访谈录 2008-08-27&08-29 教你将生活开始减半

We're all paying more for groceries than ever before except for one family. They had nearly cut their grocery bill in half while everyone else's just keeps going up. So, how do they do it? How could you do it too? Our Mike Von Fremd reveals¹ the answer in our latest Recession² Rescue.

To the aptly named Economides family, shopping is a game. The thrill of victory is to find the cheapest food. Entertainment for you, it seems like. I know you like the deal. It's a fun you get the deal. Well, it is. I mean, If your job is to stretch your dollars and you can do it and have success at it, I mean, wouldn't you?

Steve Annette Economides feed their family of six for just $350 a month -- something you have to see to believe. At the first store, they used coupons³ for almost every item, buying more than $140 worth of food for just $53. Thank you all, RockRoc.

The typical American family buys only a few bags of groceries for $100. So at our next stop, I challenged the Economides to see how much they could buy with $100. And the race was on.

"Wait, wait, we'd better check that, make sure you didn't short us. Trust but verify⁴, huh. It's all there. Ok, good, we are ready.

And they did not disappoint, buying thirteen bags of groceries, everything from granola bars, yogurt to fruits and vegetables for only $101.77.  

An average person would have spent 200,250, what do you think? At least 200, I'm thinking, coz of all, the price match. Think about the price match. You, you’re convinced⁵ you got about at least 50 percent off? Yeah. Proud of yourself?  Yeah! She did good!

Price match means the store will match the lowest price from any competitor. It's a good way to stretch your dollars. And the Economides have some other tips.

No.1. Don’t go to the grocery store often. A lot of families are going three, four, five times a week. We're gonna take a challenge, let's say, I'm gonna plan the menu, I'm gonna plan five dinners. And I am gonna go shopping once this week, and buy the stuff⁶ I need, use what's in my pantry, whatever, and not  go back to the store, no matter what.

The Economides planned for each grocery trip. They bring coupons which save them $87.57 on this trip. And they write down price match items, saving⁷ $42.18.

 No.2. Leave the kids at home. You'll save three times the price of the baby- sitter if you have time to really think and walk through the store and get and pick up the things you need.

No.3. Have the deli slice your lunch meat. I need you to slice this up for me, real thin, can you do that? Yes. By buying a chop⁸ of meat and asking the deli to slice it for you, you can save $1 to $5 a pound. And finally, the Economides recommend: You grind⁹ your own meat. You can buy the cheapest cuts of like, chuck roast or chuck steak at $1.50 pound, and leave most of the fat on there , put it through the grinder and the stuff will come out looking like and cooking up as if you have bought the $5 a pound lean ground beef.

Total savings¹⁰ $3.50 a pound. This family wins the gold medal when it comes to saving money. I mean, this is like your moment of glory, when you look and see that you tripled¹¹ your money, isn't it.... Yes. And they'd like to teach you how to do the same.

For Good Morning America, Mike Von Fremd , ABC news, Phoenix

1 reveals   

v.显示( reveal的第三人称单数 )；揭示；泄露；[神学]启示

参考例句：

• He reveals his innermost feelings only to his best friend. 他把最隐秘的想法只告诉最好的朋友。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The strong wind reveals the strength of the grass. 疾风知劲草。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

2 recession   

n.（工商业的）衷退（期），萧条（期）

参考例句：

• Manufacturing fell sharply under the impact of the recession.受到经济萧条的影响，制造业急剧衰退。
• A rise in interest rates plunged Britain deeper into recession.利率的提高导致英国经济更加萧条。

3 coupons   

n.礼券( coupon的名词复数 )；优惠券；订货单；参赛表

参考例句：

• The company gives away free coupons for drinks or other items. 公司为饮料或其它项目发放免费赠券。 来自辞典例句
• Do you have any coupons? 你们有优惠卡吗？ 来自英汉 - 翻译样例 - 口语

4 verify   

vt.核实，查对；证明，证实

参考例句：

• Men were sent out to verify whether it was true. 几个人被派去查清事实。
• We will verify this with a copy of payment schedule.我们将按付款程序的副本进行核实。

5 convinced   

adj.确信的；深信的；有坚定信仰的v.使确信(convince的过去分词)；说服

参考例句：

• I am convinced of her innocence. 我坚信她是清白无辜的。
• I'm convinced there's a jinx on this car. 我看这辆汽车是灾星。

6 stuff   

n.原料，材料，东西；vt.填满；吃饱

参考例句：

• We could supply you with the stuff in the raw tomorrow.明天我们可以供应你原材料。
• He is not the stuff.他不是这个材料。

7 saving   

n.节省，节约；[pl.]储蓄金，存款

参考例句：

• Energy saving is term strategic policy of our country.节约能源是我国长期的战略国策。
• Old-fashioned housewives were usually very saving.旧时的家庭主妇通常都很节俭。

8 chop   

n.厚肉片，排骨，砍，交换，戳记，商标；vt.剁碎，砍，切，割断；vi.砍，突然转向

参考例句：

• He struck off the branch with a single chop of the ax.他一斧子就砍掉了那根树枝。
• She cut down the seedling with one chop.她一刀就把小苗砍倒了。

9 grind   

n.（常贬义）用功的学生，书呆子；vt.磨，磨碎

参考例句：

• Would you please grind a pound of coffee for me? 请给我磨一磅咖啡好吗？
• Do you find learning English a grind?你觉得学英语是一件苦差事吗？

10 savings   

n.存款，储蓄

参考例句：

• I can't afford the vacation,for it would eat up my savings.我度不起假，那样会把我的积蓄用光的。
• By this time he had used up all his savings.到这时，他的存款已全部用完。

11 tripled   

v.（使）增至三倍( triple的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• The enemy tripled his strength. 敌军把兵力增加到原来的三倍。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• He tripled his income. 他使他的收入增加两倍[增至三倍]。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》