7 Tips to Save Money on Groceries

Become an 'extreme couponer' The average manufacturer's coupon is now worth $1.20, according to food marketing analyst Phil Lempert of SupermarketGuru.com. That's a nice amount, but serious savers combine these coupons with in-store coupons and good sales. Sites like CouponMom.com (free) and TheGroceryGame.com ($10 for eight weeks) offer weekly sales-tracking services for most states and major grocery stores. They'll tell you which items are on rock-bottom sale and alert you to manufacturers' coupons you can use.Manufacturers' coupons abound in most Sunday newspapers and at sites like Coupons.com, SmartSource.com and Redplum.com. According to Stephanie Nelson of CouponMom.com, serious couponers buy several Sunday newspapers or exchange coupons with frugal friends so they can buy multiples of favorite items.

Stockpile sale items Many avid couponers stockpile large amounts of nonperishable groceries and toiletries purchased on sale. Carrie Kirby, who blogs for Chicagonow.com/frugalista, once filled the entire cargo hold of her Subaru with cans of her favorite soda. "My basement shelves hold enough of things like toothpaste and cereal -- often purchased for 25 cents or less -- to last our family six months to a year," she says.And if a family member gets ill or loses a job, you'll have a nicely stocked food pantry during a rocky time.

Shop at the drugstore

Savvy shoppers can score huge deals on groceries and household supplies by shopping at drugstores like Walgreens, CVS or RiteAid Pharmacies. As an incentive to get you in their doors and back again, these stores offer rock-bottom sales on everything from canned soup to cleaning supplies. Combine the sales with store and manufacturers' coupons and many of your purchases may be free, says blogger Kirby. "I haven't paid a dime for shampoo or toothpaste in more than two years," she says.

How it works: At Walgreens.com, click the "weekly ad" tab; certain advertised items offer register rewards you can use like cash on your next Walgreens purchase. At CVS.com, click on the "extra care" link to sign up for a free store card. When you use it, you'll earn 2 percent in "extra bucks" (CVS store credit) on every store or online purchase. Certain purchases, noted in the "weekly store ad" link, also generate extra bucks you can redeem on your next visit. At RiteAid.com, click the "single check rebates" icon. That site requires you to submit receipts to earn monthly rebates.

Extreme couponer Crystal Paine of Moneysavingmom.com offers helpful tutorials for the Walgreens and CVS programs and countless others on her site.

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