by Ann Marie Dwyer

Created on: April 09, 2009

Successful grocery shopping is getting what you need, at the best price, in the smallest amount of time. If you follow ten rules, you will be successful every time.

1. Read the ads to make the list.

The number one way to control spending in the grocery store is to have a list. If you only buy the things you need, you will spend less money. But what goes on the list?

To get you in the store, grocery stores spend millions on advertising. Make your list with the sale ads, in the kitchen. Make sure you are not duplicating something you already have at home.

Since the sale items change each week, build your menus around what is on sale this week. If lettuce is on sale, plan salad one night, tacos another and use the lettuce to wrap chicken for a low carb meal. Building your menus around sale items will save you a bundle over time.

Plan your menu for the whole week. The fewer times you go to the store, the less you will spend.

2. Get organized.

List? Check. Calculator? Check. Coupons? Check. Rain checks? Check. Store loyalty card? Check.

Have all of your supplies in your wallet before you shop. If you don't know what some of these are for, you will soon see.

3. Navigate the store.

Go straight to the back. This will help you avoid the eye-catching displays and impulse items. Staples like dairy (milk, butter and cheese) and bread are always located at the back of the store.

Shop the perimeter. The basic meal building blocks are located around the perimeter of the store. Packaged foods are in the center of the store. Shop healthier by shopping the meat, seafood and produce on the perimeter.

Know your store. Some aisles have no temptations (the paper plate aisle). Use this aisle to cut across the store or to get to the back of the store.

Shop the middle. Grocers place staples (flour and sugar) in the center of aisles where you will twice pass the premium, impulse products they want you to buy. Pass right by those items to get what you need.

Look up and down. The high-profit, name brand items are located at eye level on the shelf. Look up and down to find the less expensive store brands. Many store brands are actually made by brand-name companies who label them with the store's labels.

4. Do the math.

In the chips aisle, you see a bag for $1.49 and one nearly identical one for $1.79. Before you reach for the cheaper one, see how many ounces of chips are in the bag.

"Lower priced" does not always equal "better value". The more expensive bag has more chips. Check the price per ounce. Most

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