Money2eat4life

How to manage YOUR money, time, food in order to stress less and live, eat, feel better—for free; right now!

by: Andy B.

Book 5 of the Series:

Enjoy YOUR Life Faster, Easier, Cheaper

CONTENTS

PREFACE

INTRODUCTION

CHAPTER ONE - YOUR MONEY

What You Need To Know

Creating Your Budget

Split Cheque Budget System Example

CHAPTER TWO - 100’S OF WAYS TO SAVE INSTANTLY

Utilities and Other Expenses

All Habits

Pawn Shops and Payday Loans

Finding Resources

De-stressing your outlook

CHAPTER THREE - YOUR FOOD

Storage, Shopping, Cooking Shortcuts

Planning Your Menu and Example

Creating a Grocery List and Example

FINAL THOUGHTS

All Books

Social Media Links

PREFACE

***Please note . I want this information to be "barrier-free" in every way possible to help as many people quickly and freely learn how to help themselves to live/eat/feel better! Visit my website to freely view this book in ALMOST ANY LANGUAGE!

I wrote the original book a few years ago after listening to people continually ask me how I managed to live and eat “better” and/or enjoy my life more than they felt they did despite them making the same amount or more money than I did.

My intention is that everyone should be able to live, eat and feel as good as they want,, in the way they want; spending less, having more and getting as much enjoyment out of their life as they truly want to.

This updated version includes questions and answers from various workshops held at financial literacy programs and different organizations in 2014 and 2015 as well as some updated and new info that I have found since the last revision over a year ago.

Copyright July, 2016 Published by Andy B. money2eat4life.com

Distributed by Smashwords.

Smashwords Edition, License Notes

Thank you for downloading this ebook. This book remains the copyrighted property of the author, and may not be redistributed to others for commercial or non-commercial purposes. If you enjoyed this book, please encourage your friends to download their own copy from their favorite authorized retailer. Thank you for your support

INTRODUCTION

This guide has three chapters, one on money (how to create and maintain a working realistic budget for your needs with examples); one with the 100’s of ways to start cutting costs with easy, free/cheap and immediate techniques and shortcuts to cut costs in every way you spend; and one for food (your most mandatory, flexible and sadly most often unnecessarily expensive budget category).

It can SOUND and LOOK like it will take a lot of work and time, but in reality, it takes only an hour or so to do an initial “where you’re at now” budget, (time varies greatly with how well you know what you spend). From there it is simply fine tuning that budget each pay period according to your needs which is a 30 minute task, if that. Most everyone is surprised at how much they spend and on what as well as how much they earn in a month’s time once all income and expenses are added together.

It only takes an hour or two to plan your meal menu and grocery list each pay period, but trust me—it is worth the huge savings you will have at the store, the awesome food you will actually look forward to eating and the amount of saved time and effort you can devote to other interests! **It will obviously take longer the first few times, especially if you are not used to pre-planning meals and lists.

Life “is what it is” and you can’t change the past no matter what you do, think, say or wish…so change your perspective to “IT WILL BE WHAT I MAKE IT” and NEVER GIVE UP!

Are you ready to eat better, live better, feel better, laugh more and enjoy YOUR life as much as you really want to, while spending as little as possible?....LET'S GET BUSY!!

CHAPTER ONE -- YOUR MONEY

What You Need

- pen and paper (for jotting down information and figures)

- a colored high-lighter (to cross off expenses from statements/bills as you go to see if any expenses were missed-get a see-through color)

- ALL credit card statements/bank account statements/bills/policies/receipts/etc for the last month

- (to review current plan features, interest, late fees, balance owed, etc which is discussed later.)

- calculator (Don't rely solely on a calculator to add amounts as you are finding them because if you hit a wrong button—you're starting over)

- a quiet place and the time to concentrate for an hour or so to get this done once and for all so you can stop wondering why you're “broke” all the time!

What You Need to Know

Doing your own budget with a pen and paper – even just once to see where you're truly at right now – can be a real eye opener as you see the whole budget on one page; good, bad and ugly in black and white!

A tip I was told is to use a separate email account for your personal activities and one for the internet sites where you need to supply an email to register or login. This way, you can restrict the amount of personal information you give to companies.

If you pay everything in cash and have no account or purchase histories, start now to get and keep ALL receipts for everything you buy from now on, grouping similar expenses and totaling your daily, weekly, monthly spending. In the meantime estimate each expense item to create an initial draft budget, revise with the figures gathered until that pay period and keep doing that for a few pay periods, revising as necessary.

For more consistency in your finances, it is best to develop a MONTHLY budget and spread your expenses over all your paycheques in a month, so you always have roughly the same amount of money left after bills in each pay cycle.

List each income and expense category separately for the initial draft budget so you have a very clear picture of exactly how much is going where. After you have completed your revised working budget, you can add several categories together to form group categories (health care premiums, prescriptions, and physio combined into “medical”, etc) if you prefer.

If you are not sure how much you pay for some things most companies that you have an account of any kind with (including all income sources) have websites to view your account history of monthly bills and their breakdown.

If you don’t use the internet for financial transactions many companies will provide the last few months of $ amounts billed and paid either over the phone by mail for free -- if you explain you need these on a one-time basis to begin a budgeting strategy--ask a for manager if necessary.

**Please only use a SECURED internet connection to view your accounts online to keep your information safe! Most banks now have a free computer inside to access your accounts online and you can print you last few bank statements from there if you need to.

Also note the interest % on amounts owing, service charges, the grand total owing, and a list of everything you receive for the amounts billed (your plan/policy/features/etc) for later use.

You can use the last month's total amount billed for some expenses like hydro as your draft budget amount OR if the category cost changes from month to month (and for even more accuracy), add the last 6 months of $ amounts billed within each budget category, divide by 6 (or however many months of statements you use) and that is the average monthly amount you will use until your first pay period or billing revision.

For categories like heating/cooling, insurances, schooling, medical use the previous 12 months (allowing for usage level differences over 4 seasons, less frequent billing periods, etc) and divide by 12 to get a more accurate average.

If you don't have access to the account information yourself (a roommate situation), you more than likely pay a certain amount each month anyway so just use that amount. You can always ask the account holder to inquire as to current costs and what is provided for that if it seems higher than necessary.

If you are just beginning a brand new expense or income category and have no history, call the company and ask what they estimate your bill to be and use that until you have your 1st bill and then adjust as necessary.

There are several apps that are free which will do all the calculating for you and track how much you spend on what; but you still have to do all of the initial inputting of all the same information that you gather here and calculate anyway; and then you continually enter data every time you do any transactions to keep it current. They can be a real time saver, after initial setup, but if you lose/break the phone or hit the wrong button, you better have a photographic memory unless you can find a different access to the app and/or you saved the info! Also of note, some apps encourage you to link to your bank account for complete budgeting accuracy but bear in mind that once your bank account is linked to other apps for these purposes the bank is no longer liable if money goes missing due to that app or program “handling” your money for you! As well you have to provide data on every single item you spend money on in order for it to be accurate which can be a hassle as well as intrusive.

Creating Your Initial Monthly Budget

Refer to the DRAFT budget example below to see how to set up your INITIAL budget so that you can see what's up right now, and then it can be adjusted from pay day to pay day going forward as your working budget.

List and then add up ALL income sources to get a GRAND TOTAL of income per month. Remember to add in all paycheques if you are paid more than once a month. If your income varies from month to month, you can use the same formula to find an average monthly amount for these categories as well. Most people know how much they receive per different cheque, but don’t always total it up and include ALL income in a budget.

- Sources include: work, pensions, support, child tax credits, gov't assistance, self-employment, GIC/RESP/RRSP incomes, rental property income, boarders, etc.

You may have some income that is once a year (interest dividends, etc), four times a year (GST), or one-time income (lottery, sale of home, cash gifts, etc) as well. I have not listed these items into your normal monthly income as they can be “budgeted” themselves individually as they arrive for larger ticket items you need/ savings/investments/paying off debt faster/vacations/or even just “mad money”.

List by individual category all expense categories that apply to you, using either the amount actually billed/paid or the average monthly amount on your budget.

- Examples include: cable, internet, phone, hydro, heating gas/oil/propane, water, sewer, cell phone(s), tablets, ipads, ipods, vehicle gas, oil, repairs, fluids, bus fares, cabs, tuition, books, fees, dues, supplies, equipment, gym/class/club/team memberships, equipment, supplies, house/tenant/car/life/health/travel insurances, student/bank/car/mortgage/payday loans, etc.

List your normal monthly rent/mortgage on your budget. This usually does not change from month to month – however – you may need to adjust it every time you have to resign your mortgage or your rent goes up.

Rent is only legally allowed to be raised once a year, regardless of how many lease renewals you have within that year, in most provinces in Canada anyway; and check with your local Tenant and Rental Board for actual % amounts it can be raised as well.

For your bank fees/charges category amount:

- Look for: monthly service charges, NSF fees, overdraft protection fees AND interest charged for that, draft/money order/cheque/travelers cheque fees, safety deposit box fees, and all other “fees” and “charges” that you find.

Review your last few bank statements as fees change monthly for pay per use items, etc. Calculate and list your average monthly amount as one category of “bank fees” on your budget. Do this for each account separately if you have more than one account and group them together later.

If you have children add categories for clothes, toys, daycare, babysitters, highchairs, car seats, allowances, their activity fees and equipment/supplies calculated in the same manner from receipts/bank or credit card statements/etc. List these average monthly amounts.

If you buy clothes/accessories/shoes/home furnishings/etc, calculate and list separately accordingly.

For all expenses that are NOT paid monthly, such as car insurance every 3 months, property taxes yearly, HOLIDAY and BIRTHDAY GIFTS, vacations, New Year's Eve, etc :

- Review your bank & card statements/policy/receipts for the last year.

- If you have no history to review, estimate the amount you paid last year for all things related to each expense category including all payments over the month(s) after to pay off what you bought on credit as well as what you paid for in cash and/or saved money spent, total each category separately and divide by 12 for an average monthly amount and list accordingly.

- For example: Christmas cost $600 last year with gifts, food, decorations, celebrations, etc. $600 divided by 12 = $50 per month for just that one event!

- HOWEVER--- Maybe Christmas is only 6 months away now and a special birthday is 3 months away? Calculate the same way but use only the number of months left until the event happens again, and enter that amount on your budget, individual categories for each event, and then save or pre-buy items costing that amount each month from now till then! Example: You still want to spend $600, so divide by 6 = $100 per month now needs to be entered on your budget for this expense to be able to afford the same amount as last time, but have it in advance.

- You may not be able to afford this shortened higher amount monthly, but after the learning techniques/shortcuts/tips in Chapter 2, you can revise these expense categories as necessary until you CAN afford to enjoy the event, without taking months to recover financially and stressing yourself out needlessly.

Many expenses are paid in cash so calculate an estimated monthly amount for your draft and adjust future budgets as necessary.

- Examples are: laundry, recreational and social activities, meals out, trips to the bar, bingo/casino/lottery tickets, cigarettes, alcohol, magazines/books/newspapers (individual or subscriptions), junk food, etc.

