Save Money All Year Long

Groceries

The estimated average weekly grocery bill for an American household is $90, according to the Food Marketing Institute, a food retailer and wholesaler trade association in Washington, D.C. By using a store's discount card, you can shave about 18 percent off that cost. Try not to bring along the kids, who may ask for treats you weren't planning to buy. You can also save with coupons: Check sites like CoolSavings and shop on double-coupon days if possible. Avoid buying prepared and packaged goods (e.g., Consumer Reports found that two pounds of carrots cost $1.29, compared with $7.16 for the same amount of precut carrot sticks). And stock up on freezable foods after their peak times. Gary Foreman, publisher of the Dollar Stretcher website, notes that prices for turkeys are slashed after Thanksgiving and Christmas.

Gas

An American family with one car and one SUV or minivan consumes about 1,200 gallons of gas each year, according to the Federal Highway Administration. At any time, however, the price of a gallon of gas can vary by as much as 20 cents within a metropolitan area, says Brad Proctor, founder of GasPriceWatch, a consumer-advocacy website. To get the best bargain, avoid buying gas on weekends, when most people travel or run errands and gas stations raise prices accordingly. Also, stay away from stations on toll highways. To find the lowest price near you on any given day, go to Gas Price Watch or Gas Buddy and enter a ZIP code. If you can stick to pumping once a week, says Proctor, you can often find the best prices on Tuesdays.