Nine Tips for Surviving the Supermarket

• Check inventory before you go. This is my weakness. I came home with a bag of grapefruit, and I already had one going. Oops. Could have saved there.
  

• Look out for loss leaders. “Every supermarket has items that are deeply discounted, they’re designed to bring people in to the store and show a point of difference versus another retail chain.. The shopper has to have enough knowledge to be able to recognize a good price when she sees one. That comes from years of experience and doing your homework — reading circulars and checking the store’s website before you go. As you research, pull your coupons together.
  

• Read the fine print. Look at the price per ounce. The best deals aren’t necessarily on the end-cap where products like cookies or soft drinks are prominently displayed. Companies pay for their goods to be there.
  

• Be flexible about brands. Every week, either the Cheerios or the Cornflakes are on sale, either Coke or Pepsi is on sale. Never at the same time. Embrace the store labels, which are a lot better than they used to be.
  

• Set a budget and stick to it. Many people say they tally the bill as they shop, which cuts down on impulse purchases. Stop & Shop apparently gives customers a scanning wand, which allows them to add up the bill (and bag their groceries) as they go through the store.
  

• Eat “planned overs.” Make a double recipe of something on the weekend that you can freeze and pull out during a busy weekday. You’ll save yourself the $10 on the large pizza you would have ordered instead, plus all that the cooking time.
  

• Plan to splurge. Americans have been suffering from “frugality fatigue,” how many times can pass up the rib-eye and have meatloaf? At some point, treat yourself to the rib-eye. But anticipate the treat, and budget for it by cutting back elsewhere.
  

• Avoid the paper towels and the light bulbs at the grocery store. You’ll find lower prices for these items at Wal-Mart or Target, or Amazon Subscribe & Save. I, personally, make this mistake all the time. I'm running low on laundry detergent, say, and I’ll pay a few dollars more for it at Walgreen rather than make another stop someplace cheaper. Oops could have saved there.
  

And My All Time Personal Supermarket Time-Saving Advice:

• Always get in a line with a female cashier, preferably in her 30s or older. Women cashiers memorize produce codes; men don’t. It is so annoying when a guy is hopelessly scrolling through his computer screen looking for the code for snap peas.
  

-Birdy.