We’ve come across some tips that can help consumers save next time they visit the market.  Food prices are rapidly increasing, while salaries are not.  The economy is moving at a snail’s pace towards recovery; meanwhile, items are being sold as if the economy has completely recovered. 

There are certain things at the market that are just plain bad investments.  You think about the way you invest your money in other ways, so treat food as just another investment.  Ask yourself if certain items are really worth their price before throwing them into your shopping cart.

Stay away from these bad supermarket investments, and you will find yourself saving $100 or more each month:

1. Water Bottles

In recent years, Americans chose convenience over savings, and even over the preservation of our planet.  Not only do most of these “convenient” items create more trash, but they cost way more.  Once of those items we buy out of convenience is bottled water.  You might point out that plastic bottles are recyclable; however, a lot of fossil fuel is used to produce and ship water bottles.  Invest in a filter instead and drink from the tap.  If you really need safer water, get distilled water in a big jug from a large discount store like Costco.  It’s cheaper and you can also reuse the jugs for ice tea and cleaning supplies.

2. Gourmet Veggies

Vegetables provide a problem for many parents, and people who cannot seem to incorporate these nutritious gems into their diet.  So when the invention of frozen gourmet vegetables came along, many shouted their praises.  You can get garlic seasoned, Asian style, or cheesy veggies ready in less than 4 minutes.  They do provide a tasty way to incorporate vegetables into your family’s diet, and they are convenient, but they will set you back a pretty penny.  Season your own veggies instead and save $3 per dinner. 

3. Frozen Juice Bars

A lot of the time, we pay more for foods with fewer calories.  These quick meals and snacks make it easy to follow a restricted calorie plan, but they do cost us in the end.  Instead of buying those frozen juice bars, by some fresh fruit, blend it up and freeze it. 

4. Protein/Energy Bars

These bars are usually very high in calorie, and have you ever actually tried to get full off of one of these bars?  You may think you are doing the healthy thing by skipping the candy bar, but you might be consuming more calories for more of your dollars.

5. Ice Tea

Flavored Ice Teas can get very expensive.  Use empty water jugs to make your own batches of flavored ice tea.  Get inexpensive tea bags and add your own flavorings.  It’s easy, healthier, and cheaper.

6. Pre-made Microwave sandwiches

Sure it’s easy to just pop a pre-made sandwich into the microwave, but it is also way more expensive.  You can save a lot of calories and money by making your own sandwich at home.

7.  Ready to eat Salads

Markets feature many salad kits these days.  They come with every topping you could need to make a gourmet salad at home.  The only problem is they cost an arm and a leg.  You could buy all these ingredients separately and save, plus have enough ingredients for multiple meals.

8. Individual servings

No matter what it is, when you get an individual sized portion of something, you are paying more and creating more trash.  The new trend is to purchase 100 calorie snack bags.  They help us enjoy tasty treats without worrying about overloading on calories.  You could do the same thing at home by following the portion size on the nutrition label, and placing it into a plastic baggy.

9. Pre-made meat patties

How lazy can you be?  I do admit that making a perfect meat patty is no small feat.  It is not easy to get every burger to be the perfect size and shape, but who cares.  Your guests will care much more about the flavor of the meat and the way you cook it, then how perfect the patty looks.  Save the extra money and make your own burger patties at home.

10. Trail Mix

Pre-made trail mix is super pricey.  Buy the ingredients and make your own and save a bundle.  Plus, you can decide what you want in your mix and the ratio of nuts to fruit as well.

In honor of Mother’s Day, the staff at MoneyWatch posted lessons they learned from their mothers over the years. 

Here are a few money lessons you would be wise to follow in your own life:

1. Don’t let loyalty be your down fall

You may have shopped at one market your whole life, but that doesn’t mean it offers the best deals for you and your family.  People tend to stick with the market they grew up going to; however, these days it is more important to save then it is to be loyal.  Shop around and find out which market offers the best deals.  You might find that one market has better prices on meat and dairy, while another market has great deals on other items.  During tough economic times, it is sometimes necessary to put aside convenience for savings.

