If you are tallying up your expenses every month, you may be shocked at how much you are spending on groceries.

Obviously, groceries aren’t a luxury you can do without and perhaps that is why so many of us are lenient with our grocery budget.

However, there are many ways to reduce this monthly expense.

Here are 12 simple ways to save money on groceries:

1. Buy a few Sunday papers each week and clip coupons. However, you should only save coupons of items you really enjoy. Never buy something solely because it is on sale.
2. Before you go to the store, carefully plan a sensible list. Do not stray from the list once you are in the store, no matter what is dangled in front of you in the checkout line.
3. Always buy at least a week’s worth of groceries. The more trips you take to the store, the more you risk “impulse buying.”
4. Always shop on a full stomach. You will likely buy more food when you are hungry.
5. Where applicable, you should opt for poultry instead of the much pricier red meat.
6. If possible, go to the store without your children. They have a tendency to help you fill the shopping cart.
7. Don’t be a name brand snob. Generic store brands are often just as good and will save you a lot of money in the long run.
8. Foods like pasta, rice and beans are filling and inexpensive. They make good staples in a frugal diet.
9. Items with the highest markup are often placed at chest and eye level. Don’t forget to check out foods that are stored lower on the shelves, as they may offer the best deals.
10. Shop early in the morning or late at night to avoid crowds. The faster you zip through the store, the less likely you are to stray from your list.
11. Watch your cashier ring up your items and then carefully review your receipt. Mistakes are more common than you realize and they will cost you unnecessary expenses.
12. Two words: ramen noodles.

One of the least flexible expenses in your household budget is the grocery bill. However, the tips above should help you be a little more diligent and creative when trying to reduce the cost.

By-line:
Heather Johnson is a freelance writer as well as a feature article contributor for Reward Programs, a site which helps consumers pick the best rewards program to best meet their needs. Heather welcomes your comments and emails related to job inquiries at her email, heatherjohnson2323@gmail.com.

Living below your means may not seem to be the best way to live your life, but if you wanted to be debt free, then this is the way to go.

Living below your means does not mean that you have to live life like a poor man.

It simply means that you have to apply some amount of discipline in handling your finances.

Even with the popularity of credit cards and loans, you should only spend on the things that you can afford. Living beyond your means would not only get you into trouble but could also lead you into the deep pit of debts.

As the famous Benjamin Franklin once said, “a penny saved is a penny earned.” Imagine the things that you can save when you live below your means. Being responsible in handling your money is the first step in living a debt free life. To get you started, here are some tips:

• Take a look at your budget. You should be able to know how much you earn on a monthly basis. With your earnings in mind, make sure to spend only on the things that you can afford.

• Keep a log of your expenses. Mark the things that are eating up a big part of your budget and cut down on them.

• Get rid of unnecessary things. Avoid alcohol and cigarettes. This would not only allow you to save up big, it would also assure you of a healthier life.

• Office meals tend to be quite pricey. It would be a good idea to prepare your lunch at home and bring it to the office. As much as you can, say no to junk foods and sodas.

• Find the gas station that offers the cheapest rates. If you can, join carpools on your way to the office.

• Most people love dining out. Why not try something new? Learn to cook! Not only would you enhance your creativity, you would also be surprised on how much you can save.

• Only use your credit cards in cash of emergency or if you suddenly ran out of cash. Always pay your monthly bills on time to avoid paying more than you should on late fees and penalties. If you have more than one card, always prioritize the card with the highest interest and pay it first.

• Living below your means does not mean that you have to stay in your house all the time, you can go out and enjoy! If you want to go on a vacation, book in advance so that you can have the cheapest rate that airlines and travel agencies have to offer.

• Shop wisely. Thanks to online stores, you can now save as much as 50% on products that you see in the usual retail stores. You can also use discount coupons and promo codes to save even more.

Living beyond your means take a lot of sacrifices. Use your common sense and practicality in handling your money. A little discipline can save you real big!

If you always stick to your budget and save a few dollars a day, then you are on your way to a debt free life.

Keeping a budget log where you jot down your expenses would help you in saving more money.

Take a look at your monthly expenses. Mark the things that you spend less money on and find a way to cut down on them even more. After doing so, make your way up the list and do the same thing.

A few dollar savings can effectively help you save big in the long run. For instance, if you normally buy a large coffee switch to a small coffee and you will be surprised on how much you can save over time. Just imagine how much you can save if you cut down on the more expensive things that you usually purchase. If you want to add more funds to your savings account, try these tips today:

• Always categorize your purchase. Does it fall under wants or needs? Prioritize buying what you need more than what you want. Needs are necessities like food, clothing and household stuff, among others. Wants are the things that you enjoy and enhance your being.

