purchasing tips: cooking liquids

pretty much any dish that you cook will require some sort of liquid. here is a growing list of cooking liquids and the best ways to buy them as well as good prices. don't buy them more expensive unless you absolutely must!

soy sauce
do a little research and figure out where the local restaurants shop. it will probably be a bulk shopping center like Cash and Carry, which carries massive containers of food you will think you could never eat in a million lifetimes. however, it is really useful for some products...like soy sauce. I purchased a gallon container of soy sauce for $3.75, and I share it with my three roommates; there's no way we're going to finish it off before we leave this apartment. if you can't find a bulk shopping center, at least buy the largest container of soy sauce at the grocery store - it will be cheaper per ounce and save you money in the long run.

cooking wine
if you've ever been inside a Trader Joe's, you've been inside a little piece of heaven. they sell a line of $3 wine called Charles Shaw, which encompasses six different types of wine. while you probably wouldn't want to get drunk off this stuff, it is great for cooking and adds the perfect flavor. however, Trader Joe's is not currently found across the U.S., so really, any cheap chuck will probably do. just don't pay more than $3.

broth
my mom always says that 50¢ broth is just as good as anything else. I take it a step further (and some would disagree with me on this point because of flavor, but at least I'm cheap) and say, what's wrong with a cup of broth for 11.9¢? bouillon cubes may not be as delicious as getting broth from a can, but it's certainly cheaper when you can buy the equivalent of 15 cups for $1.79. beef and chicken flavors are both available.