Saving Money While Losing Weight

mrscarolbernard
mrscarolbernard Posts: 32 Member
in Food and Nutrition
I've really noticed I'm spending less on groceries since I started eating better and eating smaller portions. I'm not spending money on fast food, cookies, chips, etc. and because I eat less, the staples like eggs, bread, milk last longer. When I cook meals, I get more lunches out of the leftovers. I haven't bought a Subway sandwhich for lunch in over a month!

Another benefit of a healthier lifestyle!
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Replies

  • dcjackson50
    dcjackson50 Posts: 196
    Me Too ! Obviously the big pay off for my wallet and my waist is not eating Fast Food !
    Sometimes fresh produce can be expensive, but I am finding that buying what's on sale and having a menu planned ( and sticking to it) really helps me make meals that will be enough for lunch the next day too !
  • mrscarolbernard
    mrscarolbernard Posts: 32 Member
    I also stopped drinking a diet pepsi or 2 everyday so that is off my shopping list.
  • shalysewrightbethea
    shalysewrightbethea Posts: 48 Member
    I've really noticed I'm spending less on groceries since I started eating better and eating smaller portions. I'm not spending money on fast food, cookies, chips, etc. and because I eat less, the staples like eggs, bread, milk last longer. When I cook meals, I get more lunches out of the leftovers. I haven't bought a Subway sandwhich for lunch in over a month!

    Another benefit of a healthier lifestyle!
    Yea Its not really true that you have to go broke eating healthy. When I switched to a vegetarian lifestyle I had been lead to believe I would be forced to eat on $200 a week, but no I still spend about the same or less for a month. ($300)
  • helloheatherbray
    helloheatherbray Posts: 12 Member
    I'm so happy I'm not the only one noticing this added benefit. I do grocery shopping once a week for my meals for that coming week, and that's it. No stopping on my way home because I'm having a weird craving for junk food or a certain fast food for dinner. I only let myself make an additional grocery store trip if I run out of asparagus, which I always do because it's just so delicious that I cut it up into little bites, grill it, and it's better than snacking on chips while I'm watching a ball game :)
  • GetSoda
    GetSoda Posts: 1,267 Member
    I spend more, because I'm replacing cheap, calorie dense food with delicious healthy expensive food.
  • socioseguro
    socioseguro Posts: 1,679 Member
    I agree with you 100%.

    I used to eat out all the time and my weight increased as a result..

    I started to cook my own meals and I found out I could save money by preparing my meals from scratch, no boxes, no microwave packages.
    It has been fun to cook my favorite foods in a healthier version.

    I cook on Sundays for the entire week. MFP is great help for healthy meal planning
  • niellari
    niellari Posts: 3
    Ive always known that ill save money while losing weight. I just didnt have the proper motivation before. Now i have, my family and my own health. But the money i am now saving will be happily spent on a new wardobe! Haha! I cant see any downside now.
  • jennifershoo
    jennifershoo Posts: 3,198 Member
    For me, it's quite the opposite. Eating organic cost me waaaayyyyyy more!

    1 hot dog + 1 french fries + 1 soda = $3.33

    1 organic cucumber = $2

    I don't know how you people can spend less. What did you buy before?
  • bound4beauty
    bound4beauty Posts: 274 Member
    I think it all depends on what you were spending money on before. If you gave up eating out then of course you're going to be saving money. If you were buying cheap food and suddenly switch to organic, you'll probably see an increase. At first, replacing all of my staples with better quality food was expensive but it's evened out some now that my pantry is restocked.

    I just joined a local organic buying club which I'm really excited about. I'll get a big box of locally grown, organic fruits and veggies every two weeks for $50.00. If you become a local distributor, you get your boxes for free. You might want to check in your area to see if something like that exists where you live.
  • niellari
    niellari Posts: 3
    I used to buy and eat processed and junk food. I also used to eat out at mcdonalds a lot even when im not hungry.

    Now, i eat whats in my garden and i buy fresh meat and fish. Organic is expensive if you buy it but costless if you produce it.. shellfish is really cheap and low on calories too.