• Do not be an impulsive buyer. Before doing the groceries, list the things that you need to buy and stick to the list as much as you can. When shopping, try clothes or shoes on before you buy it. Make sure that you spend money on the things that you would use for a number of times. Be a budget shopper. Go for discounts and sales. If you are meaning to buy something expensive, give yourself the entire day to think about it.

• Avoid late fees as much as you can. You can save big if you can avoid late fees and penalties on your credit cards, loans, mortgages and other monthly bills. You can always change the due date of your credit card bills so you can pay them at the same time you pay your monthly bills.

• If you have some loose change in your pocket, save it! It will pile up and before you know it, you already have created funds for emergency use.

• If you are taking prescription medicine, ask your doctor if he can prescribe to you generic drugs. Buying generic drugs can help you save hundreds of dollars every month. You can buy store brands over commercially advertised brands that can cost you so much more.

• Avoid bounced checks and save about $30 a month. Use a debit card instead of credit cards if you do not have enough cash with you. Avoid using your ATM from other banks that would charge you a certain amount for withdrawal.

• Shop for the cheapest gas around your area. Make sure that you maintain a good engine so that you do not spend more on gas. If you have to commute, try using public transportation instead of taking a cab. If you have to fly out of town or outside the country, book in advance so you can get the cheapest rate.

With these tips above, you are sure to add more dollars to your piggy bank!

Did you know…
If every household in the U.S. replaced one light bulb with an ENERGY STAR® CFL, it would prevent enough pollution to equal removing one million cars from the road.

ComEd Offers Discounts
ComEd is offering residential customers in northern Illinois the opportunity to receive up to a 60% discount on compact fluorescent light (CFL) blulbs purchased at participating Ace Hardware, Do It Best Hardware, Menards, Home Depot and True Value Hardware stores this fall.

The promotion began on October 1st and is limited while supplies last. With prices as low as 99 cents, the discounted CFL bulbs will sell out quickly.

Highlights of the CFL discount promotion include:

• There is a 12-bulb limit per customer, while supplies last.
• Participating Ace, Do It Best! and True Value hardware stores offer an instant discount of $2 per bulb on a variety of CFL sizes and styles
• Participating Home Depot and Menards stores offer discounts at the register on CFL multi-packs.

Stop by your local store today to take advantage of this outstanding discount!

Today I had the opportunity to practice what I preach to my wife and kids about how to avoid impulse buying and truly evaluating if something is a need versus a want.

This morning I was reading the newspaper and noticed a sale ad for Fry’s Electronics that was advertising a 50″ Sony Grand Wega HD rear-projection LCD TV for $699.00. The advertisement noted that this was a clearance item and was limited to in-stock items.

Need or Want?
We currently have a 32″ Sony – no LCD or plasma, we’re old school – that works just fine so obviously a 50″ LCD TV would be a “want”. However, with football season quickly approaching I could easily justify this as a “need” don’t you think?

Because this really is not something that we need, I did not have specific plans to visit the store but thought that I would stop by to look if we were in the area. As luck would have it, we were out running errands today and happened to be right near the store – honest, I didn’t plan it – so we stopped by to take a look.

Resist The Temptation
We walked in the store and headed back towards the TV department. As we browsed the display of TVs, one of the salesman asked if we needed any help and we asked about the 50″ Sony Grand Wega in their advertisement. He informed us that they did not have any of the 50″ TVs left but they still had a couple of the 46″ Sony Grand Wega TVs left.

The 46″ TV was on sale for $599.00, normally listed at $1499.00.

My knees buckled and I was tempted to make the purchase. As I stood there looking at the TV, I imagined watching the football game in HD on the nice 46″ screen. Our kids were standing there in a trance watching the movie being played and the salesman informed me that they now had only one left as someone else had just bought one.

Feeling the pressure to make a quick decision, I remembered that we didn’t need this TV and while it was a great deal there were so many other things that we could do with that $600.00. I informed the salesman that we were going to pass on the TV purchase today. While the kids were disappointed, I was happy to have set aside those thoughts of Sunday afternoon football on the big screen and resist the temptation to make the purchase.

To be perfectly honest, I am not sure that I would have resisted the temptation quite as well had the 50″ LCD been in-stock but I didn’t have to make that decision.

Lesson Learned
While there is nothing wrong with purchasing something that is a want versus a need, assuming that you can afford the purchase of course, I was reminded today that even the things you want should be prioritized.

Instead of spending $600 to replace a TV that is operational, we would much rather use that money to complete a few of the projects around the house that we have been working on or just increase our savings after recently paying for our replacement windows and blinds.

