I come from a long line of women whose lives were one long austerity measure, and I understand a lot of the basic principles for getting by with a smile: save cash, spend downtime increasing household efficiency, make your own stuff, and hang tight.

But it can be hard to change any habit, including habits about how we spend money. It's easy to slip into a rut of buying the same stuff all the time at the grocery store without noticing weekly price fluctuations. Using the Handy Adder is an effective and weirdly fun way to reconnect your attention with every item and not get hosed or miss big price increases. It's the grocery store version of Be Here Now.

Onward, Mighty Bargain Hunters!

-- Lisa Williams

Handy Adder
$5
Available from The Five and Ten