61 Easy Ways To Lose Weight

A few years ago, one of my friends at Men's Health stepped on the scale and was horrified by the result. He'd somehow managed to pack 20 pounds of flab onto his previously skinny frame. When he looked into the mirror, he saw a fat guy staring back. He decided to make a change, quick. 
 

That day, he gave up his beloved soda. He was only drinking two or three bottles a day, but over the course of six months, he dropped those 20 pounds. It was a small change to his lifestyle -- no big deal, really. And yet, it had a massive impact on his health and his body. (No surprise: Drinking calories is one of the 20 Habits That Make You Fat.)
 

My point: Making small decisions each day can result in big-time fat loss.
 Below are dozens of simple ways to lose weight. Start with one -- today! -- and watch the weight begin to melt away. Trust me, this is going to be easier than you think.


1. Have a clear goal. It should be one that anyone in the world can measure and understand.
2. Drink tea. Research suggests that those who drink tea -- black, green, or white, as long as it’s from real tea versus herbal tea -- have lower BMIs and less body fat than those who don’t consume tea.
3. Eat cayenne pepper. A study published in the British Journal of Nutrition showed that when compared to placebo, capsaicin -- the active ingredient in cayenne -- increased fat burning.
4. Decrease/eliminate processed carbs. They do nothing for you outside of creating a favorable environment for gaining fat.
5. Eat more veggies. They fill you up, without providing many calories. Just avoid the high-calorie dressings.
6. Eat more fruit. No one ever gained weight from eating more fruit. And that includes the so-called “high sugar” fruits like bananas and melons.
7. Lift weights. Heavy weights. Build more muscle, burn more calories.
8. Cut down rest time between sets. This will keep your heart rate elevated causing an increase in calories burned. The good news: You can sky-rocket your heart rate and torch belly-fat fast with The Spartacus Workout for Men and The Spartacus Workout for Women -- the most popular fat-blasting workouts in Men’s Health and Women’s Health history.
9. Do intervals. Study after study after study continues to show intervals are more effective and time efficient than longer activity performed at a lower intensity.
10. Eat more protein. Replacing refined carbohydrates with lean protein will not only help satiate you, but will also increase your metabolism -- through something called the thermic effect of food.
11. Eat protein more frequently. It’s important to also time your intake so you’re eating protein regularly throughout the day -- not just in one lump sum, like most do at dinner. Every meal and snack should include some protein.
12. Supplement with fish oil. A study published in Lipids fed mice diets enhanced EPA and DHA -- a.k.a. fish oil. The researchers learned that the mice fed diets higher in omega-3 fats had significantly less accumulation of body fat. Other studies have shown similar results.
13. Do full body exercises. Think: squats, deadlifts, chin-ups, and push-ups. You’ll get more bang for your buck out of each workout. Want even better results? Discover the 100 Greatest Fitness Tips of All Time.
14. Cycle your carb intake based on your activity level. Sure, carbs are important. But on the days you don’t work out, you simply don’t need as many compared to the days you exercise hard. Rule of thumb: The more active you are, the more carbs you can eat, and vice versa.
15. Start your meals with a salad. Salad will provide some bulk to help fill you up -- so that you eat less calories overall.
16. Don’t forget the fiber. Think of fiber like a sponge; it absorbs water and makes you feel full.
17. Drink water. Professor Dr. Brenda Davy and her Team from Virginia Tech University found that giving people 2 cups of water before each meal resulted in greater weight loss after 12 weeks. The reason? It helps fill you up.
18. Add beans to your salads. It’s a nice way to add some additional fiber, protein, and healthy carbs.
19. Replace one meal a day with a large salad and lean protein. This is a simple way to instantly improve your diet.
20. Keep a food journal. There’s no better way to track what you’re putting in your mouth.
21. Watch your portions. Avoid the buffet line and never supersize. Instead make sure you’re following what the nutrition label recommends for a serving.

