From Sara Lee Corp.'s new ad campaign with The Walt Disney Co.'s "High School Musical 3: Senior Year" to Kraft's new pizza commercials preaching "DiGiornonomics," consumers should expect to be blitzed by food advertisements in the next year.

Many major food makers are promising boosts to their advertising in the new fiscal year or reporting their spending is up in the most recent one. Their ads seem to be hitting a variety of outlets, including print, television, in-store promotion and the Internet — which marketers say helps them hone in on consumers and get the most bang for their advertising buck.

Analysts say it makes sense, even as these companies grapple with high prices for oil, corn and grains.

Consumers aren't going to change what they eat as they pull away from restaurants, said Harry Balzer, vice president of consumer research firm the NPD Group, and an expert on American eating patterns. They're just going to look for bargains, and that can mean changing brands.

"It's very hard for us to change our behavior. If we like ice cream, we're going to continue eating ice cream," he said. "Now the question is going to be what brand you're going to buy."

Remember, the Grocery Shrink Ray goes wild over brands. Savvy consumerists know to resist the advertising, and will see this as an opportunity to reaffirm their unending allegiance to the lowest price.

Foodmakers plan big ad campaigns in down economy [AP]
(Photo: GirlReporter)

The manager hinted that this was a liability issue, but it sounds to us like Safeway's employees have decided to play morality police instead of following the actual rules. Daniel sums up the problem:

The bottom line is that walking into a store and leaving without purchasing anything should never necessitate showing an ID. This policy creates that scenario and does not in any way prevent underage drinking. Loss of freedom and no added prevention. Lose-Lose.

Here's the letter he tried to send to Safeway, but they don't provide an email address on their website or in their press releases. (You can find phone numbers and a mailing address for Safway here, Daniel.)

Yesterday I decided to purchase a six pack of beer. Sure, there are liquor stores near me, but Safeway happens to be about a block from my house. So my brother and I, who recently turned 21 and promptly lost his ID, walked the fifty yards to Safeway. Upon arriving at the register with beer in hand I was asked for my ID, not a problem. The clerk then asked for my brother's ID. My brother had not touched the beer, nor had he handed me money, etc. I was taken back, after all I had made this exact purchase with my brother a handful of times already and had never been asked for his ID. I told the clerk this and he said that it was Safeway policy to ask for his ID. Needless to say we walked out of Safeway, sauntered across the parking lot and paid the same price for the same six pack at a convenience store - with no hassle.

Still irked by this today, I decided to stop by Safeway and see if I could find out exactly what the policy was. After speaking with the manager of the Safeway I walked away with a clearer view of the policy. The policy is, at the discretion of the clerk, to check the ID every person present. An additional reason, as the manager explained to me, was one of liability.

On the surface this sounds like a reasonable policy. However, upon further thought, it is far from reasonable.

To begin with, checking the ID of every person present does not stop underage drinking. Hell, the manager himself suggested I have my brother wait outside next time. Also, I'm pretty sure that if the clerk asks for ID and I show it to him, the liability of the store stops right there. To say it does not means that Safeway is responsible for what I do with the beer after I buy it.

The main reason this upsets me is the need for someone that isn't buying anything to show ID. If a mother and her prepubescent son walk into Safeway and she buys a case of beer, do you card the son? Clearly (I would hope) not, because there is no indication that the son is going to be drinking the beer. I'm interested, based on appearance alone - what criteria do you use to decide if that person with the alcohol purchaser is going to be consuming it? If my underage Mormon friend, who doesn't drink alcohol, tags along for the purchase am I to be denied buying alcohol? There are all sorts of scenarios that can be described that destroy any sound purpose for this policy.

The bottom line is that walking into a store and leaving without purchasing anything should never necessitate showing an ID. This policy creates that scenario and does not in any way prevent underage drinking. Loss of freedom and no added prevention. Lose-Lose. You're also losing all of my business until I have in writing that his policy has been revoked.

If even the manager acknowledges that it's a trivial "security measure" that a customer can get around so easily, why not just put an end to it?

(Photo: Getty)

Rick points out that on their website, they also claim "no oily mess," which we'd like to contrast with this photo Rick sent in:

The check-er-outer lady looked at it a while and said (without the slightest trace of irony),

“I don’t think cheese is a dairy product.”

Oh. Um. Well. Yes. Um. WHAT?

“No, they don’t consider cheese a dairy product.”