- Multiply the cost of one of your usual purchases x how many you have each day x 30 days (or however many days/month you spend money on that item).

- For example, if you buy 2 coffees a day at $3/coffee = $6/day x 30 days = $180 average monthly amount—yes, $180/month JUST for 2coffees/day on the go!

For medical expense histories, check with the offices/pharmacies/companies you have accounts with, calculate and list individually as usual.

- Examples are: Provincial health care plan payments, extra medical coverage plans, prescriptions, extra billing fees, forms/notes, shots, procedures, massage, chiropractor, physio, equipment/supplies for all medical needs you pay for yourself, etc.

Review your bank/credit card statements/receipts once more to make sure ALL expense categories are listed, other than your grocery/food category; calculate and list any you may have missed.

Add up all the amounts you spent on food and supplies at all grocery stores, calculating and listing in the usual manner.

**This is a separate budget in itself that you will revise on a per shopping basis, allowing for special occasions such as Christmas dinner and items you don’t buy every time such as cleaning supplies.

If you have NO idea what you spend on food in a month and no history to go by—Don't Worry!! Just leave this amount blank for now as we are going to do a step-by-step on planning your OWN menus of foods YOU actually eat and how to save in all things food and household as well.

Total up all your expense items and then subtract that grand total from your income grand total to see how much you have left or are short after ALL income and expenses are accounted for.

Don’t freak out!! Whether you're happy or sad about your current state, it is just that, current! You can't change anything about what is already done/past in any area of life, no matter what you do or say, but you can change YOUR present and future—in small easy steps—making YOUR life as great as YOU want it to be!

Start by spreading all expenses over all your income each month so it doesn't take an entire paycheque just to pay the rent for instance! Then you will see how to cut costs in every way you have to spend money and lastly you will learn how to plan your food to save even more.

Revising To A Working Monthly Budget

If you are paid more than one time per month, refer to the SPLIT CHEQUE budget example below to see how to do the following:

I have not listed any numerical amounts as they will not apply to your situation anyway. This is to give you a GENERAL IDEA OF HOW TO spread and split expenses over more than one paycheque if you are paid more than once a month----use YOUR OWN expense categories and split/spread according to how much you have to pay and how much each bill and/or cheque is.)

Again, this is something that you will only have to do initially. Once you have figured out how to split and spread expenses in order to have a little bit left from each cheque for incidentals and emergencies just tweak as necessary each payperiod.

Split your rent/mortgage and food costs, over your major cheques (work, pension, assistance, etc) and assign the rest of the bills to other income cheques (child tax credit, support, etc) as appropriate to ensure a little bit of extra cash after all for unplanned items or daily incidentals.

If you only get one payday per month (regardless of source), then this step is not necessary.

If you have trouble saving money no matter what it's for, consider money orders for the half portion of rent each paycheque (or debit if your agency has that option), then the money is not in your account to accidentally get used on other things.

You can save them and pay each rent day with 2 money orders for half each, or if need be you can pay your rent/mortgage to the company twice a month instead! Most places will not refuse you pre-paying your rent half a month AHEAD, every time. This guarantees them at least half a months’ rent in advance at all times as well.

Just make sure you get signed and dated receipts with the amount paid if you deal in cash—a person's word is not what it used to be and verbal agreements won't stand up in court.

This does not mean you can run half a month behind in rent instead either! Well, you could try but chances are you'll create even more serious problems like maybe getting evicted for non-payment of full rent owed!

Aim to pay your bills with the same cheques each month, before they are due, to avoid unnecessary late fees and ensure they are not forgotten altogether.

Auto-direct payments from your bank account (the company has your bank deduct from your account each time a bill is generated) can be great to ensure you don't forget a bill, or get extra late fees, etc.

However, you need to pay attention to the amounts being “paid” automatically for any increase or decrease more than a few bucks in a month as amounts charged, just like plan features/coverage/etc are almost always “subject to change without notice”.

You could find in reviewing bank statements/policies/etc for these expense items that the amount jumped by $25/month in one month and after speaking to the company, find that your rate increased as you finished a promo offer, or realize you haven't been charged tenant's/home insurance in 3 months and then find out the policy didn't automatically renew and you are actually without insurance!

For items like Christmas/Birthday presents:

- I find it easier to buy a gift (or two per person) every month, wrapping it immediately and putting it away, for at least 6 months prior to Christmas. This way items can be gotten for less usually due to end of season sales, etc. If you have a lot of people to buy for, start in January even!

- Take a bit of time to list what presents you want to buy and for who (even include extra foods, decorations, etc as some can be pre-bought), price items out to a rough estimate each, calculate total, divide by how many months until then, and spend or save that amount monthly as a normal expense category.

For larger ticket items buy gift cards in the necessary calculated monthly amounts each month for that store, until you have enough collected to buy that item.

Another bonus to shopping this way is that come Christmas all the gifts are already wrapped and ready to go--and no huge bills (or going without stuff) for the next few months to pay it off and no staying up till 3am trying to wrap everything!

The biggest gift to yourself and your family i think--is the peace of mind to actually enjoy the event without stressing out or having guilt over how much it has and will cost you!

Chances are you didn't get into any situation you are in now overnight, so it may take a bit of time to get out of it totally too, but planning ahead will make things easier! Sometimes it just takes a tiny bit of fine tuning to get something “just right”...life can be approached in much the same manner!

You can anticipate changes with worry, planning for endless possible negative outcomes, or you can anticipate changes by eagerly, happily planning positive and realistic goals/outcomes. Either way change is guaranteed! Don't let it get the best of you!! Make the best of it instead!

CHAPTER TWO – 100’S OF WAYS TO SAVE INSTANTLY!

Utilities (Read This Even If You Don’t Pay Them!)

Hydro (All Electrical Items You Plug In)

Shut off the BREAKERS for your heat (even if you don’t pay the heat, it costs YOU hydro to start it up usually) and your car plugs (even in an apt building, if you have a stall with a plug, you are paying hydro for it) in the summer! Even with the heat “off”, it still costs hydro unless the breakers are shut off.

Make a habit of only having the appliances that you use on a constant basis (fridge, stove, lights that are left on continually for security, etc.) plugged in all the time. Again, even “off” they cost you money as they draw power if they are plugged in at all.

Consider keeping your microwave, toaster, coffee maker, blender unplugged normally, plugging in and unplugging for each use, or they can cost a lot in hydro just to sit on your counter in a “ready to go” mode!

Same goes for laptops, desk computers, gaming systems, mp3/ipod docks, stereos, and chargers for everything—if it's plugged in, it's costing you money!

It sounds like a lot of hassle, but if you are determined to save money all around, why pay for what you don’t have to? Hydro costs enough! It also just becomes second nature to plug in the microwave, use it and unplug it and only takes an extra 2-3 seconds to do.

Consider energy efficient timers for lamps, heat sources, cooling sources, car warmers, etc.

Lamps that you have around the house – how many are actually USED on a daily basis and need to be plugged in at all? Leave them unplugged unless you use them all the time as again – everything sucks power as long as it is plugged in!

For your heating in the winter – even if you don’t pay for your heat – consider turning the temp UP at NIGHT to 19-21 degrees (depending on your preferences) and DOWN in the MORNINGS to about 17-19 degrees for the daytime.

Obviously this depends on your home's draftiness, if it is a single or multiple dwelling, weather conditions, etc.

The sun outside will warm your home enough during the day anyway normally and it makes for a much nicer morning when the floors aren’t like ice too!

Water

When flushing a low-flow toilet – hold the handle down until it finishes flushing ALL the water in the toilet bowl! This will make for a FULL flush (normally) reducing the need to flush a second time, and reducing the chances of clogs, never mind saving water with less flushing.

Run HOT water down ALL drains for 5-7 minutes, on the same day each month (pick a day and put it on your calendar to do every month.)

This helps to flush out all the fat, grease, gunk that you send running down your drains when you rinse and do dishes and hair and soap in the tub and bathroom sink as well.

This will help you to avoid HUGE repair costs of calling a plumber to unplug a clog – something even most apt building rentals charge YOU for now!

This will help to prevent a clogged toilet also – something you are also charged for, even as a renter! Use an old 4L milk jug or 2L pop bottle (washed out of course) to keep cold water in your fridge for handy use instead of running the cold tap for a few minutes every time you want a drink of water.

Take shorter showers, and/or adjust the temperature to more warm than hot. This will not only save you in water, but the hydro to heat the water (even gas hot water tanks require electricity to start).

The hotter the water on your skin the more the natural oils in your skin will be stripped out leading to dry, itchy skin/hair/scalp--which is costly in itself to combat, especially in the winter.

Shop around with different companies that supply hydro, water, gas and oil – prices can vary quite a bit between companies. Most are listed in the yellow pages but if not, you should be able to get a list of them from your city hall office or look up online “utility companies” within your specific area.

Some have lower rates but want a contract, or it can be a varied cost depending on the market rate—just make sure you fully understand both options and do some research before making your decision.

Cable, Internet and ALL Phones (Cell and Landline)

Do you have the “everything package” with cable/dish TV? Do you actually watch EVERYTHING? Do you even watch TV on a regular basis? Or mostly just movies either pay-per-view, rentals or Netflix type packages? Or do you just play gaming systems?

Review your last bill!—there are EXTRA CHARGES for:

- A gateway/optic type system box needed to run cable into your home

- AND each separate PORTAL--for EACH TV in your home

- AND each separate PVR box—for EACH TV in your home (if you don't have all your TV's running on the other type of systems)

- AND each separate basic cable box (just cable w/no recording options)--for EACH TV in your home

- AND finally your actual viewing channel package monthly charges—the list of channels can and does change without notice, as well as the pricing, so check to see if you have lost/gained any channels since choosing that package—sometimes 1 channel will be changed to a standalone for an extra $5/month and you won't notice, but if it's one you don't watch anyway you can cancel it.

- Internet hardwired and wi-fi modems-each if you have more than one

- AND your internet package itself—this is based on your bandwidth usage (how much you download and upload in a monthly cycle)

- Sadly, up to 6 portals, a main system, or numerous PVR and/or cable boxes (the total number of TV's in your house), at least one landline, an internet hookup, and all the modems for those packages, are hooked up and ready to go at all times but rarely used—costing a small fortune!

- Land line modems-EACH one

- AND the cost of the phone package you have—many times there will be a promo type bundle pack with a phone “included”, but in reality, you are paying for this service, and, after the promo expires it can run over $50/month just for basic phone service and voice mail or call display will be an extra $5-$10 EACH per month.

- AND we haven't even discussed long distance packages yet that are on top of that!

Keep a list of which channels (by channel name--eg: fox, comedy network, food network, etc) you are actually watching regularly over the next few weeks, and if you even watch the PPV or specialty sports channels and which ones, etc.

Talk to your providing company, tell them how long you've been a loyal customer and that you are wanting to cut back your current plan or bundle it with other services they have due to a change in your circumstances – tell them what you actually need for your cable, internet, phone needs and get them to see how cheap they can provide it.

