7. ” Simple Budgets Ideas and Planning for the “Working Joe – Pt. I :CMGHOW”Allot of men tend to think that to have a say in society or to become more independent they must become rich. Money translates into power which translates into influence, happiness and success. In many cases this is simply not the case.I once came across a man who said that this year he had made much more than the previous year. He said this was bad as it meant that he had less time to spend with his children, wife and personal interests. The higher up your income is the more taxes you pay, the more dependent you are upon that job and the less flexibility you have. Self-employment, and learning to budget and to “live on the cheap” can empower the “average Joe” with greater personal freedoms and a quick road to retirement and financial independent.
In this series we’ll explore ways to save money, reduce costs, how to retire early, avoid being a “wage-slave” and how to budget.
To start things off, here are a few ideas:
(1) Avoid: Eating out. Oftentimes like any other business the emphasis is on PROFIT and not quality, safety or health aspects of the food. Spice, sauces and other shortcuts are often used to cover-up old food. Often hygiene is poor and diseases can be spread from employees not washing their hands (especially after going to the washroom!) and cheap meats are used. Many foods are high in saturated fats and cholesterol and devoid of vitamins and minerals. Ingredients may not be washed or prepared properly, foods may not be chilled or refrigerated properly in storage and may be undercooked. Rodents and insects may infest the establishment and if illegal workers are used, diseases such as Hep C and (CDR/MDR) TB can be transmitted. Likewise, meats may be of inferior cuts, not washed or coated in lemon (kills viruses and/or bacteria). Dangerous and highly addictive sweeteners such as MSG and Nutra-sweet may be used, Genetically modified (GM) ingredients, chemicals, preservatives, artificial flavors and tenderizers, cold pasteurization (nuclear radiation or irradiated foods) and so forth. Always purchase the freshest foods you can (never “save” here) and pick organically grown produce when possible. Likewise, modern agriculture means very little selection and poor vitamins/minerals due to depleted soils so choose your produce carefully. The more you do for yourself the better the quality of your food will be. Most friends I know whom were chefs refused to eat themselves in restaurants..I wonder why?
Instead: Make your own dishes. I have a gas BBQ on my balcony and BBQ using hickory or mesquite wood for the best flavor. I use the best spices and cuts of meat as well as lots of fresh vegetables and fruits. I thoroughly wash my hands with hot and soap before I cook and when handling meats to prevent the transfer of bacteria. I wash meats and coat them with LEMON juice (from fresh cut lemons) to prepare them. Lemon has very powerful anti-bacterial, anti-fungal, anti-viral and anti-parasites properties and even some hospitals are using it to kill “super-bugs” which traditional cleaners can’t kill. It’s natural and safe – just buy fresh lemons (not the pre-made stuff) at your local grocery store. Know what store specializes in what meats and food items and stock up your freezer when they are on sale. Pork chops, spare ribs, chicken, hamburgers and other products have great sales once or twice a year. We usually have 4 people over each weekend and everyone contributes so costs are shared. When going to parks and attractions pack along finger foods like celery, carrots and sandwiches. Use re-usable ice packs to keep it cold and take along your own water in ice filled thermoses (pop has on average 10 teaspoons of sugar / can and a large 7-11 “ice-cap” has 33 !! teaspoons of sugar / drink!!). If possible make your own sauces to ensure the best ingredients. Remember quality is the key: Focus on the best, originally grown ingredients which you can afford.
Savings: I can buy a 5 kg of fresh, meaty pork spare ribs for about $4.00 (Toronto, Canada pricing). Eight large “Master Choice” hamburger patties sell for about $3.99 (on sale). Last week we got “2 for 1″ chickens at Dominion which worked out to about $ 6.00 / large chicken. Generally a meal consisting of fresh, good cuts of meat, fruits, vegetables and other sides can be prepared for under $1.50/ person including the cost of heating. Oftentimes, soups made of the freshest ingredients and other meals can be prepared for under $1.00 / person including the sides and ALL costs. The quality of a self-prepared pork chop, chicken, fish or other meals often exceeds that of the best restaurants let alone “crap” food as sold at “fast food” outlets.
An average rib dinner costs me about $1.50 per plate. I’m talking pork/beef ribs wood smoked over hickory wood, fuel, two sides, drink, salad and a DESERT all made of the freshest ingredients. The cost of just a pork chop dinner (minus drinks, taxes and tips) last I saw was $25.00 (St. Jacobs). For four people it would cost me about $6.00 (4 * $1.50 / plate) to cook a top quality dinner myself, $100.00 to eat a dinner of unknown quality at a restaurant PLUS taxes, dinks, desert and tip. The $94 I save on one meal can purchase 2 top quality Berkly water filters good for 6,000 gallons with more than $20 to spare!
