If you’re a regular reader to Beyond Dollars & Sense, then you know that this blog is about personal finance and money-saving tips. So as you read this posting, you might be asking yourself what does healthy eating have to do with saving money? Well, the answer’s rather obvious; eating better saves trips to the doctor’s office. It also limits the incidence of ailments we might attribute to “aging” instead of where many of the physical debilitations we experience come from as we get older…our diets.
I got the idea for this peace, not from my own healthy-inspired diet, but from deleting old programs from my DVR. One of these programs was a piece from a PBS (Public Broadcasting Network) offering airing sometime last year called “The Blood Sugar Solution with Dr. Mark Hyman.” Something about the title made me decide to watch it before deleting it from my cable box.
As I watched it, I realized that many of the health suggestions he had offered as an alternative to the high sugar diets we are accustomed to here in America—responsible for many of our obesity epidemic—I had already been enacting in my personal life. I find that I have much more energy for my workouts, as well as just feeling better knowing that I am not clogging my arteries up with MacBurgers and/or candy.
What I decided to do was to transcribe the words and thoughts of Dr. Hyman’s suggestions during this program as I re-watched the more relevant segments of his PBS special. The crux of Hyman's thesis is that the American addiction to sugar--the processed bran--is the source of many health issues we experiences. He puts forth a new ethos of thinking insomuch as personal health and eating practices.
My personal suggestion is that enacting these practices in your personal life can’t hurt; you will definitely feel better, healthier. And it’s a sure bet that you will indeed save money in potential visits to the doctor’s office.
Check your insulin, not just your blood sugar (insulin is the fat-storage hormone). Check your cholesterol (ask for the NMR test, a newer more accurate cholesterol testing available).
Learn to eat your medicine.
Food is the best medicine, I don’t just preach it, I live it.
In addition, Dr. Hyman's "Blood Sugar Solution" serves up some absolute starters one needs in order to kick-start a healthy diet (and potential heath care savings).
Dr. Hyman's 10 rules for eating healthy for life.
1. Don’t eat foods with a label. Avoid foods in a box, package, or can.
2. If a food has a label, it should have fewer than 5 ingredients. Beware of food with health claims on the label. They are usually bad for you (usually, not always. Use clear judgment on this one; the label of ingredients should be the deciding factor).
3. Stay away from those deadly white powers (sugar, flour, etc. As any good nutritionist worth their title will tell you, bleached foods are not overly healthy for you). They function like sugar in the human body.
4. Throw out any food with “high fructose corn syrup” on the label. This is the main ingredient in what Dr. Hyman calls, “liquid calories” (the calories we ingest should not have their source in liquids because they are usually sugar-based. This is the number one cause of obesity in America). Don’t drink your calories. They will pour on the pounds.
5. Throw out any food with the word hydrogenated on the label (an indicator of trans-fats).
6. Throw out or do not use any highly-refined oils such as corn or soy oils. And avoid any fried foods. Instead, use olive oil (my personal favorite) and/or coconut oil.
7. An old standard…avoid any foods with ingredients that you either cannot pronounce or no not recognize. They are usually chocked full of chemicals.
8. Another old standard (that people seem to forget)…avoid foods with preservatives, additives, colorings, dyes, or “natural” flavorings such as “MSG (Monosodium Glutamate).
9. Avoid foods with artificial sweeteners of any kind (they make you hungrier, as well as slow down the metabolism). Not a great strategy for weight loss; even I knew this one (ever notice how people who drink “diet” sodas tend to purchase or drink more of them?).
10. Try to stick to plant-based foods. One tip to remember: shop around the perimeter of a supermarket. This is where most of the more natural (i.e., “real foods”) are located. The aisles tend to be the location of processed foods.
Dr. Hyman suggest that we have plenty of other healthy eating options (since, after reading the list you no-doubt think there is hardly anything else left to eat). He suggest that natural sources of carbohydrates such as vegetables, fruits, seeds, nuts (where I also get sources of protein, along with tofu), while grains, or beans.
He also suggest eating foods with more natural (a relative term to be sure with a non-meat-eater like myself) sources of proteins such as (again) beans, nuts, lean chicken, and fish (with the latter, do your research to make sure it’s not a species of fish prone to retaining man-made substances found in water such as mercury. My personal favorite is salmon, which as high in Omega 3’s “good fats”).
Finally, he says that that we are consider foods that contain “slow carbohydrates,” sources of natural energy that rise slowly in the human body, not cause metabolic “spikes” such as processed sugars. These include brown rice, quinoa, and sweet potatoes.
