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5 Ways To Improve Your Life AND Cut Expenses

The first thing we need to do is agree that some of the things in this article are not going to be more fun.  When I write, “Improve Your Life” I mean in a healthy way, not in a binge drinking frat party way.  The real key to this article is if follow all of these things, you should save many thousands of dollars per year and also be healthier and happier.

Next I want to say I got this information from all over.  We reference some things, in other cases you can do a search and find different numbers from different sources.  This is not a scientific research paper – just an interesting article on how to save money while improving your life.

Cold Showers

Your first reaction might be “Hell no!” but give me a moment.  There are a lot of people that swear by cold (or colder) showers because they have significant benefits and they save you money.  Cold showers have been associated with increases Alertness, Refines Hair and Skin, Improves Immunity and Circulation, Stimulating Weight Loss, Speeding Up Muscle Soreness and Recovery, Easing Stress and Relieving Depression.  I have also heard that taking a cold shower when you cannot go to sleep and getting in bed right away will put you in a great, deep sleep if you have trouble with that kind of thing.

So fine, it is good for you if you can hack it.  But does it save you a lot of money?  I found a calculator for shower costs online here.  I did an example where I did a colder, shorter shower and a longer, hotter shower and compared the cost.  Turns out a family of 4 would save $478.50 in a year.  Not bad – and good for you.

Drink Less

Well, this is already starting to sound really sucky.  Take cold showers and stop drinking.  But in 2018 more evidence has been steadily coming out that the whole 1-2 drinks a day are good for you thing is not really true.  Women should have much less than that and even men should only be have a couple a week.  I found another calculator that will help you see how much you are spending weekly on alcohol.  And remember, it is not as good for you as you have been lead to believe.

In this very reasonable example, I have used this calculator and estimated a $1,872 annual expense per person.  If you live in a big city and like to go out with friends or coworkers a lot you are spending a lot more than this in fact.

Eat Less

The average American consumes more than 3,600 calories daily.  This is a 24% increase from 1961, when the average was just 2,880 calories. A man needs around 2,500kcal a day to maintain his weight with a healthy , balanced diet. Woman need around 2,000kcal a day. These values can vary depending on age, metabolism and physical activity, among other things.  Body builders and professional swimmers should not try this at home.

With all of this in mind, we simply eat too much – and food costs money.  We eat 37.5% too much food to be exactish.

How much money does the average person spend on food per month?  This figure varies based on age and income level.  Assuming you are middle class and a fairly young adult, it is $173 per week times 52 weeks which equals $8,996 in annual food costs.  Now if we cut that back by 37.5%, we would be saving $3373.50 per year per person.  And you would also save money on health care as it would reduce the likelihood of many weight related diseases.

This gets even crazier when you consider Forty percent of food in the United States is never eaten, amounting to $165 billion a year in wasted food, according to a report from the Natural Resources Defense Council.  This would figure that you might be throwing away 40% of the groceries.  If you are someone throwing away a lot of food, plus eating 37% more calories than you need, it means 75% of your groceries could be wasted or eaten when they should not be.

Cook More

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, in 2014, the average American household spent $2,787 on restaurant meals and takeout, compared to $3,971 on groceries. But in 2015, the average amount spent on restaurants and takeout jumped $221 to $3,008. Grocery spending, by contrast, increased just $44 per household to $4,015.

We all know that restaurant food tastes great.  It is higher in sodium, bacon fat, fried breading and slathered in butter or some delicious sauce.   If you learn to make good, healthy meals at home and cut the restaurants, you can save money and be healthier very easily.  Going out no more than once a week should cut that restaurant bill in half or less, saving approximately $1,500 a year and

Walk or Bike More Short Trips

In 2017, the average household made 1.5 trips per week to grocery store.  Most likely these were done driving.  As mentioned above in the article, chances are you have too much food in your home already so going 6 times a month is too much.  But instead of saying “You can’t go”  let’s say you can only go on bike or walking unless you are going for a big run that should only happen 2-3 times per month.

Walking and biking are great exercise and if you really want something, just make yourself go on foot.  Chances are the craving will not be worth it if you have to walk there.

