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Shop Smart, Save More: Learn The Grocery Game and Save Hundreds of Dollars a Month – Coupons, Stockpiling, and Real Bargains for Your Family
These days the cost of food and other basic necessities is going through the roof. Teri Gault's groundbreaking website, , has already helped millions save serious money. And now she shares the secrets to sensible shopping in one essential volume, so you can feed your family and take care of their needs for thousands of dollars a year less! Shop Smart, Save More provides step-by-step instructions on how to:
273 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2008
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60 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 35 reviews
January 11, 2009
When I was in college with a limited budget I clipped coupons and played my own version of the Grocery Game, but now that my husband and I are DINKS (double income no kids, as my sister-in-law calls us) making decent salaries I have become relaxed in my qwest to save money when shopping. I saw Teri on television a couple of years ago and visited her website but was very skeptical of the product that she was offering and didn't go any further. After reading Shop Smart, Save More, I think I'm ready to really give her site a chance this time. Her book is the best piece of promotional material she could create for her website. Teri's book got me excited about clipping coupons and saving money again. The book is well written and peppered with personal anectdotes that I could relate with and that often left me laughing out loud. She covers many aspects of her Game that go far beyond clipping coupons and reading advertisements. I especially liked the tips on freezing food and organzing one's stockpile. She reaches out to all kinds of consumers. Admittedly the book is geared toward families, but she has a section for singles and a section on hosting dinner parties. She supplies recipies that come from her friends and family that I can't wait to try. I already have a list of family members and friends that I want to share Teri's book with. I think I'll buy a few copies for gifts when the book is released, using bookstore coupons, of course!
February 14, 2009
The same info is out there for FREE. it's just another way to advertise her business and to link you to it. I would NOT pay for the book if you can help it.
January 15, 2009
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.
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.
October 29, 2009
I realized about halfway through that I'd actually read most of this on her website, and that it annoyed me then, too. I think much of it is her tone, which seems awkwardly ghostwritten, overly chirpy, and preachy all, at the same time. To be fair, I've never tried her services, and maybe they can save me as much as she claims--and I do realize that a household of two is a bit different than one of four, and will obviously spend less, but... I grew up in a frugal home, and have always thought of myself as frugal and I manage to do so without many coupons. Gault's point is that by clipping coupons and stockpiling during sales you save a bunch of money, but I don't quite agree with her suggestions of buying frozen dinners and processed foods. As I've started shopping for a household where we make our baked goods and as much as we can from scratch, we've already found a pretty baseline budget. Obviously with a several kids we might not have time to do things this way, but we do just fine buying store brands and generous amounts of lentils, rice, tomatoes, etc, and Gault offers savings on processed foods that we don't care to eat. I guess part of this is me being a bit shocked at how much other people seem to spend on groceries every month, too--mine comes out to around two hundred dollars a month, but she includes tales of people spending hundreds a week. Although I appreciated her section on how to incorporate organic foods in the shopping budget, her love of disposable plates and bakeware makes me shy away. I think I'll stick to reading the flyers and skip her secret deals.
February 7, 2009
I loved this book. I am so glad I got it on the first reads.
I am a single mom with 3 teenagers and the very little I get a month (due to health issues) never streches far at all. I thought I knew all about being thrifty and making my money go as far as it could. I was completely convinced, before getting the book, that there would be nothing I would pick up from this book. I was convinced I knew it all. Boy was I wrong!!!
This book was very profound for me. I have struggled and the author had been there so she knew where I was. She was not snobby in it or anything, she just makes it clear she wants to help and does not want to see others in the type of dire straights she was and so many of us are these days. I found knew ideas and facts on every couple pages if not every one. Each chapter would finish and I was finding myself into the next before I could even think about whether to go on or not. I have gotten my family of 4 through the month on between 60 and 120 a month for food. That was before this book. I can not wait to see how good I can do in the future, We will be living like kings and queens in this house. There were so many hints other than prices, including ways to make other things work in different ways and recipes. I am already having to pass my copy on and they have been told they are to hurry and read it and get it back.
This book is great for anyone no matter if there is one or 10 in the house. Get it!! Read it!!! Live it!!
I am a single mom with 3 teenagers and the very little I get a month (due to health issues) never streches far at all. I thought I knew all about being thrifty and making my money go as far as it could. I was completely convinced, before getting the book, that there would be nothing I would pick up from this book. I was convinced I knew it all. Boy was I wrong!!!