Watching this special again, I picked up something else that’s a potential money-saver; the timing of when we eat. When we eat in the mornings, we are less likely to eat heavy meals during the day (I myself am guilty of the opposite. I only just started eating in the mornings during the last 2 weeks…and I find myself more able to resists buying snacks, even healthy ones, later in the day…a known budget-buster). Eating later or at night forces our bodies to store calories instead of burning them—one of the reasons I sandwich my workouts both just as I wake up and just before I head to sleep.
Eating healthy in one of those areas in life where we don’t think to consider how it can save us money. But in pretty much the same way that something as simple as deleting old television programs can lead to inspired thinking, eating healthy can lead to bigger deals, and bigger long-term savings in a time where health care costs are rising…and where it becomes fiscally necessary to save a buck where we can, any way we can.
Beyond Dollars & Sense is a forum dedicated to informing American consumers about the best ways to save money, and find the best values in an ever-challenging economy. It is also a source for up-to-the hour financial and business-related news.
Tuesday, January 22, 2013
Monday, January 14, 2013
Target Looks To Win More Customers With Price-Matching
Over the last Christmas spending season, the Target store chain enacted a policy of matching the prices of its most noteworthy competitors (read: Wal-Mart) in an effort to attract more customers. And despite the fact that this policy didn’t attract the numbers it sought after all of the post-holiday tallies, the retail chain announced last Tuesday that it would begin matching competitor’s prices all year round. According to a recent news release,
This means that if you purchased a “qualifying item” at Target, the retail chain will match the price from Amazon.com, Wal-Mart, Best Buy, or Toys “R” Us’s print ads, or from their online stores. Additionally, Target has said that it would “match its own prices if a consumer buys a product in a Target store and then sees it at a lower price in the following week’s Target circular.”
This policy is the latest in a rough-n-tumble fight among the major retailers to claim a share of consumer market where we are forced to save as much as possible when making a routine purchase of any kind. However—yes, there is always a “however” when looking for the best deals—Target tends to stock specialty and exclusive brands which are only sold at the chain’s 1,700 stores, such as its current Target + Neiman collection (a partnership with luxury apparel chain Neiman Marcus). This means that you as a savvy shopper are going to have to put in some work in order to find an item that you can actually buy at a lower price after the comparison shopping.
For example, if you are looking to purchase a Playstation 3 video gaming system, Best Buy’s online store has the basic system priced as $299 (Current Listing). However, the PS3 at Target's online store is listed at the same price, but comes in a “bundled” package that also includes a copy of the hit video game Assassin’s Creed as well as a 30-day trial membership in Playstation’s “Plus” online gaming network (Current Listing).
The upshot is that despite Target's attempt to beat out competitors by way of price-matching, this does in no way mean an automatic savings for shoppers. It still means that in order to find the best deals, you will have to continue to do what the most savvy of shoppers have always done...comparison shop!
“it has decided to keep the bargains coming on a steady basis by matching prices found on the websites of its most important competitors: Amazon.com, Best Buy, Wal-Mart and Toys “R” Us (See: "Target to match prices year-round of rival retailers Walmart, Amazon, Best Buy and Toys ‘R’ Us" ).
This means that if you purchased a “qualifying item” at Target, the retail chain will match the price from Amazon.com, Wal-Mart, Best Buy, or Toys “R” Us’s print ads, or from their online stores. Additionally, Target has said that it would “match its own prices if a consumer buys a product in a Target store and then sees it at a lower price in the following week’s Target circular.”
This policy is the latest in a rough-n-tumble fight among the major retailers to claim a share of consumer market where we are forced to save as much as possible when making a routine purchase of any kind. However—yes, there is always a “however” when looking for the best deals—Target tends to stock specialty and exclusive brands which are only sold at the chain’s 1,700 stores, such as its current Target + Neiman collection (a partnership with luxury apparel chain Neiman Marcus). This means that you as a savvy shopper are going to have to put in some work in order to find an item that you can actually buy at a lower price after the comparison shopping.
For example, if you are looking to purchase a Playstation 3 video gaming system, Best Buy’s online store has the basic system priced as $299 (Current Listing). However, the PS3 at Target's online store is listed at the same price, but comes in a “bundled” package that also includes a copy of the hit video game Assassin’s Creed as well as a 30-day trial membership in Playstation’s “Plus” online gaming network (Current Listing).
The upshot is that despite Target's attempt to beat out competitors by way of price-matching, this does in no way mean an automatic savings for shoppers. It still means that in order to find the best deals, you will have to continue to do what the most savvy of shoppers have always done...comparison shop!
