Food prices are up, way up. The overall cost of weekly groceries today is nearly six percent more than last year - higher than the inflation rate. As food prices continue to rise, shoppers are on the hunt for easy ways to save money on groceries.

"The key to cutting the grocery bill is not about changing the way you eat, but about changing the way you buy the foods that you like to eat," says Stephanie Nelson of www.CouponMom.com. She offers three simple principles to help everyday grocery shoppers become "strategic shoppers" who can save big at the checkout.

Know How to Get Low Prices: Strategic shoppers learn the price ranges of their most common grocery items by starting a "price book" and stocking up when favorite items hit the lowest prices. By taking this approach, shoppers can save an average of 50 to 70 percent off of these items.

Store loyalty cards are another key strategy for saving at the grocery store. Some loyalty programs send extra coupons in the mail and even offer discounts on the food bill once a certain dollar amount is spent in the store.

Know How to Use Coupons: When it comes to coupons, it's important to know when to use them, where to use them and where to find them. As a strategic shopper, be sure to recognize when favorite brand name items hit their lowest prices and use the coupons at that point to save the most money on the grocery bill.

Know Where to Find Coupons: DurangoDowntown.com offers Grocery Coupons on all of your favorite brand name items.

* Bookmark Durango e-Coupons and check back each week for new coupons.

* Weekly Specials offered by City Market and Albertsons  for extra savings coupons and specials.

* Natural and Organic Groceries and Products Coupons - (offered by Nature's Oasis)