(2) Avoid: The coffee shop.
Instead: Make Coffee at home or take it with you in a thermos bottle. A smaller thermos well a few ice cubes can be used to keep cream or milk. Make sure to pre-heat the thermos for use with your coffee to ensure it’s as hot as possible. Likewise most snacks are overpriced and have very little in the way of food nutrition. Use only the best filtered water for taste and a coffee filter to absorb oils and acids. Smaller cans cost more but as freshness is the key, a more practical solution for all but larger families.
Savings: A 400 gram +/- can of coffee I like at “Shoppers Drug Mart” sells for $2.99 cdn (Regular, Dark, Decaf). “Tim Hortons” has excellent coffee for about $ 4.99 (regular) to 5.99 (decaf). Other brands can be found on sale, selection depends on your taste. Also fresh coffee bean can be purchased at “The Bulk Barn” or better yet, green coffee beans (find a place which sells them using google). Green coffee beans require you to roast them (an extra step) however you can’t get any fresher (once roasted coffee begins to decline in terms of health and taste). One can will last us a month or so. Outside, a cup of coffee will be at least $1.50 (med including taxes) and more. Just two to four cups of coffee outside = a can of premium coffee which will last us all month. The savings in a small can of coffee is enormous compared to getting coffee at the coffee shop or gas station.
(3) Avoid: Buying what is not in season.
Instead: Purchase fresh and preferably organically and locally grown products where possible. For instance, I can purchase a 7 kg bag of potatoes for about 75 cents Canadian when they are in-season. At other times, the cost may go to $1.00 – $ 1.50 / bag (still quite the deal). None the less, it’s very cost effective. I can make my own French fries, various dishes using potatoes such as delicious home-made soap vegetable or potatoes soup. Scalloped potatoes, potatoes salad and various German potatoes dishes … and many other dishes … can be made as well.
Savings: A 1 – 1kg bag of “fake” French fries costs about $1.00 to $ 1.50 frozen. The fries are compressed and use BCD’d rancid oils (bleached, colored and deodorized) such as canola. Fats contribute to many diseases such as heart disease and diabetes. Using fresh (real) potatoes 1 kg of French fries costs about 10 cents to 21 cents to make yourself and are MUCH healthier. Thus a serving of French fries made yourself would cost under 1 cent! Compare this to a “fast food” place where a tiny portion of fake French fries often cooked in lard (animal fat) at a fast food place often cost s$1.00 – $1.50 – un-believable!! Talk about mark-up!
** Many ingredients for fantastic soups are very inexpensive. A head of cabbage for soup and side dishes and is very nutritious costs about $1.00. Last time I bought a head of cabbage it cost me about 99 cents and I couldn’t even fit it in the fridge! By purchasing locally we ensure higher nutrition and reduce energy (transportation) costs – peak oil/energy is something I’ll cover in future posts.
(4) Avoid: Most cooking oils.
Instead: Use “Extra Virgin Olive Oil” (EVO) and organic (non-hydrogenated) “Coconut” oil. Regular oils (vegetable, canola, sunflower..) are rancid during the manufacturing process. Rancid means the item have spoiled and basically smells as wonderful a full garbage bin on a hot summer day. The manufacturer then bleaches, colors and deodorizes (BCD) the oil to make it something a consumer would use. This allows the manufacturer to use cheap oils and pass it off to the consumer for maximize their profit. Oftentimes the highest profit margins are made by re-selling waste materials. The consumer ends up using a rancid product which is harmful to their health all in the sake of the profit margin. “EV” Olive oil and non-hydrogenated coconut oils do not go rancid during the manufacturing process due to the pressure and heat and are safe to use. Coconut oil contains many beneficial qualities and is something we’ll look into greater detail in the future. For instance, it’s great for people with thyroid problems, people trying to loose weight or with low blood pressure. Where possible all fats/oils save for essential oils should be avoided. Essential oils like flax should be purchased from a health food store refrigerated otherwise they quickly turn rancid (spoil)..
Savings: Your health! By eliminating first oils which are rancid and eventually most other fats from your diet, diseases like diabetes in many cases can be avoid, reversed or even eliminated.
More savings tips coming in future posts….
MGHOW (V1.1)
Disclaimer: I’m just an “average Joe”, what do I know? Do take what I write for entertainment purposes ONLY, consider my posts to be written by a imbecile, or even as the mummers of a mad-man! In other words, in no shape or form do I accept any liability for what I: have written, will write, or am writing! Likewise for what I have copied, will copy or am copying! Hey got to cover my past, present and future! Likewise, no full posts or excerpts shall be copied off this site or used without asking for my permission first. Hey, it’s cool if some men use it but sorry, this stuff isn’t for feminists.
