Squeeze In Exercise Without Spending Lots of Time & Money

"Boy, I have high blood pressure! That headline was from My 1st Million At 33 in late December. And in that post Frugal addressed the challenge of balancing financial, professional and health goals. It's a great post and I am grateful to Frugal for sharing his medical dialogue. He's young and his doctor has given him a prescription for better health: more rest, more relaxation, more exercise and less food.


It's the same Rx that I've outlined for myself. For example, I've written about my efforts to conquer the food issue, which is a new problem for me in these posts: I Won't Eat or Spend While Standing Up and Yes! You Can Be Too Thin & Too Rich: My Trust Fund Problem.



I'm not ready to tackle the sleep deprivation issue. But here's how I'm getting more relaxation and exercise.

• Move the phone. For convenience -- easy to answer, easy to call -- I used to keep my phone right next to me on the dining room table that doubles as my desk. The cordless phone is now back in the kitchen. This distance forces me to stand up, stretch and walk. It's a way to get a exercise in baby steps.


• Drink lots of water. I recommend filtered tap water from the kitchen sink. Drinking lots of water is good for the skin, hair and the rest of the body. What's more, the frequent trips to the rest room force me to get up from the computer.


• Get a dog: At least once or twice a day, I take the family dog for a walk, an effort that provides fresh air and exercise. I get to talk to people and I get time to think while walking Scruffy, our dog.


• Buy a yoga tape: I highly recommend the yoga tape with Ali MacGraw, the actress from the movie Love Story. OMG! She looks great and the exercises are really rejuvenating. Also the tape, which was done with yoga teacher Erich Schiffmann, is broken up into smaller segments, which gives me the option of doing smaller 5-10 minute vignettes of Yoga poses or the entire 40-minute tape. The added bonus: My head is so much clearer and I work faster after my midday Yoga workout. It's like the way my computer works faster when I remove cookies, spyware and other intrusions.


• Use the stairs: I live in an apartment building so it's easy for me to get stair exercise when I walk the dog or check the mail. But no matter where I am --the movie theater, the supermarket or at a mall -- I try to use the stairs. It's great exercise. This link has info about the value of taking the staircase.



• Hire a personal trainer with friends: I take a Yoga class with a group of friends. Basically, we hire a personal trainer --a wonderful woman named Angela -- and we split her $70 hourly fee. This arrangement has several benefits that involve peer pressure. 1) When I'm not in class, my friends repeatedly ask after me to make sure that I'm okay and that all is well. Their concern and inquiries often prompt me to continue going to class and 2) I feel guilty about not going because I know that my absence means that each member of the class will have to pay more to cover the fee. It's not a big deal if the class has 8-10 people, because everyone is paying so little. But if only a few people show up, I feel as if my absence (due to work or laziness) creates a financial penalty for my friends.

We all have overbooked days. I'm curious about how other people squeeze exercise into their workday, evening hours or weekend routines. Please write or leave a comment.

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Previous Posts

What Gas Leak? Mom's Nose vs Car Dealer & $49 Service Bill

Party; Small Budget: A Frugal Event Planning Guide: Pt. 1
Full-Time Teacher, Weekend Cook: Part-Time Jobs To Pay Bills
How to Get More Value From Your Home
Four Millionaire Moms Tell Their Secrets

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Sharon Harvey Rosenberg is the author of The Frugal Duchess of South Beach: How to Live Well and Save Money... Anywhere!, which will be published in the Spring of 2008 by DPL Press.

Don't Shake & Eat: A Holiday Health Guide to Save $500 & Up

A few Decembers ago, medical costs sliced (at least) $500 from our budget, excluding lost wages. To avoid seasonal germs, I have a long list of tips for holiday parties, public events and travel.

The Back Story: Several Decembers ago, three out of the five members of my family became very ill. Walking pneumonia/bronchitis and other ailments struck our home. One of my kids missed a month of school and was almost hospitalized. It was during that period when SARs was big in the news and my mom suspected that we may have had a taste of that bug.

