Very interesting article and one that makes sense. I would by a hybrid if there was one that met all of my needs: 4x4, solid front axle, and enough low end torque.
Another thing to think about is the recycling/salvage aspect of the auto after it gets wrecked or trashed. Both my wife and I drive Jeep Wranglers (the JK and older LJ) and yes they are not the most economical vehicles (however they fit our needs) but I know when they are at the point of heading to the junkyard, that most of their parts will be scavanged by other Jeep owners, therefore giving the cars a renewed life of sorts.
With a husband and two teenagers, it can be hard but basicaly I try not to buy any pre-packaged or processed foods.
For dinners we eat - a veggie (usually from our garden or whatever frozen veggies are on sale), - a meat (we buy half a hog from friends of ours - it's raised on their farm, only a litter at a time, and that means there are no chemicals, hormones or antibiotics fed to it - also pound for pound, much cheaper than store bought meat and SOOO much better!) - and usually a starch - potatoes, pasta or rice. I bake cookies and other sweets from scratch.
It's kind of old-fashioned but it was how I was raised. My husband and I both work and my mom was a working mom, too, so time isn't really an excuse not to cook, just make it a family affair. My 16-year-old daughter is getting to be quite the cook!
I do have a garden, but I get the majority of my food from the farmer's markets! The food is always fresher and you get to eat in season by defualt. Eggs also make a good meal protein replacement once or twice a week.
I keep a db detailing our spending, and the price of products we commonly use, and we have reduced our food expenses/mth by $200 from previous years. Unbelievable given inflation. I have 3 food categories: food (to sustain life), junk, and restaurants. Our junk is basically nonexistence these days and we prefer picnics to restaurants, so that was easy. If we want something sweet, we make a healthier version of it. Fries, we make our own in the oven. If we want something, we make it. I haven't bought soda probably in a decade. If we want to treat ourselves, we use sparkling water and a little fruit juice. We have simplified everything. I abhor complex recipes and cookbooks. We don't buy a lot of things we use occasionally, but rather a few things we use a lot, and we substitute and make our own. I make my own buttermilk, bbq sauce, taco seasonings, salad dressing. Buy on sale and only buy what you use. Buy prepared foods sparingly. Always have loads of frozen vegetables on hand. Buy grains and beans in bulk. Use good quality meat sparingly. Never throw anything out. Chop it up and freeze it, to use later. We don't have diabetics or heart disease, but we eat, as-if, to some degree. It can be relaxing, rewarding, and even spiritual, to work with food and make meals for the family.
I'd like to eat healthier on my limited grocery budget. It's really hard in Canada to do so. During the winter months, everything is imported and costs a lot.
That being said, I do try to get some fresh or frozen produce in with every meal.
We are over run with knot weed. I will try some next spring it really looks like aspargus when it first comes up. I live in WV And on a fixed income I really need to know some of these weeds I am do not know about Fat Hen what is it? I live in the country so I surely have lots and lots of weeds. I know some but not enough. I am 70 and know my mother could go out in the fields and "pick" supper.LOL Wish I had paid more attion. Any thing you can tell me will be greatly apprecaited. I am not good at spelling. Grand Ma Mary
1. I eat no meat. At all. Not everyone wants to be a vegetarian, but I believe it's healthier overall and it really cuts down on restaurant bills when I do go out to eat.
2. I buy in-season produce, from either the grocery store or the farmer's market. You can save 75% or more on fresh produce if you buy in season.
3. Cook from scratch as much as possible. I know what's going into my meal (and how much butter/oil I can cut out), and I'm not paying a convenience fee for someone else to assemble and/or cook my food.
I cook dried beans in the crock pot and I make my own yogurt. Both require a minimal amount of time and are cheaper and healthier for me and my family.
Investing by numbers is easy - assuming their is transparency, no insider trading, and no corruption. But we vote with our dollars. If you condone the business practices, then go for it, but if you want things to change, go some place else.
