Welcome to my 52 Ways to Save $100 a Month series. We’re serious about saving money in 2016. Sometimes it’s the little things and sometimes it’s the big things. I’m here to walk you through some little things that can add up to BIG savings. 52 little things to be exact. Every week, join me back here for another small money saving tip or idea that might not seem like significant savings until you see the overall yearly savings. It might just blow your mind. So pop in each Tuesday and read a new tip that will help you on your way to save $100 a month!
Americans drink a staggering amount of soda. Like an absurd amount. According to a recent Gallup poll, half of all Americans (men, women and children) consume at least 1 can of soda per day. But the average soda drinker consumes 4+ cups of soda per day. WHAT?! That is crazy talk. Before we dive into a few tips on how to kick the soda habit, here are a few reasons why it’s a super good idea to stop drinking that fizzy poison:
1. It’s ruining your health: You might not see it on the outside, but it’s wreaking havoc on your insides. Soda drinkers see a drastic increase in harmful hidden fats, like liver and skeletal fat.
2. It’s prematurely aging you: The phosphoric acid in soda reverses all the help your anti-aging creams and potions do for you. Soda is lowering your bone density, eroding your teeth, and causing kidney problems. Seriously, soda is the worst!
3. It’s wrecking your diet: Calories from beverages make up 25% of the total daily calories consumed by Americans over 2 years old. That’s a crazy high amount. You could be having that chocolate cake for goodness sakes! And switching to diet soda won’t help either. The ingredients in diet soda come with their own set of health problems. In a shocking study, researchers at the University of Texas Health Science Center monitored 475 adults for 10 years and found that participants who drank diet soda saw a 70 percent increase in waist circumference compared with those who didn’t drink any soda. So diet doesn’t solve any problems, it just creates them.
Now let’s talk about how to quit. It’s so much easier said than done. I’ve been there, done that with my tea drinking habit. That caffeine addiction is no joke! But I guarantee that if you buckle down and power through, the benefits will totally outweigh the first 2 weeks of feeling like junkity junk!
Set a Goal: Are you planning on going cold turkey? Do you want to be off the juice in 60 days? Are you going to take the slow and steady approach? Whatever it is you decide to do, write down your goal. Write down your reasons for quitting and your time frame. Then write your HOW. And then post it everywhere for a constant reminder. Put it up on Facebook and ask for moral support. Tape it to your fridge or your bathroom mirror. Visuals help keep you going and motivate!
Manage That Caffeine Craving: This my friends is the hardest part. So so hard – I’m not going to lie. But good news. It’s also VERY doable. I’ve done it and so can you! Here are my best tips on How to Break Your Caffeine Addiction.
Have Alternatives on Hand: If you are used to drinking a 2 liter a day, you body is in the habit of consuming that much liquid. Have a plan to replace it with something else. Maybe try mineral or coconut water, iced tea, fruity vitamin water, Crystal Light or sparkling water. If you take a sip of something else each time you are craving a soda, you’ll eventually retrain your body not to crave that fizzy stuff!
Switch to Caffeine Free: While this is not a permanent solution, it will certainly help in the beginning. If you come off caffeine and soda at the same time, it might be craving overload. So try to slowly wean yourself off soda by switching to caffeine free. Once you have that caffeine craving under control, then slowly wean yourself off soda altogether.
Turn to Water: Increase your water intake. Try doubling it if possible. This will not only help with your overall health, but it will really help with caffeine withdrawal headaches. Plus, if you are full of water, there’s no room for that soda!!
Are you an avid soda drinker? Have you ever gone cold turkey? Any tips for anyone thinking about quitting?
How Much Can You Save: $900+ A Time Magazine study found the average American household spends almost $900 a year on soda alone. {Americans also blow $11 billion on bottled water, but that discussion if for another day!} And that’s the average which includes the non-soda drinking households. That means the households that DO consume soda are probably coughing up even more. Yikes!
More Ways to Save:
52 Ways to Save $100 a Month | Clean Out Your Closet {Week 1 of 52}
52 Ways to Save $100 a Month | Break Up with Cable {Week 2 of 52}
52 Ways to Save $100 a Month | Barter Better {Week 3 of 52}
52 Ways to Save $100 a Month | Change Your Own Oil {Week 4 of 52}
52 Ways to Save $100 a Month | Adjust Your Thermostat {Week 5 of 52}
52 Ways to Save $100 a Month | Take Advantage of Your Perks {Week 6 of 52}
52 Ways to Save $100 a Month | Pack Your Lunch {Week 7 of 52}
52 Ways to Save $100 a Month | Make It Yourself {Week 8 of 52}
52 Ways to Save $100 a Month | Preserve Your Bounty {Week 9 of 52}
52 Ways to Save $100 a Month | Keep the Change {Week 10 of 52}
52 Ways to Save $100 a Month | The Art of Borrowing {Week 11 of 52}
52 Ways to Save $100 a Month | Ditch the Gym {Week 12 of 52}
52 Ways to Save $100 a Month | Clip a Coupon {Week 13 of 52}
52 Ways to Save $100 a Month | Start Your Garden From Seed {Week 14 of 52}
52 Ways to Save $100 a Month | Learn to Cut Hair {Week 15 of 52}
52 Ways to Save $100 a Month | Become a 1 Car Family {Week 16 of 52}
52 Ways to Save $100 a Month | Make a Phone Call {Week 17 of 52}
52 Ways to Save $100 a Month | Shop Christmas in July {Week 18 of 52}
52 Ways to Save $100 a Month | Grow a Garden {Week 19 of 52}
52 Ways to Save $100 a Month | Just Say No {Week 20 of 52}
52 Ways to Save $100 a Month | Go Generic {Week 21 of 52}
52 Ways to Save $100 a Month | Make a Budget {Week 22 of 52}
52 Ways to Save $100 a Month | Use the Library {Week 23 of 52}
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