Saving Savvy: Smart and Easy Ways to Cut Your Spending in Half and Raise Your Standard of Living and Giving

by Kelly Hancock

You can live better on less. Much less! In a time of rising prices and economic stress, everyone wants to spend less. But who among us wants to slash our quality of life? Popular blogger and money-saving expert Kelly Hancock has wonderful news for you. In Saving Savvy , you’ll discover practical strategies to stretch your dollars—without spending more time than you can afford. As you explore, you’ll   -To avoid paying full-price for the things you purchase most frequently. -Tips for clarifying your financial goals and key steps for reaching them. -Secrets of expert grocery shoppers that can save you up to 75 percent or more each month, leaving more in your pocket for other priorities. (And no, it’s not just about coupons!) -Ways to organize yourself and plan ahead to save you time and money. -How to give more—and more often—to the causes, people and ministries you care about. As Kelly takes you step by simple step through the process, you’ll find scores of savvy saving and living generously tips. And through her popular blog, she has harvested the collective wisdom of thousands of people just like you. No matter what your circumstance, no matter how much—or little—time you have, you can learn how to get control of your spending, and start saving money today.

Genres: Nonfiction, Audiobook, Personal Development, Money, Christian, Spirituality, Finance

Audio CD

First published September 6, 2011

Reviews

[Jay French · Rating 3 out of 5]

I seem to read a book every year or two on couponing. They all seem to share the same basic information on clipping and using coupons. I found this one added on some more recent advice on organizing coupons and using web sites that catalog available coupons and coupon books. And there’s scripture added, along with the author’s repeated suggestion to donate from the bonuses you save via couponing and bulk/sale buying. If you haven’t read a couponing book and don’t mind the religious tact, this is a fine introduction. For experienced deal mongers, it’s a reasonable reminder or update.

[S · Rating 2 out of 5]

Cut coupons! The power of Christ compels you! (Ugh.) So much religion. So many references to PDFs (which are useless on an audiobook). The beginning interview was a complete waste of time. However, the book did eventually cover a variety of topics: stacking coupons, moral couponing, food planning with sales+/coupons, batch cooking, bulk food, and freezing/ separating. If you can make it through (because I feel like this book was written for a very specific audience), then this covers a lot of the basics... but that's a big if. 2.4* (Audiobook)

[Carol · Rating 5 out of 5]

I listened to the audio book version that I borrowed from my local library. Every year I try to read/listen to a book on how to manage my money better. This book didn’t really have any new ideas but her saving process and strategies are not too difficult to implement. I am not interested in clipping coupons but I did look at my grocery store app and matched up sale items that saved me additional money at check out. I checked my cabinets and refrigerator to make sure I didn’t buy any duplicate items. I also made a quick list of what I would probably make for dinner this week. I applied Kelly’s shopping the perimeter idea and only bought items on sale. So with my new attitude and Kelly’s help I did end up saving 48% off my grocery bill when I usually only save about 18%. In the end I didn’t have any duplicate items and no spontaneous surprise purchases. So the book was a win for me.

[Jen · Rating 2 out of 5]

Listened to this quick audiobook from the library on 2.0x speed.

Best parts: 1) helpful ideas on ways to store food in the freezer, 2) inspiration to save money by purchasing staple items and meat on sale, and 3) the end-of-chapter summaries organized by the amount of time/effort required to implement the ideas.

Worst parts: 1) gratuitous scripture references, 2) repeated references to the author's website, and 3) excessive use of the word "coupon." (Skip "I've Got a Coupon for That" chapter if you don't plan on cutting "q-pons" at all.)

[David · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book contains some good tips about how to save money. Stocking up on items that are on sale should be a priority. Avoid the center of the grocery store where there are more expensive items. Kelley Hancock talks about where to find good coupons and how to use them effectively. Get to know people working at your grocery store to find out when there are sales. The author incorporates her Christian faith into this book. She donates some of the money that she saves and extra food to charity.

[Lisa · Rating 2 out of 5]

Basically talks about cooking more to save money and using coupons. A few other tips too but I didn’t find it super helpful. And their app (provision supply list) doesn’t work, which that did sound helpful.

[Sharon Carpenter · Rating 3 out of 5]

Lots of great couponing tips to help your personal grocery budgeting. I like that there are different levels of involvement, so that it is now just for those that have hours to dedicate to couponing tactics, but also tips for those that have just a little time also.

[Prets Thelmarie · Rating 2 out of 5]

It didnt contain the info that I thought it would have but it is still useful and helpful

[Sara Laughs · Rating 1 out of 5]

Warning: Bible verses abound. No new info- match coupons to sales.

