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How to Stop Paying Money for Others

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paying money for others

Do you regularly find yourself paying money for others? There are several scenarios in which this problem might occur. However, you can deal with all of them by implementing two key tricks. And the best part about these tricks is that they don’t require the other people to make changes; it’s stuff that you can do yourself.

Scenarios When You Might Be Paying Money For Others

When are the times that you are paying money for others? Here are some common scenarios:

  • Your name is on a lease or utility bill. Therefore, you pay the bill and others are then supposed to pay their half to you. However, they don’t always pay you. As a result, you’re paying the entire cost for others.
  • The check comes at a restaurant or other shared event. Somehow the total doesn’t add up. You pay the extra to resolve the problem.
  • The check comes at a restaurant or other shared event. You say, “I’ve got this.” You do this more often than not.
  • You’ve offered to share your streaming services with others. Then you want to cancel or downgrade. However, you feel guilty for nipping their services in the bud. Therefore you just keep paying.

These are just a few of the scenarios that play out where you might find yourself paying for others. Brainstorm a list of others that apply to your own life. The more you know about the situation, the easier it’s going to be to resolve.

2 Key Things You Can Do To Stop Paying Money For Others

Each of these situations is different. However, they share a common denominator: you. You have choices. You can make changes. Therefore, it’s up to you to figure out what to do. And there are two key things that you can begin doing right now:

1. Work Through Your Own Money Issues

Many of us have psychological and emotional issues about money. We have received messages from our families and our culture that affect the way we deal with financial issues. This shows up in all sorts of ways. However, it especially shows up in our relationships. If you’re having problems paying money for others, then chances are that there is some underlying emotional stuff coming up for you that’s making it hard for you to set appropriate boundaries.

For example, if you’re the one at the table who always pays extra to settle a shared check, then dig deep to figure out why that is. How were financial conflicts handled in your family? Are you avoiding conflict because it’s a trigger for you? If so, what can you do differently in these situations to feel safe without having to foot the bill?

Conflict avoidance could be at the root of issues like covering rent for roommates as well. On the other hand, perhaps money represents security to you. Is that why you chose to be the leaseholder? If so, then what can you do differently to feel secure without people taking advantage of that?

Similarly, if you always pick up the check at a shared event, then it’s worth asking yourself why that is. What do you feel that it says about you that you pay for everyone? Is it a self-esteem issue? Is it a belief that you’re responsible? What’s going on underneath?

2. Learn to Talk About Money

This goes hand in hand with working through your own money issues. Once you know what’s going on with yourself, the other aspect is learning to properly communicate that information to others. Talking about money isn’t easy. But you can learn to do so with practice.

Start by discussing money issues with the people you find it easiest to do so with. They’ll help you strengthen your skills. You can even work with a therapist to help you learn to set boundaries and communicate them to others.

Obviously it helps if the other person will join in the conversation with you, but if all you ever reach is the goal of communicating your feelings then you’re still doing great. It will still help you stop paying for others when you don’t want to.

Additional Tips to Reduce The Problem of Paying for Others

Working on your own underlying issues, including learning better money communication, is truly the way to resolve this problem forever. But, of course, that might take some time. Here are some tips and tricks that you can implement in the meantime to minimize the problem in your life:

  • Promise yourself that you’ll always say no first if someone asks you to pay. You can always change your mind and decide to pay later if that’s a choice you consciously want to make. Saying no (or saying that you need to think about it) will help buy you some time.
  • Make use of apps like Venmo. People can instantly pay you right from their phone. Therefore, you should ask that they do so in appropriate situations such as when splitting a bill.
  • Set up weekly or monthly money meetings. Whether these are family meetings or get-togethers with roommates, this is a way to address financial issues. Sometimes just setting aside the time to talk resolves the issues. Once it becomes a habit, it will be easier for everyone.
  • Ask someone you love to hold you accountable. For example, if you always say, “we’ve got this” at the restaurant, ask your spouse to remind you not to do that. Ask for support in letting the situation unfold as it will.
  • Set a budget that includes paying for others. If you enjoy paying sometimes, then work that into your budget. Don’t exceed it. Monitor it closely.
  • Let everyone in your life know that you’re working on your personal finances. Say outright to everyone, “hey I’m just trying really hard to save money right now.” You can say this during a neutral time so that they know it’s not about them. This helps set the stage for all future conversations about money.

