Where We Spend: 27 Things That Cost Us More

Food
Recent increases in food prices have been well documented -- but it turns out we're actually we're spending a bit less on food, overall. Spending is down 1% since 2007, to $281 per month.

Seafood, beef and sugar/sweets saw a decline, although we're spending more on the following:

• Poultry: $17
• Fresh fruit: $10
• Wine: $9

My suspicion is that the ridiculous popularity of couponing may account the dip in spending. Note that it's food items that usually don't have coupons -- poultry, fresh fruit and wine -- that show an uptick in spending. But even if you're not an extreme couponing devotee, use these shopping tricks to help cut costs when you're at the supermarket.

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