Coupons.com Offers Tips To Combat Rising Food Prices

With 45 Minutes, a Store Circular and a Computer, Shoppers Can Save Over $5,000 a Year on Groceries

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Aug 01, 2012, 07:55 ET

MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif., Aug. 1, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Coupons.com, the leader in digital coupons, today announced tips to help consumers stretch their grocery budgets as food prices rise. With the U.S. Department of Agriculture's recent report noting that the record drought is expected to increase food prices in the next year, consumers will be searching for strategies to make their dollars go further at the supermarket. With about 45 minutes of planning a week, consumers can save thousands of dollars per year on groceries.

ARE FOOD COSTS REALLY RISING?

Commodity food prices are expected to rise by 3-4 percent in the next year, and there is an expectation that these increases will have a ripple effect on prices of consumer packaged goods, which could result in even higher percentage increases for consumers. The U.S. Department of Agriculture report noted the following expected price increases:

Beef: 4-5%
Dairy: 3.5-4.5%
Poultry and eggs: 3-4%
Pork: 2.5-3.5%
Fruits and vegetables: 2-3%

"We're really just starting to see the impact of rising food prices at the grocery store, and over the next nine months prices will continue to increase," said Jeanette Pavini, Household Savings Expert. "While many factors outside of our control, like the drought and still-recovering economy, affect food prices, there are easy ways consumers can save with a minimal amount of time and effort to avoid sticker shock at the grocery store."

MAKE A PLAN

Savings at the grocery store start with organization and planning. With just 45 minutes, a computer and a weekly grocery circular, the average shopper can go home with $260 worth of groceries for less than $150. Over the course of one year, that shopper can save more than $5,000 by simply:

Setting aside a few minutes each week to sit down and plan meals around store sales
Visiting sites like Coupons.com and manufacturer sites to print out coupons or save them directly to a store loyalty card
Following brands and retailers on social media sites for deals
Leveraging technology; mobile applications, like Grocery iQ, let shoppers easily find coupons and organize shopping lists

INSIDER TIPS

In addition to couponing and planning, Jeanette reminds consumers that there are some lesser known tips that can help you save a few more bucks.

Plan meals around what produce is in season. The quality and prices will be better.
Avoid precut or pre-portioned food. The price of convenience is not worth the added cost.
Sometimes it's cheaper to buy items like potatoes, tomatoes, avocados, onions and lemons in bulk bags versus individually; do the math before you buy.
Ask your butcher what time of day they typically mark down meat as many stores do two rounds of markdowns (30% in morning, 60% off in the evening for the items left).
Look up and down. More inexpensive brands and better deals may be located on the bottom or top of shelves.
Stock up on freezable items like meat and bread when they are on sale. Use a permanent marker and write your purchase date on the package so you know how long it's been in the freezer.

Coupons.com currently offers among the highest number of coupons and savings in its history. Consumers can find hundreds of dollars in savings and offers on Coupons.com today, including coupons from many well-known brands such as General Mills, Kellogg's, Nestle, SC Johnson, Smucker's and more. Visit www.coupons.com to see all the coupons and get in on the savings.

About Coupons.com Incorporated

Coupons.com Incorporated is the recognized leader in digital coupons, including online printable, save to loyalty card and mobile promotions. For consumers, the company's products include Coupons.com, the 43^rd largest website in the U.S.⁺,as well as Grocery iQ and Coupons.com mobile applications.For brand marketers, the company distributes digital coupons to millions of consumers through Coupons.com and tens of thousands of websites comprising the Coupons.com digital coupon network. The company also powers digital coupon initiatives in 1-to-1 online marketing campaigns—including display advertising, email and social media programs. For publishers, the company offers solutions to monetize website traffic, including branded microsites, and Brandcaster, a self-service coupons syndication platform. Clients include hundreds of top consumer packaged goods brands (including Clorox, General Mills, Johnson & Johnson, Kellogg's, Kimberly-Clark, and Kraft Foods), leading restaurant, toy and entertainment companies, as well as top retailers (such as A&P, CVS, Duane Reade, H-E-B, Kmart, Kroger, Safeway and Walgreens). Founded in 1998, the company is based in Mountain View, CA. To start printing coupons, visit www.coupons.com. To learn more about the company visit www.couponsinc.com. Visit Coupons.com on Facebook at www.facebook.com/couponscom.