Grocery and To Do Lists

Today's time management tip is to make lists. I
can not remember how many times I forgot 1 or 2
items at the store.Then I would have to make an
extra trip and stand in the so called express line.
All the wasted minutes because I forgot to do an
errand on the way home. Problem solved when I started
making lists.

You should always make a grocery list. This is fairly
easy for me . Because I only change 2 dishes a week
I have fruit during the day,so I only have 9 different
meals. I love routine because it makes shopping a
breeze. Lists are easy because I only have to
include items I don't buy on a weekly basis. If you
like to spice up your life with variety, then all the more
reason to have a grocery list.

Another list that comes in handy is a to do list. Sunday
before you go to bed make a to do list for the week and
every night before bed make a daily list.When your
relaxed and have no time pressures take 10 minutes to
do this . That way it will save your time when you really
need it. Prioritize what has to get done and decide when the
best time for each task is. For example going to the bank
Friday at lunch or after work is a bad idea. Always try to
avoid peak hours.

Other lists that help are a call list and a list of time you
need to spend with business associates, family or friends.
If you have a call list you can make all your calls at once.
The phone can kill your time. Hey I just figured out what
my next week's topic is going to be. Also make a list of things
you have to do with the people you deal with on a regular
basis. Lists will save you time and cause you to have less
stress in your life.

Dave 4syth

Meet Your Produce Manager

Today's' money saving tip is to meet your produce
manager.Introduce yourself and make a friend.Go
ahead and explain you are on a tight budget. Find out
when they throw out the old produce. You can use it
for juicing or freeze it for later. Make a friend and he
will help you save money and if he doesn't, Then find
another store.

You can also make friends with your local farmers
market vendors. If you make a friend, they are more
likely to give you better deals. Research the market
and find where you can get the best deals.

You can also show up at the end of the day. You are
more likely to get good deals, if the vendor realizes
that they are not going to sell the produce that day. If
they like you and know that you are on a tight budget.
You can get some real bargains.

So don't be shy , go out and make some new friends
and save some money at the same time. Also these experts
will be able to give you some great budgeting advice.

Dave 4syth

Raw Foods Versus Cooked Foods

Not only do we have Vegetarian versus meat eater,
Vegetarian versus Vegans. We also have Vegans versus
Raw Foodist.So who is right, here is a link to the raw foods
versus cooked food debate.

Raw Foodist claim that raw foods don't harm the enzymes
and cooked foods lose vitamins and other nutrients our
body needs.All foods should be prepared under 118
degrees.

Others claim that we need to eat cooked foods as part
of our natural development. That cooking foods is
what makes us a more highly evolved species. That
we need to cook carbohydrates. Also a raw food diet
doesn't have enough protein.

I don't claim to be an expert on nutrition, but I can
use some common sense.I notice on the net allot of
Vegetarians like to endorse Slow Cookers. Well if a
Slow Cooker retains more vitamins. Then why
wouldn't a dehydrator or not heating at all be even
more nutritional.

Lets say cooking doesn't effect the nutritional value
of foods one way or another.What if cooking versus
raw foods is a tie. Then it is still better to eat more
raw foods. Because if you have cereal and soy milk for
breakfast, bean burrito without cheese for lunch and
spaghetti and a jar of tomato sauce for dinner. That is
a Vegan diet. Is it a healthy diet? Absolutely Not. If
nothing else raw foods forces us to eat better foods.

Dave 4syth

Local Foods

The food you buy in your local supermarket travels
1500 miles to get there.Think how much less gas would
be used if you bought groceries that only traveled 100-
200 miles to get there.Today's living green tip is to buy
from local farmers.

But what if you live in a urban area where there is no
farms. Well there is farmers markets,Coops,and
restaurants that buy locally.There is even a directory
where you can type in your city or zip code to find
local foods near you.

Your produce will be fresher, will generally be larger,
and is more nutritious.You will also be helping small family
run farms instead of large corporations.You will have an
extra bonus of meeting people who care as much about the
environment as you.

I can hear some of you now, saying Dave we don't have the
time or money to do that. Well many people have proven you
can buy locally on the average family budget.It will take effort
on your part, but it can be done. Go to this link for some good
advice on affording local foods.If time is more valuable to you
Than saving a dollar or two. You can buy boxes of local foods.
So buying foods will help the environment, give us better food
and can be done on the average family budget. So why not buy
local foods.

Dave 4syth