These two make a great combination!

“Reduce your waistline at the same time”

In an economic squeeze, cutting costs is a top priority. Why not reduce your waistline at the same time? As the recession deepens, it is simple to fill up on so-called ‘value’ meals from fast food places, or indulge in sugary snacks rather than nutrient-rich, healthy meals.

You are not saving money that way and you’re probably piling on the kilos. But there are ways to lose weight and saving money.

“Sack your cleaner”

This could be a tough one for those who really don’t like mopping the floors and scrubbing the toilet, but an hour of light house cleaning burns 190 calories. Throw in the laundry, taking out the garbage, and the number of jumps to about 460 calories. You’ll have a spotless house, and you won’t need to fork out as much money on exercise.

“I saved a lot of money on Christmas this year by not spending any money on Christmas presents.”

Is it even possible to lose weight and not spend a penny??

Absolutely. You can lose a whole bunch of calories that way.

But you’re still going to have to buy healthy foods for your meals. Which doesn’t cost much at all..

Well obviously…

“Make your lunch”

We all know that taking your lunch to work every day is sensible, but many people couldn’t be bothered. This often leads to indulging in what you think is a healthy cafe lunch, such as chicken, cheese on Turkish bread, and avocado. But a sandwich like this contains a whopping 800 calories, but there is a solution…

On Monday, take a loaf of wholegrain bread, salad leaves, cheese, tins of tuna, some chicken, and some tomatoes to work. Store it all in the fridge and make your lunches.

“Let’s spend lunch hour spending more on lunch than we make an hour.”

“Shop local”

Farmer’s markets are cheap and healthy. The fruit and veggies are great value and fabulously fresh because they’re direct from the source. Because you’re eating whole foods, it’s a lot healthier. Find out if there are Farmer’s markets in your area. And be prepared for crowds during peak times, but it’ll be well worth it for the quality of bargains.

“Soup it up”

On Sunday, cook a pot of vegetable soup and take it to work on Monday, or even have it as a light meal. You can even choose to bulk it up by adding a little bit of beans and/or rice. Soup freezes well, making it a perfect, quick meal.

“Money can’t buy me happiness. But I’d much rather cry in a mansion.”

“Reduce coffee intake”

Instead of three lattes a day, cut back to just one. Most people buy three cappuccinos a day, which amounts to about $60 a week. You could save for a beautiful vacation, if you cut down to one coffee a day.

Tyler, you should think about not drinking so much coffee in one day, you could really save a lot of money.

But I really have nothing to save for…

You know, you could save for a nice hot vacation somewhere in the tropics… Or even a brand new toy, like a seadoo or something fun!

That actually sounds pretty cool, if you ask me.

Yeah… Better than spending all of it on coffee. How boring.

That’s actually a good idea!

“Stop buying snacks”

Rather than buying a banana bread, or chocolate, choose to have healthy snacks on hand. Raw nuts or berries are a perfect choice of snack. Buy nuts and seeds in bulk at the store or farmer’s market and have them packaged in a small zip-lock baggie for quick access. People who are have a lot or even are addicted to chocolate, should really not deprive themselves. But be sure to buy a block of chocolate and dividing it into three or four squares a day, or even a couple of days. That is the best option to saving money. So keep that in mind.

“I don’t understand why some snacks are ‘fun-sized’. There is NOTHING ‘fun’ about a smaller piece of chocolate!”

“Meat-free meals”

Opt for vegetarian meals at least twice every week, which will reward not only your hip pocket, but your heart. Studies recommend the trendy new super-food quinoa – which is a small grain that’s cooked like rice. It is very high in protein and low in carbs, it’s very cheap, and is excellent for weight loss. Researchers suggest making a quinoa salad by adding a little bit of mushrooms, tomatoes, baby spinach, onions, and pine nuts to a cup of quinoa.

For further reading, if you are planning to go to the beach this upcoming summer, but you feel insecure about your weight and body, the Moose and Doc have some fascinating tips you can follow you make you look sexy and slimmer!