22. Switch to calorie-free drinks. All calories count, whether they’re liquid or solid. So unless it’s low-fat milk, opt for tea or water. Or something I was introduced to in the Netherlands -- large bunches of mint, lemon and hot water.
23. Weigh yourself. Studies show daily weigh-ins help enhance weight loss efforts. Don’t live and die by the number. And of course a scale doesn’t decipher between fat and lean body mass, but it can still be of benefit to keep things “in check.”
24. Eat whole eggs. Daily. A study published a couple years ago showed that those who ate whole eggs versus a bagel for breakfast ate less at the next meal. A similar study showed eating whole eggs increases HDL (good) cholesterol.
25. Eat breakfast. A review published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition showed that those who eat breakfast are more successful with long-term weight maintenance. Other research has shown the same for weight loss. Grab hardboiled eggs, scrambled eggs, Greek yogurt, a piece of fruit and handful of nuts, or make a smoothie. It doesn’t have to be fancy.
26. Eat the bulk of your meals in the A.M. Then eat progressively less throughout the day. A study published in the Journal of Nutrition showed that eating most of your calories earlier in the day positively influences weight changes.
27. To burn more calories, stay upright. This means not sitting in front of a computer, TV, phone, etc all day. Stand and you’ll burn more and be more productive. This could even save your life. Discover Why Your Office Chair is Killing You.
28. Use the stairs. That’s right: Skip the escalator and elevator. This won’t make or break success, but every little bit helps. So get in all the movement you can.
29. Eat low-energy, dense foods. These are foods that are high in water and lower in calories, such as fruit, veggies, soups, and salads. Studies at Penn State University have showed that the inclusion of these foods helps individuals eat less total calories overall.
30. Don’t grocery shop hungry. If you do, you’ll buy everything in the aisle -- instead of sticking to your list. And most of the time, the foods you buy when hungry will the kinds that sabotage your weight loss efforts.
31. Replace side dishes with steamed veggies. Restaurants will often allow you to substitute the fries or chips with steamed veggies. All you have to do is ask.
32. Bake, don’t fry.
33. Use the fat-burner in your backyard: your grill. (And make sure you have a copy of Grill This, Not That! -- the extraordinary guide to grilling that can help you lose 10, 20, 30 or more pounds.)
34. Order dressing on the side. But here’s the bigger secret: Dip your fork in dressing, and then in the salad. This saves a ton more dressing than if one was to order it on the side, and the pour the entire cup on the salad anyway. Fewer calories equal less weight.
35. In the airport: Carry your luggage, don’t roll it. Again, not a deal breaker in terms of success -- just another way to increase energy expenditure.
36. Skip the “Venti lattes” and opt for plain coffee. (Or better yet, tea.) Those extra large “designer” coffees can pack a belly-inflating 500 or more calories per serving!
37. Embrace oats. Plain rolled oats will help fill you up more than the high sugar breakfast counterparts. Moreover, 1 serving provides a lot less calories than the sugar coated alternatives.
38. Fidget. A study published in the journal Science showed that those who fidgeted more often -- for example, changed their posture frequently -- weighed less than those who didn’t. This extra movement was termed NEAT (non-exercise activity thermogenesis).
39. Laugh often. A study presented at the European Congress on Obesity found those who laughed hard for approximately 10 to 15 minutes each day burned an additional 10 to 40 calories/day. Multiply that by 365 and those calories can add up!

40. Leave something on your plate at the end of the meal. Every little bit counts.
41. When out to eat, split a meal. The portions are usually big enough to feed a family.
42. Skip dessert.
43. Don’t socialize around the food tables at parties. You’re more likely to munch mindlessly, even though you may not be hungry.
44. Don’t eat your kid’s leftovers. Every little bit of food adds up, including what we call “BLTs” (bites, licks and tastes).
45. Keep chips, dips, and other high fat junk foods out of the house. It’s not about willpower; it’s about being realistic.
46. If you have a dog, take him for a walk. It’s better for both him and you than just letting him out the back. (Bonus: He’ll love you even more!)
47. If you don’t have a pet, offer to walk a neighbor’s dog. Make friends; lose weight.
48. Use smaller plates and bowls. There will be less room for you to fill up and it makes less food seems like more.
49. Skip buffets. It’s a foregone conclusion: If you don’t, you’ll feel like you have to get your money’s worth and overeat. For more instant weight-loss secrets – delivered to your inbox every day -- sign up for the FREE Eat This, Not That! newsletter.
50. Slow down. It takes approximately 15 to 20 minutes for your stomach to sense it’s full. If you wolf down your food like a starving dog, you’ll likely out-eat your hunger.
51. Decrease your food intake by 100 calories per day. Theoretically this translates to losing nearly 1 pound per month (1 lb = 3500 calories) -- with hardly any effort.

