Frugal Habits Are Healthy! November 27, 2010
Posted by nrhatch in Food & Drink, Health & Wellness, Sustainable Living.trackback
As a response to the economic slow-down, many middle class families have adopted frugal behaviors that are making them healthier.
Families have cut expenses by:
* Cooking at home more often (45%)
* Buying less junk food (30%)
* Walking or biking to work (13%)
* Reducing alcohol consumption (10%)
* Bringing lunch to work instead of eating out.
And, while whittling their waistlines, they’re padding their wallets!
Small changes today. BIG bucks tomorrow:
If you save an average of $10 a day by adopting more frugal healthy living habits, you’ll save $70 a week and $3,640 a year!
Go to Feed The Pig for free savings tips!
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Spirit Lights The Way 
Me first? Now thats a first! You are right there are ways. I got us a storage shelf so when my wife finds food on sale we add to the collection. We do not go out to eat rarely anymore. One of the funny things is that the American people were told they needed to pay down their bills and safe more. So that is what happened. Then they were told you need to spend money to get things going again.
We are TRAINED to consume by the media, and chastised for failing to SAVE by the financial advisors. 🙂
I’m big on buying non-perishables in large quantities when they go on sale. In fact, I always “shop the circular” . . . see what’s on sale and buy that while skipping ALL the full priced items that I don’t “need” at the moment. I routinely save 40-50% on my groceries by doing that.
On my blog this morning I went on my Chrstmas Shopping Soapbox http://duke1959.wordpress.com/
about wants verses needs.
Great reminder. Thanks, Duke.
Our church is launching our observance of the Advent season (begins tomorrow) with a study called “The Advent Conspiracy.” It is an effort to bring our focus on Christmas around to where it belongs. Self-giving as opposed to junk giving.
Last week we watched a brief video in preparation for the study. A few of the highlights were the following statistics: More people throughout the world die from the consequences of the lack of clean water than from any other thing. Americans spend EACH YEAR $450,000,000,000 on Christmas – gifts and decorations, and all the stuff that goes with their celebrations. The cost of providing wells and clean drinking water for every man, woman, and child on the face of the earth would be $10,000,000,000! Just think of what we could do – and with only a fraction of the money spent on what we don’t need.
Staggering thought. I’ll be blogging later on similar topics. Thanks for this post. Hope we all take it to heart.
Sobering statistics.
Clean water is (or should be) priority #1.
Quitting smoking helps a lot. It’s unbelievable how expensive cigarettes are these days.
They can really add up . . . especially for 2-3 ppd smokers.
I like the bringing lunch to work one. That makes so much sense- just have to get myself organised!!!
Lovely article and a good reminder of what we can do 🙂
I brought my work to lunch for years. Healthy food. Less expensive. And less time consuming that ordering out.
That’s some solid, practical advice, nrhatch! Loved this quick bite of nugget first thing in the morning 🙂
-BrownEyed
I like the idea of trying to save $5 or $10 a day. Really adds up over time. 🙂
Or setting up a jar, “Ski Trip,” and sticking $5 in it every time you bring lunch, instead of eating out.
I’ll make office lunches for people with pleasure, not sure about that alcohol consumption though …
Love the pic!
No problem . . . you’ve reduced your wine “purchases” with all the FREE wine you’ve been scoring. 😉
If one lives in a location that has stores that recognize coupons from the Internet, I’m told they are great, too. Ever indulged, Nance?
Good point.
Other than groceries, I don’t buy much these days. Since the grocery stores around here no longer accept internet coupons (due to counterfeiting issues), I don’t often have a reason to print internet coupons.
Exceptions: ColdStone Ice Cream, Staples, and local restaurants.
I did most of these things even before the economy slowed. It’s good to see it’s spreading.
We budget for one meal out every two weeks. We try to go during lunch (less expensive entrees) and we drink water ($3 beverages for 4 people adds up fast.) The money we save on drinks covers the tip 🙂
P.S. Love the picture…made me laugh!
You sound like us! If we go out, we prefer lunch and I usually drink water.
That picture is from Feed The Pig . . . a slimed down, trimmed down piggy bank. 🙂