This story was originally broadcast Feb. 7, 2009
Even in good economic times, food costs take a big bite out of the family budget. And in times like these, it's especially important to get the most bang out of our supermarket buck.
There are some tricks that can help slash your grocery bills in ways you might not expect.
On The Early Show Saturday Edition, Tod Marks, a senior editor at Consumer Reports, took viewers on a smart shopping spree at a Shop Rite supermarket in the northern New York City suburb of West Nyack, N.Y.
His tips:
Join your store's shopping club: It could save you up to 30 percent or more if you hit it rightBags beat bulk: Loose potatoes cost more than bagged because they aren't sold in large lots, and larger sized potatoes cost a premium, since they're harder to grow (the unit price for loose is 99 cents a pound compared to 60 cents per pound for bagged)Always check for sales on meat: For instance, Mark found boneless pork chops costing less than boned because of a sale and shoppers' club discount on a family pack (boned is $7.32 per lb. compared to de-boned on sale for $4.47 per lb.).Bigger isn't always better: A 17-ounce cereal box is $1.99 on sale as opposed to $4.89 for a 23-ounce box. Even without a sale, the unit price is cheaper on the small box ($3.38 compared to $3.41 for a larger size), so smaller sizes are often cheaper.Fresh can make you frugal: Fresh-baked rolls at the store's bakery were $1.99 for six as opposed to $3.19 for a packaged brand name's rolls.Organic isn't always healthier: For instance, a store brand's regular milk is $3.39 a gallon compared to $5.49 of the same store brand for organic. If you're looking top avoid growth hormones, read the labels; neither one comes from cows fed growth hormones, so save your money.Resist impulse buying: It's tempting to buy soda from the cooler near the checkout lane. But a 20-ounce bottle of Coke is $1.49. Go back and get a six-pack in the aisle for $3.64! The cooler Cokes are a little larger, but it will still take five of them to make up a six-pack. The savings on the six-pack is $3.56 - more than half.The totals? $116.15 for a shopping cart filled without shopping smart, compared to $65.16 with - a savings of more than 40 percent!