Good For You , Good For Your Budget: Helping You Eat Better Without Breaking the Bank {Guest Post}

Everyone wants to eat healthy, right? But if you are trying to limit your spending, save money, or are on a budget it just might not seem feasible. Why does it seem like there are no sales, deals, or coupons for foods that are actually healthy?? If you've ever watched Extreme Couponing they show that virtually anyone can walk into a store and get 100 free packs of cookies, but have they ever shown anyone buying produce, meat, dairy, etc.? The foods we should be eating? The truth is that you CAN save money while eating healthy, it just takes a little more work! Here at The Healthy Buyer I teach people how to save money while eating healthy by looking for coupons, deals, and ways to save money. Here are some of my best tips:

LOOK FOR COUPONS
There are many places to look for coupons, and surprisingly there are quite a few coupons out there for helathy foods. Here are some places to look:

• Local Newspaper - Every Sunday your paper will have coupon inserts. Different coupons will be available each week, but there are often coupons for yogurt, meats, frozen fruits/veggies, and more. You can preview what coupons will be available each week to decide if you want to buy a paper.
• Online - There are several websites where you can go to print coupons. While not all coupons are "healthy", there are some that are. These change quite frequently so check back often to see what is available. Go here to browse the coupons.
• Company Websites - Many companies have coupons available to print directly on their websites. If you don't see one, you can contact the company (look for the "Contact Us" page) and let them know you like their products. Often times they will send you coupons in the mail.
• Facebook - Sounds silly, but there are a LOT of coupons on Facebook! Many stores/companies provide their fans coupons on Facebook. There are also pages like Milk Mustache Campaign, Incredible Edible Egg, and more that sometims have non-branded coupons (i.e. $1 off 1 dozen eggs, $1 off any milk, etc)
• Stores Where You Shop - Check your stores to see if they offer coupons. For example, Wegmans and Whole Foods often put out their own store coupons. They may have coupons for produce, dairy products, frozen veggies, etc. Many times if you sign up for the store email letters you will also receive coupons in your email.

GROW IT YOURSELF
What better way to save money on fruits and veggies than to grow them yourself? Not only will you save money but you will also know exactly how your food is grown. I'll admit I'm not exactly a green thumb, but I have vowed this year to plant a garden. You can plant your own seeds or buy cheap started plants at many garden centers or home improvement stores. If you need to learn more about how to grow your own fruits and veggies, check out the big selection of Gardening Books on Amazon. Many are very cheap (some even free!) and they will help you have a successful garden.

FARMER'S MARKETS/CO-OPs
One of my favorite places to shop is my local Farmer's Market. You can find fresh, locally grown produce at prices that are generally much cheaper than at the grocery store. As an added bonus, you are helping to support your local economy. Or, if there is one near you, consider participating in a Food Co-Op.

SHOP ONLINE
There are tons of great place online to shop for healthy food, and many of them offer great discounts, coupons, and prices. Here are a few of my favorites:

• Amazon - Great selection of organic, natural, and specialty diet foods like gluten-free and dairy-free. They offer great discounted prices
• Vitacost - Wide variety of vitamins, specialty foods such as organic, gluten free, sugar free, vegan, etc., sports nutrition and supplements, pet products, baby products, household products, and much more. Sign up here and get a free $10 credit!
• iHerb - Vitamins, Grocery Items, Household Products, Supplements, Baby Products and more with very low shipping costs. Use code TIQ469 to get $5 off your first purchase.
• Abe's Market - All-natural, organic, gluten-free, healthy snacks, bath/body products, household products and more. They often have discount codes and free shipping offers for even more savings.
• Swanson Health Products - Vitamins and Supplements, Organic, Gluten-Free, Vegan/Vegetarian Foods, and much more.

SAVE IN OTHER AREAS
Let's face it, sometimes you just can't find a coupon or sale for an item you need or want. That doesn't mean you shouldn't buy it! Learn to save in other areas to free up your budget to purchase the items you just can't get a good price on. Personal Care, Household Products, Clothes, etc are all items you can learn to spend less on. To learn more about saving on things like these, visit my other website The Brainy Buyer.

Alison is a stay at home mom and blogger who teaches you how to save money and eat healthy on her website The Healthy Buyer. Her goal is to show people that it is possible to eat food that is both good for you and good for your budget. She also blogs at The Brainy Buyer where you can find coupons, deals, free samples, money saving tips and more.