I'm not suggesting that you shouldn't use coupons, everyone knows how to save with coupons, but there are many other ways to save when doing your grocery shopping and some of them will save you more than you will ever save using coupons. If you utilize all of these suggestions, you should be able to reduce your grocery bill by a significant amount of money. I was spending too much on shopping every week and I decided to find where I was spending too much and save some money. Hopefully, sharing some of these tips with you can help some of you spend less of your hard earned money on groceries. I'll be looking forward to some tips from many of you in the comments.

First, Don't shop for a meal at a time. I'm as guilty of this as anyone. How often have you found yourself stopping at the grocery store (or KFC) on your way home from work to pick up dinner. Shop once a week for all of your meals at once and you will be able to save a lot of money (and aggravation).

Make a shopping list before you go to the store and stick to it. Deciding what you will have for meals all week while you are at the store will not only take a lot longer to shop, but without proper planning, you will certainly spend too much on impulse purchases.

Get the circulars out of the local newspaper and see what is on sale at the stores near you. Don't just shop at one store. Most stores put enough on sale to get you to shop there and then bank on the fact that you will buy many high markup items while you are there. Buy as many items from your list as possible on sale at a few different stores and you will save a bundle.

Watch the size of the packages you are purchasing. Many food producers have responded to rising prices by making their packages smaller. Products that you are familiar with have had their sizes reduced. Did you know that many half gallons of ice cream are no longer a half gallon? Read the packages as you compare prices.

Don't assume that buying a larger size is always cheaper. Compare the cost per ounce, serving, etc. you might be surprised to learn that sometimes the smaller sized package is the cheaper option, especially if it is on sale.

The products that the stores want you to purchase are at chest high level. Be prepared to reach up or stoop down to get your best deals.

Don't be afraid to purchase store brands. They are much better than they used to be many years ago. I actually like some of the store brands better than the name brand product. The store brands of canned fruit, for example, is sometimes better than the name brand. If you are saving $.04, you might want to buy the name brand. If you are saving $.20 try the store brand.

A stores main aisles have their most profitable items. Make a beeline for the products on your list and avoid these conveniently placed items. Even many of the items on the end caps are not sale items, just stuff the store wants you to buy.

Don't shop when you are hungry. Have you ever noticed how good everything looks when you are hungry. I can spend twice as much before lunch as after.

Try to go shopping without the kids. Those little bundles of joy can lift your shopping bill quickly. Bringing them home a treat each time you shop is a lot cheaper than the dozen that they will try to get you to buy if they are shopping with you. They can also be distracting when you are trying to compare prices and cost per ounce.

Avoid purchasing non-grocery products at the grocery store. It is usually not the cheapest place to buy drug products or automotive supplies.

If a sale item is gone, ask for a rain check. You can save on it the next time you shop.

Shop with a calculator. Don't be surprised at the bill when you get to the checkout. It may cause you to be more careful as your bill rises. It's also good for comparing cost between different sized items. Have you noticed how grocery stores price their items now? Instead of giving you the price on 1 item, they are priced 3 for $5, 7 for $4.50, or 20 for $9. They are hoping you don't take the time to do the math to determine what is truly the best deal.

Always watch and make sure that your purchases ring up at the right price. Don't assume that the store is flawless. Plus some stores will give you an item for free if it rings up wrong.

Many of these tips will become a habit if you do them regularly. Being a frugal shopper is something that becomes learned behavior. Just pay attention to what you are buying and how much you spend and then start planning on how you will spend all of your savings. A vacation home on the baja Peninsula, perhaps?