This book was very profound for me. I have struggled and the author had been there so she knew where I was. She was not snobby in it or anything, she just makes it clear she wants to help and does not want to see others in the type of dire straights she was and so many of us are these days. I found knew ideas and facts on every couple pages if not every one. Each chapter would finish and I was finding myself into the next before I could even think about whether to go on or not. I have gotten my family of 4 through the month on between 60 and 120 a month for food. That was before this book. I can not wait to see how good I can do in the future, We will be living like kings and queens in this house. There were so many hints other than prices, including ways to make other things work in different ways and recipes. I am already having to pass my copy on and they have been told they are to hurry and read it and get it back.
This book is great for anyone no matter if there is one or 10 in the house. Get it!! Read it!!! Live it!!
October 6, 2010
This was a very good read about saving money on groceries. Teri Gault is the founder to "The Grocery Game" website which is a subscription based service to help you save money. I do not subscribe to the website, but the basic idea in the book and behind the website is not to buy things on sale, but to buy them when they are a bargain. Stock up on your bargain items and use your stock to make meals for your family. Add coupons to the bargain items, and you've got yourself a real deal! For example, if name brand peanut butter is at the bargain price of $1, buy 5-6 peanut butters and then use those until it is a bargain again rather than going to the store when you are out of or running low on peanut butter and it is only "on sale" for $2.50. She offers good advice on how often things are on sale, how to rotate the stock you will build, how to stack coupons, choose your grocery store, and play the grocery game. She also offers some easy recipes for cheap meals that you can make ahead and use throughout the week.
I enjoyed this easy read and if you are looking for practical advice on how to save money on groceries, this is a good place to start. Overall, the book didn't give me all that much information and had a lot of unnecessary chapters (like on on planning for parties). While it was not a marketing tactic for her website, though she does promote it, I have subscribed to her website and found it very helpful to save extra money each week on groceries.
I enjoyed this easy read and if you are looking for practical advice on how to save money on groceries, this is a good place to start. Overall, the book didn't give me all that much information and had a lot of unnecessary chapters (like on on planning for parties). While it was not a marketing tactic for her website, though she does promote it, I have subscribed to her website and found it very helpful to save extra money each week on groceries.
March 10, 2009
Boy have I read my fair share of how to save money books. Growing up with not a lot of money had me reading these books right out of the gate. Now that I'm in charge of my own family I take it to a whole new level to get serious about shopping smart. This book is much better than any I've read before. Often authors writing about organzing (and really folks, organizing yourself/your coupons and time to save money *is* what this book is about) often write a bunch of fluff and you're left mumbling "well I could of told you that!" But Gault knows her stuff and she had plenty of new tips I didn't know.
My one criticism to her book was that she didn't talk at all about bent and dents. She mentions every type of store known to man- but that one. Everyone should take some time to ask around (and you'll have to ask, they usually aren't listed in any directory) where the nearest bent and dent is. For someone who's serious about saving money, you need to go to your local bread store and bent and dent. I know some people live too far away to be near either of these stores but I've learned to spot them in other towns I visit. I make a point to stop at them anytime I'm passing through while traveling. I bet I know every whole in the wall town and flea market with a bent and dent for 100 miles! And you can too if you try.
My one criticism to her book was that she didn't talk at all about bent and dents. She mentions every type of store known to man- but that one. Everyone should take some time to ask around (and you'll have to ask, they usually aren't listed in any directory) where the nearest bent and dent is. For someone who's serious about saving money, you need to go to your local bread store and bent and dent. I know some people live too far away to be near either of these stores but I've learned to spot them in other towns I visit. I make a point to stop at them anytime I'm passing through while traveling. I bet I know every whole in the wall town and flea market with a bent and dent for 100 miles! And you can too if you try.
July 11, 2011
There are really two parts to this book. The first half or so of the book is about saving money at the grocery store by shopping sales and using coupons. The second half is about entertaining, cooking, etc. I'm guessing the "saving money" part wasn't long enough to be a book on its own, so it was padded with the entertaining and cooking sections.
