Balancing Frugality with Healthy Living

Many of my colleagues and friends have asked me how I reconcile my frugality with my desire to maintain a healthy living lifestyle. Isn't it the case, I get asked, that manufacturer coupons are usually for processed foods that are laden with artificial colorings, preservatives or flavorings? I concede that many of the manufacturer coupons in the Sunday newspaper inserts are for processed food that I don't care much about. But it is possible to live frugally and healthily. Here's how I do it:

• I avoid all processed foods with artificial colorings, flavorings, preservatives, as well as artificial stuff like trans fat, hormones, etc. That means most of the coupons in the Sunday newspapers are out.
  


• I used to love red meat but gave it up after my doctor diagnosed me with high cholesterol several years ago. If you think this is extreme, latest medical research points to a whole host of health problems associated with consuming a diet that is rich in red meat.
  


• As far as possible, I eat fresh vegetables, meat, nuts, chicken and fish. Rather than buying frozen prepared meals, I buy the ingredients and cook them myself. I buy organic produce, meat, milk and eggs from my two favorite shopping destinations: Trader Joe's and Whole Foods.


• At both Trader Joe's and Whole Foods, I buy their store brands (Trader Joe's and the "365" brand for Whole Foods). I find Trader Joe's private label products meet or even exceed commercial brands. For example, I absolutely love Trader Joe's Organic Concord Grape Jelly, which tastes so much better and costs much less than competing products (e.g., Cascadian Farm). Similarly, Whole Food's 365 brand Organic Morning O's are tasty and easy on the wallet, compared to competing products from Cascadian Farm, Kashi, etc.


• Wherever possible, I use manufacturer coupons to purchase organic products. If I can combine manufacturer coupons with sales, that's even better. For example, I use Organic Valley's manufacturer coupons from Mambo Sprouts, Whole Foods' Whole Deals coupon booklets and Organic Valley's coupon page to purchase Organic Valley products (milk, eggs, butter, etc.). I buy my Organic Valley eggs and milk at Whole Foods using Organic Valley coupons from Mambo Sprouts printed and online coupons booklets.