COUPON QUEEN: Saving when making a stop at a grocery store

Whether I stop in to grab a jug of milk, a prescription refill, or do an entire grocery run, there are three things I always do when I stop in at the grocery store. It helps me save money, and it doesn't take very much time at all. Grab the ad While I look every week at the store ads, if I'm running into the store, I always grab a weekly sales ad on my way in. If I'm on a more extensive trip, it helps me remember what is on sale, and I will often find more deals while shopping. For instance, the store ad recently mentioned a sale on ice cream. While I was checking out the deal, I noticed that not only was it on sale, but it was also part of a "buy 5, save 5" sale mentioned on a separate page in the ad. Grabbing an ad even helps with a quick stop-in since the best deals are often on the first page. I can take a quick look at the week's most significant sales while making a quick stop to grab a loaf of bread. Flashfood app I've been using the Flashfood app for a while now, and I'm still surprised by what discounted food items I can find. The Flashfood app helps stores sell clearance food or items nearing expiration at a discounted rate. You can often save up to 50 percent off. Doing this helps reduce food waste, allows stores to recoup some costs, and helps shoppers save money. While you'll find the best options by looking at the app first thing in the morning and again throughout the day, I only leave the store after taking a peek at the app. You just never know when they'll add more products to it, and it can save you a bundle. The Flashfood app is currently being used at our area Giant Eagle, Meijer, and Save-A-Lot stores. Clearance aisle Almost every store I shop in has a clearance section. Even on quick trips, I always check out this section. You just never know what you'll find in this treasure trove. Recently I was shopping at a Giant Eagle store and found six containers of dish-washing tabs for more than 50 percent off. I also found my son's favorite granola bars and our favorite brand of laundry detergent at a steep discount. Sometimes items will wind up in this section because it is close to their expiration date, but it may also be just because the packaging is being updated or the item is out of season. Doing these three things regularly always helps me save money, and it doesn't take much time. That's a win-win in my book. Tune in every Tuesday at 8:40 a.m. on AM 930 WEOL or 100.3 FM to hear me chat about money-saving tips. You can listen online or on the radio. This week's deal Here's a deal that you can get this week at Dollar General. Life and Cap'n Crunch Cereal boxes — 3/$6 Clip the $1/3 coupon found on the Dollar General website or app = 3/$5 Rachel Krych is passionate about helping others spend less and save more. In addition to her weekly column, she has a blog, Couponing With Rachel, which earns her compensation from Google for ads it places there and from entertainment marketers whose promotional codes she touts. She doesn't write about entertainment in her column. Email her at couponingwithrachel@hotmail.com.