10 Ways to Eat Healthy on a Budget

The recession is causing us all to watch our bottom lines. However, there is no better investment than an investment into your health. Eating healthy today will lead to better health (and lower medical bills) in the future. That said, there are ways to have it both ways - healthy and economical. Low cost doesn’t have to mean low quality. In fact, some of the most inexpensive things you can buy are the best things for you.

Read on for some suggestions to help you keep your supermarket bills in check.

1. Make Three Shopping Lists

Look around your house before you head to the market and make the following lists:

• Foods You Need Immediately: Buy these items even if they are not on sale. 
• Foods You Will Need Soon: Only buy these items if they are on sale or if you have a coupon. If they are not on sale, try again next week. You never know when a sale will pop up! Stock up on non-perishables when they go on sale.
• Foods You Will Not Need For a While: Do not buy these foods.

2. Use Coupons

• Many supermarkets offer coupons. Clip the coupons and save them until you need the item.
• Go online. Do a search for the name of the food item you want to buy and the word coupon. You will be shocked at how much you can save by doing a little investigation on the web. Print the coupons and prepare to save.
• Many stores offer loyalty cards for extra savings; it never hurts to ask if your local store has a loyalty program.

3. Don’t Shop Hungry

Eat a healthy snack before heading out the door. It is diet and wallet sabotage to shop hungry. Hungry shoppers fill their baskets with all kinds of non-essentials. It is always best to shop on a full stomach.