It Does Not Need To Be Expensive To Be The Best

You’ve probably done this. You’ve gone shopping at a few different locations and found that at a larger ‘big box’ retailer prices are considerably less than at smaller non-chain stores. There’s nothing that says you must pay more for an item that you can potentially purchase for a substantial saving somewhere else. But there are reasons for the price differential.

Let’s take a closer look at pricing and how it relates to quality and value. It may be fair to say that a cheaper priced item may not have the same quality as the "same" thing pitched with a higher price. But is it really the same thing we are comparing? It’s known as comparing apples to apples and not apples to oranges.

For example, if the corner Mom and Pop grocery store sells local corn at $1.00 per pound, you may think it’s not such a bad deal. The larger grocery store chain down the street is selling US-grown corn for 50-cents per pound. It’s half price, so it’s got to be a really good deal. But if you really care about the quality of the corn and did some homework you may discover that the US-grown variety has been in transport and storage for a few weeks where the local organically-grown corn was pulled from the field last night.

The price says there’s a real deal with the US-grown but when you examine the quality of one to the other, you may lean towards the more expensive of the two knowing you are supporting a local farmer and a local grocery owner rather than a faceless grocery chain and unknown corn producer. You can’t even be certain if the US-grown corn has been genetically modified or had pesticide sprayed in the field prior to planting.

Other instances where cheaper is in fact a deal is when you are shopping at close-out sales or items are clearance priced.

This is where you can save a great deal of money, often far more than half price, and end up with a top quality product that is either discontinued or the end of a stock order and the store owner or manager wants to make room for new product.

The same method is used at the end of a car model year. Car dealers are clearing out this year’s models to give them space to stock up on next year’s new models. There is nothing wrong with either model year, but since one is no longer considered the ‘current’ one, you stand to realize major savings as a result.

One more way to reduce what you spend and still purchase top quality items is through flyer shopping. Any store that has a regular flyer program follows a six week inventory rotation. This includes hardware, electronics, furniture, groceries and any other store with such a sales program. You simply have to pay attention to the flyer pricing. In essence, you could buy something on sale today that last week was marked at regular price. Smart consumers stretch their budget this way and save thousands of dollars annually by being wise to when they make their purchases.

With the online explosion the world's largest Retailer, Amazon understands these concepts all too well. With Amazon you can buy anything you want, from a new Electric Shaver  to a Treadmill, from a Garden Fork to a Compost bin, from fresh groceries to Vitamin Supplements. You can shop for value (price), but hundreds, even thousands of user reviews also let you see what you are paying for.  You can even have at delivered to your dorr via drone in a few hours in some cases.

But the old saying still applies, just because it is cheap does not always mean it is a bargain either. Endless "knock-off’ brands exist that make use of this mindset of shoppers hungry for deals and not all that concerned about quality. If you are most interested in value over cost, then you will be the kind of shopper who pays attention to such things as flyer programs and loyalty incentives where you can earn points or credits that can be used to purchase items at a saving to you.

Not everything has to be expensive to be the best. However, it does pay to be an educated shopper watching for good deals but not falling for the bad ones.

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How Do I Start a Herb Garden?

Having a great diet is still by far the best way to stay healthy, although these days you will probably need some quality nutritional supplements as well.  The best diets start with good fresh homemade meals,  and the easiest and cheapest way to add flavor is with fresh Herbs.

Planning and creating a herb garden can also be  one of the easiest tasks you can ever do at home. Here are some tips on how you can start a herb garden at home right outside your kitchen.

Find the Best Spot to Start Your Herb Gardening

The first step is to select a good location. Be aware that in order for you to successfully grow herbs you need a well-drained soil and plenty of sunlight. This simply means that when you are choosing a location, you need to find a place with at least 6 hours sunlight per day, with a little run off so it drains well.  Remember you will be going to this garden frequently for fresh ingredients as you cook, so close to the kitchen or failing that at least close to the house is a great place to start.

Prepare the Soil for Herb Gardening

After you have decided on the location to grow your herbs, the next thing to do is to prepare the soil. Before you start tilling the soil, make sure you have a good supply of compost , and  add as much  as you can right from the start. If you do not have homemade Compost, you can buy good quality compost in bags, from your garden supply store.

The Compost will provide the nutrients needed by your plants, and will help to get them established quickly. We do not recommend adding manures, as they are high in  nitrogen.  The nitrogen may help grow the herbs faster but in the end  it will mean you Herbs do not produce a fullness of flavor.

Select Your Herbs to Plant on Your Garden

You probably already have a good idea of which plants you would like to grow, some will grow for only one season, others for an entire year, and some will last for many years. A good list to start with includes  basil, dill, sage, mint, rosemary, oregano, and chives .  

Planting and Growing the Herbs

Herbs can be grown in two different ways, either planted as young seedlings,  or for even greater satisfaction by sowing the seeds.  If you are new to gardening, buying seedlings might be easier for you, but  if you start this way remember to harvest seeds from your plants as they reach the end of their seasons.  This way you will never pay for herb seedlings again.

Once you are done planting your little herbs, make sure to water them regularly. In addition, make sure to harvest the herbs often so the plants can produce more and more foliage over time. At the end of the plant's growing season, you may freeze or dry the harvested herbs so you can go one enjoying  your home-grown herbs the entire year.