First, let’s talk about why drinking water is
important. It is important to drink
water because your body is made up of about 80% of water. This means to be
healthy you must replenish the lost water due to activity so that you don’t
become dehydrated. How by drinking at
least half your body weight in water.
For instance, if you weigh 150 pounds you should drink at least 75
ounces of water per day to keep healthy.
Or, you can simply drink 8-12 8 ounce glasses of water to meet your
quota.
Next, the benefits of drinking water include aids your body
with better digestion, increased energy, provides moisture for your body and
weight control.
How is water good for weight control? Drinking water is good for weight control
because water makes you feel full. You
see, your body sometimes confuses thirst with hunger so sometimes you might eat
something because you think you are hungry, but you are thirsty. Ever eat something and wonder why you don’t
feel satisfied? It may be because you
were thirsty instead of hungry.
Therefore, drinking water can help you control your weight by not
overeating and grocery budget.
How can I increase my water intake? You can increase your water intake by
drinking water with meals instead of having sugary drinks such as juice, soda
and milk. Soda and juice have a lot of
calories, however water has no calories.
Another way to increase your water intake is always keep a bottle of
water on hand even when you are at work, in the car or are simply out and
about.
Drinking water is not only good for your overall, promotes healthy
living and helps you save money on groceries too.
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In a previous post we talked about which foodsaver model to buy, now let's talk about why buy a foodsaver?
Using a foodsaver is an easy way to save on groceries, you just using it and begin to save money.
I first found out about foodsavers about 10 years ago on an infomercial, it was quite pricey I felt at $199.99. However, if it worked as claimed and resulted in me saving money I felt it was worth the money. At the time I ate out alot so when I went grocery shopping, I figure about a 1/3 of it would go to waste. I am embarassed to tell you that I put about $50 or more of my hard earned money in the garbage each month without giving it much thought. Sure I hated putting the food in the trash, but it didn't dawn on me that I was actually throwing money in the garbage. DUH! Then I saw the foodsaver informercial and a lightbulb went off when I they pointed out how your are wasting money when you throw food in the garbage. When you think of throwing food in the garbage it not limited to uncooked groceries you let get moldy, it also includes leftovers you forget in the refrigerator. Money down the drain.
I am glad that I decided to buy a foodsaver because it has greatly improved the quality of my life. I no longer throw money down the drain which makes my cheap groceries even cheaper because very little goes to waste. The foodsaver is easy to use and much better than putting food in food storage bags with a vacuum seal and helps keep me organized by being stackable.
In a recent post, we talk about Foodsaver: Martha Stewart Endorsement. Read that post if you are unclear about what a foodsaver is and how it can save you tons of money.
This post will help you identify the best foodsaver model for you. Foodsaver comes in various shapes and sizes along with a variety of prices. The prices range from $87.35 to $158.35 and the higher the prices, the more automated the model. We will look at the top 3 models so that you can make more informed decision.
Tilia Advanced V2490 FoodSaver Vacuum-Packaging System - This is the one of the cheaper models of the foodsaver priced at approximately $87.35. It is very efficient and provides the same commercial grade vacuum seal which is the only part of the sealing process which is automated. You will need to make sure you keep scissors handy to cut the storage bag and it fits conveniently it your kitchen cabinet. I am mentioning this because my kitchen is small so I need to always keep my kitchen cabinet as clear as possible and if this is one of your concerns you know what to expect.
This is a great counter top model which has an inside compartment for a storage bag roll and a built-in cutter so that you have everything at your fingertip to commence sealing. It also features handsfree sealing, canister and marinate mode. The kit includes an 11-inch roll, 3 quart-size bags and 2 gallon-size bags so you will not need to order
anything separately.
This model is the same as the V3480 except it is stainless steel and model V3480 is white.
Any model you order is a great value for the money.It is simply a matte making a purchasing decision based on you budget and the style of model. I personally recommend Tilia Advanced V2490 FoodSaver Vacuum-Packaging System even though it is one of the cheaper models because it offers the same features as the more expensive models such as handfree operation and canister mode without a great expense.
