Best Money Tips: 20 Healthy Foods for Less Than a Buck

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Welcome to Wise Bread's Best Money Tips roundup.

So when should you buy organic? Here’s a little primer on which organic foods you should work into your budget and which ones you can pass up. Chaos in the Kitchen

15 ways to save money at the supermarket.  "In Why We Buy, the author notes that people tend to buy more when shopping in groups than when shopping alone.  Men are especially suggestible to the entreaties of children as well as eye-catching displays."  Get Rich Slowly

20 healthy foods that cost less than a buck.  Watermelon, whole grain pasta, sardines, butternut squash, and more.  Divine Caroline via Smart Spending

12 hidden costs of renting a car.  Refueling charges, taxes, airport fees, mileage limits... it all adds up.  Five Cent Nickel

Wisdom of crowds not a viable investment strategy.  Media sensationalism, personal bias, and information delay may make wisdom of crowds a bad strategy for everyday investors.  Consumerism Commentary

Inflation and rising prices aren't the same thing.  "Inflation is an increase in the money supply, or put another way, a dilution of its value. (Or put even more cynically, theft.) Rising prices eventually result from inflation because people have more dollars (say) in their hands with which to bid up the price of anything that the money can buy."  Mighty Bargain Hunter

Having a plan allows you to enjoy money. "My wife and I talk about this all of the time.  Instead of new cars, we’ll drive used ones.  Instead of name brand foods, we’ll eat generic.  But, we’ll also go on vacations, send our kids to camps, and buy nice things for the new baby."  No Credit Needed (see also budget is not a constraint)

Consumerist's Ben Poken on NPR.   Ben Popken from the Consumerist was on NPR’s “All Things Considered” talking about how the products we purchase at the grocery store are shrinking and yet we’re paying the same amount. You can listen to the interview here, and check out a breakdown of the math on All Financial Matters

America's shrinking groceries.  "Tropicana orange juice containers are shrinking from 96 ounces to 89; Wrigley's is dropping its the 17-stick PlenTPak in favor of the 15-stick Slim Pack; Dial soap bars now weigh half an ounce less, and that's even before they melt in the shower."  Time

The complete guide to protecting your credit and identity.   Help stop identity theft by forwarding this page to your friends and family. Trees Full of Money

How to turn your hobby into an income.  If you're willing to be creative and a bit flexible, there are lots of ways to make a bit more money.  Free Money Finance (monetizing your hobby is only one of 11 great ways to earn more money)

Ten signs you are getting bogus financial information.

  • They want you to buy their product and doesn’t share much information without you making that purchase 
  • They talk about short term returns only - less than a year
  • They require an immediate subscription to the product without a free trial of any sort
  • They contact you via unsolicited mail
  • Get all ten signs at The Simple Dollar

Hundred of tips for turning your financial life around.  A list of the best money articles on Zen Habits, as a resource for anyone trying to live more frugally, get out of debt, save money, or simply create a better financial system in their lives.  Zen Habits

Why worrying is completely unproductive. "We live in an age where people live longer, have better access to health care, have more opportunity for personal and professional growth... Yes, there are risks and potential dangers, but worry magnifies these disproportionately and blinds us to the wonders of our age."  Dumb Little Man

IRS increases tax-deductible mileage rates.  "Starting on July 1, when you use your car for business, you'll be able to write off 58.5 cents for each mile you drive, which is an 8-cent increase from the first half of the year."  Kiplinger

Resisting the urge to splurge.  Knowing and reminding yourself of your priorities at all times will help make achieving your goals easier.  Our Four Pence Worth

Cut your spending by $500 per monthThe Consumer Reports Money Lab shakes loose a bushel of savings hiding in everyday spending.

Food stamp crunch intensifies.  Food stamps are only designed to supplement food budgets. And now the working poor are relying on them more and more. And they need to spend their cash elsewhere.  CBS Evening News

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Guest's picture
Guest

I don't know where all these writers live, but in NYC, even if you live close enough to regularly shop at the farmers markets, use coupons, buy on sale, you cannot get food at the prices given in all these articles.

These articles mean well, but they are misleading for so many of us who live in major cities, do not have cars and have only a handful of supermarkets (yea, we have fancy gourmet shops and the like, but you only save money there on some of their items on sale) to shop at.

We have one trader joe's in NYC, but it would cost more in transportation costs (One person could not carry several grocery bags home on the subway and/or bus) for those who live nowhere near it to get there and back than one would save.

And that applies even more so the elderly and infirmed who really are limited to where they can shop or have food delivered.

What would be great is if those big store warehouses offered shuttle busses to/from the city with drop-offs (for minimal cost) so that we, too, could take advantage of the savings.

Will Chen's picture

"What would be great is if those big store warehouses offered shuttle busses to/from the city with drop-offs (for minimal cost) so that we, too, could take advantage of the savings."

That sounds like a great idea!

Or maybe a couple of neighbors could get together and organize a group grocery shopping trip so they can share the cost and labor of driving.

We used to do that in college all the time. Now that gas is so expensive perhaps it is time to bring back the community grocery run. =)

Guest's picture
Kate

My neighbors and I have been talking about carpooling for shopping...it just takes a little extra effort to coordinate our schedules.

Guest's picture
Katie

Thank you for including my article on buying organic food in Best of the web.

I think the 20 foods for less than $1 article does a good job of highlighting foods that are inexpensive per serving but also healthy and nutritious. In this age of convenience we often overlook foods in their natural, whole state, going instead for expensive preparations.