what do you think is more important?

[Angelhalo]

I think no matter what, your health ALWAYS comes first. It sounds like your job is currently bad for your health. You need to work less, and work on your health or you'll never even live long enough to get out of debt.

 

[Angelhalo]

I am glad that real healthy food isn't much more expensive where you are but it is here. Boneless, skinless chicken breast is over $2.00 a pound yet chicken with the skin on is .99 a pound. Apples, the good ones are at least $1.99 a pound and go up from there.

I do find ways to budget and try to really healthy, but buying like that for 5 is hard to stay on budget, especially when 2 of the 5 are growing boys. lol

Buy the chicken with the skin on and peel it off. Buy applesauce with no sugar added instead of apples. Where there is a will, there is a way.

"Eating healthy is too expensive" is just a limiting belief.

I have a degree in nutrition but still managed to let myself become overweight. I told myself for years, oh I can't afford to eat healthy. But, when I actually decided it was time to make the change, I figured out a way to make it work. If the will is strong enough to make it work, then you will find a way to make it work.

 

[SandrA9810]

I am glad that real healthy food isn't much more expensive where you are but it is here. Boneless, skinless chicken breast is over $2.00 a pound yet chicken with the skin on is .99 a pound. Apples, the good ones are at least $1.99 a pound and go up from there.

I do find ways to budget and try to really healthy, but buying like that for 5 is hard to stay on budget, especially when 2 of the 5 are growing boys. lol

Trust me, I know the pain in the wallet with groceries in Florida. I hardly ever bought fresh fruits or veggies because it was so expensive, I mean like 1.50 just for an apple. And the oranges Florida is so well known for all goes to producing OJ, a small small portion is retailed (but mostly in those holiday catalog orders). The oranges found in the grocery stores is all California oranges.

Now that I'm out here in California, I can buy all the fresh veggies and fruits I want for a whole week for like $5. I mean, all my favorites, and more than enough for a week's worth. I try not to buy more than that, since I can get more the next weekend. Meat has been put on the back burner of my grocery list. I now wind up maybe once a month or two at the grocery store for meats with a 25$ budget. I buy the bulk packages of pork chops, chicken legs, 2lbs of ground beef, and those thin slices of beef. I clean, divide, and package all the meats for individual meals.

It amazing how much of a difference the grocery bill can run you depending on your state. And if you're state is known for it's agriculture. Florida doesn't grow food, it's all based on tourists, so groceries run higher.

For the OP: I'd stick to your health. You can do so much to yourself for the long term if you don't take care of things now. Things are always harder as you get older.

If you think you've worked on your daily budget enough, maybe it's time to sit down with a financial planner. See how much you really need to be putting into retirement funds and what-not. And try to get your money working for you, so you can get the debt cleared away without so much sacrifice.
I think your first thing should be to cut out the gym membership and put that money towards your debt.

 

[tvguy]

This is spot on advice. I worked night shift for about 25 years and i don't think I had a single night of uninterrupted sleep during that time. Shift work not only wreaked havoc with my body, it affected my psyche. I began to develop health issues, which ultimately have left me with diabetes, overuse injuries, depression,weight gain and a sleep disorder. The best thing I ever did was get off night shift!

I guess everyone is different. I worked 11 pm to 7 am for 25 years and had no problems. I moved to day shift, added 40 pounds, and had to start taking blood pressure and cholesterol medicine (turning 50 may also have been a factor).
Night shift I worked 8 straight, no meal break, didn't eat much, no body around to bring trips in, came home and died for at least 8 hours straight sleep.
Day shift I worked 8 hours with an 1 hour mandatory meal break, there were people around bringing in donuts, and everyone's birthday brought another cake, and if you work in TV you know at least once every couple of weeks some fast food restaurant or pizza place will be dropping by a sample of whatever new item is on the menu. 5 years later, I am FINALLY conditioning myself to sleep at night, but about 2pm every afternoon I sure could use a nap!