They can offer you different deals in order to keep you a happy customer as they have many promos (for 3-6 months usually) that can save you a lot on a package, based on what you actually USE, or even to keep the “everything package”.

If you aren't getting anywhere with the rep you are speaking with, ask for a supervisor or to be put through to the loyalty department.

Some companies also have an “access package” for low-income customers – you just need to ask.

Make sure you get the name and id# of who authorizes this and the details, having them send it all by email or mail for your confirmation is even better.

Consider getting NETFLIX instead of PPV for movies and series viewing – it is VERY cheap ($8/MONTH!!), and several people (currently 4) can use one account, you don’t even all have to be in the same province/state!

There are Canadian and American versions with different titles and you can get both.

These systems can be run without a cable package through gaming systems, even some older cheapies from the pawn shop!

Consider “bundling” TV, internet and phone (some companies even have cell phone plans now too) with one company instead of 2 or 3, to save even more. Again, promo specials are what to ask for here!

Speaking of phone – do you even USE your home phone? Or do you mostly just use a cell?

Most cell companies have promos for unlimited country-wide long distance, unlimited text and 1gig or more of data (internet) for $40-$70/month these days, even on a pre-paid basis.

- If not, they usually offer add-ons like unlimited 24/7 long distance and internet, and voice mail too at small fees ($5-$10/month usually.)

- If you have long distance and voice mail on your cell, you can usually eliminate the need for a home phone as well, which just costs you money you don’t need to spend!

- It pays to shop around to all the companies in this regard as prices and plans can vary greatly depending on what services you actually need.

And back to the internet – how many computers, laptops, tablets, ipads and chargers DO you have hooked up? Do you actually use them ALL on a regular basis? Or is it just convenient to have them hooked up ready to go, just in case?

If it is costing you to have each one connected with a hardwired modem, then seriously consider picking the most efficient one for your needs and cancel, disconnect and return the rest-make sure you get a receipt for the equipment returned. You will continue to be charged until the equipment is returned as well!

Again, talking to your provider of this service (and shopping around) for promo deals or a lower speed service if you don’t use your computer much anyway is a great money saving idea.

If you use your cell for internet, consider discontinuing service at home altogether and using a “hot spot” feature from your cell to give you coverage for your laptop, etc., at home as needed to save even more- this depends totally on how much you use your devices at home as this method DOES USE YOUR DATA ALLOWANCE on your cell plan!

Check with your cell phone provider to see how this works and possible options. They also offer a type of usb stick for data with your laptop, etc. as an alternative to a wi-fi or hardwired internet connection at home.

Another huge money saver is to turn off your cellular data and roaming features and run strictly on wifi from your internet package at home.

There are thousands of places that offer free wifi these days from restaurants to libraries to even city bus terminals/loops and more which pretty much gives you all you need for internet for free!

Of note, phone calls and texting still works when you run only on wifi but it does cost you the minutes within your plan to use them regardless.

All Other Expenses

Bank Service Charges

Review the features you are currently paying for in your “account plan” – both the usual monthly fee and ALL “extra” charges for overdraft protection interest, NSF fees, money order charges, safe deposit box fees, etc on your last 6 months bank statements.

How much do you REALLY pay for the current account plan you have in TOTAL?

- Does it fit your needs? (free money orders, free cheques, unlimited debits, a few free “other-bank” ATM charge refunds each month, etc.)

- If you are paying for these items but rarely use them then it is time for a change! Or maybe you don’t have unlimited debit but that is ALL you use?

- Talk to your bank; ask them what plans they have that are better suited to what your actual needs are. You could end up saving up to ½ every month in charges alone!

Laundry Expenses

Seriously consider using a local Laundromat for most of your everyday laundry. They can save quite a bit in cash, time and wear and tear on your clothing as well!

You can bus there and back using a huge black/orange garbage bag (double it for strength), your soap, whitener, bounce and get all your laundry done in less than 2 hours for a fraction of what it costs at home!

Use the front loading triple loaders or even larger machines to do several loads of similar clothing at once (blacks and colours, whites and towels, etc).

You really can save a bundle by doing ALL your laundry in the same washer unless you have some very dirty items or it is just a waste of water and soap to do everything separately.

It makes no difference in cleaning power if you are using cold, warm or hot water- the reduced temperature in water also helps to keep your clothes in newer condition longer.

Most triples are $4-$7 and have a pre-wash, wash, 3 rinse cycles, and an extractor feature which removes most of the excess water so drying time is cut down as well. Just remember to add soap to the pre-wash AND the wash dispensers (also whitener/stain remover to the wash) for proper cleaning.

You can pack them full, but don't stuff them overfull as this reduces the cleaning ability. I usually spin the inside around with my hand while looking inside to make sure there are no items left from the last person's wash before adding my clothes to both the washers AND dryers.

As well, the machines are agitator free so there is little chance of tearing your clothes.

Remember to check and make sure there is no soap left in the holders before you even begin as that indicates there was a problem with the machine if soap is still in there. Let the attendant know so they can put a sign up –it saves you time, money and effort and helps the next people doing laundry after you too.

Using 1-2 DRY powder soap pods for pre-wash dispenser and then 2-3 more soap pods and also 1-2 DRY whitener/stain remover pods for wash cycle dispenser is best as you are doing 3-5 loads after all. Do NOT just throw them all into the machine with the clothes as all that first water will be drained after the pre-wash!

I usually poke/tear open (carefully) the dry pods pouring the soap into both dispensers as instructed so the soap distributes better.

Also, if using the liquid pods you will have to break them open into the wash cycle dispenser as it starts or it just runs down into the machine right away with the pre-wash soap anyway.

The dry “pods” are the best and most effective way to go as they are portioned out to 1/load worth of clothing so no waste with “extra” in the measuring cup each time. Unfortunately many of these pods have been reduced in size and amount of soap lately so I use 2 per load now to ensure clean clothes.

Separate your clothes for drying, putting all sheets, underwear, socks and light shirts and pants in one dryer and all towels, jeans, sweats, etc in another, using 2 dryers for one triple loader wash, and up to 4 for the huge machines, depending on how heavy the clothes are.

Dryers can range from free to $1 for 30 minutes, but most are $1 for 24minutes. You can usually get all the lighter stuff done within the 1st cycle and a lot of the heavier load will be done as well.

Then combine what’s left of both loads into one and it will be done with one more cycle at the most. I usually open the lighter load about 1/2 way (12 minutes left on a 24 minute timer) through the drying time cycle and QUICKLY remove what's already dry (sheets, underwear, pillowcases, nylon items, etc), folding and packing into a huge CLEAN bag as the rest dries. Check again about 2/3 of the way (8 minutes left on a 24 minute cycle timer) QUICKLY and remove more dry items, folding and adding to the bag while the rest dries. Again, check for more dry items at about 4-5 minutes left folding and bagging while the rest dries. If it is all dry on your second check, QUICKLY check the heavier clothing dryer load, remove dry items, and split the rest between both dryers for the additional 7-8 minutes left on a 24 minute timer.

By the time the first cycle is done you can combine what's left (if any) and start that drying while continuing to fold and bag what's dry, checking and removing as before to reduce wear and tear on your clothes and also reduce wrinkles by folding immediately!

You should be able to do 3 loads worth of clothes in 1 triple loader and using 2 dryers, it shouldn’t cost more than $6-$9 for that entire trip! Also, it is quicker (1 ½ - 2 hours tops) and there is no running up/down stairs either!

If you have a washer and dryer at home, you can save all that water, hydro, gas, etc each time, and just use your machines when necessary in between major laundry trips every week to 10 days, depending on how many clothes you have and how dirty they get.

The front loading washers lock while in use so you can go for a coffee or walk for 25 minutes and then spend the rest of the time drying and folding, which is usually about another 30-40 minutes. I always watch to ensure the soap goes in the pre-wash, which is about 3-5 minutes tops, and then ensure the soap and whitener gets into the wash cycle from the dispenser as well before heading off for 20-25 minutes.

Credit Cards/All Types of Loans/Etc

Review your statements and see if you are even paying down the principle at all, as just making the minimum payment is only covering the interest each month!

Consider consolidating all cards/loans into one card/loan, paying off the others and canceling the cards/loans as well, so no more interest and monthly charges accumulate!

This will cut your costs drastically for interest and you will only have 1 payment to deal with each month. STOP using ALL cards and overdraft, etc immediately--and learn to just spend what you actually have already in funds – especially if you are already in debt as this only creates more debt for next month!

Call the companies and let them know to either cancel or at least suspend your account so no more charges can/will be added.

A supervisor or manager has the authority to reduce the total amount owed (and close the account so no more interest is charged) as well as make a payment schedule with you, in order to get it paid off faster as well.

Ask them to reduce the percentage of interest you pay on ALL cards/loans, many will be happy to do this even for a 6 month to 1 year period instead of losing your business altogether.

You can also have them put a restriction on your cards/borrowing abilities for as long as you need at any time, so that you are not tempted to continue raising the debt.

If you explain to them that you are trying to pay off the actual amount owed before using the card again, a lot of them will work with you to make equal monthly payments for a longer period, sometimes even without interest at all.

Make sure you get the name and id# of who authorizes this and the details, having them send the details by email or mail as confirmation.

Take advantage of free financial agencies listed in the yellow pages that give free 15-30 minute consultations.

Take in your budget template as well so they have a clear picture of your financial situation without having to ask you all of that information first.

This will save you time, which keeps it within the “free” time frame. Writing down a point form list of questions and relevant info for each is helpful in saving “free” time as well.

You can find many free 15-30 minute consultations from a variety of professionals either by online search or the companies yellow page ad will list this option as well—lawyers, real estate agents, counselors of every kind, insurance companies, etc.

Recreational Activities/Classes/Etc

Do you even go at all? How often? What actual services you do use when you’re there? Are you paying way too much for what you use? Is it worth even continuing to be a member?

Talk to the company and see if there are “lighter” plans that cost less and still allow for the services you actually use.

Most cities have city run recreational centers, and if you are low income (under $30,000/year for a single person usually) they will offer access passes/membership at extremely reduced rates (or FREE even!), that usually encompasses all their facilities.

The YMCA also has a very reduced rate for lower income people across Canada.

Again, it will save you big money to shop around at various facilities and look at all their plans.

All Insurance Policies

Review all your insurance policies – tenant’s, home, vehicles, medical, travel, life, etc – are you spending as little as you need to and still getting the coverage you need?

- As an example – for car insurance, do you use your vehicle to get back and forth to a job more than 4x/month? If not, you can reduce your insurance to “pleasure driving” and save a bundle!

Even insurance can be bundled to save hundreds! -- home, auto, medical and life can all be combined within the same company, it's like a loyalty discount.

For extra medical travel insurance – do you even take vacations? more than once a year? It is great to have as a “just in case” measure, but if you haven’t used those extra coverage costs in more than a few years, you probably don’t need them.

