Consider signing up for a card at every store you shop in

Grocery store owners know that customer loyalty is an important key to the success of their businesses. One popular way to keep shoppers coming back is the use of savings club cards that offer members discount prices on many products. Used correctly, these cards can be a major component of any consumer's plan to cut grocery spending.

Michelle Jones is a graduate of the University of Georgia and holds a master's degree in clinical psychology. In 1997 she began working for Consumer Counseling Credit Service (CCCS ) in Atlanta, a charity that provides free counseling and money management assistance to financially distressed families and individuals. Today she is the organization's Vice President of Counseling. Here she offers strategies for saving money with supermarket club cards:

• Discounts for loyal customers.
  Supermarkets offer club cards because the grocery industry is a very competitive one. To win your loyalty as a customer, stores are willing to offer you specials.
  
• Look for loss leaders.
  Club card specials are often "loss leaders" for the grocery store. This means that the store is willing to take a loss on the product in order to get you in the door, expecting to make up for the loss with other sales, as well as repeat business.
  
• Compare prices.
  Don't let store loyalty prohibit you from saving money. In other words, just because you have a club card for one store doesn't mean you can't shop elsewhere if you find a better price on something.
  
• Consider using several stores.
  And of course, there's nothing stopping you from having a club card for more than one store. By checking each store's club specials and making more than one trip, you could save significantly on your grocery bills.
  
• Factor in other expenses.
  If you use the multiple-store plan, make sure to factor in other types of spending. You don't want to waste a whole day or a half tank of gas just to save a few nickels on a bag of lettuce.

For more information about saving money on groceries, check out the following organizations or websites:

CCCS
www.cccsinc.org

Family Education.com: Cutting the Grocery Bill
www.familyeducation.com

All Things Frugal: Saving Money Buying Groceries
www.allthingsfrugal.com

The Dollar Stretcher: Coupon Strategies
www.stretcher.com