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Avoiding the Monthly Payments Mentality

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Monthly Payments Mentality

Chances are that you often think about money in terms of monthly payments. For example, you make monthly payments on your car, house, and cell phone. It’s not your fault; we’ve been conditioned to think this way. However, the monthly payments mentality can be such a trap. If you look only at that small picture, you might end up spending money when you could have been saving it. That’s why it’s important to learn how to get out of the monthly payments mentality.

What is the Monthly Payments Mentality?

You walk into a car dealership and the salesperson says to you, “how much are you looking to spend per month?” It’s finally time for you to buy your first home, and the broker wants to know what you are able to pay monthly on your mortgage. You sign up for a new cell phone service and they try to upsell you with a bundle package that’s “only” x dollars more per month. Or to give you a better phone that you pay for in small monthly additions to your regular bill. These are all examples of the monthly payments mentality.

The monthly payments mentality means that you’re thinking entirely or primarily about how much you’re paying for something per month. Therefore, you aren’t thinking about the bigger picture. You aren’t worried so much about the total amount paid over time. You aren’t concerned with what else you could do with that money over the long haul. You’re simply looking at, “what’s the cost per month and can I afford it?”

Why is the Monthly Payments Mentality So Popular?

The monthly payments mentality is so popular, so common, that you probably didn’t even think it was weird until you started to think about it a little bit more closely. Most of us pay almost everything in monthly installments. Car loans, student loans, mortgages, credit card bills, rent-to-own furniture, video streaming services … the bills arrive monthly, so we pay them monthly, and we don’t think much else about it.

Part of the reason for this is because most of us only get paid once or twice per month. We know what we earn per paycheck (or approximately what we earn monthly as freelancers.) Therefore, we can easily tell whether or not we can afford to make a monthly payment for something. It’s a little bit harder to look at your annual income and determine what you can and can’t afford all throughout the year. After all, doing so requires some serious advance planning.

However, the main reason that the monthly payments mentality is so popular is because it benefits the sellers. They realized long ago that you’re a lot more likely to believe something is affordable if you can pay just $10 per month for one year than if they want $120 out of pocket right now. Some services offer you a discount if you pay an annual fee instead of a monthly fee, knowing that they will benefit either way (with a smaller upfront one-time payment or more money paid out over the long run.) Some businesses even offer you the first month or two “free” so that what you’re focused on is zero payments until the future. It lures you in to make impulse purchases.

Make no mistake: the monthly payments mentality is popular because it benefits a business’s bottom line. It’s not popular because it’s best for you.

What’s Wrong with the Monthly Payments Mentality?

There are four key reasons that the monthly payments mentality is a problem for individuals who are truly interested in saving money.

1. It hides the total cost of your item.

What are you paying for your cell phone over the entire lifetime of the phone? You probably don’t know. All that you know is what you pay for it monthly. Hopefully you know what your total mortgage cost is, including all of the interest accrued over time, but many people don’t even know that. They know what they pay monthly, and that’s it.

If you don’t have a true understanding of the total cost of each and every item that you’re paying for monthly then you don’t really understand your finances. And if you don’t understand your finances then you’re on a slippery slope towards financial trouble.

2. Monthly pricing makes comparison shopping challenging.

This relates back to point one. If you aren’t looking at the total cost of an item, then you aren’t able to make the best long-term decisions about the right items to purchase.

Consider, for example, if you are about to buy a new car.

  • Loan #1 is for a car that costs $15,000. You pay $2000 down. Then you pay the rest in monthly installments at 6% interest rate for 84 months. You only pay $189.91 per month.
  • Loan #2 is for the same car with the same down payment and the same interest rate. However, you only take out the loan for 24 months. Your monthly payment is $576.17.

If you’re only comparing your monthly payments, then of course you take the first option. But obviously, when you consider the interest rate (not to mention the fact that you’ll be saddled with Loan 1 payments for many more years than Loan 2), you should take the second option. You’ll save over $2000 by making higher monthly payments for a shorter amount of time. If you can’t afford that, then maybe you should get a less expensive car.

