Dieting, or switching to a healthier lifestyle, is usually very expensive with the new gym subscription that will 'motivate' you, the specialised health-store foods that are supposed to flush, nip and reduce and the pricey ingredients of healthy recipes. But you don't have to trim your wallet along with your size.
Jayjay Bagiu
We all have those extra pounds we want to lose, right? But why lose extra money in the process? What if there was a way to cut back on the high prices you have to spend each time you try to live a healthier lifestyle? Well there is, and I'm here to give you the inside scoop.
For starters, there is a reason that recipe books are not called 'law' books. Though most think otherwise, they are not written to dictate every detail of your diet. Rather, they are suggestions. Recipe books, though set out to please readers, are also a business. If they contain delicious meals, they will more than likely sell more of their books. However, as a buyer who is trying to save money, it is important to remember that the cooks who designed the meals did so in such a way as to make the best meal they could, not the most affordable. With that being said, manipulate your recipes. You can often find similar or off-brand ingredients at a much lower cost than the stated ones. And this means that the more meals you plan, the more you are bound to save.
Planning these meals is essentially one of the most important things you can do when trying to save money. As you plan meals ahead of time, you are able to purchase ingredients that coincide from recipe to recipe. Not only does this help you cut out unnecessary products, but also, having a strict list to follow will prevent you from buying food simply because you were hungry. Shopping while hungry is always a huge mistake.
Speaking of something being huge, the size you're trying to make yourself is not the only important thing. When budgeting, you must also consider the package size of what you are buying. For this, there are three hints to remember: bulk, bulk and bulk. When shopping at a wholesale store such as Makro, items are usually packaged in bulk. This means that rather than buying four stock cubes, you have the ability to purchase 30 at once; a tactic that dramatically reduces costs.
Though meat is clearly a large aspect of this low-carb diet, produce is as well. More than likely, this means you will find yourself eating salads quite often. It's safe to say the average inclination would be to reach for the pre-packaged greens. However, if you decide to buy single heads of lettuce, you can get twice as much for the exact price. Opt for specialised stores like Fruit 'n Veg for cheap, yet fresh veggies.
Dieting can be tricky, but with these budget-tips, it can be done with much more ease. Dieting is hard enough, why not take a load off? Better yet, a few loads.
