15 Ways to Find the Money Hidden in Your Grocery Budget

1. Shop the sales. Most grocery stores start their sales on Wednesdays, so the sale flyers arrive in the mail on Tuesday or Wednesday. Sit down and really study each store's sale flyer. Take notes. Remember that going to more than one grocery store in order to get the best savings can add up to quite a bit of money saved in the long run.

2. Define wants vs. needs. Do the kids really need gummy fruit snacks in their lunch boxes, or can you give them some real sliced fruit? Do you and your spouse really need the premium brand of coffee, or would a less expensive brand be okay?

3. Plan your menu for the week before you make your grocery list. Don't forget breakfasts, lunches and snacks as well as dinners. Try to stick to main dish ingredients that are on sale and items that are already in your pantry. Make your grocery list from the menu. Check your pantry and refrigerator and cross off items that you already have on hand.

4. Take advantage of coupons. Store sales combined with coupons can really add up to great savings. If you don't have a coupon organizer, just use an envelope, or create your own system using several envelopes. Compare your grocery list with your coupons before you leave for the store, and make sure none of them have expired. Make a note on your shopping list of which items have coupons. Put the coupons you're planning on using in an envelope or your wallet so that they don't get misplaced. Don't forget to give them to the checker before they start ringing up your groceries.

5. Try the generic and store brands. Many of them are just as good as the name brands. If your family is resisting the switch, try refilling a hand-washed name brand container with the store-brand. Chances are they won't even notice.

6. Find a way for everyone to have a want on a regular basis. Give everyone one want item a week, set a mini budget of a few dollars per person that they can use to get something they want, or set a price below which a normally over-budget item can be purchased as a want.

7. Make a price book. This can either be a notebook or a file you keep on your computer. Make a chart with each item you purchase, it's size and brand, the store you purchased it at, the price, and whether or not you used a coupon or a sale to get that price. Although it can be time-consuming at first, it will be a huge help in determining whether a reduced price is really a good deal, as well as when to stock up when you come across a great sale.

8. Get the kids involved in planning. Older kids can read sale ads and clip coupons in order to get the best deal for their want item. Ask them for meal and snack ideas as well.

9. Shop without your family. If at all possible, leave the kids and the spouse at home. The more people there are on the grocery shopping trip, the more chances you'll be talked into going off-budget.

10. Get into the right mindset when you go grocery shopping. You're on a mission. The list is your mission. ( Do not divert soldier! I say again, do not divert!) If you see an item that you would normally get that isn't on the list, write it down for next week's list and see if it shows up in the sales flyers or coupons.

11. Don't leave the house until you are prepared. Make yourself a checklist. Make sure you have your shopping list, your menu (in case of key items being sold out), your coupons, the sales flyers for the stores you're going to that trip, a pen and paper, a calculator and comfortable shoes.

12. Shop with another budget-minded friend. Being able to compare notes and share grocery shopping time can take the place of going to coffee or lunch. Friends are a great resource for budget tips, inexpensive recipes, or pointing out a sale that you may have missed.

13. If it's hot, bring an ice chest. If you have an ice chest to put your refrigerated and frozen items in, you'll be more likely to stop at more than one store to take advantage of sales.

14. Find your local discount grocery stores. Look in the yellow pages or do an online search for grocery stores in your town. Many discount grocery stores don't run sale ads and some don't take coupons, but their prices may be even lower than a regular store's sale prices.

15. Choose something to work toward as a family. Needing to stick to a strict budget can quickly become frustrating drudgery for the whole family if you're not careful. Even with the tightest budget, you could put a small amount, such as 10 cents for every dollar saved compared to the previous week toward something special for the family. Maybe pizza or fast food has been cut out of the regular budget. You could put the money toward that. Or maybe a movie that the whole family is anxious to see is coming out in a couple months. If everyone works together, maybe you could save enough that you can all go see it at the theater. If you can find a way to connect all of your family's hard work to something positive, saving money can become something that everyone can enjoy.