Each area of the store has sale cycles and within those cycles individual stores also discount items. For example, ask your store butcher when they discount meat that is close to its sale expiration date. This will still be good quality meat and if you aren’t going to eat it immediately, take advantage of the rock bottom price to purchase and freeze it for consumption later.

To uncover your store’s sale cycles, begin by keeping a small diary of the varying prices for items that you routinely buy.  Note the item’s price, the day’s date, and specifics like size, etc.  Record price data in your shopping diary over the course of three months.   Stockpile when you find your desired item has hit its lowest price.

Sale prices in store and manufacturer coupons will tend to run in tandem as a general sales promotion on that item. You should be able to find ads in your local grocery circular or in newspapers or online at The Penny Wiser that you’ll “clip or click” for additional savings on trending products. Utilize your newly clipped or clicked coupons in conjunction with store sales to achieve the most savings possible.  

This strategy of not only using cents-off coupons aggressively, but also timing their use with a store’s sale cycle on that item is like doubling down.   When added to a low markdown price, the savings from a coupon greatly reduces the out of pocket cost of an item.  Sometimes making items cost virtually “nothing”.