by Nicholas Stitt

Created on: August 08, 2008   Last Updated: August 22, 2008

As the economy wavers, families are feeling their grocery budgets tighten more than ever, and though fuel and mortgage prices eat away the checkbook, a supply of nutritional food is vital for working parents and growing children. Tips like these will stretch your budget to the last nickel.

1. Plan your family's meals around weekly sale items.
Supermarkets are in business to move product very quickly, so they'll reduce prices on items that are eaten together. Look for specials on meal combinations, such as pasta, sauce, and Italian bread, or peanut butter and honey, cereal and milk, or even desserts like chocolate sauce and ice cream. Save even more money by bulk purchasing your non perishable goods during these sales.

2. Combine your coupons with the weekly specials.

While coupons always give a small discount, they knock off the big bucks when combined with an item already on sale-the coupon will stack with the store's reduction. This technique is dynamite on double coupon day, and it's possible to find a super-sale purchase for next to nothing, or even free.

3. Shop the grocery clearance.

Grocery items on clearance have not gone sour. Supermarkets are prohibited from selling spoiled food, so you'll find items significantly reduced as they near the sell by date. Even perfectly fresh items are clearanced when a manufacturer redesigns their packaging, since the old product must sell out to make room for the new. Shopping clearance is always guesswork, but with a store discount up to fifty percent, searching a little further is worth the effort. Combine clearance items with your coupons and you'll save even more.

4. Substitute generic brands where they matter least.
For your own recipes, generic flour, sugar, pasta, or eggs are cheaper substitutes for more expensive names. Retain the quality of key ingredients-use your favorite chocolate or peanut butter, for example-but no name bases will significantly reduce your spending on home cooking.

5. Join a club.
Club stores offer large discounts on bulk package purchases. Though these big stores charge yearly dues, your savings can make up the difference, even after one trip. Plan to spend high for these big time outings and prepare to fill up a freezer and your pantry. At home, wrap and freeze meats into one-pound packages to easily defrost later, and stock up with canned vegetables and soups for quick, inexpensive casseroles. If you're unable to eat all the perishables (like a two pound brick of cheese) before they expire, couple your trip with a friend and split the cost. You'll still have spent less than retail, and have more food at the table.

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