In my case, an all-night marathon of work clearly weakened my immune system. But my sons and I became ill after going to the movies. I think we must have picked up germs from the handrail or other contact with a contaminated surface. I was always a big hand washer, but I must have fallen down on the job during that movie visit. Going forward, I've been even stricter about washing hands. Here are my rules:

1. Don't eat while shaking hands: Either socialize or eat. But don't eat after you've shaken hands with anyone. Here are the options at cocktail parties, holiday gatherings and other events: 1) Network & starve or 2) Wash hands, eat & be a hermit. Don't try to do both options at the same time. But if you must eat while networking: Feed yourself with the (clean) hand that no one has touched.

2. Don't eat after touching money: When buying snacks at a mall or movie, don't touch your food until you've washed your hands, especially if you've handled money. And never, never accept food from a vendor who touches money and then touches the (unwrapped) food that you will eat.

3. Don't touch any surface in a public restroom: Take a paper towel to touch door handles, faucet handles, dryers, etc.

4. Use handle railings with care. If possible, I try to avoid holding onto the handrails on stairs and escalators in stores, malls and movie theaters. If I worry about falling, I lean on the railing with an elbow or I'll use a tissue as a barrier.

Likewise, these health guidelines from the Dec. 24 issue of First for Women magazine are great, especially for the high-contact holiday season.

1. Don't use other people's cell phones.

2. Avoid makeup testers at stores ("germ hot spots")

3. Don't use public pens at banks, stores or the Post Office. Nearly 3,000 people may hit the checkout counter during a typical shopping day in major stores.

4. Clip your nails. The list of potential germs under long nails sounds really awful, according to one study cited in the magazine article.

5. Zip then flush in public toilets. I don't know how to say this politely, but get fully clothed before flushing in public bathrooms. Hint: Beware of spraying toilets.

6. Avoid putting personal possessions on public bathroom sinks. I try to avoid public surfaces altogether.

7. Carry handwipes.

8. DIY cleaning service: Use wipes on airline trays, even before you put down your laptop. Even before you touch the little "release knob." Consider this factoid: "Research presented at this year's meeting of the American Society for Microbiology found that 60 percent of airplane tray tables harbored the antibiotic-resistant superbug MRSA."--Dec. 24 issue of First for Women

9. Avoid the mini-fridge in your hotel room. Not only are the prices expensive, but so many people may have touched that mini-fridge and handled the food/beverage items.

Recent Posts:

Today:

Financial Points from D-Wade's 31-Pt Eclipse of the Suns

Yesterday:

Steroid Sale Prices: Bogus Sales at Big Name Stores

5 Reasons Why I Have a Crush on My Parents' Retirement Magazines
What to Do After Losing a Job or Before the Pink Slip Arrives
Holiday Family Activities & More at Carnival of Family Life

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5 Reasons Why I Have a Crush on My Parents' Retirement Magazines

Postcard from my parents' home: I love the hot spa. I love the affordable movie theater and I love how they love us so much. And I love all of the retirement magazines my mom and dad share with me when I go to visit. Here are my:

5 Reasons to Love Retirement Magazines

1. They're all about thrift. Retirement publications are geared toward those who are trying to get the most out of a pension fund, investment securities or other retirement accounts. They want to conserve capital and preserve their resources. And even though I am a mother with three school-age kids, I have the same goals: conserve and preserve. Therefore, I like the nuggets of info in retirement publications, which are loaded with tips about thrifty living. For instance, I read a great how-to article about refurbished electronics in a retirement magazine. From organic food clubs to cheap drugs, I've learned plenty from retirement publications.

2. Conservative and meaningful investment strategies: The articles about stocks, bonds, real estate investment trusts (REITs) and other securities are usually in language that I can easily understand. The text is written in plain English and without hype.

3. Great advice from Depression Era savers: Confession: A large portion of the material for my blogs and my newspaper columns has come straight from my folks and their friends. They were all children during the Depression Era and during the early 1940s. They know how to save. My mother has told me amazing stories about how she and her brother (My Uncle Frankie) walked miles to attend free art classes at the Philadelphia Museum of Art when they were children. My father has shared stories about earning money by washing marble steps for a nickel when he was a kid. I've learned to listen and read when Depression Era babies speak.

