healthy | Squirrelers

A Healthy Brain Equals Healthier Finances

Apr 082013

There are many ways to protect ourselves financially. One is insurance – be it home, business, or disability. Another is by being careful with certain risks. Yet another is carefully manage our career. The list can go on.

One of the additional ways to protect ourselves is by staying healthy. Seems obvious, as one needs to be healthy in order to work. If we can’t work, the cash flow stops. Also, medical bills can add up quickly.

The thing is, when most of us think of being healthy, I believe we are generally referring to things such as keeping in shape and making sure we have the physical energy to work. Which, of course, makes sense. But I think that there is another area which perhaps doesn’t get as much attention as it could: keeping our brain sharp.

Yes, I think that we need to at least consider brain health as a long-term investment. Of course for our lives in general, first and foremost. But a side benefit is the impact it can have on our ability to earn money. Just as our capacity to make money can impaired by physical limitations, it could also be impaired by limitations of our brain. A healthy brain = healthier finances.

The reality is that plenty of people suffer cognitive decline and brain issues as they get older. Knowing someone who is dealing with this in old age, it’s very clear to me that it’s a frightening reality that people’s brains can give way sooner than their bodies. If we can’t function mentally, there are severe problems for us. Alzheimer’s and other related issues can be scary conditions that simply destroy lives.

Along those lines - for financial but mostly quality of life reasons – here are 5 things we can do to help maintain our mental functioning:

Exercise

There have been studies that have shown that staying active can help reduce some risks of developing alzheimer’s. Being a couch potato and relatively inactive has other problems, obviously. But apparently it can have potential impacts on your brain as well.

I don’t know about you, but if I go through periods of inactivity, I can get sluggish. After regular exercise, and particularly after a good workout, I just feel more alert.

Eat Antioxidant-Rich Foods

It’s known that antioxidant-rich foods can have a variety of health benefits. One of them might be helping your brain, too. Having a good diet with plenty of these foods might help slow the decline of cognitive ability over time.

Personally, I like to add blueberries to my breakfast every morning. A bowl of oatmeal with ground flaxseed and some fresh berries has become a staple of mine. Now, I unfortunately have made enough mistakes during the lunch and dinner portions of my diet However, at least I’ve gotten breakfast down pretty good.

Doing a quick search for antioxidant-rich foods is a good start to becoming more informed.

Limit Bad Fats

Those bad fats, which can include trans-fats and saturated fats, can potentially cause problems for our brains. Things I’ve read seem to indicate that excess consumption of such fats can increase the risks of cognitive issues, and might even cause actual changes at the cellular level. That doesn’t sound fun!

Again, we know not to eat these things too often. The next time you consider whether or not to eat that greasy burger with greasy fries, don’t just think of your waistline. It might be less than ideal for your brain too!

Check nutrition labels, and do your own research.

Be Social

Not everybody is a social butterfly, and some people tend to be introverted. Others simply don’t care what people think, and tend to have a narrow focus in terms of their inner circle.

Well, from what I’ve read, there is work out there that indicates that having a good social life and a network of friends and family can help delay the onset of cognitive issues. I have no idea if this is partially innate in some people, in terms of their personalities – or if some are more predisposed than others. But it does indicate that being socially active might be a good thing.

Watch Blood Pressure

Hypertension, particularly when we are talking about uncontrolled high blood pressure, can lead to real problems for people. Studies seem to indicate this could be linked to an increase in alzheimer’s risk. Additionally, this can be linked to vascular dementia, where tiny blood vessels in the brain are negatively impacted. Oxygen being shut off, with cells dying, can’t be a good thing for memory.

It seems like it would be a good idea to really watch our diet to make sure that we’re consuming food that isn’t negatively impacting our blood pressure. Additionally, we should probably monitor it regularly.

What it All Means

Well, I think it’s clear that there are plenty of things we could do to help maintain our cognitive function and either prevent or delay future impairment. I’m obviously not a medical profession, so don’t take any of this as medical advice. Do your own research, but I’m just passing along some things I’ve read. This from a person who knows someone afflicted in old age with congitive impairment.