By using this strategy you will help yourself cut down on those food and alcohol expenses mentioned above while also saving gas and car maintenance.  AAA estimates that it costs 58 cents per mile to operate a car. Of that 58 cents,  only around 11 cents is in gas. The other 47 cents goes for expenses like, maintenance, insurance and depreciation.

So if you cut down on short trips by walking or riding your bike more, you could save several dollars on each trip and get better fit and buy less crap.  Putting a savings tag on this is harder but let’s say you cut $5 a week in car expenses plus another $10 per week in stuff you do not buy on a whim.  That is small but would add up to $780 saved in a year.

All told, all of these things would make you healthier.  And I certainly do not mean to imply to never take a hot shower or have a glass of wine again.  But the little daily things add up to huge savings and health benefits.  Let’s recap.

In one year, a family of 4 average people can save the following:

  • Cold Showers: $478.50
  • 2 Adults In Family Cut Drinking: $3,774
  • Eating Only Recommended Calories for Family of 4: $13,494
  • Eating Out Maximum 1 time per week: $1,500
  • Walking more and driving less: $780

This is all based on averages, different sources and fuzzy math.  We are just having fun here.  But this would suggest these changes could save an average family of four $20,026.50 per year.  Your results will vary.  But that is a lot of savings and health benefit.

If this all seems a little extreme, remember to start small and no one says you have to go to this level.  Shorter showers and less restaurants alone could save you some cash.  Make it work for you.  This is just an example of how you can imagine a different life.

Participate In Your Community By Joining a Board

People often do not realize that many local organizations have boards that meet regularly to help with organizational issues or keep track of the finance and operational goals.  Nearly all nonprofits have boards.  Schools all have boards. Communities have boards or councils.  Mental health organizations have boards. Large corporations have boards, but you might be surprised to find out that smaller companies and even startups have boards.

Qualifications are going to vary greatly based on the board and what the leader and the current board members are looking for, but you might be surprised to find you are just what they are looking for.  For example, a mental health board is not going to be made up of all psychologists usually.  Instead, they will often be made up of people in the community who care about mental health.  They will bring their varied talents to the table to help look at things from different perspectives.

Boards typically meet once a month but it could be more or less.  Some are paid positions, and many are voluntary.  Some voluntary positions do pay a small stipend to cover expenses.  At a minimum, they typically feed you at the meeting and it offers a chance to give back to the community and learn about a topic in more detail.  It also improves your skills and knowledge in the area.

Typically a board is either an elected position in the broad sense, such as needing to be on a ballot and get elected.  Think city councils and public school boards.  Other positions are typically by vote of existing board members.  One person might bring you in and if you and the board agree it is a good fit they vote and make you a member.

Board sizes can be from a small group of 5 or 6 up to a large group of 30 or more.  The larger the group the longer the meetings may go if everyone likes to talk and ask questions.

So how do you get on a board?

To begin, know what area you are interested in.  If it is entrepreneurship, you will want to try to get on a startup board.  If it is education, a school board.  If it is mental health, then a mental health board.

Next, you can use Google and LinkedIn and find existing organizations that match your interest.  Look on their website and see if they list board members.  Call or email an inquiry about open board positions.  Ask if you can attend a board meeting.  Have your resume polished up and ready in case they ask for it.

And keep circling back around.  If a board is full when you contact them make sure they know you would like to be considered for a position in the future.  Then follow up regularly, maybe quarterly, to see if positions have opened up.

Unless you are very familiar with the industry and how boards operate, begin by listening a lot and asking questions after the meetings.  New visitors and board members sometimes try to do too much too soon, and it can be difficult.  The first six months or more will most likely be learning and absorbing all the stuff they are doing.

Being a board member in any community organization is very rewarding.  It can lead to new friends, new opportunities and a real sense of helping people.

Totally Free Family Activities (No Devices Involved)

I bet you have not thought of all these  five different ways to do really fun things with your family without spending money. We all like to go and spend money at the movies or in restaurants but you can’t do that every day and be fiscally responsible. Especially when you have small kids, you need to be planning ahead for college, for the car when they are a teenager, and all the other expenses that will come up with raising kids.