Oftentimes, when you’re trying to compare monthly payments, you’re working with different interest rates and other terms of the sale. It all gets confusing. That’s why it’s important to look closely at total cost, rather than monthly costs.

3. Small Loans Encourage Big Debt

When you’re trapped in the monthly payments mentality, you can easily find yourself taking on a lot of debt. As long as you can cover the monthly bills, what’s the problem? The problem is that debt comes with interest, so you’re paying more than you need to for items that you may or may not need in the first place. Moreover, if you get into financial trouble, you’ll have all of that debt to deal with.

4. If You’re Spending, Then You Aren’t Saving

The more that you shell out, the less that you have to save and invest. If you get trapped into worrying about the amount of money you can afford to spend each month, then you’re no longer thinking about all that you can save. Therefore, the monthly payments mentality encourages waste.

How to Avoid the Monthly Payments Mentality

It’s time to get out of the monthly payments mentality. It’s time to start thinking about the bigger picture. Take a long hard look at your budget and make sure that you understand the total cost, including interest, of everything that you’re currently paying out monthly.

In cases of subscriptions, or services such as cell phones and streaming services, calculate not just your monthly cost but also the annual and five-year costs. This will give you a better view of the big picture of your spending. Therefore, you’ll be better able to make choices that empower you to save and invest, rather than to spend.

Before you make any new purchases, always go in with a plan. Never disclose your “monthly allowance” to the lender. That just encourages them to upsell you to that amount. Instead, make sure that you focus on the total cost of the item over time. In many cases, if you can’t pay the total cost out of pocket now, you might not actually want to purchase the item at all. If you do decide to make the purchase, looking at the total cost will enable you to make the soundest financial decision.

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56 of the Best Mother’s Day Freebies and Deals of 2019

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If you haven’t yet gotten a gift for your mom, you’re in luck: there are plenty of great sales you can check out in time for this Sunday’s holiday. And if you’re looking into treating her to a meal, there are plenty of deals at restaurants too. Here are 56 of the best Mother’s Day freebies and deals.

50+ Mother’s Day Freebies and Deals for 2019

According to the National Retail Federation (NRF), Americans will spend a record-breaking $25 billion honoring their moms on Mother’s Day this year. Fortunately, you don’t have to spend a lot. Not only are there numerous deals and discounts at several retailers and restaurants, but there are also quite a few freebies.

With all of the restaurant promotions out there, you would do well to assume that anywhere you want to dine this year will be busy, so make reservations ahead of time. Also, keep in mind that participation and pricing may vary by location and franchise. Contact your local restaurant to confirm details.

99 Restaurant & Pub

Order from a special menu on May 11 and 12, featuring Twin Petite Filet Mignon, fresh New England Baked Scallops, Colossal Lobster Rolls, specially priced cocktails and beverages, and more.

Another Broken Egg Cafe

Moms dining here on Mother’s Day will receive a $10 Brunch Buck (redeemable on next visit, May 13 through 26).

Applebee’s

Get a $10 bonus card free (redeemable through August 11) with the purchase of any $50 gift card through June 30. Also, $1 margaritas are available for the entire month of May.

Arooga’s Grille House & Sports Bar

Moms eat free on Mother’s Day with purchase of equal or greater value – dine-in only. (Offer not available in East Brunswick, NJ).

Baskin-Robbins

Now through May 12, save $3 on any ice cream cake order of $15 or more when you redeem the Mother’s Day coupon available on Baskin-Robbins’ website.

Bahama Breeze

Get two free dine-in gift cards for $10 apiece when you buy a $50 gift card; the first free card is valid May 27 through July 31 and the second one is good from July 1 through August 31.

Baker’s Square

When you buy a $25 gift card through June 16, you get a $5 coupon card (redeemable June 26 through August 9).

bd’s Mongolian Grill

For every $25 gift card you buy before June 30, receive a free $5 bonus card (redeemable through June 30).

Beef ‘O’ Brady’s

Moms eat for free on Mother’s Day with purchase of equal or greater value up to $10.

Benihana

Purchase $50 in gift cards through May 12, and receive a free $10 promotional card (redeemable May 13 through June 16).

