One key to budget-based shopping is planning ahead. We encourage you to use BigOven's meal calendar to plan out at least a week's worth of shopping, and also use the Leftover Wizard (on the Tools menu) to sequence recipes to make the most use of ingredients.
Another great way to plan is to take advantage of the Weekly Specials from your local grocer. Did you know you can probably find the Sunday Circular, with coupons, online? Here in Seattle, for example, we have three major supermarket chains.
There's QFC, a higher-end unit of Kroger (this is my current preference), there's Albertsons, and there's Safeway.
Interestingly, each one of these chains posts their Sunday Circular specials online. I searched out the links to them, and have them as favorites in my BigOven browser:
If you're a US resident, chances are pretty high that you can find your local grocery store's weekly specials online.
Now, when I'm really interested in saving money, or have a large party coming up, I can click on the weekly specials links above, and then simply search BigOven for great ways to make what's on sale. Hmm... this week, Flank Steak is on sale, and I just got a new grill...