With that newly created fact, the cashier refused to apply a store coupon for dairy products to a package of cheddar slices. When the columnist for The Stranger asked her who "they" are, she replied, "Fred Meyer Corporation."

The columnist and his coupon-wielding friend saved the coupon for another day and purchased the cheese at full price, but we have a feeling a lot of our readers would not have let Fred Meyer off so easily.

"Cheese: The Totally Other Food Group. Apparently. Maybe From Space!" [The Stranger] (Thanks to everyone who sent this in!)
(Photo of tomato plant: Aine D)

Makers Kraft deny any trickery and claim they are merely "harmonising triangle weights across the range".

Cadbury spokesman Tony Bilsborough said: "The sizes of the bars goes up and down all the time to suit the market. Dairy Milk comes in all different shapes and sizes and there are a range of cost factors involved."

[Pringles] Spokesman Garry Stephenson said: "We launched a new Pringle with a better crunch texture, better flavour and a significant reduction in total fat and saturates."

Alex Beckett, from The Grocer magazine, says food firms are facing financially tough times and sympathised with their plight.

He said: "This isn't about ripping consumers off - the cost of making these products has rocketed because of more expensive food ingredients and energy costs. It's such a competitive marketplace with each manufacturer bitterly fighting with the next one.

"Downsizing portions and maintaining the original price isn't sneaky. It is a way of cushioning the blow to the consumer. Bumping prices up would hit people much harder.

"And besides, smaller portion sizes are healthier for consumers, especially at a time when obesity is so widespread. It won't do us any harm to be eating a little bit less."

Bollocks.

Our favourite snacks are being quietly downsized... so why's the price the same? [Daily Mirror] (Thanks to Deborah!)

Rising costs give groceries nip and tuck [Chicago Tribune]

Update: here's a better photo of the sign, as requested by EtoilePB:

• Cereal makers General Mills and Kellogg Co. have both said they will raise prices. General Mills "said it needed to make up for cost increases that it expects will total 9 percent."
• Kraft Foods, whose brands include Oscar Mayer, Philadelphia cream cheese, Oreos and Wheat Thins, will follow its 8% price increase earlier this year with another one to offset rising commodity costs.
• Sara Lee will raise prices 20% for its meat products like Jimmy Dean sausages and Ball Park Franks. Sara Lee's COO gave this mangled explanation to Datamonitor: "Price increases vary a lot by type of products but the increases will be as low as zero and some products we will decrease on and other increases (will be) in excess of 20%."

The Chicago Sun-Times advises,

Overall grocery prices are expected to rise 5 percent to 6 percent this year. But some categories are projected to post higher increases, such as eggs, fats and oils and cereals.

A report by the Food Institute, a research group for manufacturers, predicted 2008 increases of at least 9 percent for those products.

"Grocery bills going up — again" [Chicago Sun-Times]
"US food firms to increase prices again" [Datamonitor] (subscription only)
(Photo: Getty)

(Photo: Nathan Huth)

ShopSmart [Official Site]

Over the past two weeks, I have ended up with two gallons of milk, purchased at different stores from different dairies, that went bad before their expiration date. When we asked for a refund at the second store, the manager noted that they had gotten several complaints about sour milk lately, which was unusual for the store. The manager wondered whether truck drivers were turning up the thermometer on their refrigerator system or skipping it altogether to save gas...

I live in Brooklyn and a few months ago, even before the summer, I myself started to notice my milk was spoiling a lot faster too. As in, a matter of days. I thought our corner store was just being cheap. I've since switched to organic milk because it lasts for weeks. Has anyone else noticed this? If so, what part of the country are you in, what brand do you buy, and from what store?

(Illustration: wedgienet)

1. Look for the old larger sizes still on shelves.

2. Compare unit costs
This is the number in the upper left of the price tag. A lower unit cost means a better deal.

3. Buy based on best value.
Reposition your thinking; instead of identifying yourself as "I'm a Corn Puffs guy, I've got to have my Pops," rationalize your thrift by saying, "I'm a money-saving guy, I've got to buy the best deal." Be willing to brand jump.

These tips won't completely negate the shrink ray, but at least they can partially counteract its effects.

I work at a grocery store and am just appalled at how the grocery shrink ray is in full effect. I notice it the most is in the produce department. The company that is shrinking their products most effectively while maintaining the same price is Ready Pac.