It’s obvious that we can’t do much good for our finances if our brain isn’t working optimally. It hurts the ability to make money, and it impacts our ability to make sound decisions. Additionally, having big problems could lead to catastrophic financial costs for oursleves or our family.

Bottom line is that I think it’s good to actively make decisions that consider the health of our brain.

My Questions for You

Do you ever consider the importance of health in terms of finances?

Do you consider brain health as something to focus on as we get older? If so, how do you approach this?

Have you known anyone older who has had such issues?

The High Cost of Getting the Flu

General, Health and Money 13 Responses »

Jan 152013

There has been a lot of talk in recent days about a huge outbreak of the flu. With this reportedly one of the worst outbreaks in recent years, from what has been noted by some news organizations, it’s understandable that this is getting a lot of attention.

I don’t know about you, but I can remember a few past episodes of the flu even though they were years ago. One time, in particular, was marked by 104+ degree fever and missing 3 days of work. When I returned, it was only out of pressure. The whole experience really served as one great example of why it sometimes takes getting sick to really value your health. I haven’t forgotten that time. I would have given anything at that time to end that temporary misery!

This gets me thinking again about health and money, which I periodically discuss here as you might know. Specifically, in this case, the cost of getting the flu for many of us.

Of course, the most important thing is the actual misery that we go through when dealing with a really bad case of the flu, as well as the impact that has on our responsibilities to others. However, secondarily, there is also the impact on our finances.

Missing Work Due to the Flu

As I mentioned above, many years ago I had to miss 3 days with the flu. I was right out of college, and was known to be a huge sports fan. I happened to miss days right at the beginning of March Madness, which got me some teasing over the phone when I called in. Keep in mind, there was no working from home or smartphones then (yeah, I guess I’m dating myself a bit here). Anyway, the teasing was probably good natured, but I knew by the tone of the conversation that there was a hint of pressure to come back. I’ve shared a story about this place in the past, involving an unpaid bonus, so if you’ve read that you may get the idea of why I might have been a bit concerned.

Companies don’t like dealing with people missing work, that’s the bottom line. I have been salaried, but for some people, it could actually mean hourly wages or freelance work lost. That’s no fun!

Also, if you’re burning your time off, it’s valuable time that’s lost. Those days off can be precious!

Losing Time for Personal Projects

Have a list of things that you need to get done in your life? These could be tasks around the house, or other projects. By getting the flu and being home on the sofa, you’re delaying getting your own things done. Hopefully none of the things being put off cost money, but you never know – they might!

Doctor Visits

For most people, a visit to the doctor isn’t free. Even if it’s just a matter of some kind of copay, you’re still paying. If someone doesn’t have insurance, those costs could be much higher. With health care costs a big burden for many people these days, who wants to spend more money on it? Whether it’s $25, $50, $100, or more – such expenses can add up

Medicine

Perhaps you might just be dealing with OTC products. Or, maybe things get bad enough that you end up needing a prescription for something. Either way, you just might be spending some money on things that may give you some comfort in dealing with the illness or maybe even speeding up your recovery. Perhaps this will be $10, maybe $20 – or it could cost even more.

What to do? Well, I’m no doctor (and no, I don’t play one on TV), but I got a flu shot and have been fine so far. Not sure that guarantees anything, but presumably that gives someone a better chance to avoid problems, right? That and washing hands/using hand sanitizer has been my approach. Not too time consuming, but it’s a small price to pay to ourselves what might be a better chance to avoid getting sick. Not to mention avoid the financial aspects of it!

My Questions for You

While of course health is most important, do you ever think of the financial costs of being sick?

Have you ever had to take a few days off work for a bad case of the flu?

What steps do you take to put yourself in better position to avoid getting such an illness?

Drink Tap Water to Save Money

Health and Money 18 Responses »

Jan 112013

When we go out to eat, a surprisingly significant percentage of the bill can come from just getting something to drink. You might end up spending $2 for that fountain drink with your meal. Or, if you simply grab coffee some morning, it might have nothing to do with your breakfast – and still set you back $2. Or, much more if you get something other than simple coffee.

I recently went 2 straight weeks without getting anything to drink other than water. This meant that I had no coffee, soda, or other drinks during that time. It’s not the first time I’ve gone without such drinks, as I’ve written about giving up caffeine before. Needless to day, I went back to drinking caffeine after that post a couple of years ago.

