FitSugar

Getting Fit Could Cost Less in 2009

FitSugar — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 03:00:00 PST

Most of us are sweating over money these days, and gyms are absorbing this worried perspiration by offering additional deals to existing members and new ones. Because the economy has hit the gyms with decreased memberships, they want to do their best to bring in and retain as many people as they can. According to the Los Angeles Times, independent gyms and national chains are playing the discount game, so be sure to speak with a manager about what can be done to reduce your fees. Here are some examples of deals the Times discovered.

Curves: One month free, then 50 percent off the monthly membership fee through March 6.
Gold's Gym: No enrollment fee.
Sports Club LA: Former members were invited to return without the one-time initiation fee and no membership dues for two month.

Before you sign any contract, ask if you can sign up month-to-month and get the details about cancellation policies. Also, it never hurts to ask your gym to waive the enrollment fee.

Source

No Money, No Problem

FitSugar — Wed, 17 Sep 2008 09:00:00 PDT

The economy is going through some serious hard times and it's hard enough keeping up with the bills, let alone finding the cash to buy organic and pay for a posh gym membership. Being healthy does not mean that you need to pay out the big bucks; there are plenty of ways you can get moving and eat right without thinning out your wallet. I've rounded up five of my favorite ways to save the dough and still be healthy, so check out this slideshow to get a few ideas for yourself.

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

Bargain Hunting Adds Calories

FitSugar — Mon, 12 Mar 2007 11:00:17 PDT

I am guilty of bargain hunting. If you're anything like me then it is really hard to turn down a good bargain, even if it means that I will have an extra 400 calories sitting in front of me...

One thing I have taught myself is to let go of the bargain hunting when it comes to food. Sure, 25 cents will give you a gallon more Dr. Pepper at the movies, but is it really wise for your health? Probably not. Those super size fries at McDonald's are both a lot of extra food and a lot of extra calories. Buying in bulk is not necessarily beneficial, health wise. Think about it, if you don't have a gallon of mayonnaise that will go bad if you don't use it, you'll be less likely to put it on everything you have. Buy one, get one free is good for healthier things but typically the only things that are buy one, get one free (at my grocery store at least) are Doritos, hot dogs and packs of bacon.

I know it's hard to believe but if you purchase your food wisely you'll waste less too. Now, I leave my bargain hunting for paper goods, clothes and anything else other than my food purchases. Ultimately I save in dollars and calories, but I will admit that it's pretty darn hard to pass up a good bargain.

6 Controversial Moves That Will Save You Money

Emily Co — Mon, 21 May 2012 07:27:43 PDT

It really is quite hard to shave off hundreds or thousands of dollars off your expenditures unless you opt for some what some people might call drastic measures. Of course, you can always have more cash in the bank by earning more money, which you achieve through methods like having side jobs or negotiating a higher salary. Some people opt for certain choices that will save them a ton of money, which may seem controversial to others. Read on to find out what they are.

The Cheapest Starbucks Secret Menu Drinks and Other Savvy Hits!

Emily Co — Sun, 27 May 2012 00:15:30 PDT

Try the most affordable Starbucks secret menu drinks.
12 chores you can pay someone else to do.
Expert tips on making your email inbox less overwhelming.
9 ways to earn extra cash when money is tight.
The best travel deals this Summer.
Here's a better way to research the companies you want to work for.
Important things to know about paying for college.
How to continue saving money after you've booked and paid for the trip.
Ways to reuse your dryer sheets.
Things to keep in your plastic folder when traveling.

What Would You Rather Spend Money on?

Emily Co — Sat, 26 May 2012 00:24:52 PDT

Spending money is very subjective; what some of us see as a necessity, others might view as a frivolous waste. Play our faceoff game and tell us which expense you're willing to spend money on.

The choices are endless, from gym memberships to having a kid to premium cable channels; you never know what crazy matchup will come next. Pick which one you'd rather spend money on and see if your peers agree. The pairs won't always be apples-to-apples comparisons - say, taking a honeymoon vs. eyebrow shaping! - but they are designed to inspire tough choices, which is what personal saving is all about.

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.

6 Extreme Ways to Scrimp and Save

Emily Co — Thu, 16 Jun 2011 13:40:38 PDT

It's one thing to do little acts to save such as bringing lunch to work every day or skipping the Starbucks latte, but enacting a lifestyle change to save dollars takes a lot of dedication and may seem more trouble than it's worth. CNN listed a number of real-life penny-pinching examples from super savers. Here are some of the more unique ones:

Raising pigs for food. Geoff Overland currently has 13 pigs. His family started raising pigs to save money on pork. He believes he's producing meat for about $1.50 a pound compared to the store prices of $3.50 to $6.
Live at the office. An anonymous reader is saving money on rent and commuting by sleeping in his car and office. He takes a shower in his office gym and has an office room to himself, which he furnishes with a cot and a mini fridge.
Becoming "quasi-Amish." Beaten down by a bankruptcy and foreclosure, Mike Hammack and his wife moved to the "middle of nowhere" and live in a mobile home. He farms for his own food and rides a horse to town to save money on gas. Mike makes money by selling chickens, eggs, goats, and cows. He is saving $40,000 a year.
Make kids pay for meals. In order to save money on vacations, John Synder and his wife have their kids pay for half of the cost of dinner. The child who is paying for the night gets to pick the restaurant. He says this saves him about $50 a night. On the plus side, this cost-cutting method is teaching their kids good financial behavior, John says.
Use vegetable oil for fuel. To battle high gas prices, James Bauernschmidt started making his own biodiesel from vegetable oil and he gets the oil free from restaurants that want to get rid of it. This is saving him about $600 to $900 a year.
Skip dinners. Maya Speights uses this tactic to save money and lose weight. She says she is simply "reversing how people eat" by having a normal breakfast and a really large lunch instead of an average-sized lunch and a big dinner. Her office pays for her lunches so she's saving money on her afternoon meals and basically only paying for one meal a day. She used to spend $100 every week and a half, but is now only spending $30 every two weeks.

These are all pretty extreme ways to save extra cash - can you relate to any of them?