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How to Be Fashionable on a Budget

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We all have that friend who shows up at a party looking like a million bucks. When we pull her aside to ask where she got her outfit, it turns out it came from everywhere–a shirt from Target,  a designer skirt and shoes she got on sale at the mall, a bangle bracelet she picked up on vacation, all pulled together with an amazing belt she scored for a dollar at Goodwill. How does she do it? If I tried to pull all those elements together it would look like Goodwill threw up on me.

 

Fortunately, that fabulous friend came to The Motherhood yesterday to share her secrets, in the person of our talk host Melissa of All Things Chic and her guests Michelle of Everything’s Abuzz, Jodi of Blush Mamas, Kerri of Raising Three Savvy Ladies, Jyoti of Style Delights, April of Knocked Up Fabulous, and Alissa of Fun Finds for Families.

 

Fashion Find #1: Don’t Ignore the Fundamentals.

 

April stated, “I think the most important thing that women can do for themselves before shopping is to be very familiar with their body type…knowing what styles best flatter their features.” Just because something is in fashion doesn’t mean it will look good on you–Michelle says she tried the maxi dress look, but it just doesn’t work on her petite frame. And as Melissa noted, “If it doesn’t fit, you won’t wear it.”

 

Just as important as your body type is your undergarments. Deborah said, “I think that expensive and low-cost clothing can both look awful if your underthings aren’t appropriate. Get a professional fitting. ” Our panelists agreed wholeheartedly. After all, no painter tries to create a work of art without preparing the canvas first, right?

 

Fashion Find #2: Know When to Save, Know When to Splurge

 

Obviously, it’s easy to look great if you have unlimited funds. For the rest of us, we have to pick and choose our fashion investments. The consensus: spend more on classic items you’ll wear all the time like denim, coats, handbags and shoes, save on trendy items that will last only a season and on accessories you pick up to accent those classics. Jyoti says, “Clothing for the most part is my save item as the trends change season wise. A good carry all bag, riding boots and skincare/makeup is my splurge as these are timeless items and you use them most of the time.”

 

 

Fashion Find #3: Find Your Source for Deals

 

Everyone has a favorite place to look for their fashion bargains. Jodi notes, “Target and Kohl’s are a GREAT place to find trendy things to update your wardrobe staples! I also love shopping for jewelry at Old Navy and Forever 21!” Alissa, Melissa and Michelle also like TJ Maxx and Marshalls.

 

April says she’s found great stuff at thrift stores. Kerri says, “If I am lucky to get free time without children, I love to go to the mall and hit the sale racks. Right now, summer items are heavily discounted. I also find that sometimes the higher end stores have better items that are so deeply discounted that you make out better.”Jyoti also takes advantage of off-season sales and makes use of coupons and online codes. Many of the panelists have scored great deal at consignment stores, too, particularly ones that specialize in high-end merchandise.

 

Fashion Find #4: Use the power of the Internet (judiciously).

 

The Internet can be a great way to find deals on wardrobe staples and unique pieces alike.  Jyoti finds that that e-stores and small boutiques sometimes have great trendy pieces for affordable prices and that many offer free shipping. Kerri pointed out that some of the sites charge outrageously high shipping, though, and April likes to actually be able to see and handle items before she buys them.  Nearly everyone was enthusiastic about Etsy, though, as a way to find statement jewelry pieces and other trendy items, support small businesses, and get great prices. And eBay can be a great way, as Jodi notes, to find that “have to have” item you missed out on at the store. Often it will be discounted on eBay, even if it’s still new with tags. However, Melissa points out that you should be very sure of your size since returns may not be possible on an eBay purchase.

 

 

Fashion Find #5: Shop creatively.

 

Many stores offer deals in which you spend a certain amount and then receive a certain discount. You don’t have to load up your shopping bag with things you don’t need (and won’t wear) just to reach the target number. Deborah says she and a good friend pool their purchases to receive the discount. Bonus: shopping is more fun and you have a fashion consultant with you who will be more honest than any salesperson. And sometimes shopping doesn’t even mean spending: Michelle says a friend of hers hosts a “fashion swap” in which everybody brings five items to swap with others’ stuff. If you and your friends are different sizes, you could still do this with handbags, belts, jewelry and other accessories.

 

And the best accessory of all? The cash you’ll have left over after shopping with the experts’ tips–use it to enjoy a night out on the town in your fabulous new outfit.

