It's easy to save money on groceries. Just eat every other day.

Actually, there is a better way, one that doesn't involve living on rice and beans, courtesy of three "computer science guys," Jeff Hunter (CWR '05), Jason Marr (CWR '04) and Josh Staiger (CWR '04).

These frugal foodies, and roommates, co-founded AnyLeaf.com, a website that helps shoppers in California's Bay Area find the best prices on grocery store items. The site sifts through tons of weekly data, adds a consumer's personal preferences and voilà, you've got the best deals on everything from avocados to zucchini.

Their number one tip? Shop the sales and be flexible.

"When I plan a meal, I think meat and vegetable. We found a free chest freezer on craigslist so we can stock up," says Hunter.

But buyers should know that bigger is not always better; it's the unit price that counts. Storing a 55-gallon container of shampoo, and struggling to use it, may not be very convenient, Hunter says. Marr says he redeems coupons for items that are already on sale for added savings. But, he says, no one in the house spends hours cutting coupons.

The extreme couponers you see on TV do it as a profession. AnyLeaf data shows that almost every product category in the typical grocery store will go on sale for at least 50 percent off at some time, and that's the time to buy.

What's the one category that doesn't seem to ever get marked down? Spices. But because spices lose potency if stored for a long time, don't buy enough to fill a bathtub, even if oregano does go on sale.

"We try to ease people into saving money on groceries by doing something simple at first. Like buying the 2-liter sizes of soda instead of cans. It's usually always a much better deal," says Hunter. The guys" best score? Ten pounds of potatoes for 89 cents. Mashed, anyone?