Alline Anderson´s last blog post..Boo!

In regard to food, I think eating cheap junk food is an incredibly short-sighted decision. You might not feel the repercussions for years to come, and if you're lucky, eating poorly might never catch up with you. But it's a gamble. And if you lose, the cost in terms of health and healthcare costs can be huge.

I firmly believe that quality is almost always the frugal choice, in the long run. So cutting back is a question of cutting back on quantity, not quality. To my mind, if I'm considering a purchase but don't feel I can afford or justify the purchase right now, instead of looking for cheaper, lower-quality options, I am more likely to choose to delay the purchase instead.

I agree with Grey that cheap products perpetuate the evil cycle of being poor. Cheap food, likewise, perpetuates an evil cycle ill health and poverty. If, as a nation, we moved a little more toward the idea of owning less and owning it longer, we'd all be better off. But it's incredibly difficult to get people to think in terms of "the long run."

<abbr>Suburban Wife´s last blog post..$$: The Day’s Expenses plus Swim Meet Tips</abbr>

I have been feeling a little overwhelmed as late because I have been trying to find a ballence between all the factors in my head.

Still, many healthy foods are also pretty cheap… organic rice and beans is cheaper than conventional meats. And a piece of in-season fruit is usually cheaper than packaged stuff.

<abbr>Mama K´s last blog post..glazed donuts for breakfast?</abbr>

I know, that was pretty funny!

Let’s see if this goes through….

Courtney´s last blog post..My only job is to keep myself and my child alive…hope I don’t screw it up

The Other Laura´s last blog post..Vote

Sarah H.´s last blog post..Reflecting on the potential downsides of organizing

Also, don’t worry about your English, it is MUCH better than my French.

Joe´s last blog post..Calculator Contest – Win a Free Calculator-Calendar-Alarm Clock

For me the ultimate criteria for food is whether or not it’s kosher. It doesn’t matter if it only costs ten cents. If it’s not kosher, I can’t eat it. And, unfortunately, a lot of kosher foods (cheese, meat, bread) are very expensive (like $5.99/lb for ground meat) and don’t go on sale.

So, we eat as cheaply as we can through the week and only have meat for Shabbat and holidays. But that means that we also eat things that aren’t particularly healthy, like ramen noodle soup or mac and cheese during the week because they’re (relatively) cheap (although they cost more than the non-kosher versions).

My priorities during the week:
Kosher
Price
Quality/taste

Although I can be tempted by taste. I’d rather have one or 2 pieces of Godiva chocolate than 6 Oh Henry bars. But if I make that choice more than once every several months I’m in trouble.