BJ’s Restaurant

For every $50 BJ’s eGift Card purchased through May 12, the purchaser receives a free Pizookie® bonus card (redeemable for one free Pizookie® May 13 through June 15). Also, all moms get a free commemorative wine glass on May 11 and 12 while supplies last.

Bojangles

Make it a magical Mother’s Day with heart-shaped bo-berry biscuits available only Mother’s Day weekend.

Bravo

Buy $100 in gift cards through June 16 and receive a $25 bonus card (redeemable June 17 through August 31). Also, enter for a chance to win a once-in-a-lifetime trip for two to Southern Italy (contest ends May 12).

Brixx Wood Fired Pizza

Get 1/2 Priced Bottles of Wine on May 12.

Burger 21

Free burger for Mom on Mother’s Day with any kid’s meal purchase. Also, purchase $20 in gift cards and receive a free small fry or shake reward (redeemable on your next visit).

Carrabba’s Italian Grill

The restaurant has a special menu for Mother’s Day weekend, and doors will open at 10:30 am on Mother’s Day. Also, receive a $10 promotional card (redeemable May 13 through July 19) when you buy $50 in gift cards through June 16.

Carvel

Get $2 off any cake 48 oz. or larger; $3 off any sheet cake; offers valid through June 10.

Cheesecake Factory

For every $50 ecard purchased online (up to $200) through May 12, receive a $10 bonus ecard.

Fogo de Chao

Moms receive a complimentary dining card on May 12 (redeemable May 13 through July 11. Also, receive a $25 bonus ecard (redeemable June 17 through August 29) for every $125 in online gift card purchases through June 16.

Grubhub

Satisfy Mom’s cravings with delivery from popular neighborhood restaurants and chains with $10 off your first order.

Joe’s Crab Shack

Celebrate mom with a special four-course meal on Mother’s Day for $35.99; meal includes appetizer, side salad, entrée, and dessert.

Mimi’s Café

The restaurant is serving a three-course meal on Mother’s Day starting at 11:00 am, $19.99 for adults and $10.99 for kids — including appetizer, entrée, and dessert.

O’Charleys

Purchase $25 in gift cards through May 12 and receive $10 in rewards (redeemable June 17 through August 18).

Olive Garden

The Olive Garden will open early at 10:30 am on Mother’s Day. Plus, receive a $10 bonus card (redeemable June 1 through June 30) with every $50 in gift cards purchased by May 12.

Outback Steakhouse

Treat Mom to a meal fit for a queen with a special menu available May 8 through 12. Plus, purchase $50 in gift cards through June 16 and receive a free $10 gift card (redeemable May 13 through July 19).

Panera Bread

Purchase $50 in gift cards through May 31 and receive a free $10 bonus card (redeemable June 1 through June 30).

PF Chang’s

Purchase $50 in gift cards through June 19 and receive a free $10 bonus card (redeemable June 20 through July 31).

Spaghetti Warehouse

Free Spaghetti and Meatballs on May 12 with purchase of a Mother’s Day Meal and the coupon available on the Spaghetti Warehouse website (offer not available in Columbus, OH).

Texas Steakhouse

Treat Mom to Texas Steakhouse on Mother’s Day, and she will receive a voucher for a free entrée redeemable on her next visit. Also, if you buy a $50 gift card online, for a limited time a $10 bonus voucher will be emailed to you.

TCBY

Moms get a free six-ounce frozen yogurt on Mother’s Day.

TGI Fridays

Purchase $25 in gift cards through June 19 and receive $5 in Bonus Bites (redeemable July 1 through August 31).

Wienerschnitzel

Moms get a free meal on Mother’s Day consisting of a chili dog, small fries, and small soda.

Mother’s Day Gifts

1-800-Baskets

Use promo code WOW20 at checkout to save to 20% on Mother’s Day gifts; free shipping on select items.

1-800-Flowers

Use promo code 25MOM at checkout to save 25% on flowers.

Bath & Body Works

Use promo code MOMSDAY at checkout by May 10 to get a Mother’s Day tote featuring 8 spring essentials for $30 with any $30 purchase; buy 3 get 3 free on select body care items; get 2 Concentrated Room Sprays for $12; get 5 Wallflowers Fragrance Refills for $23.

