What should a grocery shopper do when milk is on sale? Buy acartload and throw the jugs in the deep freeze, where they’ll keepfar beyond their printed expiration dates.

That’s just one grocery shopping strategy employed by KatrinaCastilaw, director of the Copia-Jefferson Regional Library andself-described shopping “nerd.”

She conveyed her methods for saving money in the grocery store -which go far beyond clipping coupons – to a small crowd of shoppersThursday night at Wesson City Hall. She pointed out that enforcingself-discipline while shopping will become like second nature aftera while and grocery bills will begin to nose dive.

“This turns out to be a game, a strategy – like trying tooutsmart an evil system that’s trying to get your money,” Castilawsaid.

The tough choices come up front, Castilaw said. Shoppers need toestablish their own value systems and identify wants and needs.

One way she saves money at the grocery store is by recyclinggrocery bags as garbage bags at home, though someone with aluxurious, million-dollar kitchen may not want the rattling plasticbags visible in their garbage cans. Such is a value choice shoppershave to make, she said.

Castilaw also recommended producing as many items as possible athome. She said shoppers should make their own pancake syrup, use abread maker and keep and eat leftovers.

“We all like ice cream, but with the economy going like it is,we may need to spend a little more on starting a garden,” Castilawadvised.

Once shoppers make up their minds about what they can and can’tlive without in the cupboard, Castilaw recommended starting a pricebook and keeping it handy at all times.

In the price book, shoppers should list the items they “need”and keep a running log of that item’s quantity in differentpackages or containers, what store it’s sold at and the prices atdifferent stores. Sale dates should also be researched and added tothe book.

“It will probably be a little cumbersome at first because ofwhat you have to keep up with,” Castilaw said. “You want to startoff with a basic list of what you need. Keep your needs on one listand your wants on another. By knowing what you need, if you getinto a financial problem you can go to your list.”

With the list up and running, Castilaw recommended shoppers beflexible.

Items that will be needed later should be bought early if onsale. Consistently doing so will build a buffer into a shopper’sgrocery budget, she said. She said one of the best examples ofbuying early is hitting post-holiday sales, when holiday items likecandy are usually marked down by 50-75 percent.

The one piece of equipment every shopper needs to make buyingearly and buying in bulk a working strategy, Castilaw said, is adeep freeze.

A myriad of items can be stored for long periods of time whenfrozen, she said, such as milk, crackers, bread, bananas, flour,sugar, cornmeal, butter, potato chips, nuts, chocolate and orangejuice. Even eggs may be frozen after being cracked open, whiskedand stored in a container.

“A freezer can really extend your grocery budget,” Castilawsaid.

One thing shoppers should approach with caution, Castilaw said,is the coupon booklet.

While using coupons will save money on a shopper’s grocerybudget, shoppers should not go wild and pull out all the stops justfor the sake of using a coupon. The issuance of coupons in thefirst place could be dangerous for shoppers, she said.

“Stores do not lose money on coupons,” Castilaw said. “If youread the fine print, you’ll see stores make the price on the couponand 8 cents for every one used.”

Castilaw advised shoppers not to trek across town – especiallynot to trek between towns – just to save 50 cents with a coupon.Considering the cost of gas, the savings may well have been burnedup during the ride, she said.

Castilaw also reminded shoppers to lean on their discipline whenusing coupons, as coupons are only issued for two reasons – to sella particular product and to get more shoppers into a store.

Aside from teaching shoppers the art of economical shopping,Castilaw also shared a few of her personal do’s and don’ts.

She advised shoppers not to horde, as many items will only keepfor a certain amount of time. It is also a good idea for shoppersto time themselves in a store, she said. She said one of her familymembers calculated that every hour spent in Wal-Mart equaled $100spent.

The only time during the presentation Castilaw advised againstfinding the absolute cheapest prices was in the case of thefarmer’s market.

“If they’re local farmers, the food is generally healthier andyou’re helping your community,” she said. “There’s also studiesthat show by eating locally grown foods, you’re improving yourimmune system. You naturally pick up more immunity to the things inyour area.”