Number one is obvious. Going to local parks when the weather is nice is an easy way to get out and have a lot of fun with your kids. As the runaround on playgrounds they’re getting more fit and having a good time and likely making friends. If your kids are little bit older you can still pull this off by taking a frisbee, hacky sack or a soccer ball to the field and working on physical skills with them.

Number two is often overlooked. It is going to all the fantastic free events near where you live that you are probably not even aware of. Colleges, high schools, middle schools and churches have a events all the time open to the public and free of charge or sometimes they charge a small fee. This could be music, dance performances, theater, or other group activities or performances. Many colleges require students to do performances for their classes and these are often available for free.  And having young kids start making noise in a free middle school performance is not as embarrassing as having them throw a fit at the symphony.

Another idea few people bother to do is organize in their own clinic around a sport or activity. For example, your child might like tennis but there are no tennis camps. If you can find a few other families interested in tennis then you can organize a weekly tennis get together and work on your skills. You don’t have to be a coach to develop basic skills and practice. This could be for any sport or other kinds of group activities. You could organize a Spanish club, hiking club, art club or a coding in group. And if you are organizing, this could actually make some money for you if you charge a small fee to the other participants.

But if you don’t want to organize events like this you can also depend on your local library to have many things that are free and open to the public and great to do as a family. I know locally you can go see movies at the library on certain nights as well as go to art classes, story time, and book groups. I’ve never seen any of these things cost any money.

Lastly a great way to get out and have some fun and not spend any money is to go on a nature walk or a hike. But to make it more interesting for kids consider making a treasure hunt.  Decide what things you’re going to hunt for and mark them off the list or take pictures of them when you see them. They could be things like the bluebird or an acorn or are yellow car.

By making a treasure hunt it becomes far more interesting and it  can even become competitive. This is not much different from the old travel bingo games people used  to keep the kids entertained in the car before iPads and entertainment systems.

These are just some of the ideas you can do to get out and have fun and not spend any money while entertaining your kids getting exercise or developing a skill. It doesn’t matter where you live because things like this are going to be available in your area. These are just  common things in most communities. The key is the call around and find out what’s going on and talk to people and find all these great things available to you. Now get out there and enjoy them.

Summer Learning, Reinvented: How Outstanda Pays Students to Master Math, Science, and More

When most parents think of summer break, visions of sun, free time, and maybe a little screen overload come to mind. But a new nonprofit initiative is transforming summer into something much more impactful—and surprisingly motivating for kids.

Meet Outstanda STEM XP, a virtual summer program where students don’t just learn—they get paid to succeed.

Yes, you read that right.

In this innovative program for grades 2 through 8, students complete a four-week interdisciplinary curriculum covering math, reading, writing, and science. The twist? Every time they pass a weekly mastery assessment, they earn $25—up to $100 total.

“We wanted to combine project-based learning with real-world motivation,” says Ron McDaniel, Founder of Outstanda. “We believe students should be rewarded for effort and progress, not just showing up.”

The program is entirely online and designed to be flexible. Once enrolled, students get six weeks to complete four weeks of content. Each week includes a hands-on STEM project, vocabulary building, literacy tasks, and a short assessment that must be passed to unlock the reward.

And it’s not just for straight-A students.

“Some of our most engaged learners are those who’ve struggled in traditional classrooms,” says McDaniel. “When kids realize they can earn money by mastering concepts and apply what they’ve learned to something real – they become more invested. They see the value.”

While many summer programs focus on remediation or enrichment, Outstanda strikes a unique balance: it’s challenging, rewarding, and fun, but also accessible and affordable. Families can register directly through Outstanda.org, and early bird and multi-license discounts are available.

The program is gaining attention from homeschool networks, school districts, and parents looking for educational structure over the summer.

Why It Works

Outstanda STEM XP isn’t just a feel-good idea. It’s built on research showing that:

  • Immediate, meaningful rewards increase student engagement
  • Project-based learning improves retention and understanding
  • Flexible, self-paced programs can help close learning gaps

By blending those principles with a clear incentive, Outstanda delivers something rare: a summer program students actually want to finish.