About six months ago, Ready Pac introduced a new size for their dinner pack salad. It went from 16oz. to 12oz. The price stayed the same while the packaging shrunk. Their excuse was that it was best for the consumer because they wouldn't have to buy so much. Whatever! Another item that Ready Pac has targeted is their cut fruit bowls. They've gone from 1 pound and a couple oz to 15.5oz packages. They're still charging the same price too.

Companies to consumers: We're doing you a favor by decreasing your purchasing power.

(Photo: Ryan Grove)

I was shopping at my local HyVee here in Iowa the other day and noticed that Kraft Deli Fresh cheese slices have new packaging. Being an avid Consumerist reader I immediately suspected the grocery shrink ray.

The old packet, still visible on the Kraft website, contains 11 slices and weighs 8 oz, compared to 10 slices and 7 oz in the new one. The individual slices a little bit thinner now too, 8/11 > 7/10. Bruce is exactly right, if you see your old favorite now being sold in a new packaging, that's a red flag that you may looking at a slimmed-down package. However, Bruce did not send in shots of the price tags, which is necessary to determine if the item is truly grocery shrink ray shrunk. As such, we can only label this a potential victim for now.

DELI DELUXE - CHEESE - SWISS 2% MILK REDUCED FAT SLICES 11 CT [Kraft]

(Thanks to Robert!)

Slap on a $1-off "Manager's Special" sticker, obviously!

(Thanks to M!)

1. Make a list and stick to it. Lists focus your shopping and are the single best way to save money.
2. Compare unit pricing, not box size. As with good things, good prices sometimes come in small packages.
3. If you only need a handful of items, use a basket, not a cart. Empty space cries to be filled.
4. If it's not on your list, don't pick it up. According to Paco Underhill in Why We Buy: “Virtually all unplanned purchases…come as a result of the shopper seeing, touching, smelling, or tasting something that promises pleasure, if not total fulfillment.”
5. Shop at the edge of the store. That's where the healthier, cheaper items hide.
6. Disavow brand loyalty and swear allegiance to the lowest price.
7. Consider generics. You usually get the same quality, without the unnecessary branding.
8. Learn to love coupons. With practice, you can buy almost $150 worth of stuff for $5.
9. Make one big shop, rather than several small ones. You'll save on gas while inoculating against wasteful spending.
10. Buy from bulk bins. Why pay for packaging and marketing when you can reach right in and scoop out exactly what you need?
11. Check your receipt. Don't let an errant scan ruin your hard work.
12. Shop alone. Science shows that we spend more when we're with company.
13. Track your spending so you can see what's eating your money. Committed receipt hawks can spot price cycles to help guide their shopping.
14. Eat a meal before shopping. Shopping on a full stomach tamps down impulse spending and keeps you focused on your list.
15. Shop without a car. Nothing limits spending like knowing you'll have to carry your goods home.

Saving at the Supermarket: 15 Great Grocery Shopping Tips [Get Rich Slowly]

(Photo: Getty)

Nebraska Firm Recalls Beef Products Due To Possible E. coli O157:H7 Contamination [USDA]
Ground Beef Recall [Kroger] (Thanks to Kimberley!)
E. Coli Illnesses Prompt Beef Recall [NYT]
(Photo: Getty)

The Incredible Shrinking Portion [The Brian Lehrer Show]
US manufacturers beat inflation by selling less for same price [AFP]
Shrinking groceries [CNNMoney]

(Thanks to Cynicor!)

—sorry, we just fell out of our chairs laughing at the idea of a supermarket out there that will heroically pass the savings downstream to consumers instead of profiting directly from it.

The bill’s critics, which include the Massachusetts Public Interest Research Group and the ConsumerWorld.org Web site, say consumers will suffer because they may be forced to wander as far away as 5,000 feet in a particular store to scan an item and check its price. If a retailer opts for the scanning system alternative, prices would still need to be displayed on store shelves for most items.

The critics say it will be harder to catch overcharges at the cash register, and the scanning machines may not pick up on sale prices or special prices for customers with loyalty cards.

"Consumer groups worry that item pricing could go away at supermarkets" *warning! obnoxious ads* [Enterprisenews.com] (Thanks to Linus!)
(Photo: Getty)

We thought we'd use The Simple Dollar's guide to writing an effective thank you note to "thank" our friends at Kellogg's for trying to pull the wool over our eyes with the ever-present grocery shrink ray. Here it goes:

Dear Kellogg's:

The Consumerist

A bit too much? Anyone want to suggest alternatives?

