Having trouble stretching your monthly food budget?  Are you tired of eating boring “cheap” food?  Many of your friends, family, and neighbors probably are, too.  Grouping together with a few other people can save you a considerable amount of money on your weekly or monthly shopping.  When you consolidate your efforts you can make lists of store sales and split the driving or buy memberships to more than one club store and maximize your savings on bulk items.
 
Bulk items
 
Many things are less expensive per item when you buy several at a time.  If you don’t have the room or desire to store and eat 20 pounds of potatoes before they go bad, you aren’t really saving money.  But if you and a friend or two split the cost of a bag of potatoes, you can likely consume 5-10 pounds before they go bad.  Club stores often pack spices, condiments, soups, cereals, etc. in packs of 2 or more.  If you and a friend or two can decide on which items you both need and will use, you can save a considerable amount over buying one or two items on your own at the grocery store.
 
Grocery sales
 
One grocery store may be having a great sale on meat and dry goods while the other one across town is having a great sale on produce.  Send your friend with your produce list and take his meat list.  When you both get home, separate out the items you purchased for each other and exchange any money needed.  Don’t forget to share (and use) your coupons!
 
Splitting the shopping among friends can save you on the cost of the items themselves as well as on the cost of gas getting all over town to the best deals.