Anyway, this round of sticking to water found its motivation after recent dental work, where I saved money on a wisdom tooth removal. I thought it would be best to stick to water for a few days, and once I got on a roll, I just kept at it for a few weeks. The results were interesting, both in terms of health and money.

Health Benefits of Drinking More Water

The health benefits I observed were noticeable, and a mixture of expected and unexpected:

More consistent sleep. Meaning, I didn’t toss and turn, or have trouble falling asleep. I just slept, quite uneventfully actually.
Less sleep. This one was surprising. I would have thought that cutting out caffeine and simply having water might have meant more sleep would occur, but not exactly. Perhaps if one sleeps better, less sleep is needed than if you’re not sleeping as well? Who knows, but it was simply a half hour or so less sleep all told anyway.
Steadier energy levels. Not having caffeine or sugar seemed to having a steadying effect
Calm stomach. Not that I had any noticeable trouble before, but water seems pretty easy on the body compared to consuming many other things.

Now, I can’t speak to the specifics of tap water in your community or any other. Just going by how I feel with the local water here

Money-Saving Benefits of Drinking More Water

The money-saving benefits I noticed were fun to see:

Water is free. Okay, maybe not free to the environment, or the water bill. But there is so little incremental cost to getting a glass of water, that it might as well be free.
Cutting out all other drinks probably saved me $40 over the 2 weeks. Seems like a lot, but I think I was spending that amount on coffee each workday, plus a random fountain drink outside and juice at home. If I annualize that, we’re talking about savings of over $1000! For those who have more fun beverages, I’m sure the savings would be much more. Perhaps several thousand dollars?

After the two weeks, I actually stopped at a Jamba Juice and paid $5.02 (yes, $5.02!) for a 16 ounce cup of freshly squeezed orange juice. It was really, really good! But after a long stretch of just having water, it almost seems unimaginable for me to spend this much regularly. Not that I did, but even with other drinks, it’s like guzzling down hard-earned money!

One thing to clarify here – none of this involved bottled water, except for 2 bottles I got for free. Strictly tap water!

My Questions for You

Do you spend much money on other drinks each day – coffee, soda, juice, etc?

Do you ever think about how much money can be saved by drinking water?

What would motivate you more in terms of drinking more water – the health benefits, or money benefits?

Wisdom from a Kid on Money and Health

Family and Money 6 Responses »

Dec 242012

Sometimes, it takes a family member to keep us in line on different things, including money. Suggestions can come from different people, even – believe it or not – a kid!

Yes, I actually got some spending advice recently, from my daughter, and found it to be very simple but insightful. So, I thought I would share it here with everyone.

We were out at a quick-casual restaurant recently, getting dinner while being out on a busy day. I normally don’t think eating out excessively is the best idea with kids, but at least we weren’t at what some might deem a socially unacceptable fast food place like we discussed recently. We read off the menu board, then I was about to order for everyone. We were next in line, right behind the people ordering.

At that point my oldest, still a young kid, asked me what I was getting. I told her what I was going to get for myself, but didn’t mention the drink. Then she asked if I was going to get a fountain drink, and I said “yes”.

Then, she asked me not to get one. Or maybe she nicely suggested it, I don’t recall exactly. But she did very nicely make this quick point to me (paraphrased): “You’ll feel better if you don’t get one, and just get water instead. Why spend money on something that isn’t good for you”.

Admittedly, I paused, and my first thought was “ugh…I can’t get this now because it wouldn’t set the best example.”

But you know what, she had a point! Why spend money on buying something that is less healthy than water, when I could get water for free? Wouldn’t it make more sense to choose the option that both costs less AND is better for you?

Why don’t we all think like this a little bit more often? Throwing good money after negative results doesn’t seem to be a high ROI proposition.

So, after pausing, I told her she was absolutely correct, and that I was just going to get water. And I thanked her for bringing that to my attention, while telling her I liked how she thought about it. Needless to say, I was happy – not only because some teachings are being learned, but also because it’s great to see the next generation making good decisions. I certainly didn’t think that way as a kid, or even when a little bit more grown up!