Buffett would also probably say invest in what you know and do your OWN homework, including reading their SEC filings. If we really want financial reform, where WS isn't the largest % of our economy, it is up to the investor to hold the company accountable for their actions by not putting our dollars in their basket.
We grow whatever fruits and vegetables we can. And, only the ones we like to eat. Our neighbors get together in summer and have a produce swap. You bring your bounty and leave it and take some of what antoher has grown. You get to try different varieties this way.
I look for fresh in-season items in the produce area of my grocery store. And, I don't overlook the frozen isle. These vegitables are just as healthy and oftan a lot cheaper.
Great article. From my experience, the biggest impact we can have is to watch portion control in both meals and packed lunches. Nothing worse than having to dispose of food that was wasted unnecessarily. As was mentioned, I'd rather refill a bowl or plate two or three times vs throwing away or trying to salvage what's left of their portions. Great ways to save that are often overlooked. Thanks for sharing!
What I'm going to cook and eat for a week is pretty dependendent on what is on sale at the grocery store. I usually look through all the grocery store ads on Tuesday when I get them, and then figure out what I'm going to make for the week. Luckily I live in California so there are farmer's markets everywhere. Buying produce there is helpful. It's inexpensive and local, which is nice.
I don't eat meat, and that is a BIG help. I have printed out a list of what fruits/vegetables are in season during certain months, so that helps me determine what to head straight for at the grocery store. It's also easier when you plan your meals around a "base" ingredient like rice, pasta, quinoa, or couscous for example. I can make up a big pot of that ahead of time and then just add veggies and some kind of flavor (or not) and I'm ready to go. Also growing my own herbs helps out too. I have a TINY apartment, but there is room on my balcony to put out a couple pots of basil and this keeps the pesto sauce coming! The bulk bins at the grocery and the ethnic groceries are great as well. Meal planning probably makes the most difference because I sit down and plan out everything around a specific group of base ingredients and then I don't end up buying way more than I need because it looked good at the time!
We are not exactly on a budget but I do like to keep our grocery costs under $150/month for two. Not sure if that's a lot or not... My main way of keeping costs down is combining coupons & store sales. I routinely pick up a whole mess of stuff at "super doubles" or "triples" events and work meals around them the rest of the time.
We rarely eat meat because we've committed to cutting CAFO meat out of our home (we still eat meat at restaurants...). That means I buy a chicken or a couple of steaks at the farmer's market each week and we work to make it stretch. It doesn't save us too much money (because the meat is so expensive compared with the supermarket) but it forces us to be healthier the rest of the week - lots of eggs, beans, veggies.
I started getting gray hair in high school and have been dying my hair pretty much since then. I am currently dying my hair black and amazed how much gray is coming in all over. I think I would be gray all over it I let it grow. I'm only 33 and have to color my hair every couple weeks. To keep cost down, I will use a box at home in between salon appointments or use this great Bumble and Bumble color spray in the mornings to cover the roots on my part. This is getting tiring but I'm not sure I'm ready to let it grow out. At 33 should I let it grow out?
I'm on a slow carb diet, inspired by Tim Ferriss. It consists of eating a protein, legume, and vegetable for every meal. I also eat the same thing for every meal every day for at least 2 weeks before I'd change anything out. Buying dried lentils and black beans is incredibly cheap. Buying some collard greens, broccoli, and spinach don't cost much either. Then I'm left with protein: 18 eggs a week, then a generic brand of skinless chicken breasts (12 servings a bag) and then I can still buy a $10 salmon fillet. The total each week comes out to $30. That's $30 a week for 5 lbs of weight loss a week. If I needed to constrict my budget, I could substitute the salmon for something else. Oh, and nothing but water and tea for liquids, and I have enough tea stockpiled to last me until the end of time.
I cook all the chicken and salmon at once (reheating the salmon can make it a bit dry if you're not careful). Therefore everything's in the fridge and I don't lose anything to freezerburn OR have to pay to power a freezer either. And when you eat the same thing every day (which sounds boring, but I still like everything I've been eating), it's not really possible to forget about something and waste it.