Most provincial plans cover a lot of what you need, except ambulance, extended benefits and prescriptions anywhere within CANADA – as long as you are not away for more than a certain amount of time from your home province, so extra medical insurance is often just duplicate coverage.

Be sure to check with your provincial health care plan to see what exactly is covered in that package as opposed to what you need as well...especially if considering extra medical insurance or a trip.

If using a travel company and paying with a credit card-most offer extra insurance automatically for next to nothing, including medical!

Most banks these days offer extra medical and travel insurance over the phone immediately if you have no pre-existing health conditions (or any that are stable for the last 90 days before your trip and you are not waiting to see a specialist), at rock bottom prices depending on how long you will need it. Get the yearly travel/medical plan if you take more than one trip a year for even more savings!

Talk to all your current insurance companies and get a review of your current policies to make sure they suit your needs – a lot can lower costs to cover what you actually need, as opposed to losing you as a client! If nothing else, shop around for ALL insurance needs as policy rates and terms can vary greatly from company to company!

Haircuts/Beauty Treatments

Review how much you spend on haircuts, mani & pedi’s, waxing, etc. Do you really NEED to get someone else to style your hair, cut and paint your nails and/or remove the hair from your body?

Most people do need a haircut every 2 months or so, but again, prices range drastically from place to place.

Consider if you need to have your toenails painted at all in the winter – who’s going to see them other than you? At least cut back to half as often, or consider painting them yourself at home.

Consider a more manageable hair style that you can do yourself at home without costly and excessive products and tools too!

Use beauty colleges for all the same services as most salons and spas but at a fraction of the cost and--a teacher is always near to do those final few touches that make it perfect! (ask for a senior student!)

Some spas/salons also offer “freebies” of “mini” facials, massages, etc – search online or call your favorite one and ask!

Chiropractor/Massage/Physical Therapy/Etc

Most provincial health care plans cover at least a couple visits to physical therapy, some even include chiropractic, acupuncture and/or registered massage visits.

If you are on government assistance or qualify as “low income” for any reason; there are usually a few additional visits covered after those initial ones run out, if medically needed and you provide a doctor’s note/prescription.

Further additional visits can be approved directly through most provincial health care plans, with an on-going treatment plan from the therapist and progress reports.

Consider how often you use these services as well. As with most things, you can get a discount or a free visit even if you are pre-purchasing, and in bulk, so to speak.

Again, call around to various offices as prices vary greatly!

Consider trying a school of registered massage therapy as well as opposed to your usual expensive place.

They require medical history, a teacher is always around to make sure the service is being done properly and they are senior students just about to finish the 2 program, so costs can be anywhere from $10-$35/hour only!

Prescriptions and Supplements

Review all of your prescriptions with your doctor to ensure you only have to take what you actually need and no more.

Sometimes it is “recommended” that you take something as a “just in case” but if we all did that --we’d all be on EVERYTHING!

Call around to the larger box grocery, wholesale and department stores that usually have pharmacies within their stores for prices of “filling fees.

This fee is added on top of what the drug actually costs for every prescription, every time! Costs can range from $4-25 per prescription bottle!

Also consider buying at least a month at a time, most plans cover up to 3 months at a time of each prescription as just like everything else, you save buying in bulk!

The cost of the filling fee is the same, but the medication is cheaper the more you buy per time.

Of note Costco (which is in several countries) lets you use their pharmacy without having a membership and their prices are rock bottom.

Tithing, Donating to Charity, Savings and RRSP’s, RESP’s

Consider putting all your savings account, RRSP, RESP, tithing and/or donations to charitable agencies on a direct withdrawal from your bank account on each payday to the appropriate sources.

This way, you always make your contributions before you run out of money and never forget either! Again, keep an eye on your bank statements to ensure no more than what you planned for is coming out.

Socializing (Daily Coffees, Newspapers, Dining Out, Movies, Etc)

After you have calculated how much you actually spend each month for the following categories, think about if you really NEED to do all these things as much as you do currently?

Dining out—including take out and drive-thru orders, trips to the bar, daily coffees/beverages of all kinds, books/magazines/newspapers (both subscription and individual purchases, movies in any form, all other social activities that cost money)

You can average these categories if you have purchase histories for more accurate figures just as you did for your initial draft budget.

Can you eat at home, inviting friends over to make it a more social experience?

Make it “potluck” (everyone brings a dish – just make sure not all will be the same beforehand) to spread the cost around!

Can you have friends over for drinks at home instead of going to the bar? You have music through free TV channels with a huge array of genres (kinds of music), radios, cd’s, etc.

Again make it “potluck” so everyone shares in the cost of the liquor and the mixes, even snacks if you like.

Can you get Netflix and watch as many movies and shows as you like all month for less than the cost of one’s person movie ticket?

You can “pause” the movies this way for trips to the bathroom, and rewind to catch that last joke you missed!

This is a much more affordable option than PPV movies as the cost of one month’s usage is about the same as one PPV movie! (split the package cost between the 4 people on your account and save even more!)

Combine several of these activities in your home with friends:

- Have people over for dinner and a movie

- Drinks and card games, or any games of your choice

- Snacks and a movie or special game coming on instead of attending the arena is a HUGE money saver!

- When buying magazines/newspapers/books, do you grab a paper every day from the box on the corner?

Get subscriptions delivered to your door to save money that way – but only if you actually read them every day!

If you DO use subscriptions for any of these items, consider canceling the subscription and just viewing the items online through your cell, laptop, tablet, etc or at your local library for FREE!

If you don’t have time to read most of the subscriptions you get and they are just adding to clutter in your home or getting thrown out then this is definitely the way to go.

For your daily coffee needs you can get a good travel mug with a tight fitting lid and bring a “cup for the road” with you from home each time instead of hitting the first coffee shop you can find, saving you a bundle!

- This way you can control how much sugar and what kind of cream you use as well.

- To add flavor to your home coffee, add a teaspoon of cinnamon to the fresh coffee grounds before brewing.

- Even add a small “shot” of flavor syrups just like the coffee shop – you can get these at your grocery stores in large bottles cheaply when you shop as well.

Shopping Trips – Clothes, Shoes, Accessories, Home Furnishings

Check your closets, dresser drawers, storage areas and finally take a good look around each room in your home to see exactly what you currently have.

As far as the clothing, shoes & accessories especially are concerned- if you haven’t worn it in the last season it’s appropriate for – pack it up and give it away to charity or even have a “trading party” with some friends and get a lot of “new to you” clothes without paying anything!

You can also have a garage sale to recoup some of the money that is just hanging or lying around too!

There are consignment stores that you can take these items to, for them to sell for you and split the sale price with you. Some are quite picky as to name brand clothes only so call ahead.

When shopping for new items – think before you buy – will I actually USE this item? Does it go with anything I already have or will I need to buy more stuff just to make this “work”? Do I really NEED it?

Do you have a hard time keeping what you have dusted/clean as it is? Puppies are ALL adorable too, but we don’t bring home every one we see, right?

Sometimes, just re-arranging the furniture and accents in your home between rooms can give a whole new look and satisfy your need to “reno” your home.

Try putting all your clothes in groups of outfits of what goes with what, so before you do shop you know what you have and can just buy a single item that will compliment many different outfits from what you already have.

All Habits (Smoking, Drinking, Junk Food, Lottery, Etc)

Smoking

Consider how much of each habit you use at a time, multiply by how many times a day, and multiply that by 30 days! There ARE ways to cut this cost down without just quitting!

For smoking, consider rolling your own with papers or tubes. It is only about a quarter of the cost of tailor-mades! And when it takes time to roll, it slows down the amount you smoke too!

- If that is just TOO MUCH for you to handle, at least switch to a value brand as opposed to premium ones. The taste is not much different for most brands, and the effects are totally the same!

This price difference between cheapies and brand names can be as much as $5 for a single PACK!

Start buying in cartons, calculating enough packs for the whole pay period, when you shop at the large box grocery and/or discount stores as opposed to grabbing a pack or three daily at the gas station!

This will save you literally $100’s each month depending on how much you smoke! It's like 2 free packs for every 10 you buy this way-at least!

Alcohol

Again, figure out what you are spending and your consumption:

Even liquor stores have sales nowadays, and buying large bottles saves you even more! Taste is not that much different for most brands either!

Again, the cheaper brands have the same effect, but can save you up to $5/bottle, even on the smaller bottles!

Consider switching to cheaper versions of your alcoholic drinks as well.

An ounce and a half of alcohol per drink with pop, juice or even water in a larger glass is a lot cheaper than a drink with 2 kinds of booze, using 2 or more kinds of mix, and/or making it a double/triple each time!

Are you a junk-food-aholic?

It is a widely known fact that if you are trying to reduce what you eat (or drink or smoke for that matter), buying in snack sizes usually leads to over-eating by having 2 or more of the portions instead of 1 regular size portion, as they are too small to satisfy.

Which in turn leads to eating even more as you get “mad” at yourself for not being satisfied with the smaller serving(s).

All things in moderation is the key logic to strive for!

Buy what you have calculated you consume each pay period when you shop at the larger grocery stores instead of picking stuff up each day.

Most have deals for bigger bags, multiple bags, and some have HUGE bags for ridiculously low cost if you don’t mind a store brand instead.

If you need you can portion out the larger bags to smaller ones and then just eat a single serving at a time.

Again – the taste (and effects) are the same for most brands, just the cost can vary by over $1-$3 on a single 200gm bag!

Lottery/bingo/casinos/etc:

Review what your current spending habits are for an average purchase/session, multiply by # of purchases/visits per month.

Most bingos and casinos now have customer loyalty cards that offer extra chances to win prizes and have special deals for those members.

Also, if overspending is a problem once you get there, only take an amount of cash you can really afford to part with (whether you win or not!) and leave your debit/credit cards at home!

Put yourself on a “budget” for smoking, drinking, junk food, lottery, etc, after you have determined your actual consumption/day and month and all the associated costs.

To do this without too much “pain”, cut back ¼ of the amount you consume each time, and/or each day for a 2 week period at a time, and after only 2 months (8 weeks) you could even eliminate the habits altogether. At the very least, you will have cut down drastically – saving you money AND improving your health and mood at the same time!

Pawn Shops and Payday Loans

Pawn Shop Items

If you are paying someone just to store your items for 3/4 of every pay period for you (with a risk of losing them if you don't pay back the money borrowed AND interest)...are they really that “precious”? Or more of a “valuable” bargaining tool to get extra cash a week or so after payday, every time?

Evaluate what all you currently have in the pawn shop. Do you even USE the items when they are at home? Consider if you even NEED any of the items, or which ones you really want to get back and then STOP pawning again! It can seem hard the first month, but if you follow the tips below, you will END of the cycle!

Once you have decided what you for sure want back-if anything, speak to the shop owner or manager and let them know that you are stopping pawning and what you have decided not to buy back. Then just pay the “interest” owed each month to hold the item in pawn, in addition to 1/4 to 1/3 of the actual borrowed amount owed each month until you can comfortably afford to get those special items out once and for all!