How To Write an Effective Thank You Note for Any Occasion [The Simple Dollar]

— FREE MONEY FINANCE

REFERENCES:
What You Should Know About Outdated Food [KPTV]Expired Items On Store Shelves; FOX 12 Investigates [KPTV]
Labelling rules [Eatwell.gov]

(Photo: whatatravisty)

(Thanks to glugory!)

Consumers are gouged an extra $0.40 on average.

"My little girl drinks between two and three gallons of milk a week,” said Queens Democratic Councilman Eric Gioia. “And when you're being overcharged 40, 50 cents per gallon — I'm going to be okay, but there are a lot of families, if you've got a number of kids, that it can be really difficult."

If you're thinking "$0.40? That's nothing!," you're not alone. Potential mayoral candidate and supermarket billionaire John Catsimatidis also supports gouging local business:

"The supermarket business is a dying breed in the New York area," Catsimatidis told amNewYork. "Fifty percent of the supermarkets in New York City have gone out of business in the last 6 or 7 years because they didn't charge enough."

"[Speaker] Quinn should take Economics 101. It's inexcusable that an official of the city of New York would just try to panic people."

He's right, you shouldn't panic. If you see a grocer selling milk for more than $3.93 a gallon, or $2.01 per half gallon, call the state's special anti-price-gouging hotline, at (800) 554-4501.

Report: Majority of Sellers in City Are Overcharging for Milk [The New York Sun]
Catsimatidis Sour On Quinn Milk Report [The Daily News]
(Photo: Getty)

I’ve been in supermarkets where a couple of skinless, boneless chicken breasts cost MORE than a whole chicken. Wouldn’t it make sense to buy the whole bird, trim out the breasts (30 seconds, once you’ve done it a couple of times) and throw the rest away if it will cost less than buying two cutlets?...Does your family like nice boneless centercut porkchops? Buy a whole boneless pork loin and cut into 1″ slices. You can even wrap them in plastic film and freeze them for use later. By being your own butcher, you’ll enjoy great quality meat at probably two-thirds the price of anything you would buy pre-cut.

Makes sense to us, especially after seeing this investigation on how chicken is packed with extra water so they can charge you more. Just get a good set of knives and get slicing and dicing. You can also save by cutting and marinating your own meats, and making your own bacon.

Sharpen Knife, Slash Your Food Costs [Cheap Stingy Bargains] (Thanks to Marilyn!)

(Photo: seventime)

Hello,
I had an experience tonight that I thought might help quite a few people save money when they grocery shop, especially nowadays when every dollar counts. I was doing some late-night grocery shopping at my local Kroger Supermarket and as is customary this time of night especially on a Sunday there was nobody around to help the cashier bag my groceries. While my girlfriend stood across from the cashier to pay for our items, I stood at the end of a second conveyor belt that pushes the items from the cashier to a larger area where the items are collected for the bagger.

I noticed, thanks to my vantage point where the bagger would normally be, that after the cashier scanned a handful of packets of flat fruit leathers that as they moved to the end of the conveyor they actually fell in a opening between the belt itself and a stainless guard at the end of the belt. I immediately informed the cashier as to what had happened. I was surprised that the stainless steel piece was actually hinged and even more surprised that when he opened it, there was far more in there than just my few packets of fruit leather. There were at least four large, flat, foil packets of tuna fish filling up the void at the end of the belt. As the cashier was taking the leathers out of the trap, the cashier mentioned that I could have the tuna if I wanted, as it had been paid for.

This left me wondering how may times I've lost Kool Aid packets, taco seasoning and many other similarly shaped items in a such fashion. Of course, none of these things are a big monetary loss, but a waste of money all the same. If it happened before an item is scanned, I'd say no big deal, however seeing as how this can happen after the item is paid for, I'd say that savvy consumers should keep an eye on their similarly packaged items and make sure that they don't literally fall through the cracks!

Sincerely,
colinjay

We're not sure what such a door is for, but to think that innocent Kool-Aid packets, seasonings and other slim groceries which have already been purchased, are being systematically abducted on a daily basis gives us cause for concern. Are there any shoppers or cashiers out there that can tell us the true purpose of this grocery-eating menace?

(Photo: Getty)

My first experience was about a month ago when my order contained some freezer items which had to be collected when I arrived. The associate rang me up and then told me to wait at the exit for my freezer items. I waited there for 20 minutes. I then approached the Customer Service desk and after some searching around one of CS agents found my freezer items just sitting alone by the registers. Needless to say a 20 minute wait defeats the purpose of Click N' Pull. Not to mention the rudeness of just leaving frozen product around for someone to 'find'.