Bed Bath & Beyond

Promotions include:

  • 35% off Brookstone® Outlast® down comforter while supplies last
  • 30% off Calphalon® griddle and grill pans through May 26, plus receive a $50 bonus gift card with select Calphalon® items
  • 25% off select Corningware® bakeware through May 13
  • 20% off Breville® toaster ovens through May 15
  • Up to $100 off Dyson vacuums through June 3
  • Save $50 with a Google Home Hub purchase and get a Google Home Mini
  • $100 off KitchenAid® Artisan® mixer through May 12
  • $30 off Instant Pot duo through May 13; $30 off Keurig® K-Cafe™ through May 12
  • Free shipping on orders over $39

Best Buy

Save $50 on the Apple Watch Series 4; purchase $100 in gift cards through May 11 and receive a $10 savings code (redeemable through May 11).

Charming Charlie’s

Save 50% off select beauty products; free shipping on orders $59 or more.

DSW

Earn a $10 bonus card (redeemable June 6 through 27) when you purchase $50 in gift cards, or $25 bonus card when you purchase $100 in gift cards, through May 12; free shipping on orders of at least $35; save up to 70% on women’s shoes marked as clearance items; other styles have savings ranging from 20% to 70%.

From You Flowers

Use promo code 050 at checkout to save 15% on purchases.

FTD

Order by May 10 and save up to 25% off; select bouquets listed up to half off.

Gourmet Gift Baskets

Select items eligible for free shipping.

Hallmark

Save up to 50% on gifts and cards with Mother’s Day themes.

JC Penney

Buy $75 in gift cards through May 12 and receive a coupon for $10 off $10 (redeemable May 13 through May 27).

Jewlr

Save up to 75% on select Mother’s Day gifts; receive a free gift with each purchase; shipping is free to all 50 states.

Kay Jewelers

Save 30% on everything in the store, and up to 50% off clearance items through May 12; free shipping for orders over $50.

Kohl’s

  • Use promo code MOMSDAY10 at checkout to get $10 off when you spend at least $50 on Mother’s Day gifts
  • Use promo code JEWELRY20 at checkout to get up to 20% off select styles of women’s jewelry
  • Use promo code WATCHES10 at checkout to get 10% off women’s watches
  • Free shipping with $75 purchase; offers valid through May 12

Macy’s

  • Free summer tote bag and 6-piece gift with $37.50 Lancôme purchase
  • Three additional gifts with $75 Lancôme purchase
  • Free full-size cleanser with $125 Lancôme purchase;
  • Six full-size pieces and travel-size primer only $45 with any Lancôme purchase
  • Use promo code MOM at checkout to save up to 20% in select departments
  • 25% off Michael Kors items; 35-50% off select jewelry
  • Free shipping on all orders over $75

Massage Envy

Buy three 60-minute customized facial sessions for just $150 (redeemable starting May 12).

Murad

  • Use promo code GIFTBOX at checkout to receive a gift box when you spend at least $35 by May 12
  • Use promo code SMOOTH or RADIANT at checkout to receive one of two free mini duos with $65 purchase, or enter DOUBLEDUO at checkout with $100 purchase to receive both, through May 31
  • Use promo code ONTHEGO to receive a free TSA-friendly wristlet with purchase of any 2 travel-size essentials through May 31
  • Free shipping with any order of at least $50

Pandora

Several pieces of jewelry are on sale, and many clearance items are up to 30% off.

Reebok

Sitewide sale 30% off all apparel, footwear and accessories, plus use promo code MOM at checkout to receive additional 30% off.

Target

  • Use promo code BEAUTY at checkout to receive $5 gift card with purchase of $20 in select beauty and personal care items through May 18
  • Use promo code SHORTS20 at checkout to receive 20% off select women’s shorts through May 11
  • Receive $5 gift card when you buy three select Neutrogena skincare items through May 11
  • Receive a free 3-piece Neutrogena brush set with the purchase of at least $15 on Neutrogena cosmetics through May 12
  • Receive a free Covergirl striped makeup bag with purchase of at least $15 on Covergirl cosmetics through May 18
  • Save 20% on select jewelry and accessories as well as top fitness brands
  • Save 25% on patio items
  • Buy three select women’s tees and tanks for $20 through May 18

Plus various sales sitewide and throughout stores.

