Over the years, Katie Howard, spent $40 a week on groceries for a family of four. Two years ago, her bill rose to $65 and now it's $100.

"I've never spent that much before," the Windsor Township resident said.

Her bill isn't bulging because her 14- and 11-year-olds are eating more, it's because food prices are rising like baking bread.

U.S. food prices grew 4 percent in 2007 compared with an average 2.5 percent annual rise for the past 15 years, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

The agency says 2008 could be worse, with a rise of as much as 4.5 percent.

According to the U.S. Department of Labor consumer price index average price data, a dozen eggs that cost $1.63 in March 2007 were $2.20 this

March. A pound of white bread that cost $1.16 in 2007 is now $1.35. And milk.

"I never thought I'd see the day I spent $4 on a gallon of milk," Howard said.

Kathy DiGuiseppe, a foods expert in Penn State's College of Agricultural Sciences, said consumers can't control gas or grocery prices, but there are ways to cut back so the financial sting isn't as severe.

She advises that shoppers follow a budget, make a list, plan meals, buy store brands and don't go to the store hungry.

Howard said she's always been thrifty, searching for the best deals and better buys. She is part of YorkPAChatter, a Yahoo! group that was created to swap ideas on saving money.

She and some of her fellow members, Sandra Millan-Merriman of Chanceford Township and Tina Wagner of Dallastown are naturally frugal and enjoy sharing savings tips.

Wagner, a mother of six, said she's gone unscathed through the price increases because she has tons of tricks to keeping her costs low, and her family lives simply.

"You have to discern between needs and wants," Wagner said. "We want a lot."

Some of the items the women skip are sugary cereals, ice cream, cookies and expensive cuts of meat.

Wagner's children get sugary cereal at Christmas or Easter as a treat. Howard purchases a less expensive cut of pork such as a shoulder instead of the loin. She uses the slow cooker to make it tender. Millan-Merriman cooks for five to nine people and makes desserts from scratch instead of buying expensive packaged foods.

All three women own freezers, stock up on nonperishable staples such as toilet paper and shampoo, and cook from scratch in bulk. If they buy what they need when it's on sale, they figure they won't have to make a special trip to the store when they run out of something.

Millan-Merriman plans her purchases by making a list and buying what's on sale. She does her shopping the day before the new sales kick in. She's noticed that a few stores' specials overlap while they are stocking shelves.

All three women have freezers. Howard purchased hers at a public sale for $17. A good Clorox cleaning and she was in business to stock up and shop from her own home to avoid a weekly trip to the grocery store where she might pick up items she didn't need.

All three women shop frequently at D&K Surplus Grocery in Windsor Township, where a pound of ham is $3.99 even when it's not on sale.

To avoid waste, Wagner said she ignores the sell by dates and lets the food do the deciding.

"If it's rotting, throw it out," she said, "but the best if used by date is just to protect the company."

Wagner, Howard and Millan-Merriman realize that making drastic changes to grocery shopping isn't easy and that's why they said it's OK to make one small change at a time. And before you know it, Wagner said it's like a game.

"What can I get the most of for the least amount of money?" she said.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

nlefever@ydr.com; 771-2101

10 TIPS TO SAVE

1. Make a list and stick to it. Consumer Reports advises against shopping when hungry; consumers may be tempted to overbuy.

2. Consider store brands. They tend to be significantly cheaper and often at least as good as their brand-name counterparts.

3. Compare prices in different areas of the store. Cheese at the deli counter, for example, is often pricier than sliced or chunked cheese in the dairy case.

4. Weigh the cost of convenience. Consumers who opt for single-serving portions or prepped and precut foods may find themselves paying more for these products.

5. Evaluate the end of the aisles. Products displayed here may not be on sale or they may be expiring soon. Check the price and the expiration date.

6. Compare unit prices. Big packages are often more economical, but not always. Comparing unit prices (per ounce, etc.) is especially important when one size is on sale.

7. Clip coupons. Check out the Sunday newspaper inserts or visit Web sites such as www.coolsavings.com, www.valpack.com, and www.smartsource.com to print out coupons. Don't buy products you normally wouldn't just because you have a coupon for it.

8. Get a store card. With a preferred-shopper card, consumers receive automatic discounts on products in the store circular without clipping coupons.

9. Don't assume all items advertised in circulars are on sale. Manufacturers may have paid for the placement.

10. Beware of last-minute temptations. Single-serving snacks at the checkout counter cost more than the multi-packs of like items along the aisles.

Source: www.ConsumerReports.org

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