I am a true bargain shopper when it comes to groceries. I like to arrive at the store armed with my shopping list, the store ad, my coupons at an envelope full of cash. I am so grateful that the stores have started putting the "percentage saved" at the bottom of the receipt because now grocery shopping is a true competitive sport! If I save at least 30%, I feel I have won the game and can walk out of the store with my head held high! I imagining that after I leave, the cashier is marveling to the next shopper in line what an amazing bargain hunter I am - the best they've had in that store for a long while! OK, that probably has never happened, but really -- wouldn't it be cool?

The most important thing I do to raise that percentage saved is to shop with By-the-Ounce Pricing. My Mom taught me how to do this when I was a little girl and I still use this skill every time I shop. Thanks Mom! When I helped her do the weekly shopping she sent me off with a list and expect me to come back with the cheapest item in each category. Not based on the over all price, but the price per ounce. Nowadays, they make it easy for you and often list the price per ounce on the shelf label, sometimes even on the sale tag. But if they don't, it's simple to formulate. Just divide the cost of the item by the number of ounces. (A calculator may be helpful . Don't forget, you probably have one built into your cell phone!) You may be surprised what comes out the cheapest - the national brand that's on sale, or the store brand, or a brand you've never even heard of. Yesterday, for example, my husband got a case of 24 Dasani Water bottles for less per ounce than a gallon jug of generic filtered drinking water. And don't forget to ad bulk food prices into your comparisons! It is shocking how much extra you can pay for your pasta, coffee beans, or even sugar to come prepackaged for you!

NOTE: If you would like further explanation on the mathematics, click on the book at the top of this post.