[Amy]

Read 75%. Good information as it relates to pantry stockpiling, freezer stockpiling and couponing. I was hoping for other savvy spending or saving strategies that did not involve groceries.

[Michele rob · Rating 1 out of 5]

Meh.

[Hannah Barnette · Rating 1 out of 5]

Tips I may already know. Great for others though.

[Sally Andrews · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good little book if you're big into couponing and stuff like that.

[Jen · Rating 3 out of 5]

great ideas but i have been doing most of them already. its a great concept to think of saving money in order to donate to worthy causes instead of just spending more money on yourself

[Lenore Webb · Rating 4 out of 5]

Saving Savvy! Kelly Hancock, founder of the wildly popular blog FaithfulProvisions.com, started employing easy money-saving strategies of her own. After slashing her families grocery and eat-out budget by 80%, she started blogging her secrets. Soon, legions were following her simple steps and daily deals, and her wisdom is now collected in Saving Savvy: Smart and Easy Ways to Cut Your Spending In Half and Raise Your Standard of Living...and Giving! I love the ideas and planning tools in here. And was not surprised to see that my frugal lifestyle already had 90% of these habits in it. But that is not the norm. Most people do not feed a family of four on $100 a month at best. Inside Saving Savvy, readers learn how to:
· Learn their saving style, via a special spending-style quiz
· Eat/cook organic foods on a budget
· Create a money-saving freezer template
· Cook ³ingredient-based meals based on sale + seasonal items
· Teach children about money and budgeting
In addition, those who buy a copy of Saving Savvy can receive a free issue of All You, a magazine packed with high-value, exclusive coupons and offers on national brands (up to $100 of savings). The redemption form is on the back flap of the book for the reader to return with their store receipt for the free issue. I wish I could do this one! But since I was sent the book as a review I do not have the store receipt for the free issue. Alas that is the life....can not get everything for free but I sure am trying to do all I can to help out my family.

On FaithfulProvisions.com, the site that inspired her book, Kelly's money-saving e-tips are eagerly gobbled up by 150,000 unique visitors per month. Links to offers by national brands, such as Target, CVS, and Walgreens are available on her site, which has even become its own iPhone app and thriving Facebook community. Just saying, you may wanna go hang out there for a bit too. Sadly most of these items do not work for me in my one horse town. With only one grocery store and very few chains of fast food we have our limits. Let's not even think about any kind of a discount store bigger than the local Dollar General. But I do shop smart, shop locally and find many savings just by applying my time and attention to doing the pre-planning.

[Iola · Rating 2 out of 5]

Saving Savvy aims to help households reduce their spending on groceries and dining out by giving readers information on budgeting, food purchasing and coupon shopping. The book is written from a Christian perspective, so it also emphasises seeking God’s assistance in being a good steward of what you have been given, and giving to others out of your excess. Saving Savvy is interspersed with relevant bible quotes, real life stories from savvy savers, and lots of useful tips to help homemakers gain control of their food budget and still be able to bless others through giving.

There is good advice but the tone is patronising on occasion ("you will now learn"), and a lot of the information is also available on the author's website, www.faithfulprovisions.com. I have heard a lot of the advice before (although some of it bears repetition as I don't always follow it). There were also some interesting ideas that I had not heard before, like the idea of using the tinfoil cooking dishes you can buy at discount stores for either freezing extra portions of cooked food (like lasagne) or giving them away without having to worry about getting the container back. It was curious to note that there was only one passing comment on taking lunches to work – I imagine I am not alone in finding that bought lunches quickly add up to become a major expenditure.

Saving Savvy has some excellent content, but the best hints are around US stores and coupon programmes. Too much of the information is simply not relevant outside the USA – I live in New Zealand, and the entire discussion on coupon programmes is pretty much irrelevant, as it emphasises using more than one coupon on the same product, or using coupons on sale items. All coupons and discount programmes I see specifically state that they cannot be used with any other offers, and most can only be used on full-price merchandise. As much of the information is also available on the authors' website (www.faithfulprovisions.com) my recommendation to non-US customers would be to save your money and buy a locally-written book.

Thanks to Worthy Publishing and NetGalley for providing a free ebook for review. This review also appears on my blog, www.christianreads.blogspot.com.

[Jacque Stengel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Title: Saving Savvy

SubTitle: Smart and easy ways to CUT YOUR SPENDING IN HALF and raise your standard of living... and giving!

