5 Easy Ways to Cut Your Grocery Bill in Half

After a difficult night trying to coach a friend through some financial issues, I started thinking about the easiest way to cut back on expenses. It's the food. It's always the food! Here are my tried and true methods I've been using to keep my large family's grocery bill around $200 a month for the last few years and I know they will work for you. 

1. Meal Plan

This will be your main source of savings. Going into the store with a plan instead of aimlessly wandering the isles will save you the most off of your grocery bill. Find some recipes your family likes, write down the ingredients you need, and off you go!

2. Once a Week

Multiple trips = many more ways to drop a few more dollars because "It's on sale!" or "It's only $2, no big deal!" Hitting up your favorite food supplier less often will add up to more money in your pocket. 

3. What Season is it?

If you shop certain produce items in the seasons that they grow, you will save 2-4x more than if you buy them whenever you want. I could buy asparagus right now for $5.99/lb, but if I wait until late April, I can get it for $.99/lb. That's a deal I can get behind!

4. Eat a Snack

The times I have gone way over budget and bought items that I didn't plan on is when I'm hungry. I'm so out of my head that I can't think straight and I start throwing things into my cart that I don't even like on a normal day. Have a meal, then head to the store. 

5. Cut the Crap

It's no surprise that items like cookies, ice cream, chips, soda, and juice are expensive. Not only do they cost you a lot of money, but most snack foods do you no favors for your health. Cutting these unnecessary items from your life will loosen your waistline and fatten your wallet. 

You work hard for those dollars, it makes sense that you would want to enjoy it doing fun things like vacations, new clothes, and perhaps a date night once in a while. Try one or all of these ideas and see how much you can save. And then take all your kids out to a movie this weekend. 

Check out my youtube series on feeding my family for $200 a month in 2019.

Using Ibotta to Save $$ on Groceries

I know what it's like to do whatever you can to save money on groceries. In the early days, it was not buying them! Then I learned how to coupon and these days, it's all about the cash back rebate sites. Ibotta is the most popular and my current favorite. They have so many store options, I am sure there is something in your area so you can try it out yourself. They even have cash back on mobile purchases like Groupon and Blue Apron!

You can go here: https://ibotta.com/r/scqjma (referral link) to get $10 back once you sign up and redeem your first rebate. 

I have made a video showing how this app works here:

How to Start Running Again after an 8 Month Injury

July of 2017 was shaping up to be a great month. I was in the middle of half marathon training and triathlon training and things were looking great. I was strong, feeling good, and then one morning I noticed the bottom of my foot was sore when I climbed out of bed. Strange. In my 8 years of running, my feet are never something that has bothered me. 

Over the next few weeks, my heel is becoming more and more stiff and sore until one day after a run, I can't even put weight on that foot at all. 

PLANTAR FASCIITIS. 

I consulted with Dr. Google, asked questions to all my runner buddies, checked Youtube videos, and even spoke with my orthopedic surgeon neighbor! I tried it all. The nighttime boot, the stretches, rolling with a golf ball, no running at all, no high heels, wearing supportive shoes all the time, no jumping, etc. I even stopped exercising COMPLETELY for 3 weeks in an effort to heal my foot. No dice.

The trick for me was as follows:

• Orthotics! I wear this brand.

• Soft shoes for every day. I found a pair of sketchers memory foam at Ross that I wear every day all the time. I wear them to work, around the house, EVERYWHERE.

• No pounding. No running of any kind for 5 months. :( 

• Stretching my calves. I only do this once or twice a day and very gently. 

Now that I can barely notice any pain, I am attempting to rebuild my running. I lost so much fitness over the last few months and it's hard to get back into it. I have signed up for a half marathon and I'm determined to get back into it! Here's what I'm doing:

• I only run 1 day a week.

• I started at 1 minute of running and 2 minutes of walking.

• I climb the stair-master 4 days a week.

• I swim twice a week for 50 minutes.

• I bike twice a week for an hour.

• I am currently up to 2 minutes of running and 1 minute of walking x 10.

• I put the treadmill on an incline of 1

I am so impressed at how quickly my endurance and strength is coming back! I am continuing to be cautious to not injure myself again, but I am very encouraged at how I am feeling. I might be able to do that half marathon in September after all!!

If you are injured and feel like you will never heal - I've been there. More than once. Be patient. Start back slowly. Appreciate what you CAN do. 

Dream big, run long.