Comments on: The Simple Dollar Weekly Roundup: Strep Edition

By: Dana

Dana — Fri, 22 Feb 2008 06:46:04 +0000

@!wanda: I think they make trash bags for small trash cans. I use my plastic grocery bags for stinky diapers and cat box duty, but they make pooper scooper bags for the same purpose.

@acwang: You don’t have to get sick just because there is a germ around. People skip over diseases they haven’t had all the time. Being healthier plays a huge role.

@claymeadow: Ha, they’re always changing their minds in research studies. Meanwhile, I notice a lot of people get fitness and weight confused. Exercise is great for fitness, but may not have much to do with weight. It depends on what’s causing the weight problem.

By: Ro

Ro — Thu, 21 Feb 2008 03:05:27 +0000

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I feel sorry for your little guy and gal! When my nephew was in daycare he was sick all the time, especially in the winter. I’m keeping him now and he’s almost never sick. Of course my elementary schooler came home last week with the flu though, luckily my DH and I have escaped it so far. Hope your family is all well soon.

I have been wanting to buy reusable bags for some time now, I will get that done ASAP.

By: glblguy

glblguy — Thu, 21 Feb 2008 01:35:26 +0000

Your family and everyone else I think. We’ve had a bunch of folks out from work due to the flu, strep, allergies, you name it. My wife and daughter were sick today as well. Must be that time of year.

Hope everyone in your home gets to feeling better! Thanks for including my series Trent, I appreciate it!

By: !wanda

!wanda — Thu, 21 Feb 2008 01:22:34 +0000

I use the plastic bags from the grocery store as liners for small garbage bins. I’m sort of worried about how I’m going to line them, now that big stores in San Francisco aren’t allowed to give out plastic bags anymore. I have a stash, but I might have to rely on the bags from my roommates’ takeout orders.

By: The Digerati Life

The Digerati Life — Wed, 20 Feb 2008 22:25:13 +0000

I used to get sick all the time. Little did I know I was battling autoimmunity and a weak immune system. I’m finally reversing it — and doing it by cutting down on stress, eating better, taking appropriate supplementation (stress causes absorption of nutrients at a faster rate), exercise. I haven’t been sick much in almost a year now. Amazing, since usually every Valentine’s Day, I’m down and out and battling flu/bronchitis/you name it.

Now I’m spending the time taking care of everyone else…who is sick!

By: Kevin - My $100 Billion Dollar Blog

Kevin - My $100 Billion Dollar Blog — Wed, 20 Feb 2008 22:21:05 +0000

The diet and exercise will do wonders for the body and the mind. I’ve lost over 40 lbs over the past few months.

By: Kat

Kat — Wed, 20 Feb 2008 20:12:27 +0000

Our stores here in CA have been giving a 10 cent discount for years now. The easiest way to remember the bags, is to keep them the car. I live close enough to walk, so I store them by the front door.
I am also uber dorky, but my bags are all coordinated by type in design on the outside. Cold foods in the cold food bag, fruit in the fruit bag, bread in the bread bag, etc. I do use the small plastic meat bags they offer at the store because sometimes juices can come out.
Also make sure you don’t take a bag when you don’t need it. Does the book you just bought, really need a bag? No.

By: Allie

Allie — Wed, 20 Feb 2008 20:02:47 +0000

Several stores near me give a few cents off for each bag you bring. Most don’t advertise this so it pays to ask. I’ve been bringing my own bags for awhile now. At first I brought one cloth bag and put a bunch of the plastic bags that had been lying around inside the fabric bag. It’s a nice holder and it helps you not feel so self conscious when you start out. One way to store plastic bags neatly is to stuff them into a paper towel or toilet tissue tube. At this stage, I don’t care what other people think so I just stuff the plastic bags inside another bag. Keep your eye out for fabric bags at garage sales and such. They can be purchased a lot cheaper here than at the store.
It’s a great feeling not to have millions of plasic bags around the house and to know you’re helping the environment in an enormous way.

By: jm

jm — Wed, 20 Feb 2008 19:37:01 +0000

“I contribute it to two things”

I don’t think that means what you think it means…

By: Allison

Allison — Wed, 20 Feb 2008 19:29:39 +0000

regarding green grocery bags–I’m a cashier at a local grocery chain in Oregon, and we reduce the bill by 5 cents per bag brought in by the customer. Occasionally the cashiers will forget to take the deduction off (we have to enter in a code), but a friendly reminder from the customer is all it takes to get your nickel’s worth!

IKEA has started charging customers for every plastic bag they use. They have HUGE fabric reuseable bags for sale (I think they’re a dollar) or you can bring in your own bags. Otherwise, it’s a 5 cents charge per store-provided bag.

By: Michael

Michael — Wed, 20 Feb 2008 18:35:18 +0000

DCA has not been rejected, but has been qualified based on predicted returns over the investment period, volatility of the investment and trading costs.

By: Daria

Daria — Wed, 20 Feb 2008 17:13:26 +0000

I think we have to be careful when throwing around the term “Dollar-Cost Averaging.” There is a difference between regular investing and dollar-cost averaging. The dollar-cost averaging idea, which has soundly been criticized and rejected, is that if you have a lump sum, you should stagger the investments.

By: Frugal Dad

Frugal Dad — Wed, 20 Feb 2008 15:41:55 +0000

Great links in this roundup, Trent. Hope everyone is feeling better soon, and you continue to avoid the bug!

By: Susan

Susan — Wed, 20 Feb 2008 15:36:29 +0000

My husband is a carrier of all bugs, but never gets sick. If a cold is going around -his- office, I get it but he doesn’t. Some people’s immune systems just work differently.

I have read that exercise is key, even when you’re sick. It’s hell trying to drag yourself to the gym with a flu, plus you risk infecting others, but it actually seems to work.

http://www.theinnovativetraveler.com

By: claymeadow

claymeadow — Wed, 20 Feb 2008 14:49:39 +0000

congrats, sounds like your partying like an american rock star days are coming to an end and you are settling into a more adult lifestyle. i made a similar transformation some time back too. wrt strep and exercise there probably is a strong correlation. a lot of recent studies are concluding that exercise is actually more important than diet, but diet is still important though. also, as a fellow northerner who endures about 6 months of cold each year you will also enjoy the exercise benefits of better circulation and feeling warmer through out the day. :-)

By: Tyler

Tyler — Wed, 20 Feb 2008 14:49:00 +0000

Trent,
With regard to the “Green” grocery bags. My wife and I ahve been using them for several months now and I must say I appreciate their strength much more than paper or plastic.
I can only hope that our store will begin reducing our bill if we continue to use them!
P.S. – it does take a little getting used to, so as not to forget the bags when you jump in the car to go pick up groceries. Once you have this under control, they are much better in my opinion.

By: silver

silver — Wed, 20 Feb 2008 14:41:53 +0000

I would assume that your wife is also eating better and running up and down stairs… Or do you hog all the good food for yourself and make her eat cupcakes?

By: acwang

acwang — Wed, 20 Feb 2008 14:18:00 +0000

Don’t kid yourself and should be taking the necessary precautions.

While eating better and having more exercise contributes to the overall health, there is a nasty flu bug in your home. If you are not immune to it, you will get sick. It is just a matter time. No amount of eating and exercise will help if your body is not immune to it.