52. Buy a pedometer and accumulate at least 10,000 steps each day.
53. When possible, walk or bike to do your errands.
54. Don’t buy in bulk. The more that is there, the more that you’ll eat.
55. Plan ahead. If you fail to plan, you plan to fail.
56. Keep some healthy snacks -- like nuts -- in your glove compartment so you’re prepared at all times.
57. Take before pictures.
58. Get new friends. If your friends prefer pizza, wings, nachos and beer on a regular basis, find one’s who are like-minded and want to be healthy. Research has suggested that friends enhance (or can hurt) success.
59. Put yourself first. Many people (women in particular) put everyone else ahead of themselves and let their health fall by the side.
60. Remember: It’s not all or nothing. If you fall off the bandwagon, jump right back on. Don’t let yourself continue to fall until all progress has been lost.
61. Wake up early to exercise. You’re more likely to get it done if you don’t wait until after work.
Looking for more than simple lifestyle tweaks? Discover the doctor-approved eating and fat-loss guide in Dr. Travis Stork’s best-selling book, The Lean-Belly Prescription.

7 Ways to Stop Eating Out
One of the best ways to tighten your budget is to cut back on the amount of money you spend on take-out and restaurant food. Besides, not only is eating at home cheaper, it’s most often healthier, too. Here are nine ideas to help you avoid the fast food temptation.
1. Grab and eat foods rule. One of the reasons we love fast food is because it’s fast. In just a few minutes, we’re chowing on hot, tasty foods that satisfy our need for immediate gratification. Healthy foods to keep on hand are trail mix, fresh fruits and veggies (precut for easier consumption), granola bars (yes, you can make your own at home), pudding or Jello, pretzels, cottage cheese, salads, and sweet treats like miniature candy bars or Hershey’s kisses. Packaging foods in baggies makes it easy to take snacks with you when you leave the house, too.

2. Money saved is money earned. Start a special savings fund for something you’ve always wanted, like that new fishing boat motor, an iPad, or an exotic vacation. Every time you’re tempted to eat out, take the money you would have spent on take out food and add it to your dream fund. The knowledge of saving for something worthwhile is often enough of a motivator to keep you from turning into that McDonald’s after work.
3. Make cooking at home enjoyable. Turn up your favorite music, involve the whole family, or splurge on a nice set of spices. Whatever it takes to make cooking enjoyable for you is an investment worth investing in. Trying out new recipes, creating your own dishes, and filing your home with the smells of home cooked food can all be great starting points for fostering a love of cooking. If it’s enjoyable, cooking at home can be healthy and relaxing, making it an ideal hobby.
4. Planning ahead helps you avoid temptation. Menu planning and preparing foods in advance can really help out when you’re feeling unmotivated to cook, and tempted to eat out. You can make your own Hot Pockets and freeze them for later, or keep a prepared menu every week to take the pain out of deciding what’s for supper.
5. Learn to make your favorite fast foods at home. If you simply can’t live without that Big Mac, or get a weekly hankering for KFC chicken, you can learn to recreate your favorite fast food recipes at home.
6. Make meals a social occasion. Another way to take the pain out of eating at home is to create a meal rotation plan with your neighbors and friends. You rotate meeting at everybody’s own homes one day a week to showcase everyone’s cooking skills and to enjoy some fun times. Quite often, the company makes even the most mundane meals exciting.
7. Spruce up your kitchen and dining area. If you take time to make your kitchen and dining area attractive and appealing, you will be extra motivated to spend time in those areas of your home. If your kitchen features brightly colored dishes and your favorite framed prints, you’ll be more likely to be drawn to your own kitchen rather than a dingy fast food restaurant.
What motivates you to eat at home? Do you have any stories about how saving money by skipping the fast food has enriched your life? Share your experiences with other MoneyNing readers!

