Going Plant-Based on a Budget With Toni Okamoto

Summary

Frugal Friends Podcast: Episode Summary

Title: Going Plant-Based on a Budget With Toni Okamoto
Host: Jen Smith & Jill Sirianni
Guest: Toni Okamoto
Release Date: May 23, 2025

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Introduction

In this engaging episode of the Frugal Friends Podcast, hosts Jen Smith and Jill Sirianni welcome Toni Okamoto, a renowned food blogger, Instagrammer, and the author of Plant Based on a Budget: Quick and Easy. The episode delves into the practicalities of adopting a plant-based diet without breaking the bank, addressing common misconceptions and providing actionable tips for listeners aiming to save money while eating healthily.

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Debunking Misconceptions About Plant-Based Diets

Toni opens the conversation by addressing prevalent myths surrounding plant-based eating. She emphasizes that transitioning to a plant-based diet doesn't have to be abrupt or entirely restrictive.

Toni Okamoto [07:43]: "The biggest misconception... is that people believe it has to happen overnight and it has to be all or nothing."

Toni shares her personal journey, highlighting that her shift to a plant-based lifestyle spanned six years. This gradual approach allowed her to adapt without feeling overwhelmed, setting herself up for long-term success.

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Understanding Dietary Terms: Plant-Based, Vegetarian, Vegan

The hosts and Toni explore the nuances between different dietary classifications, clarifying terms to ensure listeners can navigate their choices confidently.

Toni Okamoto [10:28]: "Vegetarian is not eating meat... Vegan often leans more towards an ethical lifestyle, avoiding all animal products."

Toni acknowledges the spectrum within plant-based diets, noting that some individuals may occasionally consume meat or use plant-derived oils, while others adhere strictly to vegan principles.

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Getting Started with a Budget-Friendly Plant-Based Diet

Toni emphasizes the importance of meal planning and pantry management as foundational steps to save money and reduce waste.

Toni Okamoto [12:38]: "Having a plan with saving money, period, is going to get you far and really taking stock of what's in your pantry..."

She advises listeners to avoid impulse purchases influenced by attractive store signage and to focus on cost-effective ingredients like private label products, comparing prices per ounce to ensure affordability.

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Time vs. Money: Striking the Right Balance

The conversation shifts to managing the trade-offs between time and money, a crucial aspect for those juggling busy schedules.

Jen Smith [35:29]: "You can find room to cut in other places as well... There's a way of doing it expensive and within our means."

Toni shares her transition from making everything from scratch due to budget constraints to opting for convenience when time becomes a limiting factor, such as purchasing canned beans instead of cooking them.

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Practical Cooking Tips and Budget-Friendly Recipes

Toni offers a plethora of practical tips and easy-to-follow recipes that exemplify how to maintain a plant-based diet affordably. She highlights simple dishes like lentil tacos, which substitute expensive meats with nutritious and cost-effective lentils.

Toni Okamoto [15:50]: "One meal that I kept going back to are lentil tacos... simple, delicious, and economical."

She also discusses versatile cooking methods, such as batch cooking and flavor variation techniques, to keep meals interesting without incurring additional costs.

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Navigating Dietary Differences Within the Household

Addressing the challenges of differing dietary preferences, Toni provides strategies for maintaining harmony in households where partners may not share the same dietary choices.

Toni Okamoto [37:16]: "You can make a meal that is pretty plain and then create your own preferences using that base..."

Both Jen and Jill share their personal experiences with integrating plant-based meals into their families' diets, emphasizing mutual respect and flexibility.

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Leveraging Community and Shared Cooking for Savings

Toni underscores the value of community in adopting a plant-based lifestyle. She recounts her experiences hosting "Womanly Wednesdays," where friends collaboratively prepared meals, thereby sharing costs and fostering a supportive environment.

Toni Okamoto [21:20]: "We called it Womanly Wednesdays and we would watch a rom com and make food together..."

This communal approach not only reduces individual expenses but also enhances culinary creativity and enjoyment.

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Meal Preparation and Planning Strategies

To further assist listeners, Toni outlines effective meal preparation techniques that save both time and money, such as cooking legumes and grains in bulk and mixing and matching them throughout the week.

Toni Okamoto [31:11]: "I use one of those, a grain and then either a store bought sauce or a sauce that I make, plus some vegetables and I throw them all together and mix and match them throughout the week."

