That is one drawback – you can get used to a certain product and they stop carrying it. For months I was eating red licorice covered in dark chocolate from Australia. I miss that stuff.

Folgers Coffee

Right now Big Lots is selling Folgers coffee so that’s what I am drinking. I paid $3.00 per 12 ounces. I can pay $5.25 in the grocery for Folgers or get it online at Amazon for $3.76 each if I buy 6. That gave me savings of $0.76 to $2.25 per tub depending on where I was buying it and how many I was buying.

Big Lots also had stuffed green olives for sale. Olives are one of my favorites but I don’t want to pay $7.36 per pound. I got these olives I had never heard of for $3.00 per 13 ounces. My Big Lots’ olives work out to $3.69 per pound for a savings of $2.98 per bottle.

Stuffed Olives

And finally the score of the day. ORGANIC Muir Glen Pasta Sauce (25.5 oz) was on sale for $1.30 per bottle. The sauce retails for $5.19 and discounts to $3.89 so I saved $2.59 to $3.89.

I bought 3 of each item and spent $21.90. I saved $18.99 at the low end and $27.36 at the high end on these products. Which is 44 to 54 percent of retail prices. Not bad.

Muir Glen Pasta Sauce

I notice that Big Lots carries brands from a fair number of countries. It is always a treat when I find something from home or my travels. If I find a brand I don’t recognize I may only buy one as a tester. There is nothing worse than buying 6 of something you don’t like.

I also check out their kitchenware department every time I am there. Over time I have collected some really useful tools.  I have gotten some great Calphalon kitchen utensils for $2.00 and $3.00 that retail for $7 to $15.

Some things to remember when buying food at Big Lots:

1. Check expiration date of products
2. Only buy as much as you can use before the expiration date
3. Only buy one of an item to test if you are unsure
4. Have a price book so you can recognize a deal
5. Check end caps for really good deals
6. Food will be progressively marked down
7. Don’t buy food you won’t eat just because it is on sale
8. Buy food you have never eaten just because it is on sale

But as more people buy Web-enabled cell phones, and as technology for browsing the Web on the go improves, coupons via cell phone may be the next big thing.

Department stores such as Sears and fast food chains such as Hardee’s already send coupons via cell phone, and now Kroger has become the first major grocery chain to hop on board.

Its new program, begun in December, lets shoppers virtually clip coupons for products such as General Mills cereal and Palmolive using their cell phones. The virtual coupons are linked to their Kroger Plus loyalty cards, and the discount is automatically deducted when the shopper buys the qualifying item and scans a Kroger card at checkout.

The numbers are in for 2008 and they look good for the seed industry. They look even better for folks who want to grow vegetables from seed and save money in 2009.

By some estimates, garden seed, especially vegetable seed sales, were up by anywhere from 40 percent to well over 100 percent compared with recent years. In fact, some industry watchdog organizations suggest that seed companies in North America and much of Europe experienced their best year ever in 2008. We’re talking record seed sales … AND they project another record for 2009.

So, what is the fuss all about?

Easy, people are looking for a safer food supply, while adapting to a tighter economic outlook. If you have never grown a vegetable garden, or started your own garden plants, there’s still plenty of time to save money in 2009 by growing your vegetables from seed. If you are like me, you will be amazed, and thrilled, by all the different varieties of vegetable species from which to choose. If you are looking for that little early-maturing tomato called Bison from your youth, you can find seed and save money by growing your own in 2009.

If you want to lose those extra pounds and save money this year, put cooking at home at the top of your New Year’s resolutions list.

Some may say, “I don’t know how.” Others may say, “I don’t have time” or find the convenience of grabbing a hot, restaurant-made meal difficult to let go.

But starting small and cooking once or twice a week will be worth the effort for your wallet and waistline.

A recent article on msn.com cites frequently eating meals at restaurants as one of the biggest causes of obesity in the United States. Preparing more meals at home lets us control portion size and the amount of fat and calories we put into dishes, not to mention the absence of a tempting basket of bread sticks or chips and salsa.

Home cooking also helps keep cash in our pockets. Sometimes it is cheaper to run out and grab a quick bite for yourself, but if you have a family, friends or roommates to feed, it is definitely cheaper to stay in and cook, says cookbook author and cooking instructor Diane Phillips.

Seed seller W. Atlee Burpee & Co. conducted a cost analysis to point out how much money consumers save by growing some of their own vegetables in landscape beds, community gardens or large containers.

