Getting the upper hand at the grocery store is not...

Getting the upper hand at the grocery store is not a matter of merely clipping coupons and buying generics; you need strategy. (Jan. 9, 2012) Credit: Getty Images

It used to be safe to shop at the supermarket. Now you can be subject to sticker shock. Food prices jumped nearly 5 percent in 2011 and are expected to climb 3 percent to 4 percent this year, according to the USDA.

Getting the upper hand at the grocery store is not a matter of merely clipping coupons and buying generics; you need strategy akin to warfare.

And definitely, don't shop hungry.

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