Click your way to lower food bills

The site logs historical prices on hundreds of items so it can distinguish minor sales from major ones. It color-codes the deals so you can see at a glance where the biggest bargains lie. And, like The Coupon Mom, it lets you know when a coupon from the Sunday circulars is available to reduce the price further. (The site likens coupons to the cards you're dealt in a card game; it aims to show you when to "play" your coupons for maximum gain.)

Is it worth it? Some hard-core couponers scoff, refusing to pay for what they can do for themselves with a price book or time spent on coupon forums. Those of us with fewer hours to invest, though, may find it worthwhile. I saved $9 buying five items in my first shopping trip using The Grocery Game. Your mileage may vary.

Try a simple coupon strategy

If checking in at Web sites is still too much work, you can try the strategy Trent Hamm at The Simple Dollar learned from a friend who worked for a grocery chain: Use coupons, but wait a month.

"(H)e said to take the coupon section out of the Sunday paper and put it aside for four weeks -- don't even bother to look at it. Four weeks later, open it up and clip everything that's even remotely of interest, whether you'd buy it normally or not.

"At that point, take the wad of coupons to the store and just look at the shelves. Magically, most of those coupons you have will sync up very well with stuff that's already on sale on the shelves. When you combine the sale price and the coupon, you'll usually be able to get items for next to nothing."

Hamm tried it and discovered that about 40% of the coupons he clipped synced up with a sale.

Why does this work? Because coupons are usually the first wave in a manufacturer's promotion of a product. Four to six weeks later, many try to extend the promotion by discounting the grocery store price.

Also, try these five tips from the old school:

• Plan your meals. You don't have to have an elaborate two-month schedule for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Even planning a few days in advance will help you save money and ensure you don't have to rush to the store at the last minute -- or give up and order in.

• Shop with a list and a calculator. You may get a better deal on a store brand than on a heavily-advertised one, even if the latter has a coupon. Or you may discover it's cheaper to buy a smaller package than a larger one. You've got to do the math. (The Get Rich Slowly blog has a good tutorial in unit pricing if you need help.)

• Get organized. The Simple Dollar's Hamm has also blogged about his coupon organizer, which is simply an inexpensive photo album with clear pockets. Each coupon goes in its own pocket and is organized by expiration date. If you want to get more elaborate, you can try The Couponizer or Mrs. A's Grocery Coupon Organizer to keep track of your money savers.

• Cut the crap. Drink water or tea instead of soda, fresh-popped popcorn instead of chips and food made from scratch instead of heavily processed, prepackaged convenience foods. Smart Spending blogger and MSN Money columnist Donna Freedman makes a 2-cent glass of iced tea sound like fine wine; you can read more of her tips here.

• Don't waste. The next time you scrape uneaten food into the disposal or toss rotten groceries into the garbage can, think about the wasted money (and resources) that represents. Regularly patrol your fridge and pantry so you can use food before it expires, and serve smaller portions.

Liz Pulliam Weston is the Web's most-read personal-finance writer. She is the author of several books, most recently "Your Credit Score: Your Money & What's at Stake." Weston's award-winning columns appear every Monday and Thursday, exclusively on MSN Money. She also answers reader questions on the Your Money message board and helps middle-class families cope at Building a Brighter Future.

Updated Nov. 13, 2009

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