Lose Weight on a Budget

Losing weight is hard enough without having to worry about your budget too. But we have some tricks to help you along the way.

Save Money On Your Grocery Bill:

Healthy food goes on sale too! When it does you want to stock up. Go ahead and stock up on items that can be stored. Remember, you can freeze a lot of fruits and even veggies. Meats also store great too.

Don’t think that you can’t use coupons. While it is true that many of the coupons out there are for processed foods that help you add inches to your waist line instead of lose it, there are quite a few printable coupons that are for healthy food too. Some of my favorites are the $.25 off Milk and $.25 off Cheese coupons. (You can find them at http://utahsweetsavings.com) Plus don’t forget about canned veggies and fruits. Wait for a sale, use a coupon, and save some serious money!

I love to buy my fruits and veggies from co-ops. My favorite is Bountiful Baskets. This is a great way to save a bundle on fresh food and try new items too. Don’t forget to watch for local farmers markets too. Support local and save!

Save Money In Your Kitchen:

Do you plant a garden? You don’t need a green thumb to have a garden. Even just a few pots with a few plants can save you a TON.

Don’t be afraid to try new things. I’m always looking for new recipes on healthy alternatives for my family. One of my favorites has become making my own ketchup. I love ketchup but the calories and sugar are NOT good for my weight loss. So I make my own. It is easy and I am still able to eat something that I really enjoy without the guilt. I have found a ton of free eBooks and recipe books on Amazon that have been fun to try. There are so many great resources out there. You don’t have to be an amazing cook to make small little changes in your kitchen that will help you lose weight a live a more healthy life.

Save Money Eating Out:

We can’t stop eating out for the rest of our lives. The first time I ate out after I started losing weight I was scared to death! But now it has become so much easier. The first thing I do is jump online and look at the restaurant’s menu. Plan ahead. Make sure you are going somewhere that has healthier options. Just because it is a salad doesn’t mean that it is healthy. Many salads have more calories than a cheeseburger. Don’t be embarrassed to bring your own dressing if you need. Also special order your food with less oil (or none at all), skip the bread, and add extra veggies. I’ve found that most restaurants will be happy to make things differently if you ask.

Skip the soda! This will help you save money and keep your calories down. Water is not only free it is one of the keys to weight loss!

Watch your portion sizes. Restaurant sizes are huge! As soon as you get your meal take half and put it in a box to take home. If it isn’t on your plate you won’t be tempted to eat it. Plus now you have lunch for tomorrow.

My last secret is to buy a gift card for the restaurant at a store that gives your rewards. I shop at Smith’s and they offer gas rewards for my purchases. When I am headed out to a restaurant I will swing by Smith’s and pick up a gift card. That way I get my reward points (sometimes up to 4x the rewards) for money I was going to spend anyway. This will save me money at the pump and put more money back into my budget.