Beginner's Guide to Grocery Savings
If you are new to saving money on groceries, this is the place to start. These tips will help you start to save money on groceries with very little effort on your part. If you are already familiar with these tips, please click on Expert Level for more advanced tips.

Buy Generic When Possible
Not too long ago buying generic foods meant that you were stuck with bland food in boring packaging. Those days are gone now as more companies have worked hard to improve the quality of their private-selection brands. Give them a try! If you find you like a certain product you can save an average of 40% off the brand-name price! Also, if you don't like the store's generic version, speak to someone at customer service or call the company's 800 number. The majority of stores will now give refunds and some even will pay you to purchase the similar brand-name item. Some companies don't advertise this. All you have to do is ask.

Setting Budget Limits and Impulse Buying
To avoid impulse buying avoid spontaneous shopping trips. Plan out your trip with a detailed shopping list so you don't grab for things that you do not need. Another good tip is to never shop on an empty stomach. This is bad for the budget and your waistline! Set a dollar limit for your trip and stick to it.

Always Check the Unit Price and Comparison Shop
To determine the true value of a product read the unit price, not just the package price. The unit price information is usually on a sticker located on the shelf that holds the item. The package price only tells you the cost of the entire item. The unit price shows the cost per pound, ounce, etc. Taking a moment to compare this information in similar products will help you get the best value for your dollar. Also, be certain to check "expiration" and "use by" dates to insure you are buying the freshest products.

Beware of Marketing Strategies
Avoid marketing ploys designed to draw your attention to a particular product. Knowing some of the tricks of the trade will ultimately save you money. Beware of end-of-the-aisle dump bins, island displays, recipe related item placement and middle-shelf items. This is typically where higher priced and impulse products are placed.

Watch the Scanner - You can find so many pricing errors watching the scanner at checkout
Keeping your eyes peeled to the scanner has dual advantages. First, it will keep the cashier more alert. Secondly, it will allow you to stop the checkout process if an item is showing the incorrect price. Many stores offer a "Right-Price" guarantee as well. If you see an item is rung up incorrectly the store will give you the that item FREE just because they made the error! Keeping the store circular nearby is also helpful in disputing an incorrect price. Also, watch the scanner to be sure your coupons ring up correctly. This is especially important if your store offers double or triple coupons. Sometimes registers don't automatically give you the double or triple savings automatically and the cashier has to ring it up manually.

Buying in Bulk
Purchasing products in bulk is a great way of saving both money and time. Most large towns and cities have some form of bulk grocery store or distributor. Often a membership fee is applicable but it's reasonable and not without reason. Quite often a bulk buying membership pays for itself with the first shopping expedition.

Shop at Aldi
If you've never shopped at Aldi before you have really been missing out on huge savings. Aldi is a discount supermarket chain that specializes in food, beverages, sanitary items, and other inexpensive household items. They also offer specials on more expensive products such as electric appliances, children's toys, clothes and various other miscellaneous items. There are over 700 Aldi supermarkets in 26 states in the U.S. If you don't have an Aldi near you look out for similar types of stores in the area. Most states have some type of store similar to Aldi.

The first time you walk into Aldi you will surely notice their "strictly no frills" approach to their store. You will not see aisles decorated or employees bagging customers' groceries at checkout. The store offers a shopping cart rental program. Basically, this means you will need to insert a quarter into the cart to use it. Upon returning the cart, you will receive your quarter back. Bring your own grocery bags or you can pay for their bags. Along with bringing your own bags, you will also need to bag your own groceries. The cashier will set the groceries in your cart and then you are responsible for the bagging. Aldi provides a long counter where you can bag your groceries. If you are reading this and thinking it sound like a hassle to shop at Aldi, you will soon see it is all worth it when you can enjoy their great savings.

No coupon clipping is needed to shop at Aldi. They primarily sell off-brand merchandise saving you some time on coupon cutting. Even though Aldi's items are considered "off-brand", in actuality, many of the private label products are made by well-known brand manufacturers and are simply shipped in different packaging to their stores.

Aldi is an excellent place to shop for your "staple" grocery items. Their price on milk, eggs, cheese and even diapers are unbeatable. It's easy to save up to 50% off of what traditional supermarkets charge for similar items. The food tastes great too! If you aren't happy with any of their products Aldi offers a double guarantee on everything they sell. If you are dissatisfied with any of their products, they will replace the product and refund your money too!

Some other important tips to know before shopping at Aldi: They only accept cash and debit cards for payment. You can also join Aldi's mailing list to receive regular information about their special offers. You can sign up for their email newsletter through Usa.Aldi.com

Cut Coupons
More detailed information about cutting coupons in the Expert section, but for a beginner coupons are a great way to save money on brand items you frequently buy. The Sunday newspaper is the best place to look for weekly coupons. You can also check out some coupon sites that allow you to print coupons for free right on your computer. Links to these sites are at the top of the Printable Coupons page on this website.

Continue reading the Experts Guide to Grocery Savings for tips to save even more money each week on groceries.