Twelve ways to save money on groceries

With grocery prices expected to go up due to the unseasonable drought, you can expect to pay more for food. I'll help you cut your grocery bill by sharing my top twelve ways to save on groceries. No extreme couponing necessary!

1. Buy generic brands. Store brands tend to be less pricy and are sometimes manufactured in the same facilities as well-known brands.
2. BYOB. Bring your own bags to save a few cents. Some grocery stores are starting to charge for plastic bags. Yikes! While other grocery stores will give you a couple cents back for choosing neither paper nor plastic.
3. Score deals. Learn the best times to get deals at the grocery store. You can easily snag bargains by shopping at particular times.
4. Skip non-grocery items. It may be convenient to stock up on toiletries at the grocery store, but it’s going to cost you. Instead, head to your local drugstore to pick up deodorant, toothpaste, and painkillers.
5. Frequent ethnic stores. If you live in a diverse area, and never set foot in an ethnic grocery store you’re missing out! Produce prices and staple items like oil, beans, and rice are significantly cheaper.
6. Read the weekly grocery flyers. Shop around for the best prices. There’s no need to be loyal. Though, being loyal may have its perks.
7. Sign up for loyalty and rewards cards. No need to carry all of them on your key ring as long as you provide a phone number. You’ll receive coupons and discounts! At some stores you can even combine manufactures’ coupons with store coupons for great savings.
8. Keep an eye out for errors at the register. You’ll end up paying less if you catch mistakes in your grocery bill. Make sure to check your grocery bill thoroughly before driving away.
9. Hit the grocery auctions. Yes, there’s such a thing! When supermarkets and warehouses reject food because box damage, or they are overstock items get sent to grocery auctions. You can find food at steep discounts.
10. Compare unit prices. Do the math and crunch the numbers. Look for a unit price tucked in the corner of the price tag in a small font as opposed to the displayed price in a big font. The unit price tells you the cost per pound, quart, or other unit of weight or volume of a package.
11. Look up and down. Items at eye level tend to be more expensive because manufacturers pay to get their products placed at eye level. Items on the top and bottom shelves tend to be less expensive.
12. Find the clearance rack. Many stores heavily discount items that are close to their expiration date. I’ve scored dinner rolls for $.50 down from $4.99! Be on the look out for manager’s specials in the meat department, as well.

How do you save money on groceries?