Don't sacrifice your diet to save a dime.

Being health conscious is great but sometimes the attempt to stretch the family dollar wins out in the battle of nutrition versus nickel saving. Case in point: visit your local chip aisle and you'll notice that an equal sized canister of Fat Free Pringles costs nearly twice as much as a regular one. Don't give up your low-cal dreams that easy. Here's a few tips that will help your budget and your battle of the bulge.

Listed
Make a list -- seriously. You'll face a lot less calorie/cash conundrums if you simply stick to a pre-planned list. It's not going to be easy the first time because you can't just pick the items at random. Think about what you'll actually use -- the best way to do that is by planning out your meals for the week.

In General
ALWAYS go for the generic brands, at least give them a try. Normally, there will be very little taste difference, but a lot of money-saving difference. Also, many stores have their own in-house organic brands now too. So keep a lookout for those, like Stop & Shop's Nature's Promise.

Seasonal
This one might take some homework but it'll be worth it -- only buy produce that is in season. Since out of season fruits and veggies have to come from somewhere with a climate that supports the year-round growth of these goodies, the price will obviously be higher. Seasonal veggies will come from closer parts of the country, so you'll be saving money, your health and doing your part as a localvorre!