FitSugar

Cut Costs, Not Nutrition: Part Two

FitSugar — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 12:00:00 PDT

I recently told you about a few tips on how to cut costs at the grocery store while keeping your meals nutritious. And University of Michigan Health System nutritionist Holly Scherer has come up with a few more ways to keep eating healthy and cost effective. They are:

Look for the generic or store brand.
Stock up on nonperishables when they go on sale.
Avoid the temptation of the cookie aisle and the chip aisle. Spend more time in the perimeter of the store, where the fresh products are, and really focus on the fruits, vegetables, lean meats, and the low-fat dairy.
Use coupons, but only for things that you normally would buy, not a lot of high-fat, high-sugar foods.
Cook at home instead of going out to eat.
When you do eat out and you know that a restaurant serves large portions, have them bag half the meal right when they serve it and eat the leftovers for lunch the next day.

What are some of your own tips for eating healthy on a budget?

Source

Cut Costs, Not Nutrition: Part One

FitSugar — Tue, 08 Jul 2008 08:00:00 PDT

In this time of economic hardships, it's getting harder and harder to put healthy foods on the table every day. It's tempting to just hit the dollar menu at your local fast food stop, but there are simple ways that you can cut costs and still eat healthy. Reuters has consulted with Holly Scherer, a registered dietician at the University of Michigan Health System in Ann Arbor, for a few ways to cut costs but not nutrition. Here are highlights:

Eating in season is one key way to cut your food bill.
Local co-operatives where you trade money or labor in order to reap the benefits of a larger community garden or local farm are another option for fresh fruits and vegetables.
You can save money by planting your own produce and herbs.
When fresh options are too expensive or unavailable, consider frozen and canned fruits and vegetables.

What about the most expensive part of your grocery bill? Protein. There are ways to cut costs there too so

Try simply eating less meat with your meals.
Though the price of eggs has increased, they are still a cheaper source of protein than meat. Beans are another option for adding protein to meals at a low cost.
Less expensive cuts are often less tender, which makes them good choices for meals like stews and casseroles.
Watch for sales so you can purchase preferred cuts at a discount and freeze them for later use.
Buying chicken breasts with the bone and skin on and filleting and skinning them yourself will also save money because the price per pound is lower.

Source

10 Tips to Save on Memorial Day Grocery Shopping

Emily Co — Sat, 26 May 2012 00:15:10 PDT

It's fun to host people for a barbecue, but it can also get quite pricey when everyone isn't chipping in. Consumer expert Andrea Woroch provides suggestions to cut your grocery bill when shopping for your Memorial Day meal:

Prepare most of your meal. Woroch says, "The general rule for prepared foods is that they are more expensive, and it's cheaper to buy the ingredients to prepare yourself." For example, prepared veggie platters and fruit salads "are never a good deal" and aren't exactly the freshest produce. However, prepared potato salad at a regular supermarket is less expensive and will save you time in the kitchen.

Get chicken from the butcher. Buy chicken breasts from the butcher counter instead of the prepared packets. They tend to be cheaper and are generally more fresh.

Consider boxed wine. Save money by skipping the bottled wine and going for the box. "Boxed wine is an affordable option for large parties, and the quality has greatly improved in recent years," she says.

Buy liquor at a superstore. If you're insistent on a specific bottle, then check out warehouse clubs like Costco. There are better deals on wine, liquor, and beer at a superstore, according to Woroch. While you're there, pick the store's generic version of vodka for an even cheaper deal.

Make your own salad dressing and marinade. Check out recipes online - here's a list of over 60 different marinades to make. "Most people will already have the basic ingredients like olive oil, some type of vinegar, and herbs at home," she says. "Other ingredients like lemon or lime, soy sauce, or honey won't cost much extra."

Read on for more.

5 Things You Always Wanted to Know About Paying For College

LearnVest — Wed, 23 May 2012 00:15:23 PDT

Paying for college is such a complex issue. LearnVest helps simplify it by answering some key questions in regard to paying tuition.

If you believe everything you read, then you might think you need to be a Rockefeller to have kids.

That, of course, isn't the case.

Yes, kids are expensive, and thinking about paying for a college education can be scary and frustrating . . . but that's where we come in.

As with everything else in life, figuring out what to do about your kid's college savings is all about the planning, says Stephany Kirkpatrick, CFP, LearnVest's director of financial planning. Depending on where you are in life right now and how old your kids are, you may have questions about how to set up a 529 plan (which is an education savings plan designed to help families set aside funds for future college costs), what to look for, and when to start saving.

If you're pregnant or have a newborn and are starting to think about this, then good for you! The earlier you get started socking away cash for their college, the easier it will be. You'll learn a lot in this article, but you should also check out our Baby on Board Bootcamp, which will tell you everything you need to know - financially - to be ready for a baby. It includes 529 advice, as well as financial tips on everything from putting together a will and picking out a life insurance policy to buying nursery basics.
If your kid is slightly older and you’ve done your research but haven’t yet started saving in a 529 plan, then first read the four mistakes to avoid when choosing a 529 plan, and then check out the different college savings plans available to you.
If this is the first you’re thinking about it, no matter your kid's ageI, then don't worry about it. You have to start somewhere!

