Save grocery costs by buying a freezer

Buying food in bulk is a good idea if you can afford the initial, up-front cost. But then what to do with all of the food that won't fit in your refrigerator or freezer?

Buy a stand-alone freezer. You'll save money on grocery sales and at warehouse club deals. But only if you use what's in the freezer. Filling it and forgetting it defeats the purpose.

Here are some tips on how to buy a freezer and how to use it best, according to a MarketWatch story:

• Estimate the amount of capacity needed and if it should be an upright or chest model. Freezers range from 5 cubic feet to 18 cubic feet and more. Upright freezers are more convenient to get in and see what's there, while chests are more energy efficient. With chest freezers, be careful that things migrate to the bottom or people take things from the top. Chest freezers stay colder longer without electricity during a power outage.