Save $1,000 – or More – on Groceries
One of Santa’s strategies – making a list and checking it twice – may yield substantial savings on groceries any time of year.
Why a list?
“Impulse purchases drive up food costs,” said Mary Meck Higgins, K-State Research and Extension nutrition specialist.
“On average, about 40 percent of grocery purchases are impulse buys.”
That means that a consumer shopping with a list and sticking to it who spends $50 a week on groceries might save $20 a week, or more than $1,000 a year. If spending $100 a week on groceries, savings could add up to $2,000 year, and if spending $150 a week, savings might reach $3,000.
Grocery Shopping Tips from K-State Research and Extension
- Keep a shopping list in the kitchen, and have family members note needed items throughout the week, since return trips to the grocery store for missed items take time and add cost.
- Organize a shopping list by category and in the same order as the store aisles to minimize shopping time and extra trips down aisles that add temptation.
- Plan ahead, in thinking through meals and menus to make sure the ingredients needed are on hand or on the list.
- Shop the perimeter (outside aisles) of the store where the least-processed foods (fresh fruits and vegetables, nuts and seeds, meat, poultry, fish, eggs, dairy and basic bakery items such as whole grain bread) are offered.
- Eat before shopping, and shop early, late or on a weekday, when the store is less crowded. Morning shopping may provide more access to manager mark-downs and clearance items.
- Stick to the list.
“Knowledge for Life” provided by the Finney County Extension Office and K-State Research and Extension.
Subscribe to the comments for this postSix ways to reduce health care costs
The latest report from the U.S Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates that annual out-of-pocket health care expenditures by Americans totaled $138.5 billion (excluding health insurance premiums, nursing home care, nonprescription drugs, nonprescription vitamins, and topical and dressings). These data are from the Consumer Expenditure Survey, which collects information about out-of-pocket spending on health care and other expenses from consumer units throughout the United States.
Health care makes up a significant part of the average family budget. Here are several ways to reduce health care costs while adding value to the quality of your health:
- Take good care of yourself. Eight out of 10 health problems are treated at home. By taking care of yourself and your family you can reduce health care costs.
- Practice good preventive health. Work out a schedule with your health care provider for self-examination and preventive health screening that is appropriate for your age and gender.
- Understand the risks of lifestyle choices. Be aware of the health consequences of lifestyle factors such as eating habits, exercise habits, alcohol and drug use, home and auto safety. The riskier your lifestyle, the more likely you are to have health problems.
- Take an active role in health care decision-making. Take time to build a good relationship with your doctor. Make sure you understand all medical tests and medicines and be an active partner in your treatment plan.
- Save the emergency room for emergencies. It can be two or three times more expensive to receive health services in an emergency room than in a clinic or doctor’s office.
- Check your hospital and doctor bills carefully. Notify your hospital and health plan promptly if errors are found.
You can do a lot to control your health costs. Learn more at the K-State Research and Extension health and nutition website.
“Knowledge for Life” provided by the Finney County Extension Office and K-State Research and Extension.
Servsafe Starters Food Safety Course
A food safety short course for food service employees and volunteer groups will be held on Thursday, October 27 from 1:30-4:30 pm at St Catherine Hospital classroom B. Linda Beech, Finney County Extension Agent, will be the class instructor. The program will also be simulcast over the Pioneer Health Network interactive TV system.
This class covers the basics of safe food handling including proper food temperatures, personal hygiene, preventing cross-contamination, and cleaning and sanitizing.
The cost for this program is $6.00 per person which includes a food safety handbook, training materials, refreshments and certificate of participation.
Pre-register and pay fees by Thursday, October 13 to allow time for ordering training materials. Call the Finney County Extension Office at 620-272-3670 for questions or more information.
“Knowledge for Life” provided by the Finney County Extension Office and K-State Research and Extension.
Protect your home against a deadly gas
Guard against carbon monoxide poisoning by inspecting heat sources and ensuring proper ventilation.
“Carbon monoxide is an odorless, colorless gas that is toxic and results from the incomplete combination of oxygen and carbon during combustion,” said Mary Knapp, state climatologist with K-State Research and Extension.
She said common sources include unvented gas or kerosene space heaters, leaking furnaces or fireplaces, back drafts from gas water heaters or gas stoves, generators and exhaust from car engines.
Keeping the car out of the garage or enclosed areas when it is running will reduce chances of carbon monoxide production
“It is a good idea to make certain that your furnace is in good operating condition and that the fireplace chimney is clear and in good shape before lighting that first fire of the season,” said Knapp.
You can also buy carbon monoxide detectors for your home, though you should not depend on these detectors in place of doing routine inspections and maintenance on your heat sources.
Source: News Briefs from K-State Research and Extension
“Knowledge for Life” provided by the Finney County Extension Office and K-State Research and Extension.
Knowledge at Noon Says “Boo, Gobble Gobble, Ho Ho, Happy New Year!”
Fall brings seasonal decorating opportunities for Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s. But you don’t have to devote a lot of money or storage space to different decorations for each occasion. At the October Knowledge at Noon program, Debbie Wharton from Wharton’s for Every Bloomin’ Thing will show creative ways to customize holiday decorations that can change with the season.
Knowledge at Noon, sponsored by the Finney County Extension Office, will be Thursday, October 6, from 12:05-12:55 pm, at the Finney County Public Library, 605 E. Walnut Street in Garden City.
The public is invited to attend this program. Bring a lunch if you wish; coffee and tea will be provided.
For more information on the Extension Knowledge at Noon programs, please contact the Finney County Extension Office at 620-272-3670.
“Knowledge for Life” provided by the Finney County Extension Office and K-State Research and Extension.