West Elm

Save 20% on select dining furniture; save 25% on select bedding, rugs, curtains, pillows, throws, and bath items; save up to 40% on outdoor furniture and decor; enter code BESTBUDS at checkout to save 15% on select vases with purchase of Bouqs Bouquet; save up to 60% on various clearance items sitewide and throughout stores.

Williams Sonoma

Save up to save up to 20% on select outdoor cooking and dining essentials; save up to 50% on select cookware; save up to 50% on Nespresso coffee and espresso makers; save up to 60% on select electronics; save up to 75% on various clearance items; plus get free shipping on all orders over $49.

Zales

Save up to 50% sitewide and throughout stores; save up to 60% on various clearance items; order by May 10 for free shipping on most items.

Readers, please share with us your experiences with any of the Mother’s Day deals we’ve listed. And if you see any we’ve missed, please let us know by posting about it in the comments section below.

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How to Eat Organic While Buying Cheap Healthy Food

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Organic food is popular in America. As of Spring 2017, approximately 55 million people were purchasing some form or organic food, representing a 37 percent increase over a five year period. As stores like Whole Foods came to previously untapped markets and more grocery chains released their own organic lines, finding organic food has also become easier. Most people try to buy organic as a means of avoiding harmful chemicals, like pesticides and herbicides. However, not everyone can buy as much organic meat and produce as they like, largely because of the higher cost. Some feel there is no such thing as cheap healthy food.

One survey showed that organic food was around 47 percent more expensive than conventional options. If you are dealing with a tight budget, that level of price difference might seem unmanageable.

Luckily, there are ways to save on organic foods, allowing you to create cheap, healthy meals at more affordable prices.

Focus on Whole Organic Foods

Convenience foods are almost always more expensive than their whole food counterparts, including if they are organic. If you want to keep your grocery bills under control, then removing processed and junk food from your diet is wise.

When you shop, focus on the basics first. This includes fresh or frozen produce, meats, dairy, and whole grains. The less processing that is involved, the better, both from a health and a financial perspective.

Consider Store and Name Brands

The standards for organic are the same regardless of whether the product is a store or name brand. That means, when buying organic is a priority, you should consider all of your options.

Examine each product and look for the price per unit. Then, see which brand and size gives you the best deal. You may need to do a little math to get the price per unit if it isn’t on the price sticker. But, if you use the calculator on your smartphone, comparison shopping is pretty straightforward.

Make sure to take any coupons or sales into consideration when doing the calculations. If you’re getting a discount on one item, a factor that in when determining the price per unit. Sometimes, a store brand will beat a name brand, even if it’s on sale or you have a coupon. However, it can easily work the other way around too.

Shop Store Sales

Organic foods go on sale just like any other item, so you can save a bundle if you shop sales. Review flyers from your local stores and see which organic items are available at a lower cost. Then, pass your weekly menu on those items.

Many chain grocery stores also have apps that help you track sales. You may need to sign up for a loyalty card to get the best deal, but it can be worth the effort.

If you find an especially great deal, like a loss leader, consider buying in bulk if the items are non-perishable. Grocery prices usually cycle about every six weeks, so purchase enough cheap healthy food to tide you over until the food goes on sale again.

Keeping a price book can help you identify loss leaders and lowest sale prices. Record the prices of items you buy and regularly use every week you shop, giving you a reference to check to see if a sale price is genuinely actually a good deal. This ensures that you don’t get duped by an advertisement that suggests the food is on sale when it actually isn’t a great price.

Get Coupon Savvy For Cheap Healthy Food

Large-scale organic food producers release coupons like most other companies, and grocery stores may create their own coupons to promote specific items, including their store brands.

In most cases, spending a few minutes a week online and with coupon circulars can be worth it. You also want to check the packaging of any organic foods you buy to see if there is a coupon on or in the box.

Join a CSA

Community Supported Agriculture, or CSA, arrangements can help you get fresh, local, organic food at discount prices. When you join, you purchase a “share” of the farm’s products, most commonly produce.

Usually, you’ll get weekly or biweekly deliveries that consist of whatever is in season from that farm. You can generally review what products they provide in advance as well as delivery schedule estimates.