Read on for more.

6 Handy Tips For Packing Work Lunches

Emily Co — Tue, 15 May 2012 09:28:28 PDT

Bringing lunch to work every day sure does save more than a few bucks and keeps you healthy at the same time. It's such an easy everyday saving trick, and it's a great option for those trying to cut costs on their daily expenses. Here are a few tips that get me through the week.

Mental Meal Plan: What do you want to eat for the rest of the week? Give it some thought before you make a trip to the grocery store to buy some ingredients. For inspiration, flip through Yum's list of delicious work lunches. While you're grocery shopping, read our savvy tricks for saving money at the supermarket.
Prep on Sunday: Buy all the ingredients you need on Sunday so that you won't have to desperately scramble around the night before. If you're planning on making one dish that you'll be eating all week (such as soup), you can either keep it refrigerated or, depending on what type of dish it is, you can also choose to freeze it in five ziploc packets that you can ration out throughout the week.
Keep It Separate: If you want to keep your lunch fresh, try to keep the pieces separate and assemble it right before you're having lunch. This works best for meals such as salads and sandwiches - soggy bread and vegetables are not appetizing!

Read on for more tips.

5 Simple Tips to Trim Your Wedding Guest List

Laura Marie Given — Thu, 10 May 2012 14:00:39 PDT

From long-lost aunts and uncles to your father-in-law's best friend's cousin, it's easy to let your wedding guest list spin out of control. It's tough to pick and choose who to invite - where do you draw the line? Still, when it comes to watching expenses, cutting the guest list can be one of the quickest ways to keep costs low. Whether you're narrowing it down in hopes of a more intimate ceremony or simply doing your best to save money, here are five stress-free steps to help you trim your wedding guest list:

Consider your budget and venue. Before you analyze your guest list, take a step back and talk to your fiancé about your highest priorities as a couple. Are you hoping for a specific venue? Worried about staying under budget? Those guidelines will help you decide how long your list can be and whether you need to cut back in other areas.
Agree on a fair split point. Keep things equal by compromising on a guest list ratio. Is it important that your guests are split 50/50, bride's side and groom's? Or do you have tons of mutual friends, making it more of a joint effort? It's important to have an open dialogue about your expectations so that you can avoid any drama or resentment later on - both between each other and among your family members.
Cut by category. Divide your guests into groups: immediate family, closest relatives, extended relatives, family friends, friends, acquaintances, kids, etc. Once you've both classified your lists, see if you can trim the list by removing entire categories. Maybe you can both nix the young kids, the acquaintances, and the co-workers. Keep going until exceptions start to pop up, then evaluate each possible guest individually.
Stick to the present. If you haven't seen someone in a long, long time, they can probably be considered for your cut list. (Think childhood friends and old acquaintances.) A good rule of thumb: You should invite the people who know your fiancé - the people who have spent time with you as a couple, who play a part in your present lifestyle.
Hold to your hard-and-fast rules. Tight on space? If you've decided that only your bridal party and engaged pals can bring plus-ones, you should try to stick to that rule. It's the best way to avoid offending your loved ones, and an easy way to limit extra add-ons.

These simple, straightforward tips are just a starting point - complications are bound to come up. Reach out to both sets of parents for advice, because even if you don't adhere to all their suggestions, it's a great way to double-check your list and come to a settling point. Plus, throughout the process, remember to be practical, considerate, and sensitive. Even more important? Step back and enjoy it: you're bringing together all the people you love to celebrate one of the most special days of your life.

Photo by Matthew Moore Photography via Style Me Pretty

You're Fired! 20 Signs That a Pink Slip Is Coming

Wise Bread — Thu, 10 May 2012 10:54:53 PDT

If something feels off at the office, you may want to brace yourself for the worst. Wise Bread shares signs to look for when a pink slip is coming.

There are two types of employees. One has a good idea of what they do, who they are, and what position they play in the company. They are savvy. They know the score. They are under no delusions, and will no doubt leave for another job long before they are ever considered as cannon-fodder.

And then there's the other kind. The guy who could get Gandhi to hate him. The woman who spends most of her day chatting on the phone to friends or doing online shopping. Or the nice chap in sales who is completely oblivious that the recent merger means his job is now obsolete. They all have Ostrich Syndrome. They couldn't see a pink slip coming if it was 8ft tall and glowing in the dark, screaming "you're fired!"

You want to avoid being in that second category at all costs. So I've compiled a handy list. If you can answer yes to THREE or more of these questions, you may want to think about sprucing up your résumé and dry-cleaning your best interview attire.

1. Are you no longer in the loop about, well, anything?

This is a huge telltale sign. Suddenly you're finding out about company news from the cleaning lady or the new girl in accounting. If you were formally in the know about all things business related, but now suffer from "the company's doing what??!" disease, the writing is probably on the wall.

