Book Review and Giveaway : Your Grocery Budget Toolbox

I have to say that I was super-excited when fellow blogger, Anne, asked me to review her new book, Your Grocery Budget Toolbox.  I have followed her blog, Authentic Simplicity for a while now and I always learn something valuable.  I really admire her balance between providing healthy meals to her family, food allergies, and a tight budget.  This same balance is reflected in Your Grocery Budget Toolbox. 

There couldn't possibly be a better title for this book.  Just like my husband's toolbox in the garage, this book is chock full of useful tools; except the book is much better organized than my husband's toolbox.  Anne not only covered just about everything you need to know to balance and easily reduce your grocery budget but went a step further and included printables and recipes to help you out.  You want to start meal planning like a grown-up? She's included a printable for that.  You want to try out Once A Month Shopping (OAMS)? Yep, there's a printable for that.  You want to make your own ranch dressing?  Guess what... there's a recipe for that.  It's all the information you need to truly make the most of your grocery dollars all in one place.  All the things you may or may not have researched in multiple places, skillfully organized in one 'Toolbox'..

Included after each chapter are challenges. These little challenges were very simple ways to try out the information provided and just the thing to get me to actually apply what I'd just read.  I thought that was really groovy because let's face it, you could read the best and greatest information in the world, but if you don't do anything with it, what's the benefit?  For me, this great information I do nothing with is meal planning.  

I know I should be meal planning to maximize my budget and grocery efficiency, I just don't.  Seriously, I approach meal planning tips like I approach diet tips: yes, I agree, it's what I should be doing, but the toddler inside of me irrationally screams, " I don't wanna! I don't wanna!  I don't wanna!"  Because it's always sounded like a lot of work, I hesitate to commit the time and energy eventhough I know it's a smart move.  But the challenge called only to make a plan, not necessarily stick to it.  I could commit to that.  I used a couple of the tips Anne included in the "tool box" and within 5 minutes, I had a plan with stuff already in my fridge/pantry/freezer.  Hmmm, maybe this meal planning thing isn't so hard after all.  It was kind of freeing to know what I was going to prepare for the week and I don't have to make a trip to the grocery store.  Cool, one less thing to worry about.  I'm feeling like a toolbox-wielding ninja at this point.

This empowering toolbox-in-an-eBook is sold for the groovy price of $4.99.  But because Anne is super-nice, she's allowing me to give a copy away to one of my fabulous readers.  Now how cool is a free book?!  If you just can't wait to get your hands on this eBook, Anne is offering a 20% discount, just visit Authentic Simplicity and enter Discount Code: 'abundant' and you will be able to download the book for a budget-friendly $3.99.  Oh, and by-the-way, if you buy the eBook and end up winning it in the giveaway, Anne is happy to refund your money. 

If this got any more awesome, it would involve magic rainbows and unicorns!


Enter this giveaway via Rafflecopter here:


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Update: Congratulations to Christine for winning a copy of Your Grocery Budget Toolbox!!!


Note: This review reflects my personal opinion.  I am not being paid or otherwise influenced to provide a positive review.  I just really really thing this eBook is great.  Honest-to-goodness.  

Other Note: Oh, and I'm required to note that by entering this giveaway, you acknowledge that Facebook doesn’t sponsor, endorse, administer, or associate with this giveaway.