7 Reasons Why We Need to Start Budget Tracking Now by MoneyNing · 32 comments * * * 55Share * Email

Sandy knows she is growing her savings by having a surplus each month and putting it in high yielding online banks. When she was puzzled about budgeting, she wrote in and said:
I have $100,000 saved up in bank accounts by following good frugal practices that you and others outline. I however don’t budget and never keep track of my expenses. I know I’m saving money because my account grows every month. Why should I budget …
There are many reasons to make a budget and keep track of all expenses apart from growing a surplus. I admit that it is actually very difficult to keep an expense tracking system up-to-date because not bothering to update it doesn’t have an immediate effect on us. However, maintaining a budget is like maintaining a bridge. There may not be problems even if neglect maintenance for a long time, but consequences can be disastrous when an accident finally occurs. Below are some more reasons why you want to maintain the bridge:

Builds Discipline and Organization
Having a budget really helps you stay disciplined to organize your finances, which is the first step of knowing your overall financial health. Without easy to read data, there is no way of knowing what is going on.
Forces You to Think About Money
This is a side benefit of having a budget but it is an important one. The more time you spend thinking about your money, the more focus you are in building your wealth. Once you start thinking about money often, you will find that you are able to find more ways to save and more ways to generate income.
Crisis Prevention
Looking through your finances at regular intervals will allow you to spot trends and see areas that can be improved way before it becomes a problem. By preventing crisis from starting, you are way ahead of everyone else who can only react.
Great Tool to Start Family Discussions
Money is always a hard subject to discuss. If the whole family is involved in budget making and expense tracking, it makes discussions much easier. It is always a good idea to just lay out the facts when talking about money matters and the expense tracker is the perfect tool to aid in this regard.
Quantifiable Way of Measuring Progress
In theory, we all want to reduce our spending and make more money but it is impossible to know how we are doing without actually keeping track of your progress. Budget tracking to measure progress is not just a benefit but a requirement.
Without a budget, how do we know that we are meeting our goals?
Knowledge is Power
By keeping track of your budgets, you will know exactly how much money you actually need on a monthly basis. Equipped with this knowledge, you are able to plan and build an emergency fund that you know has sufficient cash. You can also easily figure out how unexpected issues like losing a job or having a child will affect your financial health.
Stress Reliever
Knowing your exact financial situation lifts a tremendous amount of stress off your shoulders because you don’t have to worry about the unknown. Even if your financial situation is shaky, you will be spending time fixing the problem and not trying to find out what the issue is.
Let’s get back to thinking of the bridge. Keep up your maintenance schedule and you won’t be sorry. Become lazy and be ready to suffer the consequences.

How to Be a Millionaire by MoneyNing · 54 comments * * * 68Share * Email
How to be a millionaire? You may be a bum wishing to have a million bucks, or you may be an aspiring young professional who wants to know if you are on the right path. Whatever the case may be, here are seven ways people become millionaires. Some are by pure luck but there’s no need to worry as others are based much less on chance and more on planning and wits. With some effort, you can have a big fat bank account one day too.