~Popcorn-Put yellow kernals in brown paper bag and microwave. Only $1 lb of kernals, 0 fat and about 100 calories for 5 cups popped.
~Oatmeal- Steel cut oats are only $1 a lb and 100 calories for 1/4 cup (measured prior to cooking). Basically fat free and a complex carbohydrate that keeps you full longer.
~In season fruit- I just bought 10 Texas grapefruits for $1. Need I say more?
~Online coupons- HipToSave.com, (wisebread...) and Restraunts.com all inform readers of amazing deals to satisfy the urge to eat out and relax. Eat healthy by simply researching menu nutrition fact of restaurant prior to going out. Also, don't be afraid to order a kids meal or appetizer at restraunts/fast food places.
~Drink water- Zero calories. Carry a waterbottle to avoid having to purchase a wasteful plastic bottle.
~Cheap go-to meals- Baked potatos, omeletes, salads, turkey/chicken sandwhiches, etc. all offer healthy/cheap ways to fill up on great, cheap food.
~Organic?- Only buy organic if the food you buy organic is a food you eat the skin with.. (EX. strawberries, apples, peaches, tomatos... NOT: bananas, cantalope, oranges, etc.)
Pack a lunch! Packed lunches are much healthier, and much cheaper, than buying a lunch every day. I have a tiffin with three sections. One section usually has some sort of leftovers in it from dinner the night before. The other two I fill with fresh fruit and vegetables, or maybe granola and yogurt (which I buy in big containers and section off into smaller reusable plastic containers every day).
Very interesting article and one that makes sense. I would by a hybrid if there was one that met all of my needs: 4x4, solid front axle, and enough low end torque.
Another thing to think about is the recycling/salvage aspect of the auto after it gets wrecked or trashed. Both my wife and I drive Jeep Wranglers (the JK and older LJ) and yes they are not the most economical vehicles (however they fit our needs) but I know when they are at the point of heading to the junkyard, that most of their parts will be scavanged by other Jeep owners, therefore giving the cars a renewed life of sorts.
i cook at home and focus on eating lots of in season produce
Fewer impulse buys - when I shop I actually evaluate each item, and if it doesn't fit my budget and how I want to eat then I don't get it.
With a husband and two teenagers, it can be hard but basicaly I try not to buy any pre-packaged or processed foods.
For dinners we eat - a veggie (usually from our garden or whatever frozen veggies are on sale),
- a meat (we buy half a hog from friends of ours - it's raised on their farm, only a litter at a time, and that means there are no chemicals, hormones or antibiotics fed to it - also pound for pound, much cheaper than store bought meat and SOOO much better!)
- and usually a starch - potatoes, pasta or rice. I bake cookies and other sweets from scratch.
It's kind of old-fashioned but it was how I was raised. My husband and I both work and my mom was a working mom, too, so time isn't really an excuse not to cook, just make it a family affair. My 16-year-old daughter is getting to be quite the cook!
I do have a garden, but I get the majority of my food from the farmer's markets! The food is always fresher and you get to eat in season by defualt. Eggs also make a good meal protein replacement once or twice a week.
I buy in bulk from Costco and can make my purchases last longer than a month. I usually buy the following at Costco:
I could go on and on, but that's just an example of how I save $$ every month and buy healthy foods.
I keep a db detailing our spending, and the price of products we commonly use, and we have reduced our food expenses/mth by $200 from previous years. Unbelievable given inflation. I have 3 food categories: food (to sustain life), junk, and restaurants. Our junk is basically nonexistence these days and we prefer picnics to restaurants, so that was easy. If we want something sweet, we make a healthier version of it. Fries, we make our own in the oven. If we want something, we make it. I haven't bought soda probably in a decade. If we want to treat ourselves, we use sparkling water and a little fruit juice. We have simplified everything. I abhor complex recipes and cookbooks. We don't buy a lot of things we use occasionally, but rather a few things we use a lot, and we substitute and make our own. I make my own buttermilk, bbq sauce, taco seasonings, salad dressing. Buy on sale and only buy what you use. Buy prepared foods sparingly. Always have loads of frozen vegetables on hand. Buy grains and beans in bulk. Use good quality meat sparingly. Never throw anything out. Chop it up and freeze it, to use later. We don't have diabetics or heart disease, but we eat, as-if, to some degree. It can be relaxing, rewarding, and even spiritual, to work with food and make meals for the family.
