Pizza, once a cheap, date-night snack, has become more expensive as food prices climb. You can spend $15 to $20 on a family pizza these days. That could be $500 or more for a pizza every other week, common among us.
Of course, the pizza industry has taught us never to buy a pizza without a coupon. That continues, and some of the most valuable coupons, with dollars off, are for pizza.
The average cost of a homemade pizza is about $4, excluding labor. That can be worth it if you’re up …

Falling food costs and a prolonged recession may tempt restaurant chains into a wave of discounts next year, leaving potential profits on the table.
With prices for many food items and fuel hitting record highs this summer, restaurants were forced to raise the prices of their dishes beyond historical norms, producing a bitter proposition for customers watching the values of their homes and investment portfolios shrink.
Now, with food inflation expected to ease next year and the price of oil already in freefall, analysts will be watching whether restaurants can hold onto …

Gas prices in the Tampa Bay area are down a stunning 60 percent over the past five months.
So where’s the trickle down?
As gas prices peaked in the summer, the nearly $150 tab for a barrel of oil was the prime suspect in everything from spiking airfares and surging food costs to announcements of much higher electric bills in 2009.
As oil prices have receded, however, the impact has been decidedly muted. Airfares have ticked down only slightly, and most local electric bills will still climb steeply in January.
The most glaring disconnect …

Bargain hunting in the grocery store isn’t just for hard-core coupon pros anymore.
With food prices climbing at a rate not seen in nearly 20 years and an economy sliding to a low not seen in decades, experts said more grocery shoppers are adopting price-cutting strategies.
Traffic at Web sites devoted to coupon usage soared more than 30 percent over the year ending in October, according to ComScore Media Metrix. And the grocery gurus who run shopping sites say it isn’t just price-conscious moms looking for advice; single professionals and others are …

Shirley Mitchell, 55, picked up a few groceries this week to bake Christmas cookies as gifts. But rather than go to a traditional supermarket, she picked up some of the ingredients at Dollar General, a discount store with more “consumables” on its shelves.
“It’s horrible,” Mitchell said of the economy as she placed a $1.85 package of a dozen eggs into her cart. “I think it’s going to cause everyone to pull tight.”
Economic uncertainty has persuaded more consumers like Mitchell to leave behind traditional grocery stores in search of bargains on …