Healthier spending habits helps with healthier eating habits

Editor's note: Deseret Media Companies sponsors a financial empowerment campaign for women. As part of that, three women were selected for yearlong financial mentoring, one each in the areas of overcoming debt, budgeting and investments. All three blog regularly about what they are learning and how their journeys to a brighter financial future are going on www.imagineahappieryou.com. Each week, one of the blogs — or that of one of the mentors — is published in the Deseret News.

With my new budget in place, I'm ready to get back into the swing of things.

I'm back to tracking where my spending money is going again — writing down what I spend for groceries, gas, eating out, etc.

One thing I've noticed is that I've developed healthier spending habits and, as a result, healthier eating habits. We aren't eating out as much, and I waste less money on expensive prepared items at the grocery store. That means one of the unintended consequences of budgeting better is that my family is eating better.

I don't know if it's the result of less stress about money or a difference in what we're eating, but I actually feel healthier, too. I don't think we were unhealthy before, but I've noticed a real difference. I'm making a conscious effort to use up what we have at home before we buy more, so I find we're eating more fresh foods.

I never would have thought that a healthier diet would be part of a healthier financial lifestyle, but just like so many other things in this process, I'm surprised by how much everything we do is connected.

Follow Sandra and the other women on their financial journeys at www.imagineahappieryou.com