If you use a foodsaver consistently, it will pay for itself within 2-3 months depending on the amount of spoilage you were experiencing prior using the foodsaver. I noticed a dramatic deduction in 1 month of using the foodsaver consistently. The only time I experience spoilage now is if I don’t take the time out to store the food using a foodsaver.
Did you know that vinegar is the original green cleaner? It is cheap, good for the earth and kills 99% of all bacteria including e. coli and salmonella. It is just as effective as bleach when disinfecting.
Are you worried that you home will smell like vinegar? Don't because the vinegar smell goes away as the vinegar solution dries. I mix in a spray brought bottle 1 part vinegar and 1 part water. For example, if I have a 16oz spray bottle, then I mix 8 oz of vinegar with 8 oz of water. Also, to further adapt to a greener lifestyle I reuse a spray bottle for a product I use to use to save money.
A bottle of 16oz vinegar for $1 at the Dollar store or as in Are Wholesale Clubs Worth the Price of Membership where a 1.32 gallon or 5 liters of vinegar can be purchased for $5. That is a great price for a product with so MANY uses.
Why isn't vinegar listed as a cleaner? Heinz or any other company that manufacturers vinegar cannot list it as a cleaning agent unless it is first submitted to the EPA as a pestiside. They will not list it as a pestiside for obvious reasons.
In the book Amazing Apple Cider Vinegar, all the uses of vinegar are identified along with proof that the infall the uses of vinegar are identified along with proof that the information has been verified and works.This book is invaluable because once I saw how good it cleaned, remembered how cheap it is and how green it is. I got very excited and wanted to see where else around the house I could save money and be green!
There numerous ways to save money on groceries and frugality in general. Everyone has their own perception on how to explain things or to get things done so it is always very interesting to hear what other people have to say about topics you are interested in. I want to share with you my favorite top 3 sites on frugality.
Each of these sites talk about frugality in some shape or form. Whether they talk about saving money on groceries or offer life lessons about saving time because after all time is money.
Let me know what you think about these sites and whether or not you decide to subscribe to anyone of them.
Grocery Shopping is a daunting, but necessary task. However, planning ahead can save you time and money.
The 3 secrets are:
Make a grocery list.A list helps you stay focused and prevents you buying unnecessary items. Try to buy items on your list only if they are on sale and you have a coupon for because it will give you a better value for your money and eventually all the items on your list go on sale.
Obtain the weekly sales circular of your choice. Decide where you are going to shop because you don't want to go from store to store wasting time and money. Identify which store will give you a better overall value for you money.
Use coupons. It sounds clique to use coupons, but coupons are underrated. Despite the fact that it takes time to collect them, they should be regarded as valuable as money. Why? Most grocery stores offer double manufacture coupons which means if you have a $.40 coupon the grocery store will reduce your cost by $.80 instead of $.40. This adds up especially if you are using coupons for your other items as well.
Using these tips will help you save time and money on groceries because you are using your time and resources effectively.
What do you think about this post? Have you tried any of these tips? Did you they work for you? Let me know.
About a year ago, I started looking into ways I can maintain a healthy weight and train myself to eat healthy even on the go. This being said I discovered ways to incorporate fiber into my diet in healthy and convenient ways.
Here are the 3 Ways I Sneak Fiber into my diet:
Legumes - All beans are an excellent source of fiber. However, most beans take a long time to cook except legumes. Legumes generally cook in 20 minutes and still offer the same high fiber content which is expected of beans. My favorite legumes are the lentil beans. I put them in dishes which are not traditionally fiber filled such as spaghetti, baked ziti, lasagna, etc. You won't even notice they are there because they take on the flavor of the sauce and meat.
Apples - I like apples because generally they are inexpensive and easy to carry on the go so there is not excuse for not having a dose of fiber on the go.
Nuts - Nuts can have the wrong types of fats so you have to be careful with them. You can incur unwanted weight gain. Generally speaking the healthy nuts which are good for you are walnuts and almonds. A handful for a snack is filling and nutritious.
These healthy high fiber foods are generally inexpensive especially if you shop at a wholesale club and always remember to watch your portions.