She also shares innovative methods like spicing up plain soups differently each day to keep meals exciting without additional costs.

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Conclusion and Resources

As the episode wraps up, Toni directs listeners to her resources for further guidance:

• Website: PlantBasedOnABudget.com
• Cookbook: Plant Based on a Budget: Quick and Easy available at plantbasedonabudgetcookbook.com
• Instagram: @PlantBasedOnABudget

Jen and Jill encourage listeners to explore Toni's book and online content for comprehensive strategies to maintain a healthy, budget-friendly plant-based diet.

Jen Smith [56:07]: "Plant Based on a Budget. Thanks for being with us, Tony."

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Key Takeaways

• Transitioning to a plant-based diet can be gradual and doesn't require an all-or-nothing approach.
• Effective meal planning and pantry management are crucial for saving money and reducing food waste.
• Balancing time and money involves making strategic choices about food preparation and convenience.
• Community involvement, such as shared cooking sessions, can enhance both enjoyment and affordability.
• Flexibility and mutual respect are essential when accommodating differing dietary preferences within a household.

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Notable Quotes:

• "You cannot force anyone to do anything. You can only be kind and loving and hope that they will support you and accommodate you." — Toni Okamoto [38:57]
• "If you want to eat more plants and you feel comfortable labeling yourself plant based, you do you." — Toni Okamoto [12:03]
• "Sometimes it's these common sense things like, oh, it saves you so much money." — Jill Sirianni [26:47]

---

This episode serves as an invaluable resource for anyone looking to embrace a plant-based lifestyle without straining their finances, offering practical advice, heartfelt anecdotes, and a supportive community mindset.

Transcript

[Jen]

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[Jill]

Change Going Plant Based on a budget with Tony Okamoto welcome to the Frugal.

[Jen]

Friends Podcast where you'll learn to save.

[Jill]

Money, embrace simplicity and Live a richer life.

[Jen]

Here are your hosts, Jen and Jill.

[Jill]

Welcome to the Frugal Friends podcast. My name is Jen.

[Jen]

My name is Jill.

[Jill]

And today we are replaying a listener favorite from several years ago about going plant based because it is such a great way to save money on groceries. Because meat is the most expensive thing in most of our grocery carts, it.

[Jen]

Might not be the only reason that you want to go plant based. Maybe you already are and you're looking for more ways to think critically about how you spend money. Maybe you are wanting to make a couple of meatless days a part of your meal plan. You just need a diet change. We know that that can be one of the biggest barriers people recognize. Sure, there's plenty of ways to reduce my grocery bill, but what about when I have a special diet? And so this is one of those episodes where we turn to an expert. So it is a replay of an old favorite, but we think it's a good one, so we're excited to share it with you. But first, this episode is brought to you by Saving Money. It's what we're all interested in. It's what we Google. It's the reason we give for not doing something or shutting off the lights or eating beans and rice at home. But what if you could identify ways to save more, spend better, even track your debt payoff goals all from your phone? You can. And you can do it the Frugal Friends way with our new mobile optimized spending planner. It's beautiful. It's simple. It does math. It's easy to navigate from your phone. It's inexpensive. You can save money, track money, spend money, get good at money. Frugalfriendspodcast.com planner yes.

[Jill]

Amen. Amen. Nothing more to say for a few more days. I'll give you this for a few days at the end of this is a Memorial Day sale. At this point, May 50th will get you an additional 50% off that planner.

[Jen]

Ooh, Jen's feeling generous.

[Jill]

We're not advertising that everywhere. We are really only advertising it on the podcast. So you are special. This isn't something that we're just doing for everyone. I want you to know that.

[Jen]

May 50, you're special off.

[Jill]

Do it. Try it. See what happens.

[Jen]

Save money.

[Jill]

All right, so we are in our save money on groceries era and we are doing lots of episodes. Our next episode is about saving money on meat. So we encourage you to listen to both whether you are plant based or carnivore. We've got something for you, we want you to get healthy food, nourish your body, and not be hangry and not go broke doing it. And so that's what this episode was all about. Because sometimes plant based living, going vegan, all of that stuff can be associated with privilege and high prices. And Toni is such an accessible, like, food blogger, Instagrammer, plant based recipe creator. We love her and we know you will too, because our listeners several years ago left her.

[Jen]

Yeah. So let's get into it.