As long as the company gets their interest each month, not much else matters to them. They will be able to sell the items you decide to “let go” at a higher profit than they get in interest from you each month anyway – so don’t feel bad!

Since you will be paying a much smaller amount for each of the next few months to get out only what you really want to keep, you will immediately have that “excess” money you would have spent on the entire buy back (each time) to buy what you need now instead of with the re-pawned amount later, and you won’t lose those few special items either!

Payday Loans

Speak to the manager of the company and let them know that you will no longer be borrowing money.

Have the ability to borrow stopped if they don’t just cut you off anyway.

Tell them that you will pay the outstanding amount, but it will be in 2-3 pay period installments instead of all right now.

Most companies will be happy to make those arrangements (get all details in writing) as opposed to having to spend their own money trying to get what is owed from you “the hard way.

There is monthly interest as well on these amounts so make sure to pay the interest portion as well as 1/4 to 1/3 of the actual amount owed every time. The interest SHOULD come down in its amount with each payment as less is outstanding!

Speak to a manager and don't let them intimidate you! They are just “fighting” for their money, and so should you-it's YOURS after all!

Once you realize how much you are spending just in “interest” that these companies charge you to take your money and dish only part of it back to you every payday; that is usually an incentive enough to break the cycle.

Get ALL new payment arrangements in writing, also noting that they will NOT come after you in any way, including direct withdrawals from your bank account, UNLESS you miss a payment as per this new agreement, make sure it is SIGNED and DATED by the manager or employee who is authorized to make the arrangements, and get your own copy as well as them having one.

Don't let them try to scare you with threats of garnishing your pay (whatever source it is). As long as they do get all their money, not much else matters to them.

If you are being hassled by a bill/debt collection agency

You can search online “what are collection agencies allowed/not allowed to do in (your area)” for a whole long list of the restrictions that are in place to prevent what boils down to bullying. There are many different rules for the different provinces as well

When they urge you to pay to “protect your credit rating”---if they are calling you, it's already listed on your credit report!--- and will stay there for 7-14yrs even after paid in full!.

Never give ANY info confirming anything other than your name as it will be used to find another way to contact you to harass you to pay. Get a name and ID#, phone number, company name, address and tell them you will call back – AND HANG UP!

Most reps either literally have daily quotas, or get a % in commission for the amount of outstanding debts they have to recover in dollars, just to keep their jobs.

Many of them will say anything to get you to make an immediate payment, and unless you have it in writing—new arrangements are not legal at all.

A lot of times, the debts are bought by collection agencies at pennies on the dollar owed by you, from the company you actually owe, and they add on fees for that and as it is now “their” debt they have an extremely vested interest in “forcing” you to pay.

Most debts end up being wiped off your credit rating after 7-14 yrs even if there are no payments or arrangements or contact in that time either.

Finding Resources for Things You Need

Food, Clothing, Furniture, Help of All Kinds

The yellow pages list social service organizations, clubs, associations and churches in all different ways (check under the heading of one for other areas that more agencies are listed in different areas of the book.)

Look online by searching “social services agencies”, “clubs”, “churches”, etc, and add in city name. Also try “free clothing” (furniture, food, etc) under community headings on free sites (kijiji/reddit) for any items you need, they even have freebie and swap sections.

Most cities offer a 211 free phone and/or online service which can give you listings of community and social service agencies in your area that can help with housing, shelters, food, clothing, furnishings for your home, etc., most for free or very low cost and many on an emergency basis as well.

They also have listings of many kinds of volunteer positions where you can share your skills/experiences/time/etc with other people in your area.

Usually there are booklets through your library website (and handed out) for all free/low cost programs in the city for all different ages and abilities year-round.

There are senior’s organizations that can give specific leads for help in many areas just for seniors too.

This also applies to other groups such as disabilities, kids, teens, women, men, etc, relating to finding help with needs in every area of life. Again, search online or by calling 211 for your specific need in your area.

You can also search “free/low cost activities (or be specific in your choice of activity) in (enter your city)” online for even more places that provide activities for people of all ages and even disabilities that are not advertised elsewhere.

Once you have a list of various agencies near you, give them each a call and explain your problem/emergency and ask if they can help you in any way, or if they can point you to another agency they know of that might be able to help (sometimes they have other lesser known resources too.)

Use schools for cheap services by senior students under a teacher’s supervision instead of already licensed professionals for things such as beauty treatments, haircuts, massage, dental cleaning/work, body shop and vehicle repairs at colleges, even social worker/counselors do practicums with professional psychologists and in licensed clinics for free or at a very reduced rate.

If all else fails place an ad on kijiji or a similar webpage asking for help with getting moved, drivers for shopping trips, help around your home, etc.

List your need, how much you will pay if anything, when you need it done (ASAP, tomorrow, etc) and a way to contact you (email is safer but a cell number is great for quick responses.) Or just list “need help cheaply with...” and go from there.

You will have replies who want just as much as a professional or more! Just say, “Thanks, I’ll let you know” and keep on looking. There are tons of good Samaritans out there who will even help you for free if not cheaply! Seriously!

You do need to use your best judgment and walk away instead if anything seems “off”. NEVER “send a pic”--would you need one from someone if you were responding to their ad for help?

And finally, only give as much information on yourself as necessary for the situation—you don't know who you are dealing with and not everyone is honest and/or kind these days.

**Be careful when arranging to meet people off the net and do it in public if possible, asking for ID should not be offensive either depending on the situation.

Children's items (clothes, toys, activities, high chairs, etc)

Garage sales and second-hand stores are cheapest.

If you need free stuff – there are clothing banks or set up an exchange “party” with friends (or through online community pages) every so often.

Let the kids pick what they like to make it “new stuff”! – or better yet, wrap all “new” stuff and give for presents! This can be a free social event as well!

De-stressing your life, peace of mind and a happier outlook

You CAN resist the urges to buy items you don’t need. YOU are the ONLY one in charge of your money and how you spend it, (as well as your life and how you live it!)...so do it wisely and make the most of it!

And STOP trying to keep up with the neighbors! They are probably only 1 paycheque away from losing all those things you think you want, while THEY try and keep up with THEIR neighbors! --and all their payments!

Life is a journey, not a race or competition. There are no “winners” or “losers”, only people who choose to enjoy the journey, even the unexpected detours; and sadly those who would rather sit and complain about everything while life passes by and end up with nothing but regrets.

Not everything in life needs to cost money either! Go to a park and have a picnic with your own food and play a game of tag or ball instead of taking the kids to a burger and gaming joint. The fresh air will do everyone good and it will save you a lot of cash that you can use for other things instead!

Be thankful for ALL you DO have –always...many people don’t even have clean water to drink, a warm place to sleep or even 2 pairs of shoes – and I have not seen a community in all my worldwide travels yet that does not have homeless and/or “housed but hungry” people within its population!

Try to remember there is always someone less fortunate than you, no matter how little you think you have--and help them in any way you can—toques, mitts, socks, even just buy a coffee for someone trying to stay warm or a cold pop on a hot day!

There is no point in carrying anger or hatred towards others-it is like drinking poison yourself but expecting it to harm the other person only! --the other person doesn't suffer in any way when you're angry—it might even make them happier if they knew you were so upset!

Generally you get what you give in life--in my opinion, eg: give nice-get nice! Of course, there is nice and then there is stupid too – realize if you are being used or just enabling--if you are continually giving items, time, cash, etc but it is draining you as opposed to you helping the other person--then it is time to re-evaluate who and/or how you are helping!

Things could always be worse – but YOU can make them better if you set your mind to it, put a smile in your heart and on your face, and take these small, easy steps to making the money you do have work as hard as possible for you instead of you working as hard as possible for it!

Now, on to your FOOD PLANNER!!

CHAPTER THREE – YOUR FOOD

Before You Start

Hopefully you will shop only once or twice a month depending on family size and freezer/fridge/storage space, with an occasional trip for an unexpected item or milk.

This will be a task that you will do about 3-5 days before each shopping payday (so you can revise as necessary) even though a lot of the items will generally be the same each time. I suggest that you plan to cook at home 97% of the time as you can make great meals, with all the trimmings, for a lot less at home, and package what you need to take with you to save huge!

This is also probably your most flexible expense out of them all as you can change up your meal menu planning to as cheap of meals to make as necessary, depending on your budget.

If you don’t know the basics of cooking already, watch TV shows showing cooking segments, the food network if you have it, or even online sites have articles/blogs/vlogs/videos showing “how it’s done”, and remember to write down the recipe ingredients and instructions as you go!

This will give you a good idea of how to do preparation, different cooking methods and storage methods as well as other simple tricks that can be the difference between something turning out or not!

Basically, as long as you can follow instructions and do basic math for doubling or 1/2ing a recipe, once you have basic equipment and supplies, it is just a matter of practice, practice, practice!

There are several free apps that can be huge time, effort and money savers in the food aspect as well by helping you to track, compile and manage tasks like finding the best deals, menu planning, and shopping list compilation. There are tons of options specific to each one, but again, you must enter ALL the information you are compiling here to get started.

I am starting with TONS of mostly immediate, simple and FREE/CHEAP money/time/effort saving ideas, techniques and shortcuts on every aspect of your food expense as I believe if you already understand HOW TO reduce your food expenses, it will be much easier to plan your menu and shopping lists going forward using that knowledge to modify any recipe to YOUR tastes and dietary needs.

Storage Solutions

Keep your fridge turned up to at least 2/3 if not 3/4 of the way to maximum coldness! This will help your food keep for a week (or even 2) after the “best before date” (not to be confused with the EXPIRY date when you need to just throw it out then.)

Even milk lasts for a good week past its best before date in a good cold fridge! Eggs can last for an extra month, and produce will last for an extra week or more, depending on what it is.

Use your crisper compartment for all produce as it will keep this food at its proper texture for longer.

If you don't have a lot of food in your fridge normally fill a few 1L-4L bottles with water and leave them in the fridge. Fridges are designed to work best when they are more full than empty in terms of peak cooling but not freezing for the entire contents and that also saves on your hydro bill as they don't work as hard to be efficient.

Buy large, thermal, reusable lunch bags (dollar store for $3) and take your lunch to work or wherever, saving you about $10/meal if not more at a restaurant! A bun, with 3-5 slices of meat, a slice of cheese, a slice of tomato and/or cucumber and condiments (mustard, mayo, etc), adding pickles, a few baby carrots, and a yogurt cup and you’re good to go!

A step farther even is to throw in a homemade baggie of tree nuts, dried fruits and a few chocolate chips even for munching at afternoon coffee break! Don't forget a muffin for morning coffee break too if you normally eat at all breaks anyway!

Small reusable freezer cold packs are great for packing around food to go, especially to keep many foods cold at the same time (only 2for$1 at the dollar store).

Always carry a water bottle, (make sure tops they don’t leak when they fall over) everywhere you go! You can refill this almost everywhere as well for free! It’s cheaper than buying water and helps reduce environmental waste as well! You can also get flavor drops or crystals in to-go packets to add for extra flavor as opposed to pop!

