Teri Gault is the CEO of The Grocery Game, co producer of Super Saver Showdown and a top couponing expert! Each week she will be providing her super saver tips and tricks right here!

Our second episode hones in on what matters most... people! No matter how tight your budget, in the end, it’s all about making a fabulous party for one special person.  Devin’s Sweet Sixteen Hollywood Glamour Party and Alex’ Rock and Roll Graduation Party were both huge hits with a party food budget of only $100 each. So how does that work?

Our Super Savers made a lot of smart moves in the supermarket, but I noticed one over-riding theme articulated by our very own Kristan Cunningham.  So before we go on... Repeat this three times, "Paying retail is a crime." Well said, Kristan! And that applies to groceries too!

1. Shop Sales! – Ericka came with a shortage of coupons, and decided to run with one rule: “Everything I put in my cart has been on sale.”  I’m not going to give away how that worked for her... But she did well!
2. Look Again!  – Even while pressed for time, instead of grabbing the first hot dogs she found, Allison took just a few more seconds, and found a real deal.  They must have been delicious because the party guests gobbled them up! Now, that’s money found without compromise!
3. Just Ask! –Stores abound with manager’s specials and clearance that you won’t know about unless you ASK!  Ericka found some clearance produce on a shelf, but in her home-town grocery store, she’s friends with her manager who shows her great deals that he hasn’t yet offered to the public! So give asking a try, because sometimes it works. I’ve always made a habit of asking my meat manager for specials, or the deli manager if he’s going to be marking anything down. Sometimes, they go in the back, and return with armloads of clearance food that’s perfectly good and marked down half! It was all going to go on the shelves later the same day, and I happened to be there at the right time to... ASK!

While refusing to pay retail, you must also refuse to sacrifice quality. Devin looked like a true Hollywood starlet, and her Hollywood party fare got rave reviews! Alex had a blast at his “Rock and Roll” party, and his mom was just about moved to tears, “The fact that we did it for under $200 is amazing!”

No compromise! It’s about the people you love, and they deserve only the best!

Just wait and see what our Super Savers accomplish next week! See you there!