First and the easiest, Win the Lottery – Without a doubt, this is the quickest way to become a millionaire. I was in Vegas the other day, and there are a ton of ways to strike it big as well. The problem? Your chances are one in a billion. Good luck and start rolling the dice if this is the way you want to pursue wealth.
Be Innovative – Most people believe that the easy inventions are already out in the marketplace but yet, new gadgets come out every day. Ideas are everywhere, so put on your thinking caps. If you aren’t the thinking type, you can always…
Learn from Madoff – You will also be on the front page of every newspaper and be in jail for 150 years but at least your wife can enjoy a good life with money you stole from other people.
If you take this path by the way, let me know so I can report you.
Corporate Slave – Okay, this is the first way to be a millionaire while avoiding the headlines. Many high paid professionals end up with significant wealth built up. Of course, they get beaten up at work daily as they climb the corporate ladder and then pay obscene amounts of government taxes afterward, but hey, nothing is going to stop you from becoming a millionaire right?
Forget Millions, I Was Born a Billionaire – Having rich parents aint’ a crime right? Even if you aren’t born that way, you might get a second chance by being adopted. Of course, no money is ever safe if you don’t know how to use it. Just ask this guy who blew $10 million in 10 years.
Marry Rich – If you go to any bars or restaurants that are within close proximity to high end neighborhoods, you will see many very attractive ladies at the bar. There are some fairy tales alright, but most die trying.
Save Your Ass Off Millionaire – You can keep trying, but this is exactly how most of us will become a millionaire. It’s not glamorous like winning the nobel prize but no one will bother you (that’s a good thing when you are wealthy) because no one will ever know you are rich either.
Since this is actually the most probable way of becoming a millionaire, I’ve outlined a few steps you can take.
1. Generate Some Income
All the rubbish about a penny saved equal two pennies earned is true because pondering about that all day will save you exactly two pennies. If you ever want to save enough money to make your family proud, start earning some to begin with. This includes: * Stop watching TV. But everyone watches TV. Yes, couch potato the third, that’s why so few ever become millionaires. While you are watching TV, your competition, the more successful and the people you envy are all making money. Stop watching TV. In fact, cancel it if you always give in. * Working smarter and harder at work – If you have to choose between the two, please err on the side of being smart. Be friendly and helpful to coworkers, know when you should work hard and when to say no to distractions. * Get a side job – If you are earning less than $40,000 and trying to feed a family of four, you could probably write a book on money saving advice. Stop reading up on frugal living and write about it instead. Start your own business and earn more money (here are 15 ways to do so).
2. Save Some of It
Alright, what I said in step one was misleading (it wouldn’t be the first time so stop complaining). After you have decent income coming in every month, you need to save at least some of it. How much? It all depends on how fast you want to become a millionaire. There’s no right or wrong answer. No pain, no gain my friend.
Alternatively, you can also save more by reducing your current expenses. Do you still have your cable TV? You can try Netflix free with a one month free trial offer. At the very least, look for the AT&T U-Verse promotions and the Verizon FiOS promotions that seem to be all over the web if you already use their services.
Extra: What a tip? Start by resisting the temptation to improve your standard of living too quickly. It’s fun when you start going to fancier restaurants and living in bigger houses but there’s no going back (or at least without major pain). You can always spend more later, and there is absolutely no rush.
3. Investing It in Diversified Index Funds
I keep telling everyone that I’m becoming an index fund convert. No, I’m not those that liked index funds from the get go or someone who lost a bunch of money in the stock market betting on individual securities. In fact, I made a small fortune in the stock market. But it was risky, tiring, frustrating and stressful. I wanted a life. If you really want to be a millionaire, stick with index funds. You don’t need the crap and you don’t want to buy tissues after you bought Bear Sterns based on rumors that it was good value.
You are probably thinking right now – Tell me something I don’t know. Well, if you know everything already, why aren’t you a millionaire? Don’t be a smart bum that knows everything. Be a millionaire that got started reading and applying every common sense advice ever written.

The Secret of Dealing with the Financial Crisis by MoneyNing · 20 comments * * * 9Share * Email
More often than not, our view of (rather than the situation itself) dictate our state of mind. Some people would still be happy even if the world came crashing down. For others, a minor setback would spark off a downward spiral of deeper sadness. New circumstances are thrown at us day in and day out. We can either make the best of it or make it worst. It is up to us.
The Danger of the Trusted News
Lately, we hear lots of stuff over the news: * We are in the worst economic environment in decades * Everyone is losing jobs. Look at that employment number at 7.2%. * All banks are failing, what should we do?
The unemployment number is climbing and it’s never good when this happens, but the unemployment number was at 5.8% in 2005 (Bureau of Labor Stats). Putting it into context, this means that less than 2 people were laid off for every 200 people we know on average.
Is it worst than it was in 2005? Absolutely. Is it really Armageddon? Hardly.
Our Expectation is Sometimes Just Too High
What about our net worth that came crashing down?