Get a freezer, even a small one, for storing bulk frozen foods and batch cooked foods. If you don't have one, check on free ad sites (kijiji, etc) in both the buy/sell and the FREE and SWAP/TRADE categories for used ones. Or place your own request ad! Again, be careful when buying from strangers, and do your best to see it running so you know it works first! Used should only be maybe 1/2 of new cost, 2/3 tops if it's like new! ALWAYS PAY CASH when dealing with transactions like this as you don't need to give financial info to buy something used! Another option is a pawn shop or newspaper ads.

Shopping Secrets

No matter where or what you are shopping for, NEVER go on an empty stomach if you can help it as this almost always causes impulse buying in order to “fill the void”.

Even just a glass of water and a handful (about a 1/3 cup serving) of any kind of nuts will satisfy your hunger long enough to shop. (skip peanuts if possible as they are not really a nut but a legume/bean, or choose roasted and unsalted/flavored if possible.) Carry candies if necessary to tide you over till you get home to eat.

Utensils, pots and pans, dishes and such are usually the cheapest at larger second-hand stores and larger dollar stores can be a great way to get these items needed cheaply too. They are also great resources for cookbooks no matter what your tastes. They even carry some small appliances—make sure they work before buying secondhand!

Larger dollar stores that sell food items should be your first stop of your shopping trips each pay period. Non-perishable food items, plastic containers (usually 2 in a pack for under $1.75), baggies, toiletries, baking supplies (tin foil, parchment paper, etc) some cleaning supplies, and other small household items are cheapest here (usually all $1-2 but always under $3).

Choose a large box discount grocery store or a department store with a complete food store “in it” to take advantage of larger packages of meat, canned good multiple buy options (by the case even). Many have clothing, shoes, accessories, bedding, bath and kitchen needs, toys, electronics, etc as well at huge savings over the larger chain stores in the malls. You can even get your car fluids here while saving a bundle versus a gas station! Some places have cheap tires and parts—even repair centers that can save money as well--make sure you price check a few places before buying larger items as prices vary greatly along with warranties and extras.

You can separate your meat into portions you use at each meal and then freeze in baggies that seal well for up to 2 months or batch cook and freeze entire meals (explained later).

Check ALL flyers that come to your home, via flyer websites online, or grab them at each store before you plan your menu for huge savings on a few items at each store. KEEP the ENTIRE flyers, bring them with you to the large box stores, show the clerk the flyer with product(s) as you checkout, and they are great about “price-matching” so you don’t have to run from store to store for the best deals.

Make sure the item is IDENTICAL in brand, size, amount, etc. This does NOT apply to 2for1 deals, and as some deals (fresh meat deals like 4 pieces of meat for $5, 4lbs of frozen lean hamburger for $10, 2kg bags of frozen fruit for $12) are specific to that stores' no name brand, so no other store will swap their brands for the same price.

You will learn what is cheaper at a store that you cannot get elsewhere and just grab those few items at said store, in some cases this can be quite a bit of savings depending on quantities you need of those certain items.

Many people review flyers to plan meal menus around the specials on the main ingredients that are most cost effective. If you are getting 10 fresh boneless pork loin chops for $10 a tray, use 3 for chops, baked potatoes, veggies and salad; 3 for baking with rice, peas and cream soup, and 4 for a thai stir fry with cut up veggies. This way you are getting the most variation on your food with the least expense!

Always look for the heaviest weight when buying pre-packed bulk sale trays of meat especially. Example: the same 10 chop package for $10 works to $1/serving if you buy a 1kg tray (average 100gm/serving for meats), but goes up to $1.43/serving if you only grab a 700gm tray, and down to only .83cents/serving for a 1200gm tray!

Bulk food stores are a fabulous place to get ALL the spices and herbs you need, as well as smaller amounts of baking supplies, dirt cheap! You can buy as much or as little (even just 1 teaspoon) of the spices for literally 1/10 of what you would pay for a bottle at the grocery store! I have get a few tablespoons of this and 1/4 cup of that, of ALL the spices I use (about 15 in total regularly) enough to last for a month or more for under $10 in total!

Just before you hit the store – go through your cupboards, fridge, freezer and every room in your home looking for all the items you already have that you can stroke off the list (cans of soup, a new bottle of ketchup you forgot about, a pound of hamburger that you didn’t use yet, spices you still have) and what you forgot – (tissue for the bedroom, light bulbs for the living room lamp, cleaner for that dirty dining room window, air freshener for the bathroom). This will save you more than you think!

You can also get a friend or 2 together to go in on shopping in even more bulk at a larger box wholesale store, and even do batch cooking together and split the portions as well as the costs. A lot of stores offer “freebies” or even gift cards if you spend a certain amount, so combine shopping with a friend and split the “freebie”!

Cab home from your main store shop and use the bus if necessary for the dollar store and any other special items. If you have lots of time, and strength, make a few trips on the bus even for all your shopping and save even more!

Get the large black cloth reusable bags from the box grocery store (under $2 each) and double them for heavier loads. Pack your own groceries so you can make it all fit in a few of your bags compactly, instead of 15+ of theirs at .05 cents each!

If this is your first time shopping this way, you may not be aware of the exact costs of all the stuff on your list so take a trip to the stores a few days before your actual shop in order to write down beside each item on your list the cost so you can total it and get a sense of how much you may need to adjust quantities, qualities and/or switch out meal ideas altogether for cheaper ingredient ones.

While you’re there, observe how buying store brands instead and larger quantities in bulk (separating before freezing), or multiple grouping deals will save you even more!

Plan to spend at least an hour or two (more if you need), depending on how many people you are feeding and shopping for when you do shop. This way you are not rushed and can make sure you get the best deals for your money.

After a few shopping trips you'll know how much most items cost roughly each time, enabling quicker estimation totals of what you will need to spend when reviewing each shopping list as you make them.

Plan for about $20 more than you estimate just in case, at least for the first few shopping trips, until you get the “hang” of this way of shopping.

As you will be able to cross off your list all items you still have in your cupboards, freezer and fridge just before shopping, this will reduce your costs even more.

There are a lot of items that you will only buy every second/ third shop such as cleaning items/sauces/saran wrap/baking stuff/etc., so your pay period shops will vary due to this as well.

If you don't have enough storage, fridge, freezer space, etc to shop only once a month, you will need at least a couple items that won't last over a pay period, or it's too hard to save the money without spending it on other things, consider buying gift cards for these known item expenses when you do your major shop at the beginning of your pay period. Then you don't have to constantly try to remember that $?? needs to be in the bank for more food-which just leads to more frustration usually! This way, when you're out of cash but still need a few things you will have a gift card to use that is already paid for.

Most major discount grocery stores have a loyalty reward system of some sort if you are willing to provide some basic info. I am personally not into giving all my info to any corporation just for their statistical or advertising purposes, but in some cases, it is simply more advantageous to give minimal info in return for what could be quite a bit in savings.

Several stores have programs that send you emails once a week with extra point deals on specific items, and as it tracks what you buy when you scan your card, these are specific to your personal purchase preferences. They also will send you their flyers and specials just for members. Be careful however, sometimes the “deal” actually costs you more in the long run due to the conditions of the deal, than you would normally spend in the first place!

Some others offer cents off/liter on gas based on a percentage of your total spent in any one purchase, or coupons for cents/dollars off in their store on any one food purchase when you buy gas first.

If you use food banks, consider going there a day or two before shopping in order to eliminate buying duplicate items unnecessarily. If you are planning food for an entire pay period, then you hopefully won't need to go to the food bank in the middle of the period anyway right This way you can combine what you receive with what you buy to make better use of all the food in the most efficient way.

Cooking Clues

Spices are a GREAT addition to all dishes to make them “POP” and taste just like the restaurant version, if not better. Even spaghetti tastes better with some oregano, basil, parsley, Italian seasoning, a dash of brown sugar in the sauce and some parmesan on top! For MOST spices/herbs, you can usually double the amount called for to get the full bold flavor as well as increase the natural health benefits of each spice/herb.

Info on this can be found online by searching each spice, or try “list of health benefits of spices and herbs” and you will be amazed at how even cinnamon or basil can help your health issues!

Use method for veggies/fruit, meats, dairy, etc. Even some raw “good” veggies can slow your thyroid function to the point of needing medication to control symptoms, worsen gout to the point of needing medication, or actually cause digestion problem symptoms mimicking an allergy. For instance, nightshades (peppers, tomatoes, potatoes, eggplant and all spices made from these such as paprika, cayenne, chili pepper, ketchup, sauce, etc) are known to be great anti-inflammatory foods---unless you already have an inflammatory condition like arthritis! Then eating them will actually worsen your pain and swelling within 30 minutes or so.

If you have health issues at all, spend some time searching online what you currently eat-you could be causing your own issues and fix them almost instantly by cutting out, changing or adding just one or two food items! Again, be as specific as possible in your search criteria to get the best results faster.

Get and use a large crock pot/slow cooker to make 10-15 servings of stew, chili, soups, etc, and after cooking, cool food till it is not bubbling anymore, (watch with meat on a hot day as you don’t want it to spoil) portion out into plastic containers, cool till no longer hot, top with tight fitting lids and freeze immediately for up to two months.

Batch cooking over 1 or 2 days each pay period will enable you to have a variety of pre-portioned ready to go meals in the freezer, waiting to be put in the microwave (with lid removed and placed sideways across top to prevent splatter, for 3-5 minutes each on power 7). Make a salad, grab a beverage and you’re ready to eat! Clean up is a breeze without lots of pots and pans and utensils daily to wash also!

Most meat can be cooked from frozen if needed, reducing the temperature and cooking for a little longer, but it is easier to separate and bag into needed portions before freezing even if not batch-cooking.

Cook 2-4 times the amount you normally would for things like spaghetti, chops with rice and veggies, roasted meat and potatoes, etc., and then after cooling a bit – portion out and freeze the rest for later in the same manner.

You can batch bake cookies, muffins, cakes, etc as well by doubling or tripling the recipe, it just takes more trips to the oven to bake them! Even non-baked goodies can be done this way. If you don’t trust yourself not to eat all of them at once in one night when watching TV, portion them out as well before freezing. Either way, using small or large plastic baggies (from the dollar store is cheapest) is the best way to go for all but cakes – use a container with a good fitting lid for that. These will last in your freezer for up to 6 months so you don’t need to do this every pay period either! Ice cream 4L pails are great for batches of cookies, tarts, bars, etc.

When making a cake, put it in the freezer for about 15-30 minutes before icing it—this will prevent it from sticking to the knife as you spread the icing! You don't need to wrap it up or anything, just make sure it has space around it so it doesn't get squished. If freezing for later, you can ice and freeze, or wait till you need to use it and then apply icing as soon as you get it out of the freezer. Let cake sit for about 10 minutes to thaw out before serving.

If you can't afford a specific ingredient, substitute it for a cheaper version of what you need such as a different type of sugar or sweetener, type of sauce or condiment, type of fat (oil, margarine, butter), type of spices, etc.