Then today (May 29th) I noticed that my most recent Click N Pull order was wrong. I hadn't received the 'order is ready email' so I thought I would call and make sure it was fixed. I was on hold for 15 minutes before I eventually hung up.

I then tried the SamsClub Online number and spoke with an extremely helpful man (Darnell I think) who wrote down the SKUs of the items I needed removed and the items I needed added. He even offered to call my local store and get the changes made. After ten minutes on hold the system hung up on me.

Then five minutes later I get an email saying my order is ready for pickup. Of course I now have no idea if it's right and will have to deal with it at the store.

It sort of ruins the goal of greater efficiency if you have to double- and triple-check the order and call customer service to remove items—or if your $36 "tiny-quart" of ice cream is melted by the time an employee tracks it down.

(Photo: Getty)

Food's getting too expensive, leaving us with two choices: lose our lead on per capita obesity, or find new ways to save money. We're not the type of nation to give up a first place position on anything, so that leaves us with saving money, and one way to do this is to make your own stuff. We know, it's crazy! Apparently early settlers somehow created their own Cheetos and Frappuccinos, but we're not going to get that primitive. Instead, here's a quick rundown of some interesting Do It Yourself tutorials we found that might give you some ideas on how to cut costs the next time you go grocery shopping.

Make Your Own Baby Food
The process is pretty easy—puree the food and strain it. This post suggests you spoon individual servings into an ice tray, then cover it with plastic wrap and freeze it. "Then, put the frozen blocks of food into a freezer bag." The author doesn't go on to mention thawing out the food, which leaves us with images of her babies sucking toothlessly on foodsicles, but we assume you're supposed to reheat the food when you're ready to use it.

Of course, if you need advice on how to make your own baby, you can head over to our sister site Fleshbot.

Make Your Own Instant Oatmeal
Trent at The Simple Dollar makes his own instant oatmeal packets. Instant oatmeal is a simple recipe, which means even the kitchen-phobic can accomplish this without ruining anything. Trent writes that the initial batch actually comes out to slightly more per serving than prepackaged, if you factor in the purchase of one-time supplies like reusable baggies and salt. Batch #2 is the same price as pre-packaged, and batch #3 is where the real savings kick in.

While this is a great idea, we think you can go one better and forego the plastic bags entirely, which drops the cost per serving immediately. Baggies are good if you have to eat your breakfast in the break room at work, but otherwise the "recipe" is so simple that you can assemble it on the spot each morning in less than 30 seconds. If you follow Trent's advice to grind up some of the oatmeal to make the final product thicker, simply grind up a predetermined amount and keep it in a plastic container.

Make Your Own Ice Cream and Sorbet
Real ice cream requires cooking a custard first, and you'll have to purchase eggs, heavy cream, and milk, which are exactly the sort of ingredients that are going up in price. Since the point is to save money, you're better off buying in-season fruit and trying your hand at sorbets.

This is maybe the funniest/laziest sorbet recipe we can find: freeze a can of fruit, then puree it in a blender with a little liquor. (We're going to try this over the weekend.)

If you're too lazy to puree and blend, go even simpler and just make ice pops.

Make Your Own Hot Dogs
Just kidding.

The Big Question: Is This Really Worth My Time?
If you're asking yourself that, there's a good chance you already know the answer: you probably feel your time is better suited doing something more productive and/or entertaining.

However, Trent the Oatmeal Guy writes that he made his instant oatmeal packets while talking on the phone with his mother. We've discovered family phone calls are the perfect time to multitask with housework and kitchen activities, especially if you have a hands-free headset.

(Photo: Getty Images)

Expired items are lurking on store shelves. A Fox5 investigation followed around the Nassau County's Office of Consumer Affairs and found evaporated skim milk and diabetic medicine on the shelf that expired over a year ago. At a dollar store, they found the manager was cutting the expiration dates off boxes of expired toothpaste and still selling them. The Stop and Shop was fined $1450 for selling expired goods, the dollar store, $13,225 for 529 items. Don't forget to check the expiration date, the store, or the Consumer Affairs Office, isn't always going to do it for you.

Expired Items [FOX5]

Crissy's incredible results don't come without preparation. She usually spends an hour week getting prepared for her shopping trip which takes her 3 to 4 hours and includes 3 to 7 local stores.

