Shopping smart is one thing I aspire to do all of the time, at the grocery store and every where. Buying organic and healthy foods is also a top priority. I have seen other books and websites aimed at helping us save grocery dollars, but they fell short because they depend only on coupons and sales. Umm, hello? I already knew that.
Teri Gault's book goes much further because although she recommends using coupons and finding stores that double or triple coupons she also gives simple straight forward advice as to how to find these stores and offers. Some of her tips include organizing your shopping cart by where you store the items in your home, which I have done my whole life and frankly always attributed to Obessive-Compulsive behavior. Nice to finally know I'm just setting myself up to be more organized and save $$. The book included a very detailed guide to choosing the best grocery store for you.
In addition, she talks about the importance of organic foods and buying locally. Teri includes very useful lists of produce you should spend a bit more to get organic compared with a list of produce that is safe enough when grown conventionally, like Bananas. Of course, if you can afford it, buy all organic. Its better for the environment. But if you are trying to save money, why not spend your money where it is most important to your health and not waste money when the non organic alternative is cheaper and just as healthy? The biggest draw for me was her month by month of what to buy when according to months of the year these items are at their lowest prices. Ever since I got my copy I have been tracking the sale flyers with her list and she is right on. The last half of the book is about entertaining and recipes and household organization. The recipes were favorites of her family, and they sound fine but not as healthy as I like my staples to be. The Entertaining and orgainzational advice was great, but nothing you haven't seen anywhere else.
The other detail that stands out is Teri's honest and personal style of writing. She is just flat out friendlier than the other books and websites I have seen offering money saving ideas. And she really did her research. I've been putting her tips to work for a few weeks and I have seen a marked difference in the way I organize to go shopping and the bottom line at the cash register
