In February of 2011, Statistics Canada released a report revealing food prices increased 2.1% in the 12 months to February and food purchased from stores increased 2.0%. With the rising costs of food, more Canadian families are now finding it is more difficult to maintain their monthly food budgets. Fortunately, there are a number ways Canadian families can save money when shopping at the grocery store.

Use Coupons: Using coupons can significantly reduce the costs of food. You will find coupons in newspapers, grocery stores, flyers, and even online. It is very helpful to keep your coupons organized. This will make it easier to find a specific coupon when you are making your grocery list. As well, look for rebates attached to products and in coupon flyers.

Clearance Product Bins: Most grocery stores will provide a bin or grocery cart for items that are greatly reduced for quick sale. When you go to the grocery store, make sure you look in the bin to see if there are food items you need. You can save a substantial amount when you buy items from these discount bins.

Special Promotions: Grocery stores are always offering special promotions on certain products. For instance, Buy One Get One Free is a common promotion. As well, Buy One Get One At Half Price is another popular promotion. You can save a lot of money if you take advantage of these deals, especially if it is a product you use frequently.

Discount Grocery Stores: Canadians have access to discount grocery stores where they will find many products for sale at prices far below the regular grocery store prices. For instance, No Frills and Price Chopper are two discount grocers where you can get great deals and save a substantial amount on your grocery bill.

Customer Loyalty/Reward Programs: Today, just about every grocery retailer offers a rewards program. These loyalty programs offer you points when you buy products which accumulate to an amount where customers can get free items and discounts. Taking advantage of reward programs is a great way to get free groceries.

Buy in Bulk or Large Product Format: You will often find you will save money if you buy in bulk or large package. For instance, there is usually a section in the grocery that sells products in a large format such as jumbo or big box. Products sold in a big format can include household paper, diapers, cereal…etc. When buying a large format product, make sure you calculate the costs to ensure you are actually getting a deal.

To reduce your grocery bill, it is important to know the prices of the items to make sure the discounts offered actually help you save money. As well, when the products are going through the check out scanner, make sure the discounts are being applied. Even though the cost of food is on the rise, when you implement a few basic frugal shopping practices, you will find you can reduce your grocery bill.

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Category: Finances
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