We’re all looking for ways to save some money in this tight economy and the grocery store is a great place to find some hidden savings, but you have to be willing to break some old habits.

Here are some easy tips to maximize your next trip to the supermarket:

1.       Trim slowly. Don’t expect to cut your bill in half this week, it takes time. But the good news is the savings start to snowball. Once you get in the habit of looking for those deals, they really pile up. But patience is a virtue. Here’s a hint, look at the percentage of the bill that you saved instead of the dollar amount (found near the bottom of most grocery bills). If you can hit 35% savings in one week you are doing great!

2.       Break Away From the Brands. Instead of buying all brand name items, look for the store generics. This is not that stuff we used to find in the black and white packages. These are brands created by the store to increase their bottom line. The good news is they often undercut the leading brands on price. And most of these generics are packaged by the big brands and then put into a different box, so you are not getting sub par products. You’re getting brand name stuff at a discounted price based on packaging alone. Keep your favorite brands, but go generic whenever possible.

3.       Make a Plan. Never go into the store without a list and then stick to it. Okay allow yourself one or two impulse buys but no more. Grocery stores are mass marketing on a local scale. They try to drive you to buy more stuff. Be careful, make a menu for the week, then list the items you need (preferably in the order they appear in the store) and don’t get distracted by displays.

4.       Read the Sale Flyers. This connects with #3. When planning your meals look at the sale flyer and base your menu on stuff they have on sale. If frozen shrimp is on sale, then shrimp scampi is on the menu. This is a very effective way to trim costs without feeling like you are cutting back.

5.       Have a Limit. This is probably the most effective cost cutting measure. Decide how much you want to spend at the grocery store and then put that amount in cash in an envelope. Every time you go tot the store you can only spend what is in the envelope and when its gone, you have to wait till next week. It’s amazing how much you can save when the cash is in your hand as you shop.

Remember this takes time and a little discipline, but in the end you will love the look of the cashier and other shoppers when they look at all the stuff you bought and then see your ridiculously low bill.