The whole thing is largely an advertisement for the author's subscription based website, but there are some good tips--especially for those who are new to couponing. I liked that the author talks positively about buying organics; that doesn't happen very often in books on saving money on groceries. However, it still contains lots of references to buying junk food like lunchables and frozen dinners as is more common for these kinds of books.
If you want to eat a healthy diet, you are not going to be able to save the kind of money the author advertises. But, the same information will help you save a lot on toiletries and cleaning supplies which will leave you with extra money to spend on fresh, wholesome food.
The book is a quick and easy read. If you can find a copy at your local library it's worth picking up if you are interested in couponing, but I wouldn't recommend buying it.
The whole thing is largely an advertisement for the author's subscription based website, but there are some good tips--especially for those who are new to couponing. I liked that the author talks positively about buying organics; that doesn't happen very often in books on saving money on groceries. However, it still contains lots of references to buying junk food like lunchables and frozen dinners as is more common for these kinds of books.
If you want to eat a healthy diet, you are not going to be able to save the kind of money the author advertises. But, the same information will help you save a lot on toiletries and cleaning supplies which will leave you with extra money to spend on fresh, wholesome food.
The book is a quick and easy read. If you can find a copy at your local library it's worth picking up if you are interested in couponing, but I wouldn't recommend buying it.
June 13, 2012
By the creator of TheGroceryGame.com, this book is more than just a commercial for the website. I'm a big fan of The Grocery Game and have been using it since 2005. It has saved me loads of money through the years (at least $50 per week, easily), and we've eaten better, too. So I don't mind terribly that the book promotes the site. But it's a useful book even if you're not a "gamer." I learned more about how the grocery industry works and how to get the most for my money and my time. And the book is also full of ideas on making use of the groceries that you buy, with chapters on going organic, cooking, entertaining, and convenience foods. She addresses people who are cooking for a crowd, for kids, or just for themselves. As a fan, it's also fun to read more about Teri Gault, her previous career as an actress (on Happy Days, CHiPs, etc.), and how she started couponing out of pure necessity and turned it into the hugely successful business idea.
January 26, 2009
Gault clearly knows her stuff when it comes to saving money on consumables, and the timing for the book that grew out of her website couldn't be better. There's a wealth of useful ideas here, but I suspect that it reaches a higher level if you're willing to pay for the services on her site. Those who shop at the typical local megamart will likely end up saving if they're willing to sink in the time and effort needed to live her system.
As a writer, Gault keeps a breezy, chit-chat-at-soccer-practice style that works for her audience, and the content is smartly organized and easy to search for a particular concept. I'm not quite her target audience (being a Trader Joe's devotee with an aversion to fake additives and highly processed convenience food), but moms on a tight budget might consider giving it a whirl with a test run on a library copy.
As a writer, Gault keeps a breezy, chit-chat-at-soccer-practice style that works for her audience, and the content is smartly organized and easy to search for a particular concept. I'm not quite her target audience (being a Trader Joe's devotee with an aversion to fake additives and highly processed convenience food), but moms on a tight budget might consider giving it a whirl with a test run on a library copy.
May 9, 2011
I have to say that I liked the "coupon mom" book a little bit better. I am more on board with Teri's idea of doing research and choosing one store to shop at instead of running to a lot of different ones with all the different sales. She seems to think that all the stores will run basically the same sales, just on different weeks. I haven't watched the sales that closely yet to know if that is how it works here. I also liked some of her ideas and philosophy on entertaining. Her website does cost money and their are a lot of free ones like coupon mom, but she claims to save you a lot more money. I don't know if I will try her website...maybe if I get really serious about it.
August 13, 2011
I liked this book as a new coupon hopeful! It was easy to understand. However,I felt like it left out a lot of explanation of the Lingo used in the book. (For example...I still don't understand what a filler is.) Also half the book was filled with recipes. Which was okay except that they were all based on what she had stocked up on. Which inspired me to realize yes you can cook on these items...HOWEVER, they filled half the book. And mostly the book pointed me to purchase a membership at her website to make it easy on me to coupon without much thought...so why read the book. It was a quick read with basic info. So if that is what you are looking for, this book is perfect for you!
June 24, 2009
This is a great book. It really helps give a good perspective on how to use coupons and weekly mailers. She helps you realize that even though you think you don't have the money to stock up on sale items, that you do. I'm read to start saving a ton of money on my groceries and clipping coupons. I honestly always felt sheepish using coupons before, because it seemed like I was somehow cheating. I know, silly, and I'll never feel that way again. It's a must read for people wanting to cut down the money spent on groceries.