My Questions for You

Have you ever heard some words from kids that reflected a surprising level of wisdom and good sense for their respective age?

What do you think of the simple idea of not spending good money on something that is surely not going to help you overall, and might even harm you in some way?

Squirreling Gone Wild #34: Punished for Being Frugal

Saving Money 7 Responses »

Dec 202012

If you see a shiny new penny on the ground, what would you do? Pick it up, right?

Since frugality has its merits (and I’ll put picking up coins into the frugal category), I would do it. Many people would. After all, it’s there for the taking! Never mind that time is money, and the economic value of picking up pennies isn’t exactly a slam dunk. If it’s right in front of you, just take the free money and move on.

Well, I may have been “punished” for not exactly following my advice on when not to be frugal. If you recall from that post, within the 6 situations I mentioned was a theme surrounding the idea of not sacrificing health for money. I noted food as well as health care specifically, as 2 of the 6 situations. So despite some the antics from the Squirreling Gone Wild series that I’ve shared, I actually do believe it’s important to not go to far just to save a few dollars. Or pennies.

Or, in my case, penny. That’s right, I inadvertently made a trade-off with health, just for a penny.

So there it was…a semi-shiny penny sitting in the parking lot of the local library. Actually there was another one that was more dull right by it, but I never tried for it. Anyway, I just walked out when I stumbled upon the coin. Immediately, I made a quick lunge for the coin, not even completely stopping my stride. That’s when I felt a slight twinge in my back.

Now, I have had a few bouts of back soreness and worse over the years, so this was very mild compared to those episodes. Actaully, it was really an tiny aggravation of recent back soreness (which I felt a little bit in the morning anyway), so I don’t want to make it seem like picking up a coin was the source. But anybody who has had such issues in the past should know that you just have to make some good decisions, such as bending at the knees when picking something up. Not that you’re going to necessarily get hurt otherwise, but it’s just one of those little things that we do to avoid any unnecessary issues.

It did freeze me for a few moments, but I made it to my car without a problem and then went home and stretched out my legs and back – having learned from past experience. Things got back to normal later. No long-term damage, so don’t worry. :)

But still, why deal with any consequences just for something that’s not that important! It could have been anything – this happened to me once when quickly bending to simply check tire pressure on a cold morning, and the result was quite a bit worse than this. However, it just seemed like maybe some type of “justice” being served upon me this particular time, given that it was a coin involved, and that I’ve penny pinched in quite a few instances.

Moral of the story: a little extra money isn’t always worth it.

Apparently I needed to be reminded

My Questions for You:

Have you ever gone too far to save (or make) a little money, or do you know anyone that has?

What was the situation?

Has Fast Food Become Socially Unacceptable?

Career 22 Responses »

Dec 032012

At lunch, during the work day, many of us have different options for what we can do. Some people regularly bring lunch from home every day. Other people might work someplace with a cafeteria on premises, and might go that route occasionally. Still others might go out to eat once in a while. Clearly, there are many different ways that we can handle lunch during the work week, and many combinations of how our weeks might look in that regard.

With respect to the latter option - going out to eat – we might also have a variety of options from which to choose. One of these options is fast food. However, in recent years, I haven’t seen as many coworkers eating fast food at lunch – or, at least, making it known that they eat it. It leads me to ask the question: has fast food for lunch become socially unacceptable, and something to avoid for your career?

It might sound silly, but in the workplace, perceptions often matter more than reality. While people are generally entrusted with responsibilities based on qualifications and past performance, one’s image at work can matter – even if it shouldn’t. In a white collar, corporate setting, multimillion dollar decisions are being made all the time. Would you think more favorably about the guy or gal who brings a healthy lunch to work every day or buys a salad from a quick casual place, or the person who regularly dines on an unhealthy value meal of a burger, fries, and soda from the local fast food joint.

Keep in mind, I’m not saying it’s fair, and it’s not necessarily how I view things. However, people can be fickle, and personal impressions do have an impact for better or worse.