    Wow, grilled eggplants really tastes great.
  • mrscarolbernard
    mrscarolbernard Posts: 32 Member
    For me, it's quite the opposite. Eating organic cost me waaaayyyyyy more!

    1 hot dog + 1 french fries + 1 soda = $3.33

    1 organic cucumber = $2

    I don't know how you people can spend less. What did you buy before?

    Well, I don't buy organic stuff, just more fruits and veg and less packaged food. Also, here in Canada anyway, I think the junkie fast food is a lot more expensive than what you quoted above. As I mentioned in my post, me and my husband are also eating smaller portions so the staples last a lot longer. For example, instead of eating 2 eggs for breakfast, I have 1, so the eggs last twice as long. Same thing with milk. We used to go through 2 jugs per week and now we hardly make it through 1 jug. When I cook, I portion out the leftovers for lunches but we are eating smaller portions so we will get more lunches out of the leftovers and also therefore buy less lunches.
  • mrscarolbernard
    mrscarolbernard Posts: 32 Member
    I used to buy and eat processed and junk food. I also used to eat out at mcdonalds a lot even when im not hungry.

    Now, i eat whats in my garden and i buy fresh meat and fish. Organic is expensive if you buy it but costless if you produce it.. shellfish is really cheap and low on calories too.

    Wow, grilled eggplants really tastes great.

    I should be getting produce from my garden soon too. Best stuff ever!
  • socioseguro
    socioseguro Posts: 1,679 Member
    For me, it's quite the opposite. Eating organic cost me waaaayyyyyy more!

    1 hot dog + 1 french fries + 1 soda = $3.33

    1 organic cucumber = $2

    I don't know how you people can spend less. What did you buy before?

    Hi:

    This comparison is not fair. You need to compare like by like.
    I could have eaten "one hot dog and one portion of french fries and one soda" in one meal ( i.e. lunch) $ 3.33 and 600 calories per meal.

    Organic cucumber it will last me 5 days in the fridge. $ 0.40 per meal and 10 calories per meal.

    I hope it helps. Good luck in your journey
  • MercenaryNoetic26
    MercenaryNoetic26 Posts: 2,747 Member
    I hear ya! I went to Starbucks the other day and bought $16 worth of food for just MEEEEE! LOL

    I completely forgot how expensive it was! It was just plain iced coffee grande, a chx salad and a panini! $16! hahaha To think I used to go to these places almost every day for lunch. All that money in the toilet (literally).

    All that eating out here and there does add up. I do find myself having more money in the bank now.
  • jkal1979
    jkal1979 Posts: 1,896 Member
    I have been saving money now that I plan out my meals ahead of time and stick to what's on the grocery list. No more adding random junk into the cart.
  • alisonlynn1976
    alisonlynn1976 Posts: 929 Member
    Yes, I've noticed that I'm spending less on food too. Bonus!
  • ohmscheeks
    ohmscheeks Posts: 840 Member
    Nice! I am definitely paying more at the grocery store. But, I suppose if I factored in the money I would save if I stopped eating out in conjunction...
  • Gmtribble90
    Gmtribble90 Posts: 463 Member
    I've been spending less, but mainly because I print a lot of coupons, check out the store's sales ad online, and make a list a day or two before I go shopping. I make sure to print off any coupons for produce and look in the ads for organic foods on sale before I even think of planning the rest of my list. Last trip, I saved exactly 25% off my total bill, but I will try to save more next time (I'm still fairly new to couponing).
  • WDEvy
    WDEvy Posts: 814 Member
    Sadly it's offset by the cost of having to buy new clothes every month
  • RoadsterGirlie
    RoadsterGirlie Posts: 1,195 Member
    OMG me too! I don't understand why people say it's more expensive to eat healthier. Our food bill has been cut in half, since both my husband and I have a adopted a healthier lifestyle.

    Eating out is EXPENSIVE and we have cut way back on that - I think that's where the majority of the savings come from.

    It's a win-win!

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