April 7, 2009
This was good, I learned some new things. It is kinda more of an explanation/sales pitch to get you into the online membership that the author has created. It is a good program, but not completely for me. The point is using coupons and 'stockpiling.' I was glad for her ideas on how the grocery stores operate and how to take advantage of sales especially. It was a quick read just because there are some last chapters of menu and recipe ideas.
January 27, 2009
Read about this on Shelf Awareness and got some good tips for getting groceries cheaper. Some stuff I've been doing for years but she gave me additional ideas and reinforced my belief that the warehouse stores aren't always the cheapest and it's important to buy stuff on sale with a coupon. I've been using coupons for 24 years! Feeding 5 people on one salary for many years made it a necessity!
March 4, 2009
This opened up a whole new side of grocery shopping for me. I'm a dork, I know, but going to the grocery store is so much more fun when you turn it into a game. And you save a bunch of money too. I actually saw an Oprah show about couponmom.com, that's another good website with some of the same info, except it's free.
April 13, 2009
I would highly recommend any person to read this book because it is by far the most informative book I have ever read regarding grocery shopping! I have always hated grocery shopping (just ask my husband) but after reading this book, it is honestly not so bad. I have a game plan now! I also joined The Grocery Game recently which I would also recommend.
March 24, 2011
Use coupons & sales to stock up so you don't pay full price. Then, weekly buy produce, milk, eggs, things that spoil. Need storage space to save all the food and wonder if it's worth it for us when we don't buy many packaged foods. Will explore more on her website.
Book was easy to read and had some good recipes/ideas for managing a kitchen inventory.
Book was easy to read and had some good recipes/ideas for managing a kitchen inventory.
January 17, 2009
Fantastic ways to stretch our already stretched dollars and truly get more for the money with great suggestions to make savings easy to implement...part almost a self-help type of guide, part cookbook, a fun and easy read.
March 4, 2009
I am a huge believer in the grocery game! It has saved our family a lot of money since we had our first child. I think this book does a great job of explaining the concepts that the grocery game is build upon and there are some great recipes as well!
July 15, 2009
This teaches a person a whole new way of grocery shopping. That last sentence sounded really boring didn't it? Well, it is all about the coupons here. (anybody have any extra Sunday coupons I'll take 'em) Cool ideas, I think.
October 5, 2010
I think she had some great ideas about shopping and cooking. I didn't learn too much, because I have pretty much spent the last 30 years figuring out for myself what she included in her book. For anyone who is just starting out and wants to play "the game" it is a must read.
February 8, 2011
Let me summarize this for you: Stockpile groceries when they are on sale. Use coupons. Done.
Thank goodness for the library. I was able to get one or two useful tips from this and then return it, without paying a cent. It's really one big advertisement for her website anyway.
Thank goodness for the library. I was able to get one or two useful tips from this and then return it, without paying a cent. It's really one big advertisement for her website anyway.
March 21, 2011
The first part of this book is great. I learned a few things. The 2nd half was about recipes and how to entertain...I think the author should maybe do two books, one about using coupons and one about cooking and entertaining.
May 24, 2011
This pretty much felt like a giant advertisement for her website, which in the interest of full disclosure, I did sign up for the free trial. Honestly, not a whole lot of life-changing, brand new information here.
August 10, 2016
This is a must have for everyone who wants/needs to save money grocery shopping. I thought the book would be boring and somewhat useful, but I was far from wrong. I couldn't put the book down. It was written well, interesting, and completely USEFUL! I am so glad I bought and read this book.
April 12, 2012
Liked Coupon Mom's Guide to Cutting Your Grocery Bill in Half better. I don't think this book was quite as friendly for all levels of shoppers (and since I cycle between all those levels throughout the year, I needed that!).
July 1, 2014
It was pretty good, but you have to do a trial & pay for an actual list to help you play the grocery game. Some tips were nice though & it was nice to have a singles section, since not everyone trying to save is a family.
February 12, 2009
This is a straightforward explanation of the Grocery Game and how the founder came to realize this strategy for grocery shopping. Very informative.
February 12, 2009
Well worth it and very helpful.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 35 reviews