Like any good soldier, Crissy starts by gathering her ammunition. She does this by buying 2 copies of the Sunday double paper which renders 4 sets of coupons. Next she hits her favorite web sites which include: gottadeal.com and hotcouponworld.com

Crissy decided to show the news crew a sampling of what she does and they proceeded to hit CVS and a Publix, two of her favorite stores.

At Publix, Crissy made good use of the buy 1 get 1 free coupons. Most grocery stores will also let you buy just one item and get 50% off. If you can then pair that with a coupon, you can get the item for free or next to nothing.

Crissy also explained that when a coupon reads "1 coupon per purchase" you are not actually limited to using it only once. For example she took 2 boxes of cereal that were buy 1 get 1 free for $3.79 a box. Crissy also had 2, $3 off coupons to go with each of the boxes of cereal. Crissy made over $2 on the cereal. At checkout Crissy's total was $15.38, she saved $36.22.

Next they went to CVS. Crissy says the best deals there are coupons and Extra Care Bucks. Extra Care Bucks are given on specially marked items. You receive the bucks at checkout and use them on a following purchase. Most people would simply use these Extra Care Bucks the next time they came to the store, or forget about them altogether. However, Crissy uses them the same visit by splitting up her purchase into separate transactions.

They arrived at the checkout counter where Crissy proceeded to split her checkout into 5 transactions. She took the Extra Care Bucks from each transaction and applied it to each following transaction. Apparently, CVS has no problem doing this for Crissy. All said and done, Crissy bought approximately $140 worth of merchandise for under $5. Crazy, huh?

It looks like the Crissy-craze is catching on, she will even have her own website soon. What are your favorite little-known coupon tricks?

If I Didn't See It With my Own Eyes [11 Alive] (Thanks to Josh!)
(Photo: 11 Alive)

"Inevitably there would be an increase in the cost of the products that is passed on to the consumer," Cal Dooley, the group's president and a former Democratic lawmaker, told a House Energy and Commerce subcommittee. "You are further compounding the rapid increase in food prices, the likes of which we haven't seen in recent years."

With the legislative changes, "you would get safe food from places like China, where they sell all manner of crap," Dingell told Dooley.
 
Under the proposal, food producers would have to pay annual registration fees of $2,000 per facility, generating $600 million for FDA food-safety activities, more than doubling the current budget. The FDA would be required to conduct inspections every two years of both domestic and foreign makers of drugs and medical devices.

The breach appears to be one of the first in which credit card numbers were stolen while the information was in transit, or at the point of sale. One of a growing number of sophisticated attacks, it illustrates vulnerabilities in the communication between cash registers and branch servers, as Neal Krawetz of Hacker Factor Solutions has warned in research (PDF).
 
Andrew Conry of InformationWeek adds that Hannaford, in addition to the breach, has two related class action lawsuits on its hands alleging negligence in maintaining customer security. And he suggests that there might be some truth to the claims, noting that Hannaford should have noticed that "internal servers were transmitting outside the network to a strange IP. This should've raised flags somewhere—server logs, IDS logs, firewall logs."

RELATED
"4.2 Million Credit Cards Exposed In Hannaford Supermarket Security Breach"
(Photo: AP/Pat Wellenbach)

The solution to all this is a price book. It costs whatever a cheap notebook costs you, and saves a surprising amount of money and starts saving you money immediately.

Faye Prosser at FamilyCorner writes, "A price book is simply a list of the items you use regularly and the best prices they sell for in the stores where you are willing to shop." That's it. While it's got a sort of "duh" obviousness about it, the power of such a list grows the more data you put into it, especially when you're finally able to easily compare unit prices for groceries from different stores and at different times of the year:

After a while you'll have an excellent price record of the things you like to buy. If you add dates to the entries you will begin to see the sale pattern for that item. You don't need to include everything you ever use in the course of a year, just those items you buy regularly. You can price items for as many stores as you want or just the main store at which you shop.

More advice on how to set one up:
http://www.stretcher.com/stories/05/05mar14c.cfm

Downloadable spreadsheet:
http://www.uncommonwaytowealth.com/excel-finance-spreadsheets/grocery-savings-spreadsheet-price-book/

"Use a Grocery Price Book to Slash Your Food Spending" [Get Rich Slowly]
"Developing a Price Book" [Family Corner]
(Photo: Simon Shek)