4.The Ads are uplifting. I really, really enjoy fashion magazines. I love Vogue, Harper's Bazaar and other high-gloss publications. But after I read them, I always feel that I need more lip gloss and stuff in my life. Sometimes, I even feel vaguely dissatisfied with my life after I close the pages. I feel struck by a bad case of the gimmees: I want a face peel and super-sized lips. I want to be 10 inches taller and 10 pounds lighter. I want my Jimmy Choo shoes and my Prada fashions. Basically, I don't want to be me anymore. But when I read a retirement magazine, I feel wonderful and I want to look like one of the silver hair models. Very glossy!

5. Great health tips. I value health and well-being tips from senior citizens and older experts who have actually survived a few health scares. They know a bit about getting the most out of the U.S. health care system. What's more, some of the magazines have great tips about new age medicine and longevity. And I have read great pieces about mindful living in publications written for an older audience.

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I Save Money with Tea Tree Oil: Anti-Lice, Anti-Acne Cures!

Tea Tree Oil is the wonder product in my house. It's natural. It's effective. It's cheap. We purchase small bottles of this essential oil at the health food store and a little drop goes a long way.



Of course, with this post, I am stepping into the land of TMI (too much information), but I'm offering a small glance into my personal biz to show how Tea Tree Oil really works, with some expert testimony from a few health care and beauty books.

1. Blemishes: I am almost 50, but I feel like I'm a teenager at times. The good news: In humid South Florida, the weather creates a natural anti-wrinkle shine on my skin. The bad news: Hello Zits! Fortunately, Tea Tree Oil --applied very sparingly with a Qtip -- zaps the zits. Test first to make sure that you can take the sting or dilute with a bit of olive oil.





2. Athlete's Foot: Someone in my family developed athlete's foot. But a bit of Tea Tree Oil (on a Qtip) halted the problem quickly and effectively.





3. Head lice: OMG! This is a biggie! A few years, ago when my kids were in pre-school and elementary school, head lice went through the classrooms. Horrors! And for a family of kinky, curly and wavy hair, the lice incident was a nightmare. Awful, awful. It's another warm weather hazard. Unfortunately, the commercially prepared head lice medicines scared me. The warnings and possible side effects were worse than the lice.


And later, I felt justified. After our head lice episode, a close, close friend told me that her sister developed seizures after exposure to professional anti-lice medicine.

A natural solution: Tea Tree Oil mixed with olive oil, mayonnaise and other essential oils. I know that it sounds sooo yucky. But if you leave that formula in all day or all night on a covered head (use a shower cap), the lice are smothered.*

Bottom line: Even if you use one of the professional chemical formulas, you still have to pick out all of those darn lit nits anyway. That's the source of the term nit-picking.




4. Dandruff/head treatments/scalp massages: Tea Tree Oil is amazing as a scalp treatment. I don't understand why consumers spend a fortune for expensive beauty products that include Tea Tree Oil. I saw one expensive product for $16-20. Why not just add a few drops of the natural concentrate to one of the frugal ($1-2) no-name conditioners or shampoos in the drugstore?



I'm not nuts or odd: Various formulas using Tea Tree Oil can be found in the Ageless Natural Beauty book by Sally Freeman. I love this book and refer to it frequently. The book has formulas for using Tea Tree Oil in deodorants, hair care, pedicures and skin care. I recently spotted the book on eBay for $2.99

Likewise, Nature's Pharmacy by Dr. Lynne Paige Walker and Ellen Hodgson Brown offers a great overview of the various medicinal and cosmetic uses for Tea Tree Oil:

"This remedy has a wealth of uses. It can be used as an anti fungal for athlete's foot, fungus in the mouth, fingernail or toe-nail fungus, a scalp cleanser for problems such as dandruff and lice; a gargle for sinus congestion, sore throat and sore gums; a topical remedy for canker sores, cold sores, acne, minor cuts, abrasions, insect bites, rashes, after shaving or waxing or minor burns."-Nature's Pharmacy

(Note: Tea Tree Oil and other essential oils should be used and handled carefully. Please follow package warnings and directions.)