Regardless of what form it takes in your life, enjoy the moment when you resist the temptation. I’ll be enjoying my decision – at least for a few weeks until football season starts!

In our house, my wife is certainly the one with the “shopping bug” as she loves to shop and I am happy to avoid even setting foot into a store for as long as possible.

Even though my wife does love to shop, I have to admit that she is very good about not spending money that is not allocated for spending and she has learned to be quite frugal in her shopping. However, her primary weakness is the clearance aisle!

Clearance Aisle Trap
When my wife returns home from a shopping trip with her bag of clearance treasures, she will usually show me things she purchased and be quite pleased with the price that she paid for the items. In most cases I cannot deny that the price she paid is an outstanding price for that item.

However, I usually ask her if we actually need that item and she indicates that we do not but she just couldn’t pass up that price. This is what I refer to as the clearance aisle trap!

Even though you may know that you really do not need an item, you fall victim to the attractive price and cannot pass up the bargain. When you do get caught in the clearance aisle trap, it is important to recognize that you are not really saving $x.xx on the purcase because if the item were not on clearance you would not have purchased it at all.

Good Deals
While the items that my wife usually purchases are not truly needs, she is usually planning ahead on the purchases for things that will be a need in the future but are not right now. As an example, my wife will usually find great deals on shoes and clothes for our kids but the sizes are currently too big for them.

Technically this is not a need because there is no value to the item at the present time. But with the rate that kids grow, more times than not the item is eventually a need. However, I wish this were always the case but there are times where a purchase never satisfies the classification of a need and thus we did not save anything by buying the item on clearance.

Be Wary Of The Trap
The next time you find yourself in the clearance aisle of the store, be sure to ask yourself if you really need the item and have an opportunity to save money or if you are buying the item simply because it is a great bargain.

By being aware of the trap, you will find that some purchases are not necessary and will give you an opportunity to really save money by leaving the item on the shelf. But when there is an immediate or future need for the item, you will recognize the value and put yourself in a position to save a little money.

Do you fall victim to the clearance aisle trap? Please share your experiences and/or tips for the clearance aisle!

You’re most likely familiar with the concept of negotiating on the price of large ticket items, such as your vehicles or even when you purchased your home. But how often do you try to negotiate on your more common expenses?

Marshall Loeb’s daily money tip over at MarketWatch.com touches on the idea of negotiating common expenses, which I have found to be quite successful when I have attempted this myself.

The suggestions from the article include:

• When paying medical bills, know that the prices are not set in stone. This is one area that I have saved a bit of money on in the past. When my wife had her wisdom teeth pulled a few years back, I asked the dentist if they offered any type of discount if we paid cash. As luck would have it, they did offer a discount and we saved a considerable amount of money given the total expense.
  
  
• If you need an electronic product or gadget repaired after the warranty has expired, you may be in luck. In my experience, the real trick here is to not only do your research as suggested but to be extremely polite with whomever you speak with at the company in question. Often times the person on the other end has the ability to help you out but if you sour the relationship with a bad attitude, your chances of success will go down considerably.
  
  
• Need to hire a contractor for home repairs? Personally I do not care to really use this approach but it does offer the chance for a hefty savings. We just recently signed a contract with someone to replace all of our windows and while we did accept multiple estimates, we did not attempt to get the contractors in a bidding war. If a contractor undercuts another price just to win the job, they may try to cut corners on the job to try and cover the cost reduction. Be very careful with this suggestion if you try it.

For anyone that has been reading this site for some time, you will know that I regularly ask any store or service provider if that is really the best price that they can offer.

Simply asking the question can often lead to substantial price savings. As an example, I had sent an inquiry to my cable provider to see if they could offer me a better price and in a matter of 10 minutes I saved $138 on my cable bill.

When that discount expired, I simply called them again and asked if there were any deals and I received another discount. I’ve rinsed and repeated this process three times now and haven’t paid full price for my cable and internet service in quite some time.

The next time you have something to buy, whether it be a service or tangible goods, try your hand at negotiating the price and ask for a discount. You may just surprise yourself and receive a nice little savings in the process!

With the landscape of grocery stores changing in our area, my wife and I have been discussing the idea of visiting different stores to take advantage of the best prices for various items. But that begs the question of how many stores is too many and when does chasing the dollar end up costing you money?

Store Selection
We have a handful of grocery stores in our area to choose from for our regular grocery shopping, including stores such as Dominicks, Jewel Foods, Super Walmart, Woodmans and the newly opened Meijer.