“A hundred dollars in seeds will produce $2,500 in groceries,” says George Ball, Burpee chairman. “That’s $2,400 a family can save in five months.”

This month the company introduces the Money Garden packet, which contains six seed packets of easy-to-grow vegetable varieties. The special $10 offer, available only online, is capable of producing $650 worth of groceries, says the company.

Family Dollar and Supervalu both reported quarterly results today and they seem to highlight the shift in where people are shopping.

Family Dollar saw an 8 percent increase in sales, driven in part by food. The company also raised its forecast for full-year earnings.

Meanwhile grocery store operator Supervalu had flat sales and cut its earnings forecast for the full year.

As the economy remains mired in a recession, people have been shopping places where they can save money. Wal-Mart has been the big winner, but Family Dollar says they are getting a share of that business, too.

“As more families face financial challenges in this environment, they are relying on Family Dollar for more of their everyday needs,” Chairman and CEO Howard Levine said in a statement.

• Look for store coupons and “Sure Deals!” The winter issue of The Whole Deal value guide has more than $30 in coupons and lots of “Sure Deals!” — high-quality, popular pantry items with great prices all year long — such as 365 Everyday Value(R) Whey Protein Powder for $11.99 (just 75 cents per serving), or 32 ounces of 365 Everyday Value organic yogurt for only $2.99.
• Learn to cook and learn to save. Cooking is one of the easiest ways to enjoy delicious, healthy food on a budget. The Whole Deal offers step-by-step instructions for preparing meals for one, two or four, as well as how to add a few prepared foods when time is tight.
• Make a weekly meal plan. Create a week’s worth of meals based on what is already in the pantry and in-store product specials. Each issue of The Whole Deal value guides offers 7-day meal plans. With Whole Foods Market’s volume discounts, customers can save money and stock the freezer for future meals. The bulk section is ideal for spices or snacks needed for the week. Frozen fruits and vegetables, as well as value-sized lean meats, offer no waste and high nutrient content.
• Make the most of your good cents for healthy good sense. Select nutrient-dense and affordable winter foods such as whole grains and greens for delicious, filling and healthy meals. Whole Foods Market takes the guesswork out of how to prepare grains and greens, offering serving and cooking suggestions for these healthy and very affordable foods.
• Take a Value Tour. The start of a new year is time for new beginnings, so get reacquainted with your Whole Foods Market. Local “value gurus” show customers how to shop the store on a budget without sacrificing quality.

“The Whole Deal is focused on helping customers meet their wellness goals while watching their wallets and waistlines,” says Whole Foods Market Value Guru, Barry Hirsch. “This latest edition includes more than a dozen great-tasting recipes with cost per serving and nutritional information including some gluten-free, dairy-free and vegetarian options.”

Featured recipes include roasted salmon with lemon relish from Martha Stewart’s Everyday Food magazine, and sweet potato and black bean enchiladas, which is Karina’s Kitchen‘s winning recipe from Whole Food Market’s first-ever “Food Blogger Budget Recipe Challenge.”

Shoppers can get more cooking tips from “The Martha Stewart Show” (check local listings) and budget-conscious recipes with customer ratings at http://wholefoodsmarket.com/wholedeal and can sign up online for The Whole Deal e-newsletter to be notified of the best store specials.

About Whole Foods Market(R)

Founded in 1980 in Austin, Texas, Whole Foods Market (www.wholefoodsmarket.com), a leader in the natural and organic foods industry and America’s first national certified organic grocer, was named “America’s Healthiest Grocery Store” in 2008 by Health magazine. The Whole Foods Market motto, “Whole Foods, Whole People, Whole Planet”(TM) captures the company’s mission to find success in customer satisfaction and wellness, employee excellence and happiness, enhanced shareholder value, community support and environmental improvement. Thanks to its 53,000 Team Members, Whole Foods Market has been ranked as one of the “100 Best Companies to Work For” in America by FORTUNE magazine for 11 consecutive years. In fiscal year 2008, the company had sales of $8 billion and currently has more than 275 stores in the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom. Whole Foods Market, Fresh & Wild(TM), and Harry’s Farmers Market(R) are trademarks owned by Whole Foods Market IP, LP. Wild Oats(R) and Capers Community Market(TM) are trademarks owned by Wild Marks, Inc.

Michigan is an economic basket case, with nearly 1 in 10 residents out of work. While it is too soon to talk about Armageddon, once-comfortable suburbanites are starting to feel the pinch and making changes that for legions of Depression-era families was second nature.

They are growing their own food.