I liken this to how smoking was once viewed in society. Supposedly, news broadcasts way back in the past had cigarette smoke swirling about, as a fairly decent percentage of the overall population smoked. It wasn’t unusual or a big deal. I vividly recall years of going to restaurants that offered both smoking and non-smoking sections. Smoking even happened on airplanes!

Now, smoking doesn’t happen on the news, or in restaurants where I live, and certainly not on airplanes. People don’t smoke in the office, at work. While it isn’t fair to judge the character of a smoker vs. a non-smoker, in the professional world it’s simply not socially acceptable. Smoking is simply not a part of the workday.

Keep in mind I’m not equating smoking to eating fast food, just thinking about perceptions of social acceptabilty. I wonder if this concept is starting to apply to fast food lunches? Maybe it’s a stretch, but I just don’t see people eating these lunches, or talking about how much they like fast food. They may eat it otherwise, but it seems to be less accepted.

So as funny as it might seem that flaunting an affinity for fast food lunches might be bad for your career – and your finances – well, it just might be. Not to mention the health impact, which in the long run hurts our finances too!

My Questions for You

What do you usually do for lunch during the work day?

Do you notice people eating less fast food these days, or being less anxious to admit to it, with co-workers?

Do you think that fast food for lunch during the work day has become less socially acceptable, and something that can be detrimental to how one is perceived?

Here is How I’m Going to Get the Ultimate Black Friday Savings Experience

Saving Money 5 Responses »

Nov 192012

What could be better than lining up at 2AM outside a retail store, shivering in the cold while guarding your position in line? After all, you will be engaging in the the thrill of competing with other bargain hunters who are also trying to race into the store and grab some deals! Who needs sleep, and who needs all that hard earned money you’ve managed to save?

No thanks. Last year, I posted about the best way to save money on Black Friday, and shared how one can ensure that costs will be kept to a minimum. Again, we want to have fun and enjoy ourselves without overspending, right? Well, I plan to do just that this year, and not go shopping on Black Friday.

Sound boring? Well, I know that it will to many folks. But the question is, are you buying what you need? Or, in the case of many Black Friday shoppers, shopping for sport. Yes, I think that some folks view shopping competitively, or at the very least as a form of entertainment.

Okay, we can all define what constitutes entertainment, so I’m nobody to judge that. I just think that if that’s the case, just admit it. Otherwise, there isn’t much need for people to be waiting in line in the wee hours of the morning, disrupting their sleep cycle just to stampede for savings. In many cases, I really believe that some folks buy things that they don’t need or truly wouldn’t normally buy, but get caught up in the frenzy of great offers.

I’m not saying I won’t buy anything at all during the holidays. Of course I will, as I have quite a few presents to buy for others. And, when I see deals for things that I need for myself, I’ll jump in that way too. The more it can be done online, the better. I do admit though that every holiday season I do like to spend an afternoon out and about, taking in the festivities, etc. It can be a lot fun, of course.

However, Black Friday itself, with all the craziness of weird hours, frenzied crowds, and offers that tempt us to buy things we don’t need? I’ll pass this time. Call me boring, but I’ll have a great day anyway, doing other fun things! Oh, and it will be after getting a great night of sleep as well, keeping in mind the idea that the trade-off between sleep and money is to think about :)

My Questions for You

What are your Black Friday plans for this year?

Do you find it worthwhile to jump into the fray and hunt for deals on Black Friday?

Have you ever waited in any really long lines, or gotten to stores at odd hours, in order to get a deal?

The Fallacy of Sacrificing Health for Money

Health and Money 15 Responses »

Nov 052012

Would you trade health for money?

It’s a crazy question, you might think. The thought of intentionally become less healthy, just to get money, seems dumb. Well, that’s because it is!

However, many people regularly do this. Tons of people, actually. Count me among that group, by the way. The reason I say that is that early in my career, I worked late quite a few nights. There were dozens of times when I worked from 8 in the morning through midnight, focusing on various deadlines that I might have had at the time. It all sure seemed so important at the time.

Now, there are some times when have to do whatever it takes to get the job done. But we should limit those instances to the truly necessary times, and they should be few and far between. Am I suggesting that we get lazy and not work hard? No, of course not. But, it simply isn’t sustainable or sensible to push ourselves to the point of compromising health just to make money.