2. Did you recently screw up big-time?

We're not talking a minor faux pas here. Did you lose money on an account that was previously bulletproof? Oh dear. Were you caught having sex on the boss's desk with the boss's spouse? That's probably not a career-enhancing move. Unless you're a real dope, you know if you have screwed up. And if you know, HR knows. It may not be the final nail in your coffin, but it's a nail in the coffin nonetheless.

3. Are people avoiding you at all costs?

Eye contact is difficult to make with someone if you know his or her head's on the chopping block. Small talk is just as tough. It's best just to avoid that person altogether. So if people are no longer doing that fun "stop 'n' chat" in the hall, or the coffee room empties when you arrive, then guess what . . . you may be a marked man or woman.

Read on for more.

Phone It In: Free Apps to Help You Drop Pounds

Jenny Sugar — Wed, 09 May 2012 14:03:47 PDT

Losing weight is a difficult struggle for most, but you don't have to go at it alone. For busy women wanting to drop pounds, being able to keep track of weight-loss goals on their phone is not only convenient, it offers the support and motivation needed to follow through. Here's a list of the best weight-loss apps - and they won't cost you a dime!

Lose It!: Fill in some important info about yourself, including age, height, current weight, goal weight, and how many pounds you want to lose per week and you're ready to go. The app tells you how many calories you should have each day to meet your weight-loss goal, and also keeps track of the calories you consume each day and the calories you lose via exercise. The "My Day" feature gives you a quick snapshot of your day, how many calories you've consumed and burned, and how many cals you have left. Easy to use and easy to read.
Easy Weight Loss Tips: We could always use more advice on how to lose weight, and this little app offers quick diet, exercise, and nutrition tips to help you on your quest, such as, "Keep a bowl of cut-up vegetables in a see-through container in the refrigerator."

Keep reading to hear about two more free weight-loss apps.

13 Health Gimmicks You Can Stop Wasting Money On

Business Insider — Tue, 01 May 2012 00:15:21 PDT

Consumers have a tendency of falling for the next big health gimmick. Save your money on health duds with these Business Insider tips.

No matter how many times we're told otherwise, Americans' obsession with get-healthy-quick schemes will likely never die. Too bad most of these fads aren't worth their weight in salt - or your hard-earned dollars. We've put together a list of some of the worst budget-sucking health trends that still persist today.

Coconut Water

Coconut water may be nature's version of Gatorade but some brands have already caught fire for over-hyping its nutrient content. Vita Coco agreed to settle a $10 million class action lawsuit over an independent study that showed the drinks didn't pack near as many electrolytes as advertisements implied. Some coconut waters are also loaded with added sugar, which will do nothing to help your waistline.

Alternative: Pick up your own young green coconuts on the cheap from an Asian produce market. Just crack them open with a cleaver and pop in a straw.

"All-Natural" Foods

30 percent of Americans bought more natural foods in 2011, according to a Rodale study. But what are we really paying more for? There's no clear cut regulation on what makes food "natural," which means just about any company can slap that label on its packages, add a fancy green theme and jack up the price.

Says Andrew Schrage of MoneyCrashers: "Before buying any food that is touted as being 'all natural,' take a look at the ingredient list before you check out. Keep in mind that butter and salt are indeed natural ingredients. So stocking up on natural foods may not achieve anything other than increasing your grocery bill."

Read on for more.

7 Strategies to Build an Emergency Fund

Kiplinger — Mon, 30 Apr 2012 00:15:32 PDT

Build up your emergency fund with these tips from Kiplinger.

You know you need an emergency fund - easily accessible cash to pay for unexpected expenses. Without one, you could find yourself looking around the house for valuables to pawn, racking up credit-card debt or maybe even considering a payday loan to cover the costs of an emergency.

But you may be wondering how you can find enough spare cash in your budget to set aside for a rainy day. If you’re living paycheck to paycheck, I’m sure the thought of saving up enough money to cover six months’ worth of expenses (as is usually recommended) is especially daunting. The good news is that you don’t have to stash that much cash at once.

The key is to start setting aside a little each month to build your emergency fund. And that doesn’t require a big salary. After all, saving is a function of discipline, not income.

Here are seven ways to find enough money - and motivation - to create an emergency fund.

Save - don’t spend - your tax refund. About 75% of taxpayers received a refund last year, and the average amount was $2,913. A refund of that size can get your emergency fund off to a great start. Open an interest-bearing savings account and have the money directly deposited into it so you won’t be tempted to use it.

Pay yourself first. Rather than wait until next year for another refund to stash in your emergency fund, adjust your tax withholding by filing a revised W-4 form with your employer (see How to Adjust Your Withholding). This will put more money in your paycheck each month, and you can set that amount aside in your savings account so it can earn interest and grow. (That money won’t be earning any interest during the year if you leave it with Uncle Sam.) If possible, have your employer deposit the designated amount directly into your savings account so you don’t see the money in your checking account and aren’t tempted to spend it.

Read on for more.