📣 Registration Now Open

Outstanda is currently accepting registrations for multiple summer sessions. Visit Outstanda.org to learn more, view grade-level options, and download the program flyer.

Summer doesn’t have to be a learning slump—it can be a launchpad. And thanks to Outstanda, it might just be your child’s most rewarding summer yet.

Quick Cake at Home

Is your family fairly healthy? If so, you probably do not stock your cabinets and fridge with cakes, potato chips, and other bad stuff. If it is there, you are going to want to eat it. If it is not in the house, then you are probably not going to run out to the store and get it unless it is a strong craving.

There is, however, a nice in-between. You can keep things like cocoa powder in your home and when someone really decides it is time for some cake, you can use this five minute cake recipe and make one.

This is the best of both worlds because it is delicious, can be ready in five minutes, but is not just sitting there made already. I find that I make it for someone in the family about once every 2-3 months. And it is big enough that you can split it between two people if each person just wants a small amount of something rich and sweet, but they do not want to overdo it.

This is actually a good health tip, because even though cake is not health food, making a small one-off cake once in a great while is much better than having it made on hand, tempting you all the time.

This five-minute cake recipe is the same as a mug cake, which is a common microwave cake that can be made quickly. The difference is that we lightly oil the mug so that the cake will slip out afterward onto a dessert plate, where you can add chocolate sauce, peanut butter and whipped cream to it so that it is more of a full dessert.

The GR8TR Today Food Blog is a great place to find things like this. The goal there is to make your day better, through tricks like this where you can have a cake when you need it, but not have one all the time. Another recipe is how to combine some real pasta along with veggie substitutes to still get the impact of a pasta dish with less than half of the normal calories and reducing carbs.

Finding a happy middle ground makes it easier for you and your family to succeed at staying healthy but not to the point where things get too hard and too serious.

Get Fit For Spring Hiking

Fitness and endurance are important as you move into the spring, and you must begin by finding places where you will get the best workout. You need not spend your time int he gym if you do not wish to, and you may begin to hike instead. The Akron area has many good hikes, and you will find that hiking is often better for then going to the gym if you are not the fitness type. This article will show you all that is beneficial about hiking, how you must hike and where you may go in the area.

#1: Why Hike?

You may hike for a number of reasons. You may not be a runner, and it is easier to hike because you are not going as hard as you may for many miles at a time. The hiking that you do will be quite a lot of fun because you will see all the sights that you go near, and you will have time to stop and rest while you are moving. Hiking is an event that you may bring the whole family around for, and you will quite enjoy going on hikes that you have selected for their beauty.

#2: How Hard Is Hiking

Hiking is easy for the whole family to, but it is hard on your body. You will get a full workout that pushes you quite hard, and you will feel the burn in all your muscles when your are done. It is wise for you to hike for small periods until your re strong enough to go on for longer, and you will quite enjoy the way it feels to get through a hike where you got a workout without wearing yourself out.

#3: Hikes In The Akron Area

“We hike every week and go to so many different trails in the Akron area. It is amazing there are so many options.” – Ron McDaniel

There are three very good hikes in the Akron area that you must try. You may go to Cascade Metro Parks North and South for your next hikes, and they have many trails that you will quite enjoy, and you may bring your children to play in the park at the same time. This is a lovely time for all, and it is a strong hike for someone who loves being on the trail.

You may go to the Sieberling Nature Realm when you wish to be on the trail among all the nature and animals that you may find. The Akron area is filled with wonderful wildlife, and you will quite enjoy seeing the park from a new perspective every time you take a hike there.

Each of these hikes will help you get the workout that you need, and you will feel much better about your body once you are finished.

Ohio Residents Consider the Pros and Cons of Investing In Solar Panels For Their Homes

As Ohio residents consider putting in a solar power system, solar stock investors finally begin to see a light at the end of the tunnel. Up until 2017 solar companies, across the nation, had reported poor year end results. “The solar industry is recovering and it is looking like the days of bleeding red ink are finally coming to a halt.” There have been some solid leaders who have maintained stability within this industry and they are confident that not only investors but homeowners will reap the benefits from all of the developing technology.