Grocery shopping can be a daunting and costly task. Thanks to the great article on the 10 Steps to Smarter Food Shopping, it doesn't have to be that way any longer. The tips are very insightful and are some of which I already practice so I know they work. For example, I make a list before I go grocery shopping and only come of the list if there is something very important that I totally neglected to put it on the list such as milk, ketchup or any other staple. Otherwise, I am pretty stringent about going by the list. It something about those bright lights in the store which make people go crazy and want to buy everything in sight.
Also, limit the trips made to the grocery store. Making too many trips to the grocery store wastes alot of time, money and gas. All of which cost money.
Grocery shopping can be a daunting and costly task. Thanks to the great article on the 10 Steps to Smarter Food Shopping, it doesn't have to be that way any longer.
The tips are very insightful and are some of which I already practice so I know they work. For example, I make a list before I go grocery shopping and only come of the list if there is something very important that I totally neglected to put it on the list such as milk, ketchup or any other staple. Otherwise, I am pretty stringent about going by the list. It something about those bright lights in the store which make people go crazy and want to buy everything in sight.
Also, limit the trips made to the grocery store. Making too many trips to the grocery store wastes alot of time, money and gas. All of which cost money.
How can snacks help you save money on groceries? They can help you save money on groceries by reducing them in your diet. For example, a bag of Oreos cookies are one of my favorite guilty pleasures is $4.29 at a local grocery store. However, at a wholesale club, you can buy more than double the amount of oreos for $9.29. See my post Are Wholesale Clubs Worth the Price of Membership for more information on wholesale clubs.
Look at the serving size label of your favorite foods. I am going to use Oreos as an example because as I mentioned before these are my favorite guilty pleasures. A serving size for Oreos is 3 cookies. It is the equivalent to 180 calories. This only 3 little cookies with no nutritional value, if I eat 6 cookies I will have eaten a whole meals worth of calories without any nutritional value.
I am not suggesting you cut out unhealthy snacks entirely, but you may want to eat them in moderation to improve your diet because they are costly and bad for your health. There are 3 ways you can reduce unhealthy eating habits: 1. Reduce the amount and frequency of the snack 2. Find healthier equivalents for the snack 3. Eliminate the snack entirely from your diet
These tips will help you save money on groceries and move towards a healthier diet. Also, I read an interesting article How to Kill your Additions to Junk Food and Soda Pop which has a lot of tips on how curb bad eating habits.
Did you know that you could save money on groceries by eating leftovers? Just think about. Sometimes we have leftover food and we store it in the refrigeration often forgetting it is there. Then, the only way we discover the lost food is by opening containers we didn’t realize were in the refrigerator or the refrigeration is starting to smell so we start cleaning out the refrigerator. Sound familiar? Saving money on groceries is not just about clipping coupons. It is also about reducing spoilage and getting the most use out of the food you bought with your hard earned money. Do you realize when you throw away food, you are literally throwing money away? You are throwing away food you bought with your hard earned money. This can be remedied in 2 simple ways by using a foodsaver and a freezer.
A foodsaver is a household appliance, which provides a commercial grade vacuum seal to food. The vacuum seal keeps food fresh for months. To find out more information about foodsavers see the following blogs: Save Time, Money and Energy by using a Foodsaver and How to Use a Foodsaver in 5 Quick and Easy Steps. Once you have packaged the food according to the foodsaver instructions you have the choice of either putting the food in the refrigerator or freezer. It is better to freeze it if you don’t plan on eating the food within the next 2 – 3 days because the food will last even longer in the freezer. Then, you will have ready made meals for snacks, lunches and dinners --- or for anytime.
I have been using my foodsaver religiously for the past couple of years. Sometimes I have several meals on hand and will not need to go to the grocery store for a week or 2. This comes in handy when I am a little over budget or don’t feel like cooking. I have save a lot of money on groceries because I have reduced my spoilage.
With gas and food prices rising at astronomical proportions, it is vital for survival to regularly review your budget to keep your expenses under control.
