We've told you before how to start a grocery price book, so you can track prices and sizes and thus recognize bargains when you encounter them.You can also use the price book to see if buying groceries online will work for you.

Consider alternative options for buying cheap staples such as convenience stores, as Eileen Ambrose discovered. Also try as limited-assortment grocers such as Aldi and Save-a-Lot. Those stores stock a limited variety of basic items in their basic brands, as Jelena advises. Did you know Aldi owns Trader Joe's? That's a store that knows quality private label stuff ... which makes me more inclined to take a chance on Aldi products. Salvage grocers may be an option to get name brands at closeout prices, especially for folks north of Baltimore.

Remind yourself of how much you are buying: You'll buy less if you ditch the cart or basket and carry your stuff in two arms, sez J.D. Roth at The Simple Dollar. You'll also be less tempted to pick up gallon jugs of bug juice if you walk or bike and have to schelp the groceries home yourself instead of loading them in the trunk.

Buy in bulk: compare unit prices of anything you buy and carry a calculator so you can easily do your own arithmatic when such labelling is not available. Check out warehouse stores with caution (again, don't buy what you don't need). If you buy perishables like meat in bulk, separate into smaller packages and freeze them as Holly suggested.

Read circulars and use coupons, especially on items on sale, as Holly does. Save your coupons to combine with store deals to get even more savings.

Don't be wedded to a brand: try private store labels as Susan WNAJ does, as well as what's on sale.

Don't buy beverages. Drink tap water (you definitely shouldn't buy bottled!) and avoid buying drinks. Make your own iced tea or lemonade or iced coffee. Whole fruit is healthier than fruit juice, anyway.

Check your receipt. That checkout scanner can magically overcharge you. 

Once you've got your food in your kitchen:

Substitute: Suddenly notice you're missing an ingredient for a recipe? Be creative and see what you've already got that you can use instead --- especially for seasonings or rarely used ingredients that can be expensive. Here's a list of common substitutions. Don't find it there? Google the ingredient + substitution to get some ideas.

You can also substitute cheaper versions of expensive products, especially if you're just going to cook something instead of eat it fresh. The classic example is frozen berries instead of fresh. I stockpile fruit in the freezer for smoothies and desserts. Plus it's convenient because they're already washed/pitted and more nutritious because they're frozen soon after picking.

Canned salmon is another option instead of fresh. It takes forever to spoil, it is a good source of calcium, it's supposed to be wild caught ... so many benefits, and at a fraction of the price.

Eat everything: Reuse leftovers or freeze extra servings for quick meals or brown-bag lunches. That way you're not eating something for too many nights in a row. You can even use ice cube trays to save leftover coffee, wine, stock, pasta sauce, cookie dough and other foods in small quantities for use in recipes later.

Whew. (ed note: That's a double whew from me, too, Liz. What a fantastic list filled with great advice. -- DD) I think that's it. Did I miss anything, or does something seem like more trouble than it's worth? Feel free to share below.