But Ohio residents remain skeptical. As the small mom and pop solar shops close up people are not too quick to rush out and install a $100,000 to $200,000 system on their home. Many companies, were not only fly by night companies, but they left homeowners with a huge bill and lien on their property. “Talk about being left in the dark. We were told that our power bill would be cut in half and it would only take six years to pay off our system.” Says a disgruntled solar panel buyer.

Solar companies like SolarWorld and Suniva are just two of the many solar manufacturers who closed their doors. Ohio, which has a flourishing non-residential solar market, has experienced increased competition in the face of the states rising renewable portfolio standard goals. With close to 300 solar companies in Ohio, that means 300 businesses are employing Ohio residents. One local resident said “We have been talking about putting in a solar system for years. We figure with all of them being here and with so many of our friends working for them, it must be a solid, good investment.”

As the cost of photovoltaic, PV, continues to decrease, the rise of solar power in Ohio has increased. According to Wikipedia “Ohio installed over ten megawatts of solar in 2015.” Ohio utility companies put in place a net metering rule which permits customers producing up to 25 kW to use net metering. Net Metering puts money back into the homeowner’s pocket. If a homeowner’s system produces more than the home actually needs then these “credit” go back into the utility grid for credit to the homeowner. More often than not a solar system takes in a lot more power than needed for that home. This is a win-win for the customers as well as the utility companies.

Now that the solar industry has infiltrated Buckeye Nation, Ohioans have a lot more to think when it comes to renewable energy.

 

After the Snow Melts, Focus on Your Lawn

In Ohio the last snow may appear as late as the early weeks of April. Still, a property owner may notice in February a single day earth thaws and makes it pliable. Gardeners look to this day as a reminder it is time to get lawns ready. Professional landscapers know a single day with a thaw is an ideal opportunity to begin the preliminary steps of lawn care. This assumes proper steps were taken in autumn “before” the first freeze occurred.

The Snow Melts – What Next?
Once lawns remain thawed in an Ohio spring, it is time to begin the work of preparing soil. For some property owners, this may require soil testing to understand the degree of compromise the winter had on soil pH and soil nutrients.

If the lawn was properly “winterized” in autumn, this may not be necessary. However, it is a good idea to know where the soil composition is most compromised in order to know which fertilizers may be added.

A properly prepared lawn may need only a light dusting of lime to start the season. Note that when lime is added, it is important to allow the soil to fully “ingest” lime components deeply into the earth below the grass line. This may take several days or a week.

Ohio, like many states in the region, find spring often brings a rainy season. Too much moisture can cause grass roots to rot or die. To avoid this problem, make sure the lawn has proper drainage. If yellow spots begin to appear in the lawn, this is a sign roots are receiving too much moisture. Alleviate this problem by adding a small patch of potting soil to drink up some of the moisture temporarily until the rainy season ends.

The Real Lawn “Work” Begins
Once the rainy season ends and weather is relatively stable, the real work of lawn care begins. Over winter, bits of dried leaves and twigs may become desiccated into the soil.

This debris chokes off oxygen to grass roots. Begin lawn care with a thorough raking to remove debris. Discuss with a local Ohio garden shop the best type of lawn fertilizer for your particular Ohio region. It is a good idea to become familiar with the various types of components in lawn fertilizer. For example, too much nitrogen in some fertilizers for some Ohio lawns can be as bad for the lawn as too little.

The other issue is to know the actual type of grass or grasses your lawn contains. In many areas of Ohio, lawns are composed of two or more types of grasses that create the ideal lawn structure for durability and endurance in specific regional weather patterns.

Post Fertilizer Lawn Care
Spring and fall are ideal times to add lawn fertilizer. This is because grass roots tend to slow their growth and absorb lawn fertilizers over a longer period. In spring, after a thorough raking and fertilizing, grass should have at least one inch of growth before the first time it is mowed. For those who prefer mulching mowers, lawns should still be inspected to prevent mulch buildup. In any case, lawns should be raked at least twice during the growing season to keep it healthy and vibrant.

