Strategy #5
BE PRACTICAL ABOUT ORGANICS
Quite a few organic items are sold at a premium. But, according to a Mayo Clinic bulletin and Consumer Reports, some organic items really won’t improve your health. Thick-skinned produce (such as avocados, bananas, kiwis, mangoes, onions, papayas, and pineapples) rarely allow even minuscule amounts of pesticides to penetrate through the skin. Consequently, they pose little to no health risk. Additionally, studies have shown that hardy plants like asparagus and broccoli are very pest-resistant. Therefore, be practical with your purchases – rather than just trendy. Does everything need to be organic?
Strategy #6
SCOUR BREAD OUTLETS
This is a great way to save 40 to 90 percent on your bread purchases. Outlet stores often get “over-bakes” of buns that are made for restaurant franchises. We’ve picked up 24 hamburger buns for 99 cents, and they tasted identical to Arby’s. Often times, an outlet’s day-old bread is just as fresh as the stuff you’ll find in the grocery store. We buy several loaves at a time, and freeze them. When it is defrosted, it’s as good as fresh.
Strategy #7
GET “SWEET” DEALS
We don’t do it often, but it’s fun to pick up discounted bakery items at night. Some stores mark down pastries at the end of the day, because they’re baked daily and sold fresh. We especially love to pick up a dozen donuts – pre-boxed and price reduced (especially if they have apple or cherry fritters in them).
Strategy #8
LISTEN UP
Keep your ears attuned to the beep of the scanner. Why? Because today’s scanners are so powerful that, with a simple miscue of the wrist, an item can be rung up two or three times. Listen, count, and watch carefully. Mess-ups are common.
Strategy #9
REIN IN THE SPICE
Sure, spices can turn an ordinary dish into a mouthwatering family favorite. But they can also be expensive. We purchase many of our spices at Walgreens, price match others at Walmart, and even find some deals at the dollar store. We also have friends who purchase bulk spices from online distributors like these:
Sahuaro Spice Company
3611 N. 34th Avenue, Phoenix, AZ 85017
Call 602-272-8557, or visit
SahuaroSpiceCo.com
Atlantic Spice Company
2 Shore Road, North Truro, MA 02652
Call 800-316-7965, or visit
AtlanticSpice.com
San Francisco Herb Company
250 14th Street, San Francisco, CA 94103
Call 800-227-4530, or visit
SFHerb.com
Strategy #10
SLICE IT YOURSELF
Any way you slice it, lunch meat is expensive. However, you can chop the cost by purchasing meat on sale, cooking it, and slicing it yourself. We’ve done it with roast beef – and, boy, was it good! A woman applied this concept to sliced cheese. She picked up a 32-ounce chunk of Colby cheese in the dairy aisle, and asked the deli to slice it. She ended up with much more for less. 