I spotted the Nature's Pharmacy on Amazon for $5.29. I have a deal with Amazon, but I'm not making money for plugging/selling either of these books. I think I found the Beauty book at a remainder's table for $5 at Barnes & Nobles. And I'm not sure where we found the second book: maybe at a yard sale or used book store. I hope it's not a borrowed book that I forgot to return to a friend.

*Disclaimer: I'm not a health or beauty expert. I'm just a crazy tester, willing to experiment with my hair and skin. My solutions work for me. These tips might not work for you or your family.

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Acid Burns Holes in Your Teeth and Wallets

You can save money at the dentist office by cutting down on sodas. Check out this interesting story about soda and teeth.

The Summary: Many of the most popular everyday sodas are horrible for your teeth. The erosive potential of a normal cola is on average 10 times more than that of fruit juices. When it comes to sodas, root beer does the least amount of damage to your teeth.

--from Tali Rosenberg, a new intern at the Frugal Duchess

"...many other popular diet and sugared sodas are nearly as corrosive to dental enamel as battery acid. LiveScience.com

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Frugal Tips in the Fitness & Health Carnival

Forget Botox and expensive surgeries, try (free & safe) facial massages and relaxation exercises. That's the word from The 3rd Edition of the Fitness & Health Carnival, which is up at Real Women's Fitness.

There are lots of good posts on exercise, fitness and diet. My personal favorite was the piece on facial exercises by Beauty & Personality Grooming.

I'm pleased to be included in the mix and I thank the host for providing the space and effort.
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Bush Health Plan: Rich vs Poor? Washington Post Debates

Clearly, something needs to be done about the availability of health care in America. I know of a waitress (born in Germany, works in Miami), who flies home to Europe to get health care because she can't afford the cost of dental and medical care in the U.S.

It's cheaper for her to buy a plane ticket and fly home than to get treatment in the USA. Some doctors in this country won't even give her a visit because she's a cash-only (no insurance) patient.

But does the new health care plan from President Bush level the playing field between rich and poor? Or will the proposed plan lock more people out of the heath care system?

Those questions are debated today in an excellent article in the Washington Post by reporter Christopher Lee. Here is the link to the article.


Here's a snippet from the article:

' President Bush likes to say that his health-care proposal would "level the playing field" between people who get health coverage through their job and those who buy it on their own.

But experts said yesterday that it would tilt that field toward a kind of health insurance that Bush has long favored -- a high-deductible plan paired with a special tax-exempt health savings account, or HSA.

"I think it would be a big push for HSAs," said Mark B. McClellan, a health economist and former top health-policy adviser to Bush.

While McClellan thinks that would be a good thing, other experts said it would benefit the wealthy and undercut Bush's goal of bringing fairness to the private health insurance system.

In contrast with traditional health plans that typically charge $20 co-payments for visits to the doctor, high-deductible plans require consumers to pay hundreds or thousands of dollars out of pocket for medications, physicians' services and hospital care before most insurance coverage kicks in. The deductibles are steep, at least $2,200 for family coverage, compared with about $220 in a traditional plan. But the special savings accounts enable people to accumulate a tax-free pool of their own money to pay the deductibles and other uncovered health bills, rolling over any unused funds to the following year. And premiums for high-deductible plans tend to be lower.' --Washington Post

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Ballet Booty Yoga & My Cheap Discount on Yoga Blocks: $2.50 vs $10.99

While visiting the folks, I skipped into a Super Target and found a good deal on the yoga blocks that I've needed for months. We skipped over the As-Seen-on-TV Ballet Booty Yoga workout, program (about $40 for the DVDs and bonus), but we found a good deal on what we really needed.

Yoga blocks are those soft bricks that enable beginners & intermediate yoga wannabes to complete difficult poses & stretches. I've been waiting for a good price and we found yoga blocks for $2.50 each in the Dollar Store-esqe bins in the front of Target.

As a bit of comparison shopping, I walked to the back of the store and found yoga bricks in the sporting goods sections for $10.99 each. What a price difference.

Yoga is great for stress, conditioning and great for relieving pressure and strain in my wrists & hands. My yoga classes represent one of my best investments in my future.
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