Meal Planning 101: Eat Healthy on a Budget

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If your goals include preparing nutritious foods for your family and sticking to a budget, you’ll need two related items: a meal plan and a grocery list.

 

And as a bonus, before your next trip to the store, you can arm yourself with the below tips and suggestions – all from a team of health coaches who gathered in The Motherhood today for a live conversation to share their wisdom!

 

As Betsy Moore of B Moore Healthy pointed out, “In my opinion, planning our meals has so many benefits. It saves me time each week, it makes my trip to the grocery store more productive, it saves me money.”

 

Advice on Getting Started

 

“My #1 tip is at the beginning of the week, look at your calendar. See what you have going on and decide how many times you want to cook. Start there,” said Betsy of B Moore Healthy.  “I shoot for 4 dinners with leftovers for lunch.”

 

“I shop 1 day a week and prep another,” said Angela Sydnes of Grow Inspired. “Get all the veggies cleaned and cut up, that way my family and I can reach in the fridge and have veggies ready to go for a snack or on the table as I get dinner ready.”

 

Added Lisa Miller of Lisa Miller Wellness, “I have a master list of dinners I make, so I don’t have to think of new ideas when I’m exhausted or in a rush. Just go to the list, pick 4-5 meals and go!”

 

Saving Time in the Kitchen

 

“Leftovers can always be added to a soup or chili!” suggested Gina Marie Hickman of Shore Healthy.  “I love preparing more and having leftovers to recycle into other meals throughout the week. Saves a lot of time on busy nights running from school to sports.”

 

Betsy of B Moore Healthy asked, “Who plans to cook once and eat multiple times? I am a huge fan of this. Plan to make a big pot of quinoa or a bath of brown rice that we last us the week.”

 

Budget-Friendly Meal Stretching

 

Buy in bulk and freeze batches of prepared food for later.  “In my kitchen I make batches of soup, rice, carob balls, sauces etc. I let the recipe cool and then I freeze it in baggies,” said Sara Ashe of Absolutely Holistic. “That way, if the hubby wants something for lunch any day, there is something there. The best part is that it cuts down on on canned foods and extra prep work.”

 

Angela of Grow Inspired agreed that budget shoppers can still “limit the amount of pre-packaged foods,” sharing an article on how to buy healthy, cheap food.

 

Betsy of B Moore Healthy also suggested, “Become familiar with prices at the stores. Since I don’t buy a ton of packaged foods, I don’t find too many coupons in the local paper. However, some websites have online coupons that totally rock.”

 

Keeping the Focus on Health

 

“Remember to shop the perimeter of the store,” said Gina of Shore Healthy. “Start at produce, wrap around the back to the meat/fish, and then out around the dairy/bread. I only go through to the middle for beans and rice.”

 

In some cases, you can avoid the grocery store altogether. ” I head to our farmers market to pick up my meat. It’s all local,” said Sara of Absolutely Holistic.

 

Meal Inspiration

 

Check out these tasty recipes for healthy, inexpensive meals.

 

Slow cooker chicken taco chili

Chickpea and peanut stew

Brown rice and bean skillet

 

For desserts on the healthier side, try these sites.

 

Chocolate Covered Katie

The Spunky Coconut

Elana’s Pantry

 

And try Betsy Moore’s recipe for Peanut Butter Chocolate Coconut Clusters!

 

Great Resources

 

Looking for more ideas? “I love to go to Food.com and sort through the recipes based on their ratings. If they’re healthy, look yummy and are at least 4 stars I’ll try them out,” said Lisa of Lisa Miller Wellness.

 

She also suggested Cookus Interruptus and Find Your Balance for meal ideas, and Emeals.com for planning.

 

 

Thanks to Betsy of B Moore Healthy and our co-hosts for the chat:

 

Angela Sydnes, Grow Inspired

Gina Marie Hickman, Shore Healthy

Lisa Miller, Lisa Miller Wellness

Sara Ashe, Absolutely Holistic

Create Gourmet Meals on a Budget

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That box of macaroni and cheese just won’t cut it anymore. You are tired of making sandwiches. You don’t have $100 to spare for a restaurant meal, but is delicious food on a budget really too much to ask for?

 

NO, it is not, as Melanie Feehan of The Coupon Goddess showed us today during a live video demonstration in The Motherhood!