Publisher: Worthy Publishing

Pub Date: 09/06/2011

ISBN: 9781936034536

Source: NetGalley

Author: Kelly Hancock

Are you looking to get those savings like we see on "Extreme Couponing". This book is a step by step way of getting the best bang for your bucks! Kelly Hancock talks about it all from planning meals, stocking your freezer and cabinets and coupons! She has a website that is heavily promoted through the book, but this is a great Christian resource to use our money wisely. There are a lot of links included to steer you toward some great websites and even smartphone apps to help on the go shopping made easier. She even shares how to share your surplus of time, talents and money in the book.
This book will be especially helpful if you have no idea where to begin in your couponing adventure...it's sort of like a Couponing for Dummies book. However, even if you are an old pro, there are many new ideas to use in everyday savings!
I really enjoyed this book...only 250 pages of jampacked ideas for a family struggling in this
economy. It was a very quick read for me, and is set up so one could easily navigate to the parts of the book that would help the most. I would recommend reading it straight through with a highlighter first and then go back with a computer to really put the book to good use! Very Good Book!!
This book gets a family 5 thumbs up!

Fine print... I was given a copy of this book through NetGalley for review. No other compensation was given and the opinions are mine alone!

[Sunflower · Rating 4 out of 5]

Who can deny with today's economy, the importance of finding ways to save costs in grocery, meal planning, daily way of life and work with a budget that fits with whatever size family you may have?

With, "Saving Savvy", readers will learn not be encouraged how using the slow cooker in a way that saves both time and feed the family, but learn vital tips, be encouraged through Scripture and just learn basic common sense tips that one will learn from God and Grandma's way of handling money.

What I like about "Saving Savvy" is that this is a book, that is applicable to anyone. There is no, "I can't apply to this home", but the tips that Kelly Hancock, shares to reader, can be used in any size home and income.

With free templates in the back of the book, I really recommend, Saving Savvy" for homes that are looking to both save money and also live generously, using ideas and materials that are already at home, can be easily bought or for the more savvy, found through the classifieds or grapevine (such as a deep-freeze freezer that is helpful for stocking meat).

Her writing is simple and its nothing that one would read and think, "That is too complicated", but instead show how by making little changes in our lives, we can make a difference in how we are spending and can adjust our standard of living.

This is not a cure-all, solve all your money troubles, but to be read as a book, to help correct bad spending habits, teach ways of approaching shopping and be able to live a life that encourages not only one's way of living but even one's way of giving.

[Birgit · Rating 3 out of 5]

Far too often grocery shopping ends up with full bags and an empty wallet. But fear not, Kelly Hancock gives the weary shopper lots of practical advice on how to save some serious money in her book Saving Savvy.
Mainly focusing on the monetary miracles you can achieve through using coupons, you will be guided through the importance of organizing and planning not only your shopping trip, but even more so your storage space and freezer, and even your meals. No matter whether you just want to waste less, have more to share with others, or pay your debts, this book gives you the basic knowledge to save big. And to get the best individual results you simply choose the strategies that work best for you. I'd say that everyone can learn a thing or two about saving in this book, but you should be aware that it is mostly intended to reach US readers as many other countries unfortunately have not jumped on the coupon bandwagon yet. What came as a bit of a surprise was the religious aspect of the book. If you feel uncomfortable about it, you might want to skip those parts and focus on the saving advice alone. What you should definitely not skip is a visit to Kelly's website faithfulprovisions.com for some up-to-the-minute deals and helpful resources.
In short: A comprehensible Coupon 101 that will teach amateur shoppers quite a bit, but will not hold too many surprises for the seasoned pro!

[Sandra "Jeanz" · Rating 3 out of 5]

Who doesn't want to save money in this economic climate, but sometimes it’s just too difficult and overwhelming. Kelly Hancock is a popular blogger and media personality.Kelly has done the hard work for those who want to save big! Kelly's saving secrets will help readers cut their
spending in half — even before they clip the first coupon.
Kelly was a successful business professional who abruptly changed her mind to stay home after the birth of her first child. But it didn’t make financial sense on paper. Kelly figured out a way to cut her family’s overall spending substantially and their grocery budget by 80%. They not only discovered how to make ends meet, they were able to give more generously to others. She reassures listeners that God will faithfully provide for those who seek to honour.

I found this book had some great ideas,but it was very Americanised and certain things did not transfer over well. Things like the "rain check" if an offer is out of stock you go to customer service and they give you a rain check (slip of paper) that allows you the offer when they are back in stock. Over in the UK we have Martin Lewis, Money Saving Expert, and he gives very similar excellent saving advice on grocery offers to where to buy your car insurance from!