I got thinking about this whole topic when I heard a quote recently that went something to the effect of (paraphrased) “he sacrifices health for money. Then he sacrifices money for health“. Apparently noted as Dalai Lama-sourced wisdom. Well, I do think it’s wise, and it can get you to think.

If you push yourself to be on the go all the time, what might you be compromising?

Diet – the more harried you are, the more you might be less likely to cook at home and eat a nutritious meal.
Sleep – we’ve talked about this here, where sleep and money are related – you don’t want to trade the former for the latter.
Stress – imagine getting to the point of debt-free living, and think about how that might remove a lot of stress from your life (acute job pressure, bills, etc).

Ultimately, we need to think about the role of money in our lives, and how it is interrelated with the other aspects of it. The irony of the whole thing is captured in that saying I noted above, where we trade off our health to make money but we’ll end up spending more later to take care of the health we previously neglecting!

My Questions for You

When have you sacrificed health for more money?

Is this something you consciously think about?

What suggestions do you have for how to successfully handle this?

5 Ways to Stop Overspending On Eating Out at Restaurants

Saving Money 21 Responses »

Oct 032012

Have you heard of the concept of an “Achilles heel”?

We have that in way or another. It can also be described a “thorn in our side”, or in some other creative way. What it’s getting at is that we have that one thing – or more – that just holds us back in some way. This can also happen with our budget.

To me, a financial Achilles heel, so to speak, is the cost of eating out at restaurants. More specifically, the amount of money I spend on going out to eat. These costs can really add up, as a quick look at my spending patterns has told me. While I’m what I would consider to be a financial responsible person who understands the difference between wants and needs, I can acknowledge that even personal finance enthusiasts can have one or two spending weaknesses. I’m no different, as my increasing pattern of getting meals from outside shows.

Here’s the thing – the costs can not only be financial, but can also impact one’s health. Not only might you pay more now, but you can pay later too. The cost of healthcare in retirement can be quite high, so in effect there is a balloon payment involved in your decisions made today. Best to think of overall costs from a holistic point of view.

Anyway, there are habits we can get into which can save us money on costs related to dining out. I’m starting to focus – or in some cases, focus more – on the following 5 ways to curb spending on eating out:

1) Do the math. This is one way that a person can stop spending too much on eating out. Just track your expenses, and see how much you’re spending on eating out. Just to throw out an example, if you’re spending $15 per day on eating out, but you could alternatively spend $10 per day eating very well at home, that’s $5 per day more. Added up, it’s over $1,800 in excess spending per year. Isn’t that motivating? For even more motivation, think about the potential long-term value of simply investing $1,000.

2) Pack your lunch. Often times, it can get expensive eating lunch at work. Whether you go out to eat, or dine at an office cafeteria, you can find yourself spending a fair amount of money daily. And don’t even get me going on vending machine snacks. Though a gold vending machine would be nice, but I digress. Anyway, taking 5 minutes to pack a lunch can be well worth the investment.

3) Batch cook. If you think that it takes time to prepare food to pack, I can understand. That’s how I see it. What I think might be a good solution is batch cooking. Cooking a large amount at one time, while refrigerating or freezing multiple servings, can be good way to manage time. This way, you can save both time and money by getting it all done at once.

4) Learn to appreciate good food. What? Isn’t some restaurant food awesome? Well, sure some can be really tasty. But you know what? The more I think about different meals I’ve had over the years, really well-cooked homemade dishes with fresh ingredients just taste better and healthier. It sure is better than swinging by the drive-thru, and you don’t have to use penny-pinching strategies on saving money at the drive-thru.

5) Challenge yourself. Many of us like a challenge, and have a competitive streak and/or a quest for self-improvement. If you can challenge yourself to cut eating out by 50%, or some other amount, you might end up getting more enthused about making a concerted effort. After succeeding, you just might develop some new habits that can stick with you!

My Questions for You

How often do you eat out at restaurants (or pick up food)?

What approaches do you take to saving money on eating out?

Do you have another expense that is your “financial Achilles heel”?

Save Money with these 15 Cheap and Healthy Foods

Health and Money 18 Responses »

Jul 022012

If you were to look at your expenses for a typical month, food is probably one category that wouldn’t exactly be miniscule in terms of the amount spent. This makes sense, as we all need food, and we all like food.