It’s important to note that CSAs usually only run for part of the year, depending on where you live. Additionally, not every CSA is organic, so you’ll need to track down one that meets this standard. Prices and required commitments also vary dramatically, so read the fine print to make sure a particular CSA is a good deal.

Learn When Organic Matters

Certain foods require higher levels of pesticides, herbicides, and other chemicals when grown organically than others. For example, non-organic meat is more likely to contain antibiotics, growth hormones, and other chemicals than organic variants.

In comparison, some produce naturally repels insects and aren’t as susceptible to disease, so they need fewer chemicals. Cleaning or peeling specific vegetables and fruits can also significantly reduce your exposure to pesticides.

If you can only afford cheap healthy food, focus on organic food with the highest cost benefit. This can include meats, dairy, spinach, strawberries, grapes, and other items that tend to test high for pesticides. Then, buy conventional versions of “clean” produce, like avocados, cabbage, onions, and cantaloupes.

 

Do you have a tip for cheap healthy food so you can create, great organic meals? Tell us about it in the comments below.

 

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Discounts for Savvy Senior Shoppers

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Today, more than 108.7 million Americans are over the age of 50. And, out of that group, approximately 47.8 million of them are age 65 or older.

Once you reach age 50, you become eligible for a range of senior discounts. More of them become available as you get older, particularly by the time you get to Social Security’s current minimum retirement age of 62.

Whether you already qualify for senior discounts or are just planning for the future, taking advantage of the savings is a smart move. They can save you money on a range of purchases, helping you stretch your retirement dollars even further.

While requirements for a senior discount vary by retailer, some of the discounts are substantial. Here are some of the best available.

Movie Theaters

The vast majority of movie theaters, including major chains, offer ticket discounts to seniors. For example, AMC provides discounts to moviegoers over the age of 60. Regal Cinemas also use 60 as the cutoff. At Cinemark, the minimum age is 62, and the cost reduction is only available on specific days that vary by theater.

Many theaters allow seniors to pay matinee prices all day long. This can be a boon for movie fans, and you don’t have to do anything but show them a picture ID to qualify.

Even local theaters may offer discounts. If you don’t see one posted, then ask the cashier to let you know what is available.

Cruises

Seniors can also score discounts on a range of cruises to popular destinations. Carnival offers reduced room rates to travelers 55 and older, although the specific amount of savings may vary depending on the ship and destination, and not all cruises qualify — click here to see which ones do.

Royal Caribbean has a similar system: People age 55 and up can receive discounted rates, though typically only on specific trips.

Grocers

Some large retailers offer seniors some serious discounts, but only under specific conditions. For example, Fred Meyer takes 10 percent off of apparel, shoes, home goods, toys, auto, and garden purchases. Store brand groceries are also eligible, as well as many electronics purchases.

If you are 60 or older and shop at Harris Teeter for groceries, make sure to go on Thursdays. That way you can enjoy a 5 percent discount on your entire purchase. Hy-Vee offers a similar arrangement on Wednesday, but with additional restrictions including requiring you to have a senior discount card.

Retail Chains

Goodwill thrift stores have senior days about once a week — when people 55 and up save 20 percent. Precisely which day is senior day varies by location, so you’ll need to check with your local store to find out.

Kohl’s provides a 15 percent discount for anyone 60 or older on Wednesdays. All you need is a valid picture ID to qualify.

If you enjoy crafting, then consider shopping at Michael’s: it gives shoppers age 55 and older 10 percent off every day. Just present a photo ID when checking out and request the discount.

Pep Boys, the auto parts retailer and service shop, provides a 10 percent discount with an ID showing you are at least 55.

Restaurants

Denny’s and IHOB offer senior discounts through their senior menu. Typically, the meals are smaller than some of the other options, but they are pretty generous for the price. On top of that, Denny’s offers an AARP discount, giving you the chance to save even more.

National Parks

The national park system offers anyone who is at least 62 a lifetime pass for $80. This gives you entrance into any and every national park for the rest of your life, no additional payment required. The pass also gives you 50 percent discounts on amenities like camping spots and boat launches.

Public Transportation

Most public transit systems offer discounts to seniors. Usually, this makes bus and subway passes substantially cheaper.