Get creative! If you smell the food and then smell a spice/herb, you normally can tell if they are going to go together or not. If still not sure, put a small amount of the food into a bowl and add just a pinch of the spice and taste it. If you don't like it, you haven't ruined the entire meal!

Cooking a lot of the time is simply trial and error with the ability to substitute almost anything for almost anything to make totally new meals!

As for doing the dishes after your meals, there will hardly be any! This is because you will be doing batch cooking over a 1 or 2 day period after each shop and washing all those dishes and utensils then! You can eat right out of the plastic containers even if you aren't worried about presentation! Make sure you rinse all the dishes and containers you use and even just stack the few that there are on the counter till tomorrow! This way you don’t have gunky, crusted leftover food on the dishes and they are a breeze to clean up quickly!

Planning YOUR Menu Using YOUR Food!

For ease and consistency of explanations, this is a menu for ONE MONTH, FOR ONE PERSON, shopping once a month majorly and picking up milk and veggies mid month as necessary. I have noted at the end of the EXAMPLE shopping list how to add in extra people and the approximate additional costs are calculated as well.

Please see the EXAMPLE menu to see HOW to PLAN YOUR OWN food menu, using ONLY the foods YOU actually eat.

This is NOT a diet plan--it is part of a budgeting plan to help you spend less on food, no matter what type of “diet” you eat. This will help you be able to afford to eat regularly, and healthier as well, if you so desire.

Plan for about 2 days more than the number of days in each pay period worth of meals (depending on your needs) so that you have a small “cushion” in case you can’t get to the store on payday, and I find it really helps to be able to shop 1-3 days after a major payday so the stores are not “out” of everything you need! Plan a variety of different flavors of meals so that you don’t get “bored” with the same taste all the time

Aim for 4-6 different meal choices in a month, having each choice 5-8 times over the month, equaling 32 breakfasts, 32 lunches, 32 dinners, 32 desserts, 32 snacks in total (adjust numbers if working with a 2 week shopping period, but still buy your meat or as much as possible in bulk for the whole month to really save cash).

You can also adjust your choice of meals according to how expensive the ingredients are for each meal versus how much money you have to spend.

Again---this is an EXAMPLE of HOW to do this, substitute YOUR FOODS OF CHOICE for ALL foods listed!

If you base portions on an 8 inch plate size, ideally each meal should have about 1/2 of the plate covered in veggies and/or low sugar fruit (search these online), 1/4 full of protein (lean meat, eggs, tree nuts, tofu, dairy, etc), and 1/4 full of starch/carbs (breads, grains, potatoes, rice, corn, carrots, pasta, etc).

Each “1/4 plate” is about the size of your palm—but not stacked 3 inches high either!!

Add a salad from a wide range of choices (most can be eaten without restriction but watch your dressing intake!)

Spices are a great addition to salads along with nuts and shredded cheese for extra texture and flavor as well as extra protein!

Most nutrition labels state a serving size that they base their numbers on so you can always go by that if you are not sure you are eating the right amounts.

Snacks should be a serving of protein with fruit or veggies (pb&apple, yogurt&nuts or cheese&celery etc), and keep the water flowing all day!

Start with jotting down the meals you eat most frequently and those you love but cost more to make for breakfasts, lunches, suppers, desserts and snacks (or all those that you normally eat).

Some people skip breakfast but this is your most important meal of the day for energy, better concentration/comprehension, fuel for your brain and body, and helps stop your coffee break from becoming more of a brunch than a snack. It also helps to regulate your sugar/insulin and energy levels for the entire day!

Some people don't eat snacks or dessert, etc. If you are so hungry that you are over-eating at meals try adding snacks as mentioned to keep you steady all day.

Use your best judgment and substitute items for gluten-free, lactose-free, vegan, reduced salt, fat or sugar as desired/necessary.

I have added several extra tips in brackets so you can see how to co-ordinate meals and cheaper ways to bulk shop in order to have all these foods included in the menu.

Again, these are meals that I personally ate. **I have since made some changes in items due to needing gluten-free, lactose-free, high protein, high fiber, as well as watching soy, carbs, sugar, salt and fat!! If I can do all this and still eat great without spending a fortune---you should have NO problem if you don't need to take all these restrictions into account.

Mix and match throughout the month so you never have the same thing two days in a row by batch-cooking, portioning and freezing.

Example of a ONE Month Menu for ONE Person

Breakfasts (32 meals in total):

12 meals – Shreddies cereal w/milk, banana and a greek yogurt

- (a large double box of cereal will usually do one person for this amount of meals-depending on serving sizes)

- (Activia 24 cup pack yogurt-the greek type has more protein and this brand has probiotics for your digestive health as well)

8 meals – 1 egg omelet w/ham, cheese, onions, spices, 1 toast and juice

- (buy the flakes of ham/chicken/turkey, dividing into 3-4 servings, put the others in a baggie in the fridge up to 5 days, and gently cut the portion with a sharp knife into small chunks-like an onion-trust me!)

- (shred a one inch cube of cheddar/mozza/etc bought in 700gm blocks to use with dinners and lunches too)

- (a one liter container of unsweetened pure juice is 4 one cup servings)

- (buy a 3 pound bag of onions and a 3-pack of green, red and yellow peppers in a bag is cheaper than paying by the pound and will be used in many different meals)

- (buy a variety of spices and herbs from a bulk food store every 1-2 months, saves a HUGE amount of cash, means fresh spices all the time, and you can try out a spice without buying a whole bottle)

12 meals– oatmeal w/berries, and 1 toast w/pb and milk

- (add berries still frozen for better texture 1/2 to 1 cup from frozen 600gm-2kg bags)

- (buy 2kg quick oats and cook just one bowl in the microwave with half milk/water for creamier taste in under 2 minutes)

Lunches (32 total meals) – drink water (use flavoring if desired):

8 meals – egg salad on toast, pickles, baby carrots

- (not on same days as omelets so you get eggs once/day at least 1/2 of the month)

- (eggs can be hard boiled in batches and stored in the fridge DRY and IN THEIR SHELLS in an open container for up to 7days, using as you need to prepare the “salad” fresh)

- (buy 2-4pound bags of ready to eat baby carrots to use for many different meals, cut or snap in half if doing a stew, etc as there is no peeling and washing necessary)

- (most veggies can be bought frozen and pre-cut in bags -mixed even-just thaw and pat dry with paper towel and put in a baggie or small container in your lunch kit)

- (buy a few different kinds of pickles in 1-2litre jars, reduced salt is recommended and tastes just as good, for a variety of tastes with your various meals)

8 meals – chili and bun, pickles **(lunch portion sizes)

- (buy lean hamburger frozen in bags of 3-4 100gm tubes totaling 1.2-1.6kg for $10 and use 1 or 1 & 1/2 tubes, saving the rest for dinners)

- (buy cans of kidney, pork&beans, etc in multiple can buys and/or get no name)

- (after batch cooking in a slow cooker, cool somewhat, portion out into as many portions as you like in tight fitting lid containers from the dollar store – 2-3 for $1.50-$3, and after cooling off (with the lids off), freeze. Place into lunch bag and add a small cold pack to keep it from spoiling as it thaws until lunch, use 2 cold packs in warmer conditions. Reheat as you would a dinner meal in microwave)

8 meals – salads w/ sunflower seeds, cheddar, spices, dressing, a bun, pickle.

- (buy huge $5 3lb bags of pre-cut salad, coleslaw, etc—close and secure tightly after squishing air out of bag and store in crisper for up to a week – use these types of salads, greens, etc for lunch salads as well-squish the air out of the bag, twist tie it and then place it in a huge ziploc baggie, sealing tightly, in the crisper-good up to a week )

- (buy 500gm of raw sunflower seeds in a re-sealable bag for $3, or 800gm bags of unsalted cashews for $12 at large box stores in the grocery area)

- (buy 18 buns of your choice as fresh as possible, seal in air tight x-lg zip baggies in freezer immediately and use as needed individually, thawing for 30-45 seconds on power 7 in a microwave. You can also place in a smaller baggie and put in fridge for an hour or so or into lunch bag frozen and it will be thawed by lunch)

- (if this is to go—prepare salad with everything except put dressing in a separate small container to add just before eating)

8 meals– open face grilled cheese&tuna sandwiches and pickles, baby carrots

- (if this is to go--add some carrots to your lunch, and do 2piece bread sandwich which you can grill these ahead and seal in a container or baggie in fridge for 2-3 days, with a piece of paper towel in the bag as well to absorb moisture)

- (buy tuna in water with NO added vegetable broth, soy proteins, or other ingredients, at the dollar store for $1 each, and use half a can each time-search online for different types of fish that are not so high in mercury if you have medical issues)

Note: Pickles and MOST veggies are foods that can be eaten in pretty much unlimited quantities and help satisfy your cravings for salt and crunch-as long as you are not adding dips. Just be careful if you have health problems as some veggies can aggravate medical conditions, some are better for you raw and some better cooked, and go for low/no salt pickles if possible.

Suppers (32 total meals):

8 meals – baked spaghetti w/hamburger, sauce, cheddar, parmesan, spices and a salad

- (not on same days as salads for lunch so you get salad at least once most every day)

- (add 1TBSP or so of brown sugar to the sauce, along with fresh minced garlic-$1.25 for a 237ml jar, italian seasoning, parmesan, onions, green pepper, etc)

- (save money by starting with a $1.50 basic sauce and adding all the above)

- (cook 2 tubes of thawed hamburger in frypan on medium heat--4-5 on dial- spread over entire pan for 10minutes, drain carefully excess grease, flip over in chunks and break up to cook completely for another 5-10 minutes—do not add oil! 2-3TBSP water can be added after breaking up to moisten if necessary—you retain flavor as well as nutrients this way and it takes about the same amount of time as it would on high!)

- (In a parchment paper lined 9x13 baking pan, add the cooked pasta, the cooked meat, and the sauce (mix these together in a large bowl and then pour in the pan), top with cheese, cover and bake at 350 degrees for about 30-45 minutes till hot and bubbly. You can cover with tin foil or a lid to prevent drying out, or leave open for a crustier cheese topping.)

11 meals – fish fillets—6 with rice and green beans//6 with baked potato, mixed veggies

- (white fish-cod, sole, etc, can be bought frozen in 3lb bags for $10! - about 10-13 individually frozen fillets- 1/serving usually)

- (bake potatoes in microwave no more than 4 at a time in a plastic container uncovered after: washing, poking a fork in each side and ends all over to the middle, pat dry with paper towel before cooking, to speed thorough cooking)

- (allow 3-6 minutes per potato, depending on size of potato and microwave strength, adding only 2-4 minutes extra for each extra potato. Gently squeeze each potato-with an oven mitt on for doneness- if able to press gently and not feel any hard areas, let sit for another 2-3minutes, cut and season as desired)

- (if you want a harder crusty potato skin/shell, like the restaurants serve, place on a folded paper towel in the container, and turn (use an oven mitt as it will be hot!) over about halfway through cooking. Still prep and cool as above.)