A typical family of four growing all its vegetables and using canned and frozen vegetables from the garden can save hundreds of dollars a year that otherwise would be spent at a grocery store or restaurant, said Sandy Ryan, spokeswoman for the United States Gardening Association.

As a gallon of gas skyrocketed past $4 last year, many consumers were not surprised to see food prices follow suit. But the recent plunge in gas prices has left some wondering why grocery bills have continued to climb.

Prices for commodities – such as corn, fuel and grains – soared through the summer, and American shoppers saw substantial food inflation for the first time in 17 years. The rate of increase has recently slowed, but food prices still haven’t fallen the way gas prices have. In fact, November food prices – the latest data available – were 6 percent higher than one year earlier, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

“It was always more than fuel that impacted food prices,” said ShopRite spokeswoman Karen Meleta. “Food prices are commodities, and although some pricing has come down, they’re still higher than in the past.”

And while commodities soared in 2008 on a wave of unprecedented growth in emerging markets, the dollar fell considerably against other major currencies.

Even as gas prices drop, consumers are still getting slammed with high grocery bills.

Some local stores are promoting discounts as we enter a year in which the U.S. Department of Agriculture projects that food prices will increase 3.5 to 4.5 percent.

November food prices — the latest data available — were 6 percent higher than one year earlier. Grocery costs aren’t dropping along with fuel costs because food manufacturers generally lock in commodities contracts in advance.

“It was always more than fuel that impacted food prices,” said ShopRite spokeswoman Karen Meleta. “Food prices are commodities, and although some pricing has come down, they’re still higher than in the past.”

Although the recession has revived penny-pinching, Americans are still redeeming only 1 percent to 3 percent of paper coupons. In contrast, the nation’s largest traditional grocery chain says as many as half the coupons it sends regular customers do get used. Kroger’s part ownership of a data mining firm allows it to put the reams of information its shopper cards collect to use in more ways than other retailers do. And one way is to give shoppers coupons mainly for products they regularly buy.

Simon Hay, chief executive of dunnhumbyUSA, the data-mining and marketing operation Kroger co-owns with a London-based company, said targeting promotions becomes even more important in a recession.

“In a growing economy, you might get lucky because there is more money around,” he said. “But if there is less money around, the question is how can you be absolutely certain that you’ve got the right offers in the right places?”

Many retailers have loyalty cards and some offer “instant coupons” at checkout based on buyers’ habits. But dunnhumby — named for founders Clive Humby and Edwina Dunn, who are married — is about more than coupons. Kroger uses dunnhumby’s consumer analyses, which the data firm augments with customer interviews, to guide strategies for promotions, pricing, placement and even stocking variations from store to store.

Don’t worry. Making smart choices will allow you to keep your family happy. Buying frozen meals, side dishes and vegetables can provide great-tasting, high-quality foods for a fraction of the cost of dining out or fast food options.

Here are some tips to help you save money at the grocery store without sacrificing taste or quality:

Always shop with a list: If you don’t, it’s very likely you’ll overspend. Even if you just go to the store for milk, take a note that says, “Just buy milk.”

Combine convenience and value at mealtime: According to Technomics, 35 percent of people are eating out less often. Frozen foods such as Banquet Select Recipes deliver incredible value over eating out. For around $1.50, your family can enjoy a complete meal that has been thoughtfully prepared with tender cuts of meat like white-meat chicken, rich sauces, colorful vegetables and flavorful touches like shredded cheese.

Frozen fruits and vegetables are healthy alternatives to fresh: The rising cost of fresh fruits and vegetables can make it difficult to provide your family with these essentials. Buying frozen fruits and veggies will save money–sometimes more than half the price of fresh. Since frozen foods last longer, you can stock up at once and cut down on gas-guzzling trips to the grocery store.

Get the whole family involved in saving money on food: Put your kids in charge of clipping coupons and, as a reward, give them a percentage of the savings as an allowance. You’ll teach them about value and get some help with this tedious task.

Account for the entire cost of a meal: Frozen foods often provide a complete balanced meal as opposed to some meal mixes that say “just add chicken,” which may be the most expensive component.

Don’t overlook your savings: Pay attention at the checkout to make sure the prices and discounts from coupons and frequent-shopper programs register correctly.

Working these small changes into your grocery shopping trips will not only save money and time, but they will help keep your family happy and satisfied.

Phil Lempert, one of the nation’s top trackers of supermarket trends, is a regular guest on the TODAY show and has written articles on food trends in USA Today and other national publications.

Always make a shopping list and stick to it–if you don’t, you might bust your food budget.