I'd like to eat healthier on my limited grocery budget. It's really hard in Canada to do so. During the winter months, everything is imported and costs a lot.
That being said, I do try to get some fresh or frozen produce in with every meal.
We are over run with knot weed. I will try some next spring it really looks like aspargus when it first comes up. I live in WV And on a fixed income I really need to know some of these weeds I am do not know about Fat Hen what is it? I live in the country so I surely have lots and lots of weeds. I know some but not enough. I am 70 and know my mother could go out in the fields and "pick" supper.LOL Wish I had paid more attion. Any thing you can tell me will be greatly apprecaited. I am not good at spelling. Grand Ma Mary
My tips:
1. I eat no meat. At all. Not everyone wants to be a vegetarian, but I believe it's healthier overall and it really cuts down on restaurant bills when I do go out to eat.
2. I buy in-season produce, from either the grocery store or the farmer's market. You can save 75% or more on fresh produce if you buy in season.
3. Cook from scratch as much as possible. I know what's going into my meal (and how much butter/oil I can cut out), and I'm not paying a convenience fee for someone else to assemble and/or cook my food.
I cook dried beans in the crock pot and I make my own yogurt. Both require a minimal amount of time and are cheaper and healthier for me and my family.
Investing by numbers is easy - assuming their is transparency, no insider trading, and no corruption. But we vote with our dollars. If you condone the business practices, then go for it, but if you want things to change, go some place else.
Buffett would also probably say invest in what you know and do your OWN homework, including reading their SEC filings. If we really want financial reform, where WS isn't the largest % of our economy, it is up to the investor to hold the company accountable for their actions by not putting our dollars in their basket.
Beans, beans/the magical fruit/the more you eat..... the less you spend at the grocery store.
We grow whatever fruits and vegetables we can. And, only the ones we like to eat. Our neighbors get together in summer and have a produce swap. You bring your bounty and leave it and take some of what antoher has grown. You get to try different varieties this way.
I look for fresh in-season items in the produce area of my grocery store. And, I don't overlook the frozen isle. These vegitables are just as healthy and oftan a lot cheaper.
Hi...sure, the source for the 25% figure came from the following study:
Source: Adapted from Chapter Three of Changing Drivers: The Impact of Climate Change on Competitiveness and Value Creation in the Automotive Industry
Author: Duncan Austin and Amanda Sauer
Date: 2003
hey travis, your arugment sucks
Great article. From my experience, the biggest impact we can have is to watch portion control in both meals and packed lunches. Nothing worse than having to dispose of food that was wasted unnecessarily. As was mentioned, I'd rather refill a bowl or plate two or three times vs throwing away or trying to salvage what's left of their portions. Great ways to save that are often overlooked. Thanks for sharing!
What I'm going to cook and eat for a week is pretty dependendent on what is on sale at the grocery store. I usually look through all the grocery store ads on Tuesday when I get them, and then figure out what I'm going to make for the week. Luckily I live in California so there are farmer's markets everywhere. Buying produce there is helpful. It's inexpensive and local, which is nice.
I don't eat meat, and that is a BIG help. I have printed out a list of what fruits/vegetables are in season during certain months, so that helps me determine what to head straight for at the grocery store. It's also easier when you plan your meals around a "base" ingredient like rice, pasta, quinoa, or couscous for example. I can make up a big pot of that ahead of time and then just add veggies and some kind of flavor (or not) and I'm ready to go. Also growing my own herbs helps out too. I have a TINY apartment, but there is room on my balcony to put out a couple pots of basil and this keeps the pesto sauce coming! The bulk bins at the grocery and the ethnic groceries are great as well. Meal planning probably makes the most difference because I sit down and plan out everything around a specific group of base ingredients and then I don't end up buying way more than I need because it looked good at the time!
