that come in the Sunday paper and the internet for some valuable coupons and sales events. This process doesn't have to be very time consuming. You are checking out the store fliers for sales items that are on your list and only coupons for the items you intend to buy on your list. Some good websites to check out for money saving coupons are coupons.com and eversave.com. The savings during checkout can really add up with the right coupons and in store sales. The savings can even double if your store offers double coupon days. If you are unsure about your stores coupon policies you can always call ahead and ask.

Another great way to slash money off of your grocery bill is to buy store brand items. These items are often much cheaper than the brand name items and the quality is just as good. The savings during checkout from doing this alone can reduce your shopping bill by up to 30% or more. Buying in bulk is another great way to save as long as you have the capacity to store the extra food items. The savings here can quickly add up and will also prevent more frequent trips to the store.

By following the simple steps outlined above, you can really see an impact on your grocery bill. Not only will you have stopped yourself from over spending at the grocery store, but you will have saved yourself a lot of money in the process.

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