Saturday, January 12, 2013
IRS Delays Start of the 2013 Tax Season
Earlier this month, Congress—in a rare display of intraparty cooperation—made changes in the tax law under the American Taxpayer Relief Act (ATRA), reflecting the changes of the late tax law enacted Jan. 2. Earlier this week, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) announced plans to open the 2013 tax filing season, and begin processing individual income tax returns starting on January 30th. Late changes in the tax law required that the IRS update forms and instructions as well as make critical processing system adjustments before it can begin accepting tax returns.
So, starting on 30th, the IRS plans to begin accepting tax returns for processing (after updating current forms and its refund processing systems). This means that tax filers filing the relatively simple 1040 and 1040EZ forms—more than 120 million households—should be able to start filing tax returns starting on that date. Those filing more complex tax returns—individuals residential energy credits, depreciation of property or general business credits—should be able to begin filing in early February (and because of the extensive nature of these latter tax returns, individuals in this group tend to file closer to the April 15th deadline).
The IRS will not process paper tax returns before the anticipated January 30th starting filing date (and there is no advantage to filing on paper before the opening date). As to be expected, taxpayers using e-file with direct deposit will receive their refunds, if owed, much faster than paper filers.
As always, the best option for taxpayers is to file electronically.
Estimated 2013 E-File Schedule for 2012 Income Tax Filing:
So, starting on 30th, the IRS plans to begin accepting tax returns for processing (after updating current forms and its refund processing systems). This means that tax filers filing the relatively simple 1040 and 1040EZ forms—more than 120 million households—should be able to start filing tax returns starting on that date. Those filing more complex tax returns—individuals residential energy credits, depreciation of property or general business credits—should be able to begin filing in early February (and because of the extensive nature of these latter tax returns, individuals in this group tend to file closer to the April 15th deadline).
The IRS will not process paper tax returns before the anticipated January 30th starting filing date (and there is no advantage to filing on paper before the opening date). As to be expected, taxpayers using e-file with direct deposit will receive their refunds, if owed, much faster than paper filers.
As always, the best option for taxpayers is to file electronically.
Estimated 2013 E-File Schedule for 2012 Income Tax Filing:
IRS accepts your return (by
11:00 am) between…*
|
Projected Direct Deposit
Sent*
|
Projected Paper Check
Mailed*
|
||||
|
|
|
|
January 30, 2013 |
2/6/2013 |
2/8/2013 |
January 31 |
|
and |
|
February 6, 2013 |
2/13/2013 |
2/15/2013 |
February 9 |
|
and |
|
February 13, 2013 |
2/20/2013 |
2/22/2013 |
February 16 |
|
and |
|
February 20, 2013 |
2/27/2013 |
3/1/2013 |
February 23 |
|
and |
|
February 27, 2013 |
3/6/2013 |
3/8/2013 |
March 1 |
|
and |
|
March 6, 2013 |
3/13/2013 |
3/15/2013 |
March 8 |
|
and |
|
March 13, 2013 |
3/20/2013 |
3/22/2013 |
March 15 |
|
and |
|
March 20, 2013 |
3/27/2013 |
3/29/2013 |
March 22 |
|
and |
|
March 27, 2013 |
4/3/2013 |
4/5/2013 |
March 29 |
|
and |
|
April 3, 2013 |
4/10/2013 |
4/12/2013 |
April 5 |
|
and |
|
April 10, 2013 |
4/17/2013 |
4/19/2013 |
April 12 |
|
and |
|
April 17, 2013 |
4/24/2013 |
4/26/2013 |
April 19 |
|
and |
|
April 24, 2013 |
5/1/2013 |
5/3/2013 |
April 26 |
|
and |
|
May 1, 2013 |
5/8/2013 |
5/10/2013 |
May 3 |
|
and |
|
May 8, 2013 |
5/15/2013 |
5/17/2013 |
May 10 |
|
and |
|
May 15, 2013 |
5/22/2013 |
5/24/2013 |
May 17 |
|
and |
|
May 22, 2013 |
5/29/2013 |
5/31/2013 |
May 24 |
|
and |
|
May 29, 2013 |
6/5/2013 |
6/7/2013 |
May 31 |
|
and |
|
June 5, 2013 |
6/12/2013 |
6/14/2013 |
June 7 |
|
and |
|
June 12, 2013 |
6/19/2013 |
6/21/2013 |