Whether it’s our stock holdings, our house value or our spending power, this chart pretty much sums it all up. I bet a few years ago when your house or stock went to crazy highs (somewhere around the red line), you were extremely happy.
The value of your asset went down rapidly the past few months. So did mine. In fact, if this chart illustrates the value of the asset, it went down 50% off its highs. It hurts to see it but other than our ego, did it change things that much? Going back to our example, isn’t it just back to the value it was a few years ago? The exact same level when we were celebrating?
The Real Danger

Some of us got into trouble because of how we handled our new found wealth. As our asset value rose, we began to increase our standard of living. Each time our stocks went up, we poured in more material to build another step. Now that the new money has stopped, so did the ability to continue building. For some, it has gotten so bad that their standard of living fell off a cliff as their money supply dried up.
For those that lived life just the same, what really changed?
What is Your View?
There are certainly many people who are in trouble now but they are just the minority. Unfortunately, most of us are spooked by the reporting on those suffering. We are afraid because of the over-exaggerated news articles; we are frighten by what could (but is unlikely) to happen and we are worried that the sky is really falling.
But is it that bad? Do you really have to be afraid and how likely is the worst going to happen?

Does Always Thinking About Money Really Make Me Happy? by MoneyNing · 14 comments * * * Share * Email
I placed 2nd in a golf tournament and I received the trophy today. I was so excited because I never won anything other than getting certificates and ribbons before so it made me really happy to say the least. My credit card balance, my next paycheck, the stock market tumbling all didn’t matter seem to matter. As someone who always thought about money – how to save more, how to earn more, how to accumulate more – this prompted the question “Does always thinking about money really make me happy?”

The answer to the question is probably pretty complicated. On the one hand, the thoughts often stress me out unnecessarily. I certainly don’t need to worry about survival. My business is doing well, I have a substantial amount of savings and my overall debt load is small. In many ways, I’m probably too frugal. After all, money isn’t just for hoarding, so I should really live it up a little once in a while.
On the other hand, unexpected events can always happen. The economy can tank, the stock market may have many down years and my business income can be volatile. Furthermore, my expenses in the future will only go up as my family grows. Hopefully, my income will also increase but I can’t count on it to grow faster than the increased expenses. This means that I cannot just project the same savings that I do now indefinitely. Add to the fact that I’m still very far away from reaching my retirement goal since I’m so early in my wealth accumulation process, and I should try to save as much as I can, as early as I can just in case. There’s no such thing as saving too much right?
This is definitely a good problem to have but sometimes having choices can lead to confusion. This will probably be a question that I will ponder again and again through the years. In the meantime, I will be content with my first sports trophy ever.
How often do you think and worry about money? Do you think you are worrying too much? How do you deal with it?

Reduce the Chances of Money Conflicts With Our Families by MoneyNing · 13 comments * * * 3Share * Email
Families are great. They are the first ones to come help, and the last ones to leave us when we are in trouble. When we were young, we lived with our families, and we start our very own later on in our lives.
Families however, make money matters even more complicated. Let’s face it, money is important to us, and anything important can potentially create conflicts. Most people enjoy a very good relationship with their families because there is no money conflicts; for others, money (or the lack of) can become a sticky subject.
Most people believe that the lack of money creates conflicts, but having money is just as troublesome. When parents have money, sometimes their children will try to fight for the inheritance, directly or indirectly. This is one of those unfortunate events that we all dislike when we hear it, but we see people do this time and time again. Another example is when our family members are in trouble and we become the “defacto” go to person for free loans.
So, if having money and not having money both creates conflicts, what should we do?
Here’s what I suggest. Although we cannot eliminate conflicts completely, we can drastically reduce the possible fiction points by being able to sustain our own finances. If we cannot stop everyone else from asking us for money, at least we can stop asking others for it. This also means taking the appropriate risks with our finances, and doing our homework so we are prepared for the consequences.
For business owners, this means they expand at a controllable level. For the rest of us, this means that we be responsible and create an emergency fund. Not gambling excessively or buy a house that we never really could avoid (something far too many did the last few years) also comes to mind.
If we don’t need financial help from our family members, I bet our family life will improve too. Money matters, but family matters a great deal too. So create a happy financial situation, and relieve the potential stress it will have on our families relationships.

