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Everyone - soccer parents, college students, empty nesters - is looking to stretch their dollars in light of the current economic climate. Thankfully, Shop Cheap is here to help. When we started blogging, it was fun to compare prices and tell you all where to get the best deals on grocery items. Now, it's a matter of necessity in every household. We promise to focus on items that are reasonable and follow-up with recipes that make use of those ingredients.

Let's get the party started! This week you can buy grapes and apples for 88-cents a pound at Safeway; boneless, skinless chicken breasts for $1.88 a pound at Raleys and boneless beef chuck roast for $2.99 a pound at SaveMart. And that's just for starters.

RALEYS: In addition to the chicken breasts, Raley's has and entire page of buy one, get one free (or BOGO) items. They include Freschetta large pizza, Golden Grain pasta, S&W ready cut tomatoes, S&W canned corn or green beans; olives and Calistoga sparkling juice. Other items include General Mills cereal 4/$7 (that's less than $2 a box); Crystal Geyser spring water for $3.50 a case and Campbell's Tomato or Chicken Noodle soups for 50-cents a can.Sunnyside Farms cottage cheese is 2/$4; orange juice is 2/$5 and Tia Rosa flour tortillas are 2/$5. Raley's Hearty variety b read is $2.50 a loaf and Thomas' bagels or muffins are 2/$5. If you are looking for a quick meal, check out the Lasagne or Meatloaf  in the deli for $5.99.

And it's not in the food or grocery category, but Pantene hair care products are $2.28. That's quite a deal.

SAFEWAY: Here's where you will find the savings on produce - especially Fuji or organic Gala apples for 88-cents a pound, broccoli crowns for 88-cents a pound and Bartlett pears for 49-cents a pound. Safeway is continuing with the weekend 48-hour store promotion. This week the focus is lean (80%) ground beef for $1.88 a pound and grape tomatoes, 99-cents per pint. Ken's salad dressing is also 99-cents a bottle. Safeway also has boneless, skinless chicken breasts (thighs or combo pack) for $1.99 a pound and medium cooked shrimp for $5.99 a pound. Ritz crackers and Fig Newtons are BOGO and gallons of Lucerne milk are 2/$5.19. Other BOGOs include Orange juice and Lucerne 18-count large eggs. The Friday $5 meal deal is Chicken Tenders and the new Monday $5 offering is cheese or pepperoni pizza. In produce, you can get zucchini for 99-cents a pound and red bell papper is still 97-cents a pound. O Organics salads are BOGO.

One last note on Safeway. If you were using your rewards to get 10-cents off a gallon of gas, the minimum has gone from $50 per visit to $100.