MONEY SMARTS

Save at the Supermarket

Dreaming up family dinners is always a challenge, but it gets even tougher when money's tight. Here, Teri Gault, coauthor of "Shop Smart, Save More", offers tips to help you get the most bang for your grocery buck.

• CLIP COUPONS. "There's an average of $350 in savings in the paper each week," says Gault. But don't stop there: Coupons are also available online at sites... And be sure to ask the customer-service desk at your store if they have coupon booklets-bundles of coupons distributed to the store by food manufacturers. Also, call or email the manufacturers of your favorite products to request coupons, suggests Gault.
• STACK UP YOUR SAVINGS. Find out if your store has a double-coupon policy and when it's in effect. Then match your coupons to the store's advertised specials (found in the weekly circular). The Grocery Game offers a service that does much of the legwork for you-for a small fee, the site will send you a list of sales, specials, and available coupons in your area.
• RECONSIDER ONE-STOP SHOPPING. "Regular prices of groceries at a super-center, such as Target or Wal-Mart, tend to be cheaper than at traditional supermarkets, but I've found that sale prices dip much lower at supermarkets, especially since they're more likely to have frequent sales and double coupons," explains Gault.
• STOCKPILE. "Take advantage of sales to buy what you need before you need it," suggests Gault. Stock up on nonperishables such as pasta, cereal, and canned goods, for example, when they're on sale. Then you'll have to pay full price only for fresh foods like dairy and produce.
• MAKE THE MOST OF MARKDOWNS. "Meat and bakery items are almost always marked down right before their sell-by date," explains Gault. For tonight's dinner, ask an employee what time of day perishables are marked down (usually late afternoon). "And for maximum savings, look for items that are on advertised sale as well as close to their sell-by date," suggests Gault. -Anna Davies