We are not exactly on a budget but I do like to keep our grocery costs under $150/month for two. Not sure if that's a lot or not... My main way of keeping costs down is combining coupons & store sales. I routinely pick up a whole mess of stuff at "super doubles" or "triples" events and work meals around them the rest of the time.
We rarely eat meat because we've committed to cutting CAFO meat out of our home (we still eat meat at restaurants...). That means I buy a chicken or a couple of steaks at the farmer's market each week and we work to make it stretch. It doesn't save us too much money (because the meat is so expensive compared with the supermarket) but it forces us to be healthier the rest of the week - lots of eggs, beans, veggies.
I started getting gray hair in high school and have been dying my hair pretty much since then. I am currently dying my hair black and amazed how much gray is coming in all over. I think I would be gray all over it I let it grow. I'm only 33 and have to color my hair every couple weeks. To keep cost down, I will use a box at home in between salon appointments or use this great Bumble and Bumble color spray in the mornings to cover the roots on my part. This is getting tiring but I'm not sure I'm ready to let it grow out. At 33 should I let it grow out?
I'm on a slow carb diet, inspired by Tim Ferriss. It consists of eating a protein, legume, and vegetable for every meal. I also eat the same thing for every meal every day for at least 2 weeks before I'd change anything out. Buying dried lentils and black beans is incredibly cheap. Buying some collard greens, broccoli, and spinach don't cost much either. Then I'm left with protein: 18 eggs a week, then a generic brand of skinless chicken breasts (12 servings a bag) and then I can still buy a $10 salmon fillet. The total each week comes out to $30. That's $30 a week for 5 lbs of weight loss a week. If I needed to constrict my budget, I could substitute the salmon for something else. Oh, and nothing but water and tea for liquids, and I have enough tea stockpiled to last me until the end of time.
I cook all the chicken and salmon at once (reheating the salmon can make it a bit dry if you're not careful). Therefore everything's in the fridge and I don't lose anything to freezerburn OR have to pay to power a freezer either. And when you eat the same thing every day (which sounds boring, but I still like everything I've been eating), it's not really possible to forget about something and waste it.
~Popcorn-Put yellow kernals in brown paper bag and microwave. Only $1 lb of kernals, 0 fat and about 100 calories for 5 cups popped.
~Oatmeal- Steel cut oats are only $1 a lb and 100 calories for 1/4 cup (measured prior to cooking). Basically fat free and a complex carbohydrate that keeps you full longer.
~In season fruit- I just bought 10 Texas grapefruits for $1. Need I say more?
~Online coupons- HipToSave.com, (wisebread...) and Restraunts.com all inform readers of amazing deals to satisfy the urge to eat out and relax. Eat healthy by simply researching menu nutrition fact of restaurant prior to going out. Also, don't be afraid to order a kids meal or appetizer at restraunts/fast food places.
~Drink water- Zero calories. Carry a waterbottle to avoid having to purchase a wasteful plastic bottle.
~Cheap go-to meals- Baked potatos, omeletes, salads, turkey/chicken sandwhiches, etc. all offer healthy/cheap ways to fill up on great, cheap food.
~Organic?- Only buy organic if the food you buy organic is a food you eat the skin with.. (EX. strawberries, apples, peaches, tomatos... NOT: bananas, cantalope, oranges, etc.)
Eat - and shop- seasonally. Piles of produce will always beat sales and coupons.
Pack a lunch! Packed lunches are much healthier, and much cheaper, than buying a lunch every day. I have a tiffin with three sections. One section usually has some sort of leftovers in it from dinner the night before. The other two I fill with fresh fruit and vegetables, or maybe granola and yogurt (which I buy in big containers and section off into smaller reusable plastic containers every day).