[Any Length · Rating 3 out of 5]

This woman is amazing in her willingness to save money and to use some of those savings to give to those who are less fortunate.
However, the book is written for US coupon systems and is not that useful for readers of other countries. I live in Australia so here is what I do.
I check the websites of those shops I buy from and get the best deals possible. I especially look for half price deals. I also use store loyalty cards and check on the internet on a second page to see if I can get a coupon for anything I am about to order online. I also find that when I buy my milk (3 x 2 liters store brand - which brings me over the required $5 to spend) at a service station it will get me another 4 cents a liter off (as of late 2016). If I have filled up big time it can mean as much as getting one of those milk bottles free of charge. So even if I go to the shops to buy groceries, if I know I need petrol on the way home I will get the milk there now.
As for store loyalty cards I have one in my name and one in my partner's name. As I mainly use my card he sometimes gets better special deals sent to his email address than I get in which case I use his card to get those deals.
Either way, if savings are to be had I am there.

[raccoon reader · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed Kelly's book. It is a look at God's plan for us in regards to shopping/providing for our family financially in our role as the main shopper. She outlines how we can learn to save more in the grocery stores in order to have more to give to others who need it. She does not advocate for people to become extreme couponers and hoarders of goods, but instead to learn what your family actually needs and learn where to cut costs. She does advocate to have a well stocked pantry but encourages anyone who does "extreme couponing" to give away their excess goods. We shouldn't have more than a nice stock of needed items. Who needs 15 rolls of tooth paste? The local homeless shelter, that's who. Not you. Kelly reads her own book and does a very good job at it. I feel like I brushed up on old skills and learned some new ones. I'd recommend this to any looking to trim their food/household budget.

[Jodi · Rating 4 out of 5]

A quick, easy, practical read - I read it in less than 24 hours and found the couponing advice very good. I am going to be giving a small talk about couponing to my MOPS group in January and this book will be a great resource to help me prepare. Unlike "extreme couponers," this author has practical advice for couponers of all levels and amounts of time! She walks the reader through how to begin, gives definitions, and helps them learn to add a little more as they get better and better. I also like that she advises to have a reasonable stockpile, to not be a shelf-clearer and because she is able to save, she is able to give more to others in need. Super! Also, the scripture readings relating to saving and helping others were a nice touch too!

[Katie Hopkins · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is about so much more than saving money. It's about how to stockpile and use your freezer smartly, stay organized so you don't waste food, and use your budget in a way that still allows you to donate your time and skill in a way you feel is charitable. It's really quite philosophical in it's own little way.

The author drew a lot of her inspiration from Biblical scripture and her personal beliefs. For that reason, it's shelved in the Spirituality section of the library. I felt sometimes she overreached a bit in her efforts to connect the two and in the end, it might have been more successfully placed elsewhere to reach a larger audience. However, definitely a gem in my opinion. Very helpful!

[Doris · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have been a follower of the Faithful Provisions site for some time now, and I have been very eagerly waiting for the release of this book! Ms Kelly is a fabulous leader and if you follow her suggestions and leadership your family will see a financial difference! Not only does Ms Kelly use "coupon smarts" everything that she does had a biblical foundation. It's hard to be money wise and stay grounded in Christian faith. Ms Kelly can help you do that! So, GO GET YOUR COPY! I know I can't wait to get mine!

[Leah · Rating 3 out of 5]

This didn't have as much relevance to me personally as I had hoped, but the tips are good and it would be especially relevant for someone who wished to cut down to one income and has the time to coupon, etc. I know anyone can make the time - It's just that I would rather spend the time doing other things, like growing my own business. So, overall, a decent read, but it's for a target audience of which I am not a member.

[Alana · Rating 3 out of 5]

I found a lot of a tips in this book very helpful and informative, definitely some ideas to keep and some to ignore, as Hancock herself says. Some sections (couponing, for instance), made me feel more and more tense and overwhelmed as I read them, so I will definitely NOT be trying some of that, but many of the other ideas are quite sound. Worthwhile resource.

[Judy Clemens · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an easy-to-follow instruction guide on how to save money on your food budget. It is connected to Faithfulprovisions.com, which is a web site that is also very helpful as far as organization and budgeting.

[Andrea · Rating 3 out of 5]

Great book to listen to while doing tedious tasks at work! I am not sure I learned anything new but this book would be a great introduction to someone just getting started couponing, building a reserve stock or just looking for some easy starting places to reduce spending.

[Slaa!!! · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well much of this was skimmed but

Lots of gr8 info but my thing is that nutritional value is v. important and I'm not going to buy something made with crap ingredients because it's on sale and I have a coupon, you feel?