There’s nothing cheap about college. Tuition, textbooks, rent, and everything in between. College cafeteria food could get tiring after having the same few meals every week. Buying groceries is always an option, but the costs could add up.

I live in an urban city (Chicago), and there are a handful of grocery stores around my apartment. Whole Foods is down the block, Trader Joe’s is a bit of a hike, and Aldi is in the same building as Trader Joe’s. The debate I always have with myself is if I want the convenience of Whole Foods but spending more money, or if the prices of Trader Joe’s and Aldi are worth the walk.

After a few shopping trips at all three stores, I’ve concluded that I get more for my money at Trader Joe’s and Aldi. If I’m pressed for time, then Whole Foods it is.

Here are some tips that have helped me get the most for my money while shopping for groceries:

1. Buy in bulk:
   Buying foods in bulk has helped me save more money. This usually comes in handy for produce. I save more money if I buy a bag of six mini avocados rather than two or three normal sized ones. Potatoes are cheap to begin with, but I’ve found it cheaper to get a bag of six sweet potatoes rather than buying them individually. If you have the opportunity to buy in bulk, then do it.
2. Save with spices:
   Vegetables are versatile and can be prepared in a variety of ways. To prevent myself from getting bored of certain flavors, I buy spices and flavor them differently. Some of my favorites are turmeric, curry, and cumin. This stops me from buying bags of pre-flavored vegetables, which could be more expensive.
3. Bring your own bag:
   It’s 2018 and everyone is going green. We’re ditching our 24 packs of bottled water, Using stainless steel straws, and bringing our own bags to the grocery store. Some stores will even take a couple cents off your total if you bring your own bag!

4. Buy foods that keep well:

Foods that keep well such as bread, oats, frozen vegetables, and grains will be your best friend when grocery shopping on a budget. I like to put my bread in the freezer to assure that it will stay fresh. Oats and grains have a long shelf life. Frozen vegetables are versatile and keep well because they are frozen.

As a kid, your parents probably reminded you to take your gummy vitamins every day. Why is that? Vitamins offer a variety of important nutrients we need in our bodies. With all the diets that are out there, it’s easy to miss some key nutrients. Paleo, vegetarian, vegan, ketogenic, raw, you name it. There’s a diet for everyone. Some special dietary restrictions are due to health concerns or an intolerance to a specific food.

Aside from diets, it’s just hard to keep track of the nutrients in our food. Some prefer using food diaries, but not everyone has time for that. Unfortunately, this allows us to easily miss out on a number of vitamins, minerals, trace minerals, and phytonutrients that are too important to skip.

We cannot sustain without vitamins and nutrients. For anyone who follows a restrictive type or just doesn’t have the time to keep track of all their food, I suggest them to check out Standard Process.

This brand sells all natural vitamins that will ensure you’re hitting all your nutritional targets. There are dozens of vitamins offered from their selection.

Tossing and turning at night or just feeling like you didn’t get a quality night of sleep are problems everyone deals with, but usually gets brushed off to the side. Stress, anxiety, fluctuating schedules, and many more factors could take a toll on our sleeping schedules and patterns. Over-the-counter sleep medications could be dangerous for those who like to stick to more naturally––based products. Sleeping issues leave many feeling restless, sleep-deprived, or on edge the following morning.

Luckily, Kavinace comes to the rescue and offers all natural sleep support products. Their supplements are a blend of herbs, vitamins, or hormones derived from melatonin.

Kavinace offers their capsules in sets of 60 or 120. They offer three types of supplements. Flash Ease, which helps with sleep issues related to hormone fluctuations, menopause, and vasomotor functions. Their Ultra PM supplements are for sleep support with added melatonin. Their Zem supplements are for calming a busy mind.

When you think about essential vitamins, the first thought that comes to mind is assuming that your daily multivitamin and nutrients from the foods you eat cover it all. Unfortunately, that’s not always the case and there’s no way to monitor that you’re getting everything you need. Vitamin C is one vitamin many could be lacking.

Of course, cruciferous vegetables like broccoli and brussel sprouts are loaded with vitamin cC, but who’s to say that we’re getting the right amounts of the vitamin from these foods?

If you’re unsure of the benefits of vitamin eC, just know that it’s helping to protect your cells from free radicals from things like cigarette smoke and environmental pollution.

To help people to get the vitamin C they need in a form that is optimal to human health, LivOn Laboratories created vitamin cC packets called Lypo-Spheric Vitamin C. This l product helps you to meet your vitamin cC the day in one small packet. Not only will it protect your cells from free radicals, but it will support muscle repair and recovery. A little extra vitamin cC isn’t always a bad thing either.

Just by squeezing the package into a drink of your choice (preferably water or juice), the gelatin-like substance will dissolve and not leave a displeasing aftertaste.

According to LivOn Laboratories, our bodies need phosphatidylcholine. The phosphatidylcholine forms two layers of each liposomal nano-sphere. The two layers help support and maintain the health of cellular, glandular, hepatic, and cardiac health (LivOn Laboratories).

Many drink-dissolving products are guilty of having extra unnatural fillers in them. LivOn Laboratories only use safe ingredients that will not put your health at risk.

With only 10 calories a packet, there are 1,000 mg of vitamin c and 1,000 mg of essential phospholipids. The product is gluten-free, GMO-free, and vegan meaning it is safe for all diets and lifestyles.