There I was in the grocery store, clutching my recipe for shrimp fra Diablo, my mouth watering at the thought of sautéed shrimp in a cream sauce over fettuccini. Shrimp is a rare treat in my household, but it was a special night.

We were celebrating because it was the first night in two weeks we had a clear schedule to cook a meal together and sit down at the dinner table, paying no mind to the clock. So, shrimp it would be.

I had compared prices before. Shrimp, a pound for two people, would cost only $1.50 more than a package of boneless skinless chicken breasts, one of our menu staples.

Then I saw something that stopped me in my tracks. An orange sticker indicating boneless skinless chicken breasts were being sold for half-off! I could get enough chicken to cook dinner plus have leftovers for $3.41. All of a sudden, I was warming up to the idea of chicken fra Diablo instead. No biggie. We’ll have shrimp another day, when chicken at bargain prices isn’t calling my name.

This brings up two valuable tips for saving money. First, sometimes waiting to purchase your meats the day before or on the day you plan to cook could bring you discounts you might not find on weekends, when many people buy groceries for the week. Fresh meat must sell by a certain date, so grocers will discount it deeply if that date draws too close.

Second, being flexible about beef, chicken, fish or shrimp in your meal could be key, so taking time to compare prices before settling on your purchase could save you more than half of what you would have paid. If you cook dinner almost every night, finding half-off deals could add up to big savings and maybe leave you with some extra cash for dinner out Saturday night!