In many cases, you don’t have to live in the area to qualify. This can be a great way to get around a city when traveling, particularly if you don’t want to drive in an unfamiliar area.

AARP Discounts

If you want to get access to a wider range of senior discounts, then it behooves you to join AARP; people age 50 and up are eligible for full membership, and those under that age can get associate memberships that still enable you to get all the discounts.

Joining does come with a cost, though it is fairly minimal. For your first year, if you sign up to auto-renew, you only pay $12. After that, it should cost no more than $16 annually, according to current prices.

However, by signing up, you can easily make your money back in discounts. Many restaurants, car rental companies, hotels, cell phone carriers, and retailers give AARP members a percentage off the cost of their services.

Glasses and Car Rentals

Typically, an establishment that offers an AARP discount will reduce the cost by at least 10 percent. However, some go much higher. For instance, Pearle Vision knocks 30 percent off a complete pair of glasses and 20 percent off of the price of contacts. You can also save up to 30 percent on Avis car rentals in some locations.

If you are open to ordering glasses online, Glasses.com knocks 25 percent off of their prices for AARP members for purchases over $200. If you spend less than $200, you still get a discount, but it’s lowered to 15 percent.

There are many, many more AARP discounts out there, too. Luckily, AARP tracks them all on its website, making it easy for members to make sure they can save as much as possible.

Plenty of Discounts for Savvy Senior Shoppers

You might be able to obtain plenty of other discounts just by asking around — if you’re at least 55, it doesn’t hurt to ask your favorite stores for senior discounts.

They’ll be able to tell you the requirements, including age minimums, shopping days, and whether you need to be an AARP member to qualify.

Readers, tell us about the best discounts you’ve found lately.

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Handheld Fans and Misters That Actually Work

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Handheld fans and misters that don't fall apart
You might discredit them as too flimsy but there’s a very specific use case for handheld fans and misters: When you’re stuck somewhere without any other way to cool off.

For instance: Outdoors without a breeze, shade or a body of water to jump into. Or,  indoors without any circulation, like during a power failure that effectively shuts down your air conditioning and any fan that plugs into the wall.

In these types of situations, this type of battery-operated handheld might even bring you back from the brink of heat stroke or even dehydration.

That said, not all battery-operated fans and misters are dependable; some don’t last long before falling apart.

Finding ones that are hardy is essential, especially if you need to rely on it — like if you work outdoors or intend to go on camping trips. Fortunately, some models can stand up to a lot of use, and here are a few of them.

OPOLAR Portable USB Misting Fan

This brand appears to be a big hit among people shopping for handheld fans on Amazon — all of the company’s models have good reviews.

The latest iteration of OPOLAR’s portable misting fan includes rechargeable batteries that hold 2,200 of capacity and that you can you can power up with a USB charger.

This version costs about $20 and qualifies for free two-day shipping with Amazon Prime.

O2COOL Deluxe Necklace Fan

Although this particular brand offers an assortment of handheld fans, the one that gets the highest reviews on Amazon is intended to hang from your neck. It won’t weigh you don, though: it’s smaller than other handheld fans.

Yet, it appears to have a lot going on — such as operating in two speeds. A set of two AA batteries will keep this fan going for two hours. With all of this costing just $12.97 for Amazon Prime members, this device just might redefine cool.

GAVAER Portable Fan and Phone Holder

The most versatile device on our list is this actually doubles as a fan and a mobile phone stand. It also rotates 360 degrees and has three different speeds too.

It comes with a rechargeable battery that takes four to six hours to juice up; how long the full charge lasts depends on which of the three speeds you run the thing at. The slowest speed will enable you to use the device for 13 hours, while the fastest will conk out after three hours.

Plus if you don’t feel like carrying it around, the base can expand into a tripod, allowing you to stand it up on desks or other surfaces. With a price tag just below $13 and available Prime shipping on Amazon, this one’s not a bad deal at all.

Handheld Fans and Misters

One thing that handheld fans and misters have going from them across the board: They’re very affordable.

And while their strong reviews should mean these devices should last longer than many competitors, just remember that they’re not replacements for the kinds of fans you plug into the wall — let alone air conditioning.

Readers, what’s your favorite way to stay cool during summer? 

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