Task #4 - Stock up when items are on sale

We have made it all the way to task #4. Hopefully, you are already seeing big savings in your grocery budget. Task #4 is stocking up on items when they are on sale.  It may take you a bit longer to see your savings with this task, which is why I think people tend to skip it, but in the long run, it can save you lots of money!
The first item of business is coming up with a "buy price" list. This is the cost at which you stock up on items you normally use. You can do this several ways. For maximum savings, get a notebook and, for several months, jot down how much you spend per ounce on frequently purchased items. This will give you a good sense of when items can be bought at a big savings. The quick and easy way is to find a buy price list online. They are relatively accurate, but you may need to do a little tweaking here and there. I found a pretty good one over at Passion for Savings. She does break her prices down into "buy price" and "stockpile price" which may be a bit more helpful.
Once you have your list, as you look over the weekly ads, plan meals around add items to your shopping list that are at your buy price. If it's a really great deal, buy lots. This becomes easier as you continue to save on groceries and have an excess in your grocery budget.
Here's a great example. Store brand canned vegetables usually run around 70¢ per can. This week, Meijer had their canned corn, beans, and peas 3/$1. I stocked up. It was an item I would be buying anyway. The price was over half off the regular price. The cans will keep for over a year and I will likely not have to buy canned vegetables for months. This savings will reflect in my monthly grocery budget for months to come.
Now, some words of caution. First, if it isn't an item you are likely to use, don't buy it just because it is a great price. If it doesn't get used, you saved nothing. Second, be sure you only buy as much as you can use before it goes bad or expires. Buying 15 boxes of Raisin Bran at $1.25 a box only saves you money if you can eat that many boxes before it expires or your family becomes breakfast mutineers!
Good luck!