Groceries are more expensive than ever. If you have a family to feed, spending a little time online shopping for coupons and special promotions can mean spending a lot less money at the grocery store checkout line.

Pillsbury has a section on it’s website for “Coupons & Promotions” which displays several items each month that they are running coupons and special promotions for many different food items.

A few rules of grocery coupon clipping will help you save the most, and simplify the work involved in getting coupons ready for your shopping trip.

1. Only use coupons for items you normally buy. One exception is using coupons to purchase an item you’ve considered trying, buy didn’t want to waste money in case you or your family didn’t like the item.
2. Note quantities. Many coupons say “$1.00 OFF”, but the smaller text says you need to buy, two, three or more of the same item. In reality these coupons are only worth $0.50, $0.25 or less off the cost of each item.
3. Note sizes of items coupon applies to. If you regularly buy a small or medium size of the product, but the coupon requires you buy a large size, you may end up wasting more of the product than normal, defeating any savings gained by using the coupons.
4. Check the coupon expiration date. There is nothing more disappointing than spending your time shopping, getting to the checkout, presenting your coupons and having the clerk tell you the coupon has expired. At that point your stuck either deciding to buy the item at full price, or having the store put it back for you. If you’ve planned meals around that item, it can throw off your whole shopping plan.
5. Stock up and save! Purchasing non-perishables such as canned foods, dry goods, and other products with long shelf life using coupons are a double bonus — you save at the register, and since prices will inevitably go up, you are buying tomorrow’s food at todays (discounted) prices.

To find Pillsbury coupons, go to www.pillsbury.com, then click the Coupons & Promotions link at the top of the page.

Please post links to any other grocery or food sites that offer coupons or special promotions.