Help Kids to Stay Focused in Spring

It isn’t just a “young man” whose fancy turns to love in spring. Kids also “reawaken” with the first bloom of the crocus through the snow in Ohio. Trying to keep kids attention focused on their studies becomes a bit more difficult for parents when warmer temperatures have kids panting to be outdoors or engaged in spring activities. Parents can help kids to stay focused in spring by ensuring there is balance between their kids’ natural exuberance and ability to focus on their studies.

Tips to Help Parents Cope with Kids’ “Spring Fever”

One way for parents to help kids bathe gently in spring fever is to provide a connection between changing temperatures, increasing sunlight due to Daylight Saving Time and their studies.

For example, there are many ways to use “spring fever” to keep them focused on science and math by encouraging kids to align their studies to changes taking place all around them in spring. In fact, parents can encourage their kids to use these changes to advantage in science, math and literary projects, such as reports, special projects and presentations.

Align Kids’ Ages with Focus on Studies

Educators all know that to expand the minds of children, it is necessary to gear their studies to age levels. Parents can do this at home in a vibrant Ohio spring by exposing their children to various poets, artists and authors who’s work is influenced by Spring.

In the sciences, develop kids’ focus by helping them to learn more about the particular subjects they are learning. For example, if the course of study is algebra, help kids to learn about the history of the subject, the significance of algebra in today’s hi tech world and how they can better understand the subject. Parents can also create a science project at home for their kids by helping them advance their knowledge of plant or insect growth in various forms.

Keeping Ohio Kids Focused on their Education

One thing parents can do to keep their kids focused on their educations is to provide examples of the lack of education and the causes and effects of having limited knowledge. Parents should always encourage a “thirst” for knowledge in their kids. This should include a step in the path of kids’ education toward technology. Help kids to develop an intense curiosity of technology and technological logic that will be of immense benefit to their futures.

In addition, consider clear rules that respect their desire to get outside more but also makes clear the need to keep up academics. Some kids will not need extra attention but even some of the best students will feel a little more restless and need attention from parents to keep on track. Enjoy the weather.

Is a Private School Best For Your Child?

According to recent figures, there are 33,619 private schools in the United States, enrolling and educating 5.4 million students from PK to 12th. Grade.  Almost 80% of those institutions are affiliated to a religious denomination, Catholic being the most predominant in that sector.

Although the enrollment to private schools seems to be declining (there is a 2% decline from over a 15 year period) and the United States Department of education thinks it unlikely it will be reversed, private schooling for many families is the only way to approach education.

What are some of the benefits families look for when they send their child to a private school?

  1. Small classes-according to reviews of private schools in the United States, and the philosophy of what education means for many families, the size of small classrooms play an important role in the decision to send them to a private school or not.  Many families believe teachers get to know their children better when the class size is small and can form a better relationship with their child.
  2. Better Learning – With class size being small, teaching and engaging your child has to be easier than the public schools.
  3. Religion – Many families send their children to private religious-affiliated schools because of their beliefs, and because they want their children around other religious-minded children.
  4. Ivy League Universities – Many private institutions believe they are preparing the children to attend ivy league colleges and universities after their graduation at their schools, and their teaching is usually geared to this purpose.
  5. Accountability – Private Institutions like every public school are required to adhere to the laws governing the education of children, but ultimately, they are accountable to their boards and most importantly to the parents of their students.

Whatever your belief about the education of your child, you have to keep in mind that many of these institutions want a diverse group of students and can offer financial aid to offset the cost of attending their school.

If you believe sending your child to a private school is the difference between a good or a great education, by all means, finding the right school for your child is of the utmost importance.  One thing to remember before you sign papers and write the first check is that your child will be the one attending the school. If he/she expresses any misgivings about the school, you must listen and pay attention to him/her. A great school can be great for other children, but may not be a great fit for your child.  Finding the right fit for them and for you is your highest concern.