How to save money on your grocery bill

by Mark A. Watrous
(Fort Wayne, Indiana)

The one thing that I know that most of us don't use is a grocery price book. What is a grocery price book? It's a way for you to keep track of the lowest prices for an item when you are shopping for groceries. Let's face it, we spend 10% or more of our income on going to the store...so why not get more out of your income?

The price book is a spiral bound notebook that you can take with you to use when you're grocery shopping. Make sure the categories you create actually suit your preferences. Assign the categories to sections to your price book: dairy, meat, produce, dry goods, canned goods, and household. Attach little colored plastic tabs to each of the sections.

Each item that you regularly use at home will have its own page of pricing history. Make a column for each of these items on each page: the date, the store, the size and the unit price... a calculator will be required.

When you purchase an item, that you regularly use...e.g. laundry soap, write down that information in your price book. The next time you purchase the same item, write the information in the row below the initial entry.

Pretty soon, you will start to see what an item is costing you instead of being surprised at the cash register. The history that you have created will allow you to see trends in what you have purchased and may influence you to consider shopping somewhere else.