Review: Guest Reviewer Janet Grimes Highlights America Cheapest Family!

Cutting Your Grocery Bill in Half
with America's Cheapest Family4 out of 5 stars.


By Steve and Annette Economides











The title alone does a great job of explaining the purpose of this particular book. The Economide family of 7 shares tips they have learned and perfected over the past 25 years as they have earned the right to be named as "America's Cheapest Family." Filled with tips for every level of bargain shopper, from beginning to expert, every family can benefit in some way from this book. This family has perfected their technique to the point that they only shop once a month, so they demonstrate how to save money by planning ahead and going to the store less often. Start by going weekly, then every couple of weeks, gradually taking control of impulse spending and buying whatever is placed in front of you.

What Dave Ramsey does for finances, Steve and Annette Economides do for the grocery bill. By removing common excuses of too little time, not knowing how to cook, bad location with few store choices, or the lack of coupons and sales ads, they encourage their readers to take charge of their grocery purchasing experience, once and for all. Sharing a keen awareness on how stores market to each consumer, the reader will better understand how to form a plan and shopping timetable that works specifically for them. This book will show how to shop on your own terms, rather than on theirs. Know prices, so that you can recognize a great deal when you find one. Ask questions. Understand the system, so you can use it to your benefit.

My personal favorite tips were how to take advantage of the "price match" guarantee for superstores, such as Walmart and Target, the use of rain checks to capture a great deal even when a targeted item is sold out, and on how to save money when you do choose to dine out. With minimal effort, each reader should be able to make an immediate dent in their grocery budget, freeing that money to be better used elsewhere.

I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.



Bio:

Janet is the author of The Parent's Guide to Uncluttering Your Home, to be released in December of 2010 by Atlantic Publishing. She currently writes from Canton, MI on such topics as faith, family, writing, and of course, uncluttering.

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Janet Morris Grimes

Writing for the Pursuit of Sappiness
www.janetmorrisgrimes.com

Join my Facebook Fan Page
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Review: Guest Blogger Janet Morris Grimes Gives Thoughts on Lucille O'Neal Book

Walk Like You Have Somewhere to Go


Lucille O'Neal -
Two out of Five Stars.







Eager to read this story, I found it less than what I expected. Lucille shares her memories of early childhood through her own rise to the top as she created a place for herself in the high-profile world of the NBA, currently serving as the elected president of the Mothers of Professional Basketball Players Association. Lucille uses all that she has learned from life as she travels across the country sharing her message of believing in yourself and overcoming the odds, and that is to be commended.

While I appreciated the honesty offered by Lucille O’Neal, it portrayed an air of bitterness throughout, spreading the blame for her battle with depression and alcohol to everything from her parents’ early divorce, to a strict and overtly religious upbringing by grandparents, budget cuts brought on by then-President Ronald Reagan, to the controlling nature of her military husband of twenty-eight years. My first thought was that had Shaquille not found immense success in the NBA, her husband would have been viewed as the hero of the story, rescuing her from a life of poverty and providing the stability for her own family that she so desired as a child.

I found the structure difficult to follow. The writing jumps from her generation to present day issues, and is unclear. For example, with this sentence, “When you combine low self-esteem with the lack of hope for a bright future, you have some powerful deterrents to avoiding a pregnancy.”

I admire anyone who uses the gifts they have been given for good to touch the lives of others. Lucille has overcome many demons in her life. Her true and powerful relationship with God was revealed at the end, but as an afterthought. It was a non-factor throughout the story.

Both Lucille and Shaquille O’Neal will remain positive role models in a fickle world that desperately needs them. They will continue to make a huge difference through their various charities and opportunities for motivational speaking. Thankfully, that does not change based on whether or not I appreciated this book.



Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”


Janet Morris Grimes
http://www.janetmorrisgrimes.com/

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