2. Spend less than you earn, not the other way around

3. Outsourcing is sometimes worth the cost

Life is short, and that’s something you only learn as you get older and the years fly by.  Rachel Elson, who is the managing editor at MoneyWatch, wrote that her father thought he should do everything himself, which included his taxes.  He would spend weekends during the spring beneath piles of tax paperwork.  When he died her mother hired an accountant.  Sometimes the cost of a service is worth the time and energy you would save.

4. Money helps, but it isn’t everything

You work hard so that you can provide for your children.  You want to provide a nice place for them to live, a proper education, and fun vacations, but it shouldn’t be at the expense of being there for them.  If you are always working and miss out on important moments in their lives, material possessions won’t matter.  They won’t remember the pretty dresses you bought them or care about the car they drove if you weren’t there for their special moments.

5. Enjoy what you have, instead of worrying about what you don’t.

This quote follows the philosophy that, “We always want what we don’t have.”  If you constantly compare what you have to others, you will never be able to enjoy the things you do have.  The fact is that while others may have something you do not possess, chances are you already possess something they would desperately love to have.

CheapStuff helps you save in many ways.  Read this blog to learn how you can save on your Utility bills during the hottest months of the year.

Finding the money to pay monthly bills has been hard for many families this year.  With unemployment still at a record breaking high, many families have been placed on strict budgets.  For these families, the thought that summer is almost here, is not a pleasant one. 

The summer months can cause your utility bill to sky rocket.  The hotter temperatures make it impossible to live without air conditioning.  Add the cost of heating a pool or Jacuzzi, the extra water used to water the lawn, summer activities and the increase in prices, and you’ve got one heck of a bill to face.

I have stumbled across an article by USNews that states ways for Americans to save on their utility bills this summer.  The article breaks down savings according to rooms in your home. Read on to find out how you can save during the expensive summer months.

1) If you have a basement: It’s all about maintenance.  If you do not clean air conditioning filters every month and get it checked out at least once a year, you cannot guarantee that it is functioning properly.  When your air conditioning system is operating at its best, it works efficiently and inexpensively.  So checking it monthly pays off.

2) Seal Leaks: Throughout your home expensive, cool air can be escaping through cracks.  Professionals can test where air is escaping in your home.  Typical leak areas include: around baseboards, doors, windows, light switches, and electrical sockets.  Once you find the problem area, seal it with caulking or foam.  Both of these materials can be found at hardware stores.  You can actually get federal tax credit if your insulation meets particular efficiency criteria.  Sealing cracks in your house results in a 20% savings on your utility bill.

3) The Living room: Make sure to shut down the entertainment center every night.  Devices consume power even when they are not in use.  Turning off your TV won’t stop it from consuming energy.  You can save money by unplugging all unused electronic items, or using a smart strip which cuts power when not being used.  If you are in the market for a new TV, try looking for one with a high energy star rating.  LCD TVs use less energy than plasma screens. 

4) The Kitchen: When you cook during summer months, you need to turn the air conditioning on higher.  Ovens heat up homes quickly and require more energy.  Also, if you eat a hot or heavy meal, you will only want to turn the temperature down further.  If you have sandwiches or salads a few days a week, you will not only save on your utility bill, but on calories as well.  Lose weight and reduce your utility bill at the same time! Cooking meals on the outdoor BBQ will keep your home cool as well.

5) Your bathroom: You can switch your toilet for a low-flow toilet and change your showerhead to water conserving one.  Apparently putting a soda bottle filled with sand or water into the back of your toilet will also help conserve water when you flush.

6) The bedroom: Use an overhead fan rather than air conditioning to cool your room.  Shut the doors and vents of unused rooms to conserve air as well.

7) Outside: Planting trees or shrubs of varying types will block out the sun and prevent shade during hot summer months.  They will also make lounging in your yard more pleasurable.