No matter how many people there may be in your family, your average family grocery bill can be one of the most expensive items you have to pay for. But with a little planning and some creativity, there are at least seven ways you can cut your spending at the grocery store.

* The first thing you can do is set a budget for your groceries. Realistically, it should be the average of what you spent over the last several months. As you develop your talents in discount shopping, you will be able to reduce the amounts on your average monthly grocery bill (or else put the savings in a fund for other needs).

* Sit down with your family and plan out a two week menu. Planning two weeks worth of meals will allow you to reuse the menu over and over without causing your family to burn out on the items. This is a time saving tip and it will cut your grocery bill.

* Use the menu (and the recipes for the different items) to develop your grocery list. Be sure to check your pantry, fridge and freezer first so you don’t buy too many items that you do not need. It can be helpful to put the grocery list in the order that you will find the items in the store (bakery, deli, dairy, freezer, and meat). Jot down your estimate for the cost and total it up. If you don’t come in under budget, you may have to do some adjusting or cutting.

* Go through the paper or search the internet for any grocery coupons that might be available for the items you need. You can ask your friends and family to save grocery coupons for you as well. Match your coupons to the grocery list (and note on the list that you have a coupon and what it is for – two for one, off of three, or whatever the discount may be). This is a foolproof way to cut your grocery bill

* Start a coupon club. Everyone brings the coupons they don’t need or want, and then whoever needs the coupons is free to use them. If there aren’t enough people in your area who are interested, then you can look on the internet for online groups. This will even help you save more on your average family grocery bill

* Search the papers and flyers for any special discounts that are coming up at the grocery stores. The smaller your community, the more limited you may be, but there are still some great buys out there (especially when you can combine them with coupons).

* Buy in bulk when possible (and when cheaper). Compare the prices on the individual items and the bulk products. When it costs less, purchase your non-perishables in bulk (paper products, cleaning supplies, and pet or baby needs). Meat and chicken can also be bought in bulk for good discounts, but be sure you package them individually before you put them in the freezer. Bulk buying will surely save on your grocery bill.

You can cut your grocery bill with just these seven simple steps. Before you know it, you will find a way to get the store to pay you for shopping there.