Be a name-dropper. It's okay to start slowly, but buy generic or store brand on those items where a well-known name isn't a necessity, such as condiments, flour, sugar and paper products. You'll often be surprised by how little difference you'll notice.

Buy local. With summer coming, fresh produce such as fruits and vegetables from your area farmers’ market may beat the cost of these items if purchased from a local grocery chain since they're going direct from the farm to
your table.

Eat before you shop. Entering a grocery store when hungry often results in impulse purchases you wouldn’t normally make on a full stomach. Do you really need that guacamole?

Make a list and check it twice. Create a grocery list and plan your menus around what’s on sale each week. The hardest part may be sticking to the list, but it’s certainly worth it. 

Use coupons. Okay, so you have to snip to save, but coupon savings can average $.89 per item. And now there are coupon web sites where all you have to do is "click and print." So, no excuses.

Make meals that can stretch. That baked ham on Sunday, can be ham club sandwiches on Monday and hash with eggs on Tuesday. 

Save the environment. Make that one-time purchase of reusable shopping bags and bring them with you each time you shop. Many stores today offer a rebate of up to one nickel per bag for passing on plastic or paper.

Buy seasonal items in season and store. Many seasonal fruits, such as blueberries, freeze well and can be enjoyed out of season when prices for these items generally soar.

Drink tap water. Okay, this one may hurt since we’ve gotten so accustom to our trendy water bottles. But the truth is, most tap water is as good, if not better, than anything you can buy in plastic or glass and it won’t end up in a landfill.

Buy in bulk. Warehouse clubs have really grown in popularity over the last decade and if you've got a family, buying that 100-ounce box of cereal often results in big savings. Not so much if you live alone, but still worth a trip to check out their specials.