Can a family eat on $100 a week?
May 23, 2009
Filed under Diet And Nutrition
Feed a family of four for $100 a week — no coupons, no backyard garden or mystery meat.
That was the challenge MSN Money gave me (and, indirectly, my husband and two children).
I knew it wouldn’t be easy. Even a food stamp allowance for a family of four is $117. With gas and corn prices surging, the retail costs of basic items such as milk, apples, pork chops and potatoes have gone up 8.5% in the past year, according to the most recent American Farm Bureau Federation’s Marketbasket Survey.
But with a little planning and the help of a couple of nutritionists, I figured out what to buy and what to leave on the shelf. And no, we didn’t eat beans or pasta every night. The rules:
- All of the food had to come from a major national grocery chain. No low-priced ethnic markets or bag-your-own-groceries warehouse stores. I could have saved even more, but this had to be something everyone could do.
- No coupons. I’m not a big coupon user anyway, and besides, many of these are for things that are too fattening or just too expensive to begin with.
Melinda Fulmer
- No cleaning products or paper goods. There wasn’t enough room in the budget.
- The meals I served had to be relatively healthful. Otherwise, what’s the point?
Did we make it?
First, let’s say that any reduction in my grocery bill was welcome, as most weeks we spend nearly $250 at a grocery store. That’s well above the $182 budget the U.S. government considers "moderate" for a family of our size and ages.
Spending less than half what we normally do was tough. A $100 budget gave us $1.19 a meal per person, obviously not enough for dinners or coffees out and barely enough to put decent meat on our plates.
Did we spend $100 or less? No.
I cheated twice, and both were on items I wasn’t proud of.
The first time, I bought a sodium-packed $1.07 bean burrito at a fast-food place as I rushed off starving to an appointment for my son. The second time was at the end of the week, when I caved to several minutes of back-seat whining for soft-serve ice cream.
Those purchases brought my total expenditures for the week to $105.03, meaning I overspent by about 6 cents a meal per person.
The experts weigh in
With a $100 budget, there’s no room for error. Every meal and snack has to be meticulously planned, and the whole family has to eat it. In my case, with two adults, a toddler and a 4-year-old, that’s a pretty wide swing.
"That’s a real challenge," says Elizabeth Somer, a registered dietitian and the author of "10 Habits That Mess Up a Woman’s Diet."
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Selecting The Right Gym Supplies
March 24, 2009
Filed under Indoor Activities.
For example, there are exercise machines created to help bodybuilders increase their muscle size; there are exercise machines that target only the abdominal area; there are exercise machines that assist bodybuilders in enhancing their resistance and strength; and so forth. If you want to know the muscle building supplies you need, you must first determine your goals. Many bodybuilders out there are prone to making the mistake of buying cheap muscle building supplies. They think they are getting their money's worth when, in fact, they are getting a poor bargain. In the world of bodybuilding, investing in bodybuilding equipment is a must.
Cheap exercise machines generally cause a lot of trouble – they easily break down and need repairs. Moreover, cheap exercise machines that last for a long time often provide unsatisfactory workout results. It is better to spend your money on exercise machines that are a little expensive but are of excellent craftsmanship and can guarantee the best results. For muscle building, common equipment includes free weight or dumbbells. They are perfect for conditioning your body to get on the road to fitness fast. Lifting light weights and dumbbells on a regular basis – everyday, if possible – for just short periods can already set your muscles.
To make lifting weights easy, you might want to consider buying weight benches; these machines make weight lifting more efficient and hassle-free, reducing the risk of injury. Comprehensive programs often make use of weight benches to assure optimal results. Of course, you don't just want to focus on your forearms and chest. Using a stationary bike is a great way to shape, train, and tone your legs. Many people choose to buy stationary bikes for the home because they don't really take up much space and are generally economical.
A treadmill is a logical choice if you want to walk and run without having to get out of the home. It is considered as one of the most effective machines that can help burn calories and lose excess weight, making building muscles easier. Stair steppers are also a prime choice for working on the legs, thighs, and the butt. They go well with toning exercises. These days, electronic displays and computer consoles can give your programmed workouts with varying intensities, difficulty levels, and pulse monitoring, among other things. If you have a big budget, you might want to create your very own home workout gym. This way, you can have a proper place for all your muscle building supplies. Plus, you can save on gym membership fees and have workout sessions during hours that work best for you. Your home workout gym should have complete equipment for muscle building and strength training for the entire body.
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