Costly savings could be a term that some would consider an Oxymoron – chances are, over the last few years you have determined how to avoid the lure of store advertisements that entice you to stop in and spend money on things that may not be the best option for you.
Or, things you might not really need.
Although everyone does need to eat, it doesn’t mean that you should be spending money without any thought or intention behind what you are buying – right?
Based on the number of blogs out there that proclaim huge savings with coupons, any average person would probably assume that is the ONLY way to save. They may think that coupons are overall, a win-win situation…
(And before you go read more, yes… we are aware that WE post coupons too. Although we have made a HUGE shift – that shift WILL continue to get larger over the next few months.)
And with the seasons of Extreme Couponing, it’s hard not to see that pantries are filled up to the max with everything from Toothpaste to Hamburger Helper, to Cocoa Puffs, Cheerios + more.
Sure, you have to buy food anyways… but it doesn’t necessarily mean you need to buy what the store ads, blogs (even this one!), or just what advertisers tell you to eat in general.
Think about this:
The economy has shifted in the last 6 years. At one point, people were paying careful attention to their budget… trying to stretch a dollar to make it go farther – not just with food but with their financial choices as a whole.
While coupons and store discounts are and can be a great way to stretch your dollar, you are responsible for making sure you scrutinize and justify your choices before clipping. You might be saving large percentages on your grocery bill; and you might just be walking out of the store with a FULL cart of stuff stacked up to the ceiling that you got for just a fraction of what you would have paid. But you might just be sacrificing your commitment to better health choices with those purchases too.
As a smart consumer, not only do you have to have the discipline to look past those items, you also have to understand that coupons are a form of advertising – most items WITH coupons are convenience foods with next to NO nutritional value.
Even cleaners – personal care items, they carry the same risk with toxic chemicals while it’s easier & better to make your own.
While Organic and Whole Foods in general might be more at first, I can honestly say they aren’t really the expense that many make them out to be – many people just have so little knowledge of how to shop for those items in the same way that they do with coupon items.
Buying food, personal care, and household cleaners CAN seem rather cheap & convenient with coupons; but if you add up the value of those items over time, they are costly in terms of your health.
Read our last post to find out WHY these foods are terrible choices for your gut health.
When your immune system is compromised, your children can’t focus, your children are hyperactive, and your children are constantly sick, you can look towards food (and many other factors) that contributed to that – in addition to greater medical bills.
Over the last six years we have transitioned from coupons, to eating better- our family has made some pretty drastic changes in the way of food & wellness choices. But as I look around, almost every other money saving blog or news special on saving money, every Coupon Fanatic featured has a pantry full of Fruit Loops, Brownie Mix, Cake Mix, Maruchan Noodles and more…
My pantry? Pretty empty.
Do we eat? Yes – we do. We eat well. We just have an entirely different idea of what is food compared to others.
These items are all prepackaged products – they are filled with sugar, corn syrup, artificial colors, preservatives, and the foods are the LEAST nutritious for us. Sure, perhaps they rolled that cart up to the register for pennies on the dollar, but it was at the expense of their health, the health of their kids.
Is it worth that?
Of course, eating better is more difficult. If it wasn’t, everyone would be doing it. It’s not popular – all you have to do is look around at the HUGE National Blogger network of bloggers telling you to *HURRY* — RUN, print! for these deals in store. Eating better requires you to put on blinders IF you go to the store. It requires you to spend a little more on some things to get better food.
Sure, you can’t eat lettuce every night, and nobody wants to – we don’t.. but we also know very well how to cook GOOD food, too.
Companies are always going to be happy to provide a coupon for allergy medicine. Glucose Testers.. and prescription medicines – it’s what keeps them profitable, right?
So how DO you make the choice to eat better … if you are on a tight budget?
You can see our last post for finding Healthy, Sustainable Food by heading HERE.
Understand these areas to help you make better choices.
Fats
Oils and Fats are essential to your diet. Industry uses cheap oils and fats in food products … look for Butter, Extra Virgin Olive Oil and even unrefined Coconut Oil.
Avoid those oils that are hydrogenated, light or oils like shortening, lard or margarine.
Grains
Look for the word Whole — Whole Oats, Whole Rye or Whole Wheat.
Avoid Multi-grain, Brans or Seven Grains because they are not whole grain products.
Sugar & Sugar Substitutes
Our country is largely addicted to sugar. Look for Palm Coconut Sugar, or Unrefined Honey… or even Stevia. Avoid anything with high fructose corn syrup, artificial sweeteners or any refined sugars.
Organic and Non-Organic
I think many people can differ in opinion on this every day… some people will say it’s not worth the cost, some of us don’t think there is much more cost involved in getting Organic.
If you are on a budget, use the Dirty Dozen checklist to determine what to focus your money on that is organic. Or .. even better, support a local farmer, join a CSA – we love ours and we know that the farmer supports the SAME thinking we do. Nothing better than supporting someone local.
Use this Shoppers Guide HERE.
We DO feel that it’s worth every penny – you can read more about that HERE.
Lastly, learn how to cook – don’t rely on frozen meals and convenience foods to take the place of better planning on YOUR part. Invest time in yourself to learn, self research and the willingness to change for the better.