June 14 |
|
and |
|
June 19, 2013 |
6/26/2013 |
6/28/2013 |
June 21 |
|
and |
|
June 26, 2013 |
7/3/2013 |
7/5/2013 |
June 28 |
|
and |
|
July 3, 2013 |
7/10/2013 |
7/12/2013 |
July 5 |
|
and |
|
July 10, 2013 |
7/17/2013 |
7/19/2013 |
July 12 |
|
and |
|
July 17, 2013 |
7/24/2013 |
7/26/2013 |
July 19 |
|
and |
|
July 24, 2013 |
7/31/2013 |
8/2/2013 |
July 26 |
|
and |
|
July 31, 2013 |
8/7/2013 |
8/9/2013 |
August 2 |
|
and |
|
August 7, 2013 |
8/14/2013 |
8/16/2013 |
August 9 |
|
and |
|
August 14, 2013 |
8/21/2013 |
8/23/2013 |
August 16 |
|
and |
|
August 21, 2013 |
8/28/2013 |
8/30/2013 |
August 23 |
|
and |
|
August 28, 2013 |
9/4/2013 |
9/6/2013 |
August 30 |
|
and |
|
September 4, 2013 |
9/11/2013 |
9/13/2013 |
September 6 |
|
and |
|
September 11, 2013 |
9/18/2013 |
9/20/2013 |
September 13 |
|
and |
|
September 18, 2013 |
9/25/2013 |
9/27/2013 |
September 20 |
|
and |
|
September 25, 2013 |
10/2/2013 |
10/4/2013 |
September 27 |
|
and |
|
October 2, 2013 |
10/9/2013 |
10/11/2013 |
October 4 |
|
and |
|
October 9, 2013 |
10/16/2013 |
10/18/2013 |
October 11 |
|
and |
|
October 16, 2013 |
10/23/2013 |
10/25/2013 |
October 18 |
|
and |
|
October 23, 2013 |
10/30/2013 |
11/1/2013 |
October 25 |
|
and |
|
October 30, 2013 |
11/6/2013 |
11/8/2013 |
November 1 |
|
and |
|
November 6, 2013 |
11/13/2013 |
11/15/2013 |
November 8 |
|
and |
|
November 13, 2013 |
11/20/2013 |
11/22/2013 |
November 15 |
|
and |
|
November 20, 2013 |
11/27/2013 |
11/29/2013 |
November 22 |
|
and |
|
November 27, 2013 |
12/4/2013 |
12/6/2013 |
November 29 |
|
and |
|
December 4, 2013 |
12/11/2013 |
12/13/2013 |
December 6 |
|
and |
|
December 11, 2013 |
12/18/2013 |
12/20/2013 |
December 13 |
|
and |
|
December 18, 2013 |
12/25/2013 |
12/27/2013 |
December 20 |
|
and |
|
December 25, 2013 |
1/1/2014 |
1/3/2014 |
Friday, January 4, 2013
The 52 Week Savings Challenge!
I often recall as a child in elementary school the times some of my teachers would tell me that “if you took a penny, doubled it for the next 30 days, by the end of the month, you will be a millionaire.” From all indications, this seems to be a true statement. In fact, the math works out something like this:
Sadly though, I don’t know of anyone who has successfully proven this in the real world (rather than the mathematical abstract world). And unless you are able to find a well-heeled sponsor, I wouldn’t make book on seeing it in action in the near future. However, I recently received a similar, much more possible proposition (via our Facebook page) that could go a long ways toward helping the daring save money, especially as this is the start of a new year. Let this proposition be your New Year’s budget resolution. You wont be a millionaire at the end of the year, but you will be a few pennies wiser, and on your way to developing the discipline to engage in an even more aggressive savings regiment.
Day 0 .01
Day 1 .02
Day 2 .04
Day 3 .08
Day 4 .16
Day 5 .32
Day 6 .64
Day 7 1.28
Day 8 2.56
Day 9 5.12
Day 10 10.24
Day 11 20.48
Day 12 40.96
Day 13 81.92
Day 14 163.84
Day 15 327.68
Day 16 655.36
Day 17 1,310.72
Day 18 2,621.44
Day 19 5,242.88
Day 20 10,485.76
Day 21 20,971.52
Day 22 41,943.04
Day 23 83,886.08
Day 24 167,772.16
Day 25 335,544.32
Day 26 671,088.64
Day 27 1,342,177.28
Day 28 2,684,354.56
Day 29 5,368,709.12
Day 30 10,737,418.24
Sadly though, I don’t know of anyone who has successfully proven this in the real world (rather than the mathematical abstract world). And unless you are able to find a well-heeled sponsor, I wouldn’t make book on seeing it in action in the near future. However, I recently received a similar, much more possible proposition (via our Facebook page) that could go a long ways toward helping the daring save money, especially as this is the start of a new year. Let this proposition be your New Year’s budget resolution. You wont be a millionaire at the end of the year, but you will be a few pennies wiser, and on your way to developing the discipline to engage in an even more aggressive savings regiment.
Click on the chart to enlarge
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