Everyone wants to save on groceries.

Shopping expert Tod Marks cut his grocery bill by as much as half by shopping strategically avoiding impulse buys.

"One of the surest ways to save at the supermarket is to choose the stores own brand," he says. "On average you can save 25 per cent."

For instance, a national brand of bread crumbs is $2.49 for a regular package.

"I walk another step and look what I've got here - a 15-ounce can for 99 cents. It's on sale."

That's less than 50 per cent of the cost of the other product.

The more basic store value brands are cheaper still, like economy paper towels and toilet paper.

Fact is some of these products do compromise on quality. But what's the big risk? At worst you're out a dollar or two. And if you don't like it, you can just buy your favorite brand next time out.

You think bigger is better? Not always.

"Most of the time, bigger sizes are more economical. But about a quarter of the time, smaller is actually a better deal!" says Marks.

One small can we found cost 68.9 cents a pound while the bigger can was nearly $1.00 a pound. More bang for your buck in a smaller can. Check those unit price labels to make sure.

And if you're not using newspaper or online coupons, you're losing money!

Also, make a list and stick to it. Pick up your stores weekly flyer. Third, always use your store bonus card if your store has one.

Using your member card is easy and could save you hundreds of dollars a year. And one last tip from a man we met outside a supermarket.

"The way I shop is out in the perimeter of the whole store because those are usually the things you need," he says.

Shopping the perimeter of the store not only saves money but helps you eat healthier too by avoiding the tempting and expensive processed foods in the aisles.

You should be aware that not everything you see in a flyer is actually on sale. It's often just the outside pages. Just being included in the flyer can boost sales 500 per cent, so manufacturers often pay to be included.

With a report from CTV British Columbia's Chris Olsen