What’s More Important than Money by MoneyNing · 14 comments * * * 64Share * Email

With all the headlines about the crisis in our financial system, it is very easy to become consumed and worry about our wealth. After all, what else are we supposed to think about when our stock holdings are tumbling in front of us?
Then in the middle of reading about all the financial articles, a tweet from Frugal Dad brings everything back to perspective. His mom is in intensive care unit at the hospital, and all he really wishes for is her to recover. I’d like to use this opportunity to wish him and his mom the best and I want to dedicate this post to her.
I’m the first to admit about the important of money, but as I mature, I discover that there are just so many things more important than how much wealth we have.
Health
Without our health, nothing really matters. We all wish that we still had the energy when we were 10 years younger. However, we seldom do anything to slow down this process even though we realize our health slowly deteriorates through time.
We just found out my dad’s bones have severely deteriorated and the doctor told us there’s nothing we could do at this point. As the end result might be a need for a wheelchair, we only now wished that we could’ve done more exercises with him through all these years.
Taking care of our health should be our number one priority. This includes doing adequate exercise and maintaining a balance diet.
Family
If our health is like a building, then our family is the foundation that holds the structure up. From our mother’s unconditional love to our spouse’s constant emotional support, many of us usually take it for granted.
We need to constantly tell our loved ones how much we appreciate them and let them know that we care about them. We should also go out of our way to help them, because doing so will allow the family bond to stay strong.
Happiness
Some of us feel that money equates to happiness but many of us take it to the extreme and miss the point. What ends up happening is that without really thinking about it, we sacrifice our health and family for potential wealth building opportunities. This sounds illogical if I point out that a common example of this is working excessively, you probably understand why. When you work too hard, you are giving up precious family time and also your health as you spend less hours relaxing and resting trying to get ahead.
Money is only a tool to assist with our lifestyle but it is not the source of our happiness. Focus on being happy, and you will suddenly find that money is not as important as it used to be.
Final Words
I want to wish Frugal Dad and his mom the best and I wish that I could do more than writing a blog post about it.
For those reading this piece, I hope that you will focus on what’s truly important. Stay healthy, be happy and let your family know how much you care about them.
What Else is More Important than Money?

Money is Not Everything by MoneyNing · 17 comments * * * 16Share * Email
My grandfather being in the hospital really puts things into perspective for me. No matter how wealthy we are, it means nothing if we aren’t healthy. Many people, including myself, work so hard at our jobs. We miss lunches, and sometimes sleep just to advance our career a little more. We work late on weekdays and on weekends because we think we can make more money that way. Although I can tell you first hand that the financial reward is there, our health definitely suffers.
Whether it’s the extra stress we put on our bodies or the lack of healthy food we consume, it takes a toll on our bodies over time. When we are young, we don’t feel it but we are slowly and surely degrading our health. We might end up being rich, but we are more likely to end up being sick.
By overworking, we are also likely neglecting our family and friends. Unfortunately, there is only 24 hours in a day. Therefore, we are deciding how best to use our time every minute of our day. When we are working, we cannot be spending time with our family or our friends. My family for instance decided that my dad should work in Hong Kong when we immigrated to Canada. Consequently, I spent most of my teenage years away from my dad. Although this was very hard for me, it was much harder for my father since he was the one making the most sacrifice by living alone in Hong Kong. Although I’m sure our family’s financial situation improved because of the decision made years ago, we all traded many potential family moments for it.
In this blog, we discuss ways to achieve financial freedom. But if we are sick, our finances are usually one of the last things that we think about. For my grandfather, no gold will make him happy. It is our love that he seeks now, and it is love that we will do our best to provide.

Frugal Living
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Frugal Living is not just a way of life, it’s also a state of mind.
We can aim to generate as much income as possible, but wealth won’t accumulate without wise spending habits. Frugality is about stopping the money leaks while still living a fulfilling life and it requires a mindset adjustment in order to succeed. Here are a few articles to start you off on the right path.