I know chatting about grocery stores and coupons is not very sexy, but it is very practical. I've been looking for all kinds of ways to save money, so I thought I would share some tips now. 1. Always take a list with you. It is way too easy to get distracted by the bright and shiny packaging of foods while cruising the aisles at the store. If you write a list of items you need before you even enter the store and promise yourself that those are the only items going in your cart, you will have a much greater chance of not blowing your budget on extra goodies. 2. Don't shop on an empty stomach. I'm sure you have all heard this before, but it is very true. The last time I went to the grocery store after only eating a light snack, I came home with a strange assortment of food that normally I wouldn't dare purchase. Be sure and eat a decent amount before you head out shopping, otherwise you will be dropping those weird beef sticks into your cart while waiting in the checkout line. 3. Use Coupons. Come on now, let's not be snobs anymore; start jumpin' on the coupon train. Truthfully, I used to be somewhat adverse to handing over my little cut coupons to the checkout person. I thought I looked stupid and like I couldn't afford to buy groceries. Then it dawned on me that it was incredibly stupid not to use what equates to free money. Why wouldn't I want to buy one box of pop-tarts that I love and get a second box of the same pop-tarts for free?! 4. Try Meal Planning. It might require a little extra time and effort, but planning meals for the week helps you know exactly what ingredients you need to buy, and helps keep your life a bit more organized. If you know what you are eating, you know (about) what you need to spend for the week which helps you estimate a weekly grocery budget better. As a added bonus, it can help keep picky eaters (like myself) from deciding that nothing is in the house  worth eating and take-out or fast food pickup is put into play. With a set meal for the night, it will help cut down on last minute Wendy's runs, and we all know how much eating out can cost. (Check out some of our delicious, cost-effective recipes and add a few to your meal list for the week!) 5. Use Cash instead of Credit. What happens when you run out of cash in hand? You stop buying things. What happens when you run out of cash on your debit card? You keep buying things, overdraft your account and get charged a fee, and start a horrible spiral into the depths of debt. By using cash only, you automatically set a very stern budget for your grocery allowance. You will only buy the things you need and not also all the things you want. Sounds stringent, I know, but if you need to save some dough you have to be pretty hard on yourself.