 

You can watch Melanie make Easy Ginger Pork Pot Stickers with Scallion Lime Long Grain Rice here:

 

http://youtu.be/bKH1LmRvOFk

 

She used Johnsonville pork and chicken brats for the pot sticker filling, Nasoya eggroll wrappers and Better Than Bouillon to cook the broccoli with more flavor.

 

Save Money Through Couponing and Planning

 

“Usually the way to maximize coupon savings is to combine your coupons with the best sales, and if possible at stores that double the coupon value,” said Jenn of SuperJenn.

 

“Pairing sales with coupons is vital,” agreed Angie of My Four Monkeys. “You’ll save WAY more that way. I almost never buy generic or store brand anymore and pay way less a month in grocery bills.”

 

“I love planning my meals about what is on sale. It keeps our menus fresh at home – and saves me money!” added Michelle of Honest and Truly.

 

To avoid getting stuck with no food in the house and being forced to order takeout, Sarah at In the Trenches of Mommyhood does “a weekly meal plan on a white marker board on my fridge, taking into account basketball games, meetings, etc. It definitely helps during hectic evenings … and for grocery shopping!”

 

Melanie of The Coupon Goddess added, “I will cook extras to freeze if I have the time. I figure if I’m cooking anyway, I might as well double the batch for a future meal.”

 

Budgeting and Creative Cooking

 

For those who use grocery store rewards cards, a great money saver, “do you have the KeyRing app?” asked Angie of My Four Monkeys. “Much better way to keep track of those loyalty cards if you have a smartphone! I had a whole keyring dedicated to cards, now they are all on my phone.”

 

And when you already have food in the house, “one of the best ways to save money is to think outside the box … Use what you have, find ways to use items differently than you normally would!” said Jenn of SuperJenn.

 

To help find ways to combine ingredients in new ways, Sarah of In the Trenches of Mommyhood recommended AllRecipes.com.

 

Michelle of Honest and Truly also uses AllRecipes, because “you can narrow it down by type of food (e.g., dinner, brunch) and what you want to use (e.g., chicken, beef) and then start using the ingredient finder where you can say I want X or Y but not Z.”

 

Meal Inspiration

 

“Last night I made a fresh boule (bread) and a chicken soup with a carrot/onion base. Super easy and so healthy! (And cheap!)” said Michelle at Honest and Truly.

 

Jenn of SuperJenn recently made “homemade pizza! A staple for us,” she said. And “I’ve got a chicken sausage soup in the works for tonight. I bulked it up with extra veggies (leftover odds and ends) to help stretch the servings a little further!”

 

“Soups are great for using up odds and ends,” agreed Becki. “And try to get familiar with things that can be substituted–if a recipe calls for broccoli and you don’t have any, depending on the recipe you might be able to throw in that half-bag of [leftover] spinach.”

 

Cooking and Storage Tricks

 

Have you ever let a rarely used ingredient sit in the fridge for too long – and kicked yourself for buying too much when most of it ended up moldy? Some of those items can be stored in the freezer, where they last longer.

 

Meat is an obvious one.  Less commonly known, “ginger lasts forEVER in the freezer,” said Michelle of Honest and Truly. “Just wrap the ginger in plastic to keep it from getting freezer burn, and it will last for months. It’s a lot easier to grate when it’s already frozen, too.”

 

To get the most out of the ingredients you use, Melanie of The Coupon Goddess suggested one neat trick: “In order to get all the juice out of a lime, break the fibers up with a fork before you squeeze it.”

 

And for those picky eaters, Melanie also recommended cooking broccoli in chicken stock. “Maybe that’ll get my kiddos to eat it,” said Angie of My Four Monkeys.

 

“Purée zucchini and toss it in sauces and soups if you’re trying to be sneaky,” Jenn of SuperJenn suggested.

 

Great Resources

 

To track sales and coupons, Melanie of The Coupon Goddess recommended sites like afullcup.com and slickdeals.net.

 

“As far as organization goes, I use a binder with baseball card sheets to organize my coupons,” she added.

 

Angie of My Four Monkeys also suggested Southernsavers.com and Hip2Save.com.

 

 

Thanks to our host and co-hosts!!

