This is not a gimmick. There are no secrets here. No subscriptions or coupons required. I'm going to help you learn how to save a BUNCH of money on your monthly grocery expenses.

When people first learn about my diet, they hear that it's chock full of exotic grains, organic produce and specialty foods. The next question they ask me, invariably, is some version of "Isn't it really expensive to eat like that?"

Yes. The answer is yes. Eating healthy, quality foods costs money. But I'm a frugal, thrifty gal and over the years, I've developed a few techniques that help save me a bundle at the grocery store. To put that into perspective, I don't mind confessing that my monthly food budget is under $300 (for one person). That's for ALL my food, too. That's breakfast, lunch, dinner, snacks, beverages and typically 1 dinner out each month.

Without using these techniques, I could easily spend twice that amount each month. I'm not promising these tips will slash your food bill by 50%, but I can promise they'll make a dent.

Here are my 6 Tips to Cut your Grocery Bill:

1. Set a monthly food budget. Seems like a no-brainer, but knowing how much you have in your budget to spend each month will help you allocate those funds. It just will, simple as that.
2. Don't attempt to buy all your groceries from one store. Not only will you end up spending more money, but you're likely to end up with more food waste as well. I hit 2-3 stores each week after work to get fresh veggies, and this gives me a chance to pick up other items along the way.
3. Get to know your local grocery stores. All of them. The big chains, specialty stores (like Trader Joe's), local independent markets and ethnic groceries. If you're familiar with all of them, you'll know where to go for certain items and cut down your "running around" time.
4. Get to know your farmers' market. If you have a farmers' market in your area, use it! I like to shop the market towards the end of the day (in the last 1 to 1 1/2 hours they are open) because many farmers will start to discount their produce so they don't have to take it back to the farm. You can also haggle a bit at a farmers' market -- something you can't do in a regular grocery store.
5. Shop restaurant supply stores. Most areas have at least one restaurant supply store that is open to the public. These are fantastic places for frozen fruits and veggies as well as pantry staples like spices, oils and even non-dairy milks. The prices are typically much lower than in grocery stores and you don't have to buy in bulk.
6. Don't eat out (or do it rarely). Dining out is wicked expensive and we all know it. I enjoy a nice restaurant meal as much as the next gal but limit yourself to 1 dinner a month and you'll save a fortune.

I could go on for days but these tips are the ones that save me the most dough when I'm out shopping for ingredients for, well, dough. I hope some of these tips are helpful for you and your family's budget.

Question: What are your money-saving tips for grocery shopping?

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