For the majority of our grocery shopping, we (primarily my wife) have been going to the Super Walmart as their prices tend to be the best on most of the items that we purchase. The one item we do not buy at the Walmart is Diet Coke as they very rarely beat the price at any of the other stores and we do not buy it at all if it is not on sale.

However, recently my wife has become frustrated with shopping at Walmart as their prices are no longer that much better than the stores that are much closer to our home and she feels the store is starting to appear dirty.

One Store, Two Store, Red Store, Blue Store
Last night my wife opted to try out the new Meijer and was not overly impressed. While she did appreciate the cleanliness of the store, she did not feel the prices were much better than the other local stores. Due to the grand opening there were some very attractive sale prices and there were a few of our staples that were cheaper.

Another relatively new store to our area, Woodmans, seems to have competitive prices on most items but we haven’t really attempted to do our regular shopping at this store yet. There are a few things at Woodmans where their prices are much better than the competitors, however we have noticed a few items that they do not seem to carry.

As we evaluate our shopping habits, we need to determine what is the proper balance of shopping at multiple stores to take advantage of price savings while not going too far with buying only a handful of items at each store.

Finding a Balance
Overall it seems that the Super Walmart still has the most competitive pricing on the majority of items we buy. However, my wife has become so disenchanted with the experience at that store that we have opted to use a combination of the new Meijer, Woodmans and Dominicks for the time being.

We will be utilizing the weekly sale flyers to maximize our savings at each store and plan our shopping trips accordingly. But we do not feel this is an ideal solution to our grocery shopping needs.

In the not too distant future, there will be two new Super Walmarts and one Super Target opening within a few miles of our home. These stores will be closer than the existing Walmart and should offer a cleaner, more enjoyable shopping experience as well. Once these stores are open for business, I imagine we will revert back to the Super Walmart.

How do you approach your grocery shopping? Do you have a selection of multiple stores or are you limited to only one or two? How far will you go to chase price savings at various stores in your area?

As the gas prices continue to rise around the country, you are likely looking for ways to reduce your fuel costs and Cynthia Brodrick has delivered with an article on 15 ways to save money on gas.

The very first tip is one that I have mentioned a few times here myself.

Properly Inflated Tires
It’s amazing to think that your tire pressure can have such a large impact but properly inflated tires will save you money at the pump. In addition, you’ll be saving more money over the long-term as properly inflated tires will last longer than under inflated tires.

In an interesting twist on one of the suggested tips, I have to wonder if losing weight could not save a little at the pump as well. According to the article, every additional 250 pounds will reduce your fuel economy by roughly one mile per gallon. Given how many people in this country are overweight, present company included, it might be possible to save a few pennies but dropping those excess pounds.

My Additional Tips
One tip that I did not see in the article but has been a help for me given how often I am filling the tank is to take advantage of rebate credit cards. In my case, I use a BP rewards card to receive a rebate and now that fuel has increased in price, my rebates will accumulate a little faster. About a month or two ago my wife started using the BP rewards card as well so our rebates are building much quicker now.

An additional tip that would save me the most money would be to try and spend more time working from home. While my boss is really flexible with my schedule, I still tend to work in the office most of the time. But if gas prices continue to increase, it will get to the point where the length of my commute will make it more difficult to justify the *face time* in the office.

What are you doing to try and reduce your fuel costs?

How extreme would you have to cut expenses to live on a salary of $1.00 per year? What about if you received a bonus of $1723 on top of that salary? Even the people that take living below their means to a new level would be hard-pressed to pull this off yet somehow the top executive at Google is able to do it.

Of course, Eric Schmidt might have an easier time to live on that salary because he is holding approximately 10 million shares of Google that are worth more than $5 billion. In addition to the meager salary, Mr. Schmidt received over $22,000 to offset the taxes due on a perk and also had personal security provided at a cost of over $500,000 per year.

Why is it that many top executives have a salary that is very minimal even though their total compensation with bonuses is still typically in the millions? In my opinion, it is nothing more than fluff to try and give the impression to the public that the executives are dedicated to the company and their total compensation is dependent on the performance of the company. Unfortunately, many of these executives receive their bonus and additional compensation such as personal security regardless of the company’s performance.

I’d find it much more refreshing to see a company pay their executives an actual salary and eliminate the myriad of perks and bonuses. Although that is unlikely to happen because some of those perks and bonuses are not considered compensation, which likely benefits the company financials. However, a recent regulatory filing by Google indicates that the SEC issued guidance that the perk of personal security should be listed as compensation.

If you’d like to read more about the *struggles* of living on a $1 annual salary, The New York Times has an article explaining the salaries and perks of Google executives.