Search Results for: blog can cost of living affect your budget

Three Reasons to Leave the Stuff in the Store

I was browsing one of my favorite blogs yesterday, I came across a bit of home decor that I had admired for a while on this blogger’s page. She had it hung in her living room, and it looked wonderful. Of course, she got it for free in order to promote the store that carried the products, and as part of a one-day promotion, that particular item was discounted from $59.99 to $19.99, a real bargain. I clicked over to the site and almost ordered the item. Almost, because I know that there were at least three reasons to leave … Continue reading →

How Breaking Your Budget is Bad for Your Health

Here is another reason to stay on your budget. Breaking it can actually be bad for your health. Agonizing about how you are going to afford a new purchase can stay with you, even after you solve the problem. Researchers now say that our brains don’t like being in debt. Having fears about money affect our health long term. Whether we realize it or not, debt causes stress, and stress causes poor health. Stress and pain seem to register much more strongly than does pleasure. So, the next time you feel ready to break your budget, keep this in mind. … Continue reading →

Determining Where to Spend Your Money

We all know the importance of setting up a budget and sticking with it. We set aside a certain amount for food, clothing, shelter, etc. and we do our best not to go over those limits. There are times, though, when we need to allow ourselves to spend certain amounts of money in some areas, and less in others. Take, for instance, at the grocery store. My kids don’t care what brand of cold cereal I get, so I get the store brand. I do the same with milk, cheese, etc. But I have one little boy who has allergies, … Continue reading →

What are NCDs and How Can You Prevent Them?

An official with the World Health Organization, Dr Shin Young-soo announced Sunday that the Western Pacific is seeing an increase in NCDs, and that these NCDs are responsible for 75 percent of deaths in the region. Our own region is far from immune to NCDs. Here is what you need to know about them and ways to prevent them from affecting yourself and your family. NCD stands for Non-communicable disease. This refers to diseases that cannot be caught from another person or object contaminated by germs. Heart disease, cancer (although some cancers have been associated with viruses), stroke and diabetes … Continue reading →

Home Month in Review: November 2008

Is your home ready for the holidays and winter? Now that November is over, it is time to gear up for the December ahead. Take a look at last months articles and see if there is anything you missed! November 1st Home Blog Month in Review: October As I sit here looking out my window at the backyard, the birds are hovering in the pine tree against a strong wind and steady rain. The temperature is chilly today, and the calendar reminds me that we have left October behind. November 2nd Fall and Holiday Decorating with Nature 2 Isn’t it … Continue reading →

Frugal Month in Review: November 2008

November to be is the beginning of two things. The holiday season starts with Thanksgiving, and then there is winter. Despite the fact that winter doesn’t officially start until next month, the fall seems to give way to the winter in November anyway. We had a day of snow already. Here is looking ahead to December and the end of the year! November 1st Frugal Month in Review: October 2008 “Delicious autumn! My very soul is wedded to it, and if I were a bird I would fly about the earth seeking the successive autumns.” – George Eliot. November 2 … Continue reading →

Frugal Living Week in Review: November 17th Through November 23rd

There has certainly been some good news about gas prices going down, but I don’t think that we are out of the woods just yet. Being good stewards of our resources is a necessity. Take a look at last week’s articles about Frugal Living. November 17th Frugal Living Week in Review: November 10th Through November 16th Job losses seem to be increasing to the point where I am hearing about more and more people that I know being laid off. But I am hopeful that things will turn around. Look for some future posts on dealing with some of these … Continue reading →

Getting Serious About Heat Conservation

We’ve been practicing frugal living in our home actively for about eight years. Most of those years have involved a lot of lifestyle changes, from having three kids to moving to a larger home. While we have kept up with being conservative about our spending, we haven’t been able to make any dramatic changes above and beyond what we do on a daily basis. This fall, we have made it a priority to work on heat and energy conservation even more than we already do. This is an area that we can always improve. We’ve completed most of the necessary … Continue reading →

Five Little Grocery Shopping Tricks: Shelf Placement

Grocery stores are pulling out all of the stops these days to try to get as much of your hard earned money as they can. If you often find yourself coming out of the store with more items than you planned or spending more than your budgeted, then chances are that you have been a victim of one of five little grocery shopping tricks. In a previous blog, I covered the trick about limit sales, and how they can affect your shopping decisions. If you missed that article, you can click here for all of the details: Five Little Grocery … Continue reading →

Saving Money on a Special Diet

When you discover that you need a special diet, you might start to panic. Not only do you have to figure out new ways of cooking and eating, but you may also see a spike in your grocery bill. Special foods sometimes can cost a lot more than what you usually buy. Recently, a member of my family was told a “low glycemic index diet” was needed. This diet pays close attention to foods that cause a sudden rise in blood sugar. The goal in this diet, is to eliminate many carbohydrates that might cause that spike. Each food has … Continue reading →