This being said I started thinking about how many times I eat out per week. I eat out about 2 - 3 times per week. Each meal costs between $7 and $10, which is approximately $21 - $30 weekly. This really adds up. I spend about $70 per month on value meals which have no nutritional value. This is hard earned money I could use to buy groceries and make healthier food choices. It is much cheaper to cook your food yourself.
I learned 2 lessons from this budget review:
1. Eating out is costly 2. Eating out is unhealthy
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Do you want save money on your groceries, but are not quite sure how? I can tell you how to maximize the money you save on your groceries in 3 simple steps.
Buy only the groceries you need and/ or will use. If you spend your valuable money on groceries you do not need, then you are wasting your money because you would not use the item.
Remember the grocery store prices. Whether or not you use grocery store coupons to reduce your bill, make sure you are getting the best value for your money by know your sale prices. For example, one week a box of cereal will cost $2.49 and the next week it may cost $1.99. This is why it is so important to know the prices of groceries. It will increase the value you get for your coupons and money. In other words, the more money you will save!
Shop at a store which offers double or triple coupons.
Coupons are like money because if you have a $.75 coupon and it is doubled. This is a whopping $1.50 off of your groceries.
These 3 simple steps show you have clipping grocery coupons is worth your valuable time because as the saying goes -- "time is money"!
Buying meat is very expensive and can bust your grocery budget. If you are looking to save money on meats, then forgo your local grocery store and run to a wholesale club such as Sam's Club, BJ's Wholesale or Costco.
Why buy meat from a wholesale club? A wholesale club's whole premise is to charge its member a fee so that the club can use their negotiating powers to buy groceries at wholesale prices. Then the club passes the savings on to their members by offering cheap grocery prices which tend to be 30% - 50% off retail prices.
For example, I bought 2 whole chickens for $7.77 at $.88/lb and 6lbs of chicken wings for $8.88 at $1.48/lb. These are bargain prices compared to buying them at a local grocery store for $2.99/lb when they are not on sale. These great prices are on all meats. Sirlion steak is $4.99/lb, but will run you a hefty $7.99/lb in the grocery store
I am a big fan of buying groceries at wholesale clubs because I save a minimum of $100 a month. Therefore, $45 for the cost of membership is worth the price. It pays for itself in the first month.
Now that you have learned that you can buy cheap groceries at wholesale clubs, especially meats, what's next? Learn how you can preserve the freshness of meats and save even money more money by using a foodsaver. There you will find many useful tips on how vacuum sealing your food, especially meats will keep them fresh up to 5 times longer than conventional storage.
You have finally purchased your groceries cheaply. Now what? How do I keep the food fresh? The answer is simple -- use a foodsaver. See Maximize your Grocery Dollars with a Foodsaver. There you will find many useful tips on how to keep your groceries fresh whether its meals prepared in advance or leftovers.
The groceries totalled $31.43. I only had 3 small plastic bags of groceries. When I looked at the contents, there were snacks and household items. Nothing to make dinner for the night, let alone a week. Then I decided to do some research by perusing several popular local grocery store chains weekly circular.
Results
At last, Pathmark advertised a section where everything was either 5 items for $5 or 10 items for $10. If I did my math correctly, this is equivalent to $1 per item. Upon further inquiry, I found out you can either purchase one of the item or buy several. Also, you can mix and match the $5 and $10 items. Still only paying $1 per item. Did you know that you could save even more by using manufacturers coupons.
Let's Go Shopping
Armed with this new found knowledge, I made list of the groceries I needed based on the fact that it was on sale and I had a couponsfor it. (Manufacturer's know when the grocery store is going to put an item on sale and will distribute a Click here tocoupons This worked great! I purchased the groceries I needed at a low price and saved 50% off my groceries. Paying $49.23 for $91.67 worth of groceries.
How I Did It!
Lipton/ Knorr Pasta Sides were on sale 5 for $5, which is $1 a piece. I had a coupons for 75¢/ 2, which is 75¢ off of 2 pasta sides packets. (Did I mention Pathmark and most grocery stores double the face value of the manufacturer coupons up to 99¢?) I bought 2 pasta sides at $2, then the Pathmark doubled the coupon making it $1.50 of a $2 purchase. So, I paid 25¢ for each package!