 

Melanie, The Coupon Goddess

Angie, My Four Monkeys

Jenn, SuperJenn

Michelle, Honest and Truly

Sarah, In the Trenches of Mommyhood

 

Weight Loss on a Budget: The Simple Diet with Dr. James Anderson

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Dr. James Anderson was in The Motherhood today to discuss his new book The Simple Diet: A Doctor’s Science-Based Plan, which outlines a budget-friendly diet for losing weight.

 

Some ‘food for thought’ from the conversation:

 

Getting Started

 

Dr. Anderson said, “To be successful, many people need to develop a deep commitment to the importance of losing weight and improving health and mobility for their family and loved ones. One needs to have a HEART for weight loss.”

 

We’ve all fallen off a dieting wagon at some point.  “‘Simple’ is such a critical thing for me,” said Becki. “I don’t want to have to whip out a little booklet or an app on my phone every time I want to eat.”

 

Said Jenn of SuperJenn, “Making this a family commitment is a big part of success, as well.  When one person is going it alone it is more difficult.”

 

When You’re on a Strict Budget…

 

“One of the central features of the Simple Diet is the use of three shakes per day. We estimate that moderately obese people can save $75/week on the Simple Diet,” said Dr. Anderson.

 

According to Nicole of SAHM Reviews, “When we changed our eating habits, we realized that we spent less because we were eating less. Think about the cost of a steak … we used to cook two when we ate steak, but now we cook one.  That savings offset what we spent on produce. Coupon savvy moms need to remember that they can just transfer their savings from one product to another!”

 

“For a budget-minded dieter, I recommend purchasing fresh fruit and vegetables in season and preparing them with Splenda or non-caloric additives to be tasty,” said Dr. Anderson. “Canned fruits and vegetables also are good choices – rinse them to get rid of sugar and salt.”

 

The frozen entrees allowed in The Simple Diet help with portion size but still can be “more expensive than the cost of making my own foods,” said Rachael of Empowering Mommy.

 

But, as Christy of Quirky Fusion pointed out, “I think about how much my time is worth, especially during the day. I’d rather spend a bit more on a frozen meal during the day than carve out precious work time to cook. But I also like working more than cooking.”

 

When You Can’t Cook at Home…

 

According to Brett of This Mama Loves Her Bargains, when eating salad, “Dip your fork in the dressing, then put food on the fork – then your tastebuds get the flavor and not a ton of extra calories in each bite!”

 

“When I order at a restaurant I ask them to bring a box at the same time and before I even begin, place half of the meal in the box to take home for another time,” added Jenn of SuperJenn.  She also advised, “I’ve found that all of the cheese found on restaurant food can really hide the flavor of the meal as well… asking for ‘lite cheese’ can cut calories and increase the flavor of the dish.”

 

As a guest in another person’s home, politely maintaining your diet can be trickier.  Rachael of Empowering Mommy said, “My husband has learned to respectfully say, ‘I’m just watching my calories as I try to lose weight.’ He still tries everything, but small portions of the things that are high in calories.”

 

When You Don’t Have Enough Time…

 

The Simple Diet allows for low-cal frozen food options, which are a time-saver, but as Dr. Anderson says, “The sodium content of many frozen food entrees can be high. You can shop the hundreds of entrees available and find lower sodium ones.”

 

Double your favorite recipes when you’re cooking, so you can freeze the extra.  “I love making soups. Tons of veggies and plenty of leftovers to freeze for another night,” said Emily.

 

When You Just Want MORE…

 

“The Simple Diet relies on VOLUME,” said Dr. Anderson. “We recommend 64 oz of noncaloric fluid daily. Fruits and vegetables provide volume with only 15-30 cal/oz. Shakes provide volume with 10-20 cal/oz … People report initially that they cannot eat all the food.”

 

“Hydration can make such a difference in so many aspects of your health!!” agreed Jenn of SuperJenn. “Sometimes when we feel hungry, our bodies are actually thirsty, right?”

 

“On the Simple Diet we recommend eating fruit but not using fruit juices. The fruits, often with the apple, peach or pear skins, have more fiber and take longer to eat. Research shows that this is an important aid to weight loss,” said Dr. Anderson.

 

Here’s to a healthy New Year! You can read the whole transcript of the Talk with Dr. Anderson here.

 

Thanks to Dr. Anderson and our fantastic co-hosts for leading an inspiring and informative Live Talk:

 

Brett, This Mama Loves Her Bargains

Christy, Quirky Fusion

Jenn, SuperJenn

Nicole, SAHM Reviews

Rachael, Empowering Mommy