If you look at the personal finance hierarchy of needs, which I put together inspired by Maslow’s work, you can see food as a being a base level need. Along with our needs for shelter and medical care, we most certainly need food in order to get by in life. So, it’s tough to avoid spending money on food altogether.

With that in mind, I thought it would nice to summarize a list of food choices that would be relatively inexpensive to purchase, and would help lower food expenses. This would be in lieu of other more radical ideas, such as those of a former colleague who squirreled away money by getting free food at work :)

Anyway, here are 15 low-cost healthy food choices to help stretch your budget:

1. Water. Is water considered food? Well, whatever classification it deserves, I’ll put it at the top of this list. Drinking water instead of expensive drinks can really help you save a lot over the long term. Keep in mind that I’m talking about tap water here, not bottled water. Also, drinking water can help you avoid damaging your teeth with sugary and/or acidic beverages. As we know, it can be nice to save money on dental care.

2. Oatmeal. I’ve talked about this before, in terms of being a good way to enjoy a frugal breakfast. A serving of oatmeal made at home can cost very little maybe $0.10. A dime for a bowl isn’t bad, right? Plus, oatmeal is reported to have a number of potential health benefits.

3. Eggs. Now, personally I prefer egg whites, as I don’t care for the extra cholesterol with the yolk. Regardless, eggs provide protein and don’t cost to prepare in terms of time or money.

4. Bananas. Nice as an “on the go” snack, or as a part of breakfast, bananas are a great source of potassium and an easy way to get some fruit in your diet

5. Spinach. Now, it may be more expensive if you go the organic route, though whether or not it is important to buy organic is up to each of us. If not, spinach can be an especially low cost source of vitamins C and K, as well as lutein, in the form of a green, leafy vegaeable.

6. Apples. An apple a day, right? Well, that’s no guarantee to keep the doctor away, But apples are a good source of nutrition, and like bananas are easy to take on the go while costing relatively little.

7. Broccoli. A cruciferous vegetable, broccoli is loaded with nutrition what keeping us full on very little calories. Plus, it’s a nice source of fiber.

8. Nuts. Sure, they can be calorically dense – so be careful just how many you eat. However, nuts often have what are described as “good” fats, along with many vitamins and minerals. They can also be a good source of protein. They aren’t always cheap, but some can be very inexpensive – espcially when bought in larger quantities.

9. Beans. These are often an excellent source of both fiber and protein, along with other nutritional benefits. Bought in larger quantities, beans can be quite inexpensive. Plus there is a good variety of choices, including among others: black, navy, lima, pinto, garbanzo, mung, red, and others.

10. Brown Rice. A low-cost staple that is filling, and offers a better nutritional profile than traditional white rice.

11. Greek Yogurt. In particular, I like the non-fat variety for obvious reasons: being lower in fat. But Greek yogurt is higher in protein than traditional yogurt, and creamy as well. If you get the plain non-flavored kind, you’ll also do without the added sugars!

12. Potatoes. Sure, they can be high in carbs. But they also have vitamin C, potassium, and iron. Plus, they can be really inexpensive. At a local store recently, I saw a bag of potatoes that looked like it might have had 15 or so, and it was on sale for $1.99. That’s a lot of food for a low price!

13. Pumpkin. Not your typical choice, right? Well, canned pumpkin can last a LONG time, and when used in recipes, can provide a great source of vitamin A, as well as a good source of fiber and iron.

14. Quinoa. Again, not a standard choice! However, this grain has been getting popular in recent years for good reason. It’s filling while being a really good source of protein compared to alternatives. Buying in bulk can save some money.

15. Popcorn. What? Popcorn? Well, we aren’t talking about the movie theatre variety here. Rather, if you air pop it at home, it can provide a very low cost snack that will leave you feeling little guilt but a fair amount of fiber. Sure seems like a healthier, cheaper snack than many alternatives!

My Questions for You

Aside from water, which we all consume, which of these foods do you like to incorporate as a part of a healthy, low-cost diet?

Do you have any other suggestions to share about other food that is both healthy and low-cost?