访谈录 2008-08-27&08-29 教你将生活开始减半

We're all paying more for groceries than ever before except for one family. They had nearly cut their grocery bill in half while everyone else's just keeps going up. So, how do they do it? How could you do it too? Our Mike Von Fremd reveals 1 the answer in our latest Recession 2 Rescue.

To the aptly named Economides family, shopping is a game. The thrill of victory is to find the cheapest food. Entertainment for you, it seems like. I know you like the deal. It's a fun you get the deal. Well, it is. I mean, If your job is to stretch your dollars and you can do it and have success at it, I mean, wouldn't you?

Steve Annette Economides feed their family of six for just $350 a month -- something you have to see to believe. At the first store, they used coupons 3 for almost every item, buying more than $140 worth of food for just $53. Thank you all, RockRoc.

The typical American family buys only a few bags of groceries for $100. So at our next stop, I challenged the Economides to see how much they could buy with $100. And the race was on.

"Wait, wait, we'd better check that, make sure you didn't short us. Trust but verify 4, huh. It's all there. Ok, good, we are ready.

And they did not disappoint, buying thirteen bags of groceries, everything from granola bars, yogurt to fruits and vegetables for only $101.77.  

An average person would have spent 200,250, what do you think? At least 200, I'm thinking, coz of all, the price match. Think about the price match. You, you’re convinced 5 you got about at least 50 percent off? Yeah. Proud of yourself?  Yeah! She did good!

Price match means the store will match the lowest price from any competitor. It's a good way to stretch your dollars. And the Economides have some other tips.

No.1. Don’t go to the grocery store often. A lot of families are going three, four, five times a week. We're gonna take a challenge, let's say, I'm gonna plan the menu, I'm gonna plan five dinners. And I am gonna go shopping once this week, and buy the stuff 6 I need, use what's in my pantry, whatever, and not  go back to the store, no matter what.

The Economides planned for each grocery trip. They bring coupons which save them $87.57 on this trip. And they write down price match items, saving 7 $42.18.

 No.2. Leave the kids at home. You'll save three times the price of the baby- sitter if you have time to really think and walk through the store and get and pick up the things you need.

No.3. Have the deli slice your lunch meat. I need you to slice this up for me, real thin, can you do that? Yes. By buying a chop 8 of meat and asking the deli to slice it for you, you can save $1 to $5 a pound. And finally, the Economides recommend: You grind 9 your own meat. You can buy the cheapest cuts of like, chuck roast or chuck steak at $1.50 pound, and leave most of the fat on there , put it through the grinder and the stuff will come out looking like and cooking up as if you have bought the $5 a pound lean ground beef.

Total savings 10 $3.50 a pound. This family wins the gold medal when it comes to saving money. I mean, this is like your moment of glory, when you look and see that you tripled 11 your money, isn't it.... Yes. And they'd like to teach you how to do the same.

For Good Morning America, Mike Von Fremd , ABC news, Phoenix