- (buy bags of pre-cut coleslaw just like salad, use coleslaw store brand dressing and shred 1oz cheese, add 1/4 cup seeds or tree nuts, spices, garlic, etc per person)

- (bake fish at about 375 degrees for about 15 minutes (preheat oven), turn with a flipper, and bake another 10-15 minutes or till preferred doneness, on a parchment paper lined cookie sheet. Lay the fillets flat and season with dill weed and lemon juice if desired)

4 meals – steak, home-baked fries, coleslaw

- (4 fresh 100gm eye of round steaks in a package-no bones and very little fat around edge which can be trimmed off as well, for $5-6 total usually and no waste!)

- (cook steaks in a large fry pan with 3TBSP water and spices of choice, covered, on medium heat for 10-20 minutes, depending on doneness desired, to steam and seal in nutrients and keeps very juicy—check after 10 minutes to see if you need to add a bit more water or reduce temp to ensure no overcooking.)

- (scrub potatoes, cut in wedges or strips, soak in hot water 10min, drain and pat dry, toss with 2TBSP olive oil and spices of your choice to coat all pieces, then spread out on parchment paper (dollar store $2) on cookie sheet for 15min at 450 degrees, turn with a flipper and cook 10-20 min more to desired crispness on outside-inside will be soft cooked potato and clean up is a breeze always with parchment paper-doesn't stick to food like tin foil!)

9 meals – roasted pork loin (boneless)

--4 with roasted cut-up potatoes, onions and carrots and 5 in a sweet&sour sauce over rice with peas

- (buy a 1kg fresh boneless pork loin or center cut roast for $10--this is 10 servings at 100gm per person-again, check weights of the pre-packaged roasts– they have pre-seasoned varieties as well in the food store within the department store)

- (using a sm. roasting pan with a lid put 1/4 cup water in the pan, add the meat, seasoning with pepper only, and bake at 375 degrees for 45-60 minutes, or until knife stabbed into middle of roast at least 1/2 way through yields clear juices, bubbling out on removal of knife-if not sure, cut into the middle more to make sure not pink as pork needs to be well done for safety)

- (6 potatoes cut into medium sized chunks, baby carrots broken/cut in half, 1 chopped onion and 3-4 TBSP of dill weed, in about 1/2 cup water. Bake in a 13x9 parchment lined pan with tin foil cover, or use a small roaster with a good lid, at 375 degrees for about 45-60 minutes, or until cooked all the way through)

- (I cook the meat separate from the potatoes and carrots so the flavor of the meat stays distinct and separate in the rice and potato dishes)

- (once cooled, as with all batch-cooked meals, portion into containers or baggies if cool enough, seal and freeze)

- (make your own sweet&sour, thai, honey garlic, etc sauces quickly and easily with items you normally have in your fridge and cupboard-search online for quick and easy recipes.)

- (a huge tip i learned a long time ago is to run cold water in the sink while chopping onions on the counter beside the sink, as well as rinsing the knife at the start and halfway through under the water, and rinsing the onion before chopping—NO TEARS!!..unless you've got your face right in there!)

Reheat individual meals on power 7 in microwave in same container with lid placed sideways on top of container to allow steam escape and minimize splatter, for 3-5 minutes depending on item and microwave. While meals reheat you can make a salad, grab a beverage and be sitting down to homemade, all the trimming meals in 5-7 minutes every day with almost no cleanup!

Evening Desserts (32 total desserts):

8 – rice pudding w/almonds and berries

- (buy store brand 4 packs $1each, using one per time)

- (put everything in a bowl or even make a parfait in a tall glass with at least one layer of each item on top of the others for eye appeal)

12 – chocolate cake w/fudge icing-search online if you don't have a favorite recipe

- see my Awesome Adjustable Meals cookbook for a single mug serving choc cake ready in 5 minutes!

12 – quick no-yeast gooey cinnamon buns w/icing and peanuts

- see my Awesome Adjustable Meals cookbook for this recipe and more!

Midday Snacks (32 total snacks)

10 – greek yogurt and flavored rice crackers

- (don't eat these if eating yogurt for breakfast- then you get a probiotic almost daily)

- (buy multiple group packs or $1 each at dollar store—they come in plastic trays of 4 rows of about 20 crackers in each row. One row is a serving, so 4serv/container = 2&1/2 pkgs total-admittedly i use 1/2 tray or 2 rows/serving though).

12 – almond peach muffins

- (use canned peach slices cut into small pieces or switch up to mandarin orange segments, just drain very well!)

- (use 1&1/2 of the yogurt cups for breakfasts in this recipe-it's in Awesome Adjustable Meals cookbook which is available through your favorite ebook retailers!)

10 – raw veggies w/cheese or pb and currants

- (peanut butter should be good quality as some cheap brands are only peanut oil, a slew of chemicals and icing sugar!)

- (use any veggies you want, most are easiest and quickest when frozen in bags raw, but sometimes you can get a big plastic tray of fresh and pre-cut for $5).

***I have just released “AWESOME ADJUSTABLE MEALS!” which is a collection of my personal favorite recipes includes simple instructions on how to modify all recipes to your specific tastes, along with tips, techniques and shortcuts on all things food and household, from many years of experience cooking, catering, and working restaurants. Look for a “Christmas Treat Favorites” cookbook (part of the same “Enjoy YOUR Life Faster, Easier, Cheaper” Series), available in the fall of 2016 as well!

Creating a Grocery List from Your Menu

Once you have your meal menu planned for the entire pay period:

- I usually just use a pen and notebook for my lists so that i don't need to be sitting at a computer in order to do these tasks, but some prefer to do them on their devices while on bus/train on way to work, etc.

Make 3 or so column headings – Dollar Store, Grocery Store, Bulk Store, on one page.

List things according to where you are going to buy them for easier shopping trips.

**As a picture is worth 1000 words – please see the attached SAMPLE shopping list to understand how to write basically 3 lists at once.

Start a grocery list beginning with the first meal on your menu, listing every ingredient you need to make that meal – cereal, fruit, yogurt, milk, brown sugar, fruit, eggs, cheese, ham, ketchup, spices (list), etc and all the extras that go with that meal and continuing down the meal menu listing ALL the ingredients you need for entire pay period menu.

Review for duplicate needs you can bulk buy and then combine those amounts to buy larger amounts and so you are not confusing yourself.

Buy frozen meat, fruit and veggies to save even more as they don't rot before you have a chance to use them all.

- Example: Calculate number of eggs per meal multiplied by number of meals using eggs for month, add number you need for baking, etc and divide by 12 for dozens.

Don’t forget to add in things like toilet paper, deodorant and other bathroom needs, cleaning supplies, garbage bags, laundry soaps, baking supplies like saran wrap, baggies, etc.

Then add in coffee/tea, creamer, sugar, juices, milk, flour and other baking needs and condiments like ketchup, mustard, mayo, tartar sauce, etc that you may have forgotten.

Add in any car fluids you need if you drive – dirt cheap at the grocery store!

If you smoke--cigarettes are the cheapest at the discount grocery stores by the carton!

Approximate the costs of each item you have on your list and total it up to see how much you will be spending for ALL your food—eating at/taking from home, all month only. Keep a reduced daily coffee allowance as well if you really like coffee-- like me!

Usually this total is much higher than people assume it should be for food.

However, add your initial estimated grocery food expense and ALL other initial dining out expenses together for a total amount spent currently on ALL food bought everywhere and then compare the two totals to see how much you are actually overspending by eating out, also risking hidden ingredients/additives which can play havoc with allergies/sensitivities--resulting in more unnecessary costs associated with resultant health problems.

List this amount on your budget to see where you stand now that ALL income and expenses have been included and revised. If you have to make adjustments–usually food is the easiest to adjust as you can pick different, cheaper ingredient meals for that period if you need to, or skip a haircut in order to make a special dinner one month.

Keep your list handy from when you make it right through to the store in case you remember other items you forgot. Don’t forget your flyers for price matching and your reusable bags! Take a pen and keep a running total on the side (or back) of your list so you can adjust if need be. A calculator is not the best idea as it if clears, you’re starting over!

Below is an example of the list made from the menu above:

Check ALL your supplies-how many items do you already have that you wouldn’t need to buy from this list?

If done as outlined, this SAMPLE list will cost around $225 total for ONE MONTH’S FOOD for ONE PERSON. This is about $7.50/DAY for 3 MEALS, 2 SNACKS AND DESSERT-EVERY DAY!

For extra ADULTS – add 1 portion/adult of MOST ingredients. Cost is another 2/3 more of your total grocery bill/extra adult.

For CHILDREN – add ½ portion/child of MOST ingredients. Cost is another 1/3 more of your total grocery bill/extra child (or smaller appetites)--as a ROUGH guide only!

FINAL THOUGHTS

With a more smoothly running financial situation, regular healthier eating, a bit more exercise and better sleep; you will be able to reduce your stress levels enough to start enjoying your life more, instead of just trying to attain basic needs on a daily basis!

Now you have learned almost all the skills you need to keep yourself well fed, all your bills paid--and hopefully you will even find some extra cash each month for savings, special items, a vacation, the future, or just enjoying your life more from this moment on!!

This original book has grown into much more than I even hoped for with social media sites, the addition of playlists of music, comedy and inspirational shorts, brain teasers, adjustable recipe books, and now travel tip guides that I write as I travel many different countries over the next year or more as well; all accessible through my website at: money2eat4life.com .

Please check out all my books:

“Enjoy YOUR Life Faster, Easier, Cheaper” Series:

- Dirt Cheap Worldwide Travel Tips, Book 1

- Costa Rica Dirt Cheap Travel Tip Guide, Book 2

- Mexico Dirt Cheap Travel Tip Guide, Book 3

- Awesome Adjustable Meals, Book 4

- Money2eat4life, Book 5

Thank you for reading and if you enjoyed it please take a minute to leave a review at your favorite retailer and/or “like/share/tweet/+1” via these sites as well:

Twitter: https://twitter.com/money2eat4life

Google+: https://plus.google.com/+Money2eat4lifebyAndyB

LinkedIn: https://ca.linkedin.com/in/andy-b-a37b6b11a

Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/user-235227234

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCxWh5oOUlcT8v4EoTZWfpMQ

BEST WISHES for ALL the good things YOUR life has in store, and for HAPPINESS, SUCCESS and PEACE OF MIND in ALL YOU DO and HOPE FOR!!

God Bless Us All,

Andy B. :)

Table of Contents

INTRODUCTION

CHAPTER ONE - YOUR MONEY

What You Need To Know

Creating Your Budget

Split Cheque Budget System Exampl

CHAPTER TWO - 100’S OF WAYS TO SAVE INSTANTLY

All Habits

Pawn Shops and Payday Loans

Finding Resources

De-stressing your outlook

CHAPTER THREE - YOUR FOOD

Storage, Shopping, Cooking Shortcuts

Planning Your Menu and Example

Creating a Grocery List and Example

FINAL THOUGHTS

All Books

Social Media Links