How You Can Extend Your Life and Fatten Your Wallet by Planning Ahead

How many times have you been stuck at work or on the road with an empty stomach?

Snack Attack
Trying to concentrate when you’re hungry is near impossible. We often turn to fast food, soda, candy, and salty snacks to ease our growling stomachs. While these items may ease our discomfort, they are also affecting our health and thinning our wallet.

The Alternative
So what, we aren’t supposed to eat when we’re hungry? I’m all about eating when you’re hungry; the key is anticipating the hunger. If you plan ahead you can stash healthy snacks in your desk or car.

Guilty as Charged
When I was stuck at the office one night this week I raided the candy supplies, dumping tons of sugar, fat, and calories into my system. I also sprung for outrageously priced items from the vending machine. Normally I bring along healthy snacks in anticipation of such an event but this time I was unprepared. I wanted to share the damage I did to my waistline and wallet to help you avoid the same mistake.

Save Money
If you think about the food you eat when you’re in a pinch, you often pay for the price of convenience. You can spend 2-3 times what you’d normally pay for the same items. Another common theme among quick and easy foods is they’re not very healthy. As JD talks about today there are definite costs of being overweight, tens of thousands of dollars over a lifetime.

Live Longer
What’s the point of having a money smart life if you don’t live long enough to enjoy it? It doesn’t take long to plan ahead by packing some healthy snacks before you head to work or on a trip. Sure it seems like a small thing but it can add up over time. Eating healthy snacks instead of junk food can give you many more years of your life to enjoy.

Ben Edwards, the founder of Money Smart Life, saved up enough to buy a Nintendo back when he was 12 years old. When he used the money to buy shares of Wal-Mart stock instead, he knew he wasn't like the other kids... His addiction to personal finance has paid off for his family and now he's helping you to afford the life that you want. Check him out on the web at Google Plus, Twitter and Facebook.

All posts by Ben Edwards