Call Caroline: Maintaining A Healthy Lifestyle On A Budget

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There's no need to pay for a gym membership if you can't afford it.

When the weather is nice outside, I prefer to sneak my daily 30 minutes of cardio activity by taking a brisk walk outside. When the weather isn't so delightful, I exercise indoors. Perusing Amazon.com, it appears that 5-lbs dumbbells are available for under $20. With some gym memberships costing upwards of $50 per month, it is a relief to note that I can adhere to my regimen with a decent pair of sneakers and a pair of $15 dumbbells.

Of course, there's more to health than exercise, and eating well on a tight budget can be a bit of a conundrum.

Yes, it is very important to always eat fruits, leafy greens, and lean proteins rather than processed, sugary snacks, but produce can be expensive. So how should you manage your weekly grocery-shopping with both health and saving money in mind?

Plan Your Weekly Groceries In Advance.

It's never good to go food shopping on an empty stomach, so eat before you head to the grocery store. Also map out your meals for the week and make a list of groceries to buy. Stick to your list. Do not grab that box of cookies on your way out of the store.

Shop at Farmer's Markets.

Check the website Local Harvest to find out where your can buy produce directly from the source. Not only is produce bought at farmer's markets typically cheaper, but it's fresher as well.

Cook Creatively.

There is always a new and interesting way you can use your ingredients. Do you like chicken? One night, throw it in a pasta; the next night, stir-fry it with some onions and peppers and make fajitas. Don't waste any food! (Need some ideas? Check out some of our member recipes.

Buy Generic.

Usually, generic brands are a lot cheaper than name brands. The store-brand spaghetti sauce, for example, is a smarter buy than Ragu or Prego--and can you really tell the difference?

Shop Smart!

It can often be more shrewd to buy certain items in bulk, as the overhead price of packaging may jack up the cost of smaller items. However, this is not universally true, and it is certainly never smarter to buy an item in bulk if you don't intend on using all of it. Thus, it is important to regard the unit price for items like rice rather than simply the price of the package to understand how much you are getting for your buck. Also, while you should mind sales and coupons, try not to buy something just because it is on sale. (I have ended up with seemingly endless boxes of frozen Swedish meatballs that way.)

Brown Bag It.

Packing a lunch to take to work with you is typically healthier and more frugal than eating out. Also, you can carry a snazzy lunch box along with you!

It may take a little extra effort to eat healthy on a budget--but the rewards are certainly worth it.

Have a question for CallCaroline? Email her at members@gamesville.com.