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

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 Strategies to Save More This Year

Kiplinger — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 13:27:21 PST

We're thrilled to present this smart Kiplinger story here on Savvy!

Saving doesn't come easily for us young adults. Entry-level salaries don't give you a lot to work with. And, well, we also tend to spend what we make - and then some - on the latest gadgets and flashiest fashions.

But don’t worry. We’re not doomed to frivolity and the wreckage it can make of our finances. Here's how you can start saving smart throughout 2012:

Periodically calculate how much you spend. What better time to review your budget than at the start of a New Year? “It’s really hard to [track your spending] each month, so aim for just once or twice a year,” says Jill Boynton, a certified financial planner in Newington, New Hampshire.

Just be sure when you do it that you track everything. Boynton recommends filling out a spreadsheet with a month’s worth of spending. Or you can try an online budgeting tool such as Mint.com (See our slide show: Which Budgeting Site is Best for You?). But note: Mint works best for those who deal mostly in plastic as opposed to cash. When you make an ATM withdrawal, the site labels the transaction as “Cash & ATM.” Unless you diligently manage your cash transactions (you can manually edit Mint’s labels), you can easily lose track of where the money goes.

The drudgery of tracking spending can pay off when you find surprising expenses you could easily cut. At the end of 2011, I crunched my own numbers and found that I shelled out about $200 a month at Starbucks and other restaurants. I’m sure I could cut that by at least half. That’s like finding a $100 bill every month in my back pocket.

Read on for more strategies.

Frugal Fido: 13 Ways to Save Bucks on Your New Dog

Emily Co — Wed, 01 Jun 2011 05:00:54 PDT

The cost of raising a dog is extremely high. In fact, if you look at rates to fly with your dog on airplanes, it's sometimes almost equivalent to what we humans are paying for a plane ticket. And it all adds up - you end up spending a never-ending amount of cash on toys, crates, flea medication, checkups, and the list goes on. However, many think the high costs of raising a dog are totally worth it. To reduce the costs of what you think is a necessary expense, here are some tips on saving money on your new dog:

Adopt a Doggie: If you're not too picky about the breeds, getting your dog from a shelter is cheaper than spending over a thousand for a purebred puppy from a breeder. Further, many of the pets have already been vaccinated and spayed or neutered, which will definitely save you money in vet bills.
Pick a Responsible Breeder: If you have your heart set on a pooch from a breeder, make sure you do your homework lest you end up with a sick dog from a puppy mill. Do research online to see what qualities a responsible breeder has, and go take a look at the dog and inspect the environment it's being raised in. Ask for references from sources like the breeder's vet, ask to see the dog's parents (if they are around) and quiz her on how she raises her dogs. Here are more questions to ask a prospective breeder.
Costco For Pets or Buy Online: Check to see if there is a warehouse superstore for pet supplies in your area. For example, Pet Club in the Bay Area gives great discounts if you buy in bulk. Great for buying items in bulk such as urine pads, cleaning solvent, and poop bags. Another option is to see if you can find better deals online - Four Paws wee wee pads are available on Amazon at a 46 percent discount, so be sure to look around online for great bargains.
Neuter or Spay at the ASPCA: Spaying or neutering your dog can be extremely pricey. Check out your local ASPCA for cheaper prices on the surgery. To compare prices, I called a local vet that quoted me a hefty $800 for a small breed puppy, while the ASPCA in San Francisco quoted me $225. However, after asking around, my friend told me about an even better deal at another ASPCA, located a little further away in Oakland, CA, which charged $100 to spay/neuter. Be sure to check out the prices of the different clinics, even if they are under the same organization. The local Humane Society clinics were even cheaper so you might want to check out their prices as well. Lesson to learn: always shop around for pet health services.
Housebreak Your Dog: If you train your dog to "go" outside of your house, you don't have to waste money buying expensive pee pads and you'll be using less cleaning solvent for the messes that accidentally spill from the pad to the floor.

For more tips to saving on Fido, read after the jump.

12 Things You Should Never Buy Full-Price

Business Insider — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 00:15:25 PST

We're thrilled to present this smart Business Insider story here on Savvy!

With the Internet, helpful mobile phone apps, and retailers scrambling to keep consumers in their shops, there's no need to pay full-price for much of anything these days.

To give you a boost, we tapped a few savvy shoppers for their tips on all the ways you can save.

Theater tickets

"One of the greatest savings areas recently has been the theater ticket business," says Anna Aronovich, CEO of GovernmentAuctions.org.

Even if you're not going to be around NYC to score discount Broadway tickets this month, there are opportunities in nearly all cities to see shows on the cheap.

Some rewards programs like Optimum Rewards cost nothing to join and offer discounts on shows.

Beer

If you're looking to stock the fridge for your next poker night, don't hit the liquor store until you've checked out www.saveonbrew.com.

The company's been featured on a host of deals sites lately as one of the best ways to find discounts on brewski, says Jennifer Davidson, director of operations. (See some incredible uses for beer.)

Read on for more.

Streamline Your Weekend Savings With These 5 Tips

SavvySugar — Sat, 02 Apr 2011 03:05:11 PDT

You've kept a watchful eye on your money and smartly budgeted your spending all week - so don't blow it now. Weekends can seem the opportune time to let loose, but don't give in to wasteful spending. Keep at it, stay mindful and in control of your finances, and say goodbye to throwing your money around without good reason. Come Monday morning, you'll still have a pocket full of cash and zero regrets.

Go Cash Only - Rather than swiping your card and watching your bill climb, challenge yourself to spend only the cash you've got. Spending only the actual cash you have will make you more mindful of what you're buying and keep you from overspending.
Cool Off Before You Decide to Spend - If you jump to spend your money without thinking, you're likely to unload a lot of cash and have some serious regrets later. Instead, leave the item on hold, leave the store, and think about it. Let yourself cool down to avoid the infamous impulse buy.
Become a High- and Low-End Mix Master - You'll save a bundle when you learn to prioritize your spending. Spend on items that will last you, and find cheaper substitutes for the expensive items you don't need. Learning to balance high- and low-end spending will help you stay on budget.

Get the rest of my weekend tips after the jump

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?