[Jill]

Toni, thank you so much for joining us on the Frugal Friends podcast. This is gonna be a really fun episode, I think.

[Jen]

Yes, welcome, welcome.

[Toni Okamoto]

Thank you so much. I love saving money. And so your podcast is like my jam.

[Jill]

Yes, we love to hear that from our guests.

[Jen]

We love jam.

[Jill]

Butter us up. Definitely jam us up. All right, so you are an expert on going plant based on a budget. So our first question for you is, what's the biggest misconception about going plant based?

[Toni Okamoto]

The biggest misconception about going plant based for me, and from what I hear often, is that people believe it has to happen overnight and it has to be all or nothing. And for me, it took six years to become plant based. I gradually and very slowly moved away from the foods that I was very familiar with and very comfortable eating. And I still feel as plant based as the next person. It just took me a little bit longer. And I also made sure that I set myself up for success long term. And I know that doing something before you're completely comfortable can set you up for failure. You can think, oh, well, I messed up, tried it, didn't work for me, instead of continuing on little by little by little by little. And I also feel like that's about money saving too. That could be applied to so many different things.

[Jen]

That's such a good point. The familiarity aspect, that can be such a barrier for many of us. It might not be that, oh, I would never like it or I couldn't sustain it. Just might be, I'm not familiar with it. We kind of stick to the things that we know, but oftentimes when we're willing to branch out, try new things step by step, we learn more about ourselves and we might be open to things we didn't think we were open to. So I love that point about it, I think applies to a lot of different aspects of life too, not just our diets.

[Toni Okamoto]

So true. Actually, it reminds me of the very first time I went to a vegetarian restaurant. A friend who was vegetarian brought me and said, order anything you want. And I looked at the menu. Didn't know of any of the things on there. And I was like, I'll have the white rice. And I literally only ordered white rice because I didn't know anything on there. And for me, becoming plant based, what really opened my world and my palette up to all of these different international cuisines and different types of ingredients because I didn't have a lot of courage to venture out before that.

[Jill]

Yeah, it also has this element of like the all or nothingness that we're so used to. It's either I'm all plant based or I'm all nothing.

[Toni Okamoto]

I'm not plant based. You know, eat everything.

[Jill]

Yeah, it's. Yeah, it's that identity thing. And I think your journey to like over six years to slowly become fully plant based, that gives permission to a lot of people. Like, I'm not a vegetarian anymore, but I eat like probably two or three plant based meals a week. So that doesn't make. You wouldn't think, like, I don't identify as that anymore, but it doesn't mean I can't incorporate it into my life.

[Toni Okamoto]

Exactly. And in fact, I've surveyed my audience and about 65% of people who are part of my community eat everything but want to incorporate more plant based dishes. They realize that it's healthier for you to have very vegetable heavy, fruit heavy meals in your life and want that for their families.

[Jen]

Could we take a moment just to define some of these different words? I know that like we use vegetarian or plant based or. But I know that there's differences between all of these things and some overlap as well. When you talk plant based, Toni, what does that primarily mean for you? Or maybe what's the spectrum that you've seen?

[Jill]

The.

[Toni Okamoto]

This is a really, really heated subject for many, but for me it's not. You can really. If I don't ever judge anybody. So if you want to call yourself vegetarian like I did and pick the pepperoni off of your pepperoni pizza and just not eat that part like you do you. That's. That's how I started. And. And so vegetarian is not eating meat. And there are some ingredients that other vegetarians don't eat as well, but they tend to eat eggs and cheese and other dairy products. And then there's vegan. Vegans often are a little bit more on the ethical side, but there are other vegans who are not and they just want to eat less animal products or no animal products. But that tends to be more of a lifestyle. So no le. No fur. They tried to Buy cruelty free products not tested on animals. And so it's more of a lifestyle. And then plant based, this is the one that's a little bit tricky. I know people who are plant based and are die hard plant based, but they still eat meat sometimes. There are still, there are people who are plant based who they believe that they don't eat oil. I believe oil came from plants and I use plant based synonymous to vegan. So there are, there's like a whole spectrum of just the word plant based. And I feel like if you want to eat more plants and you feel comfortable labeling yourself plant based us, you do you.

[Jen]

That's amazing. If we just want to stick to the basics of plant based meaning plants, then that's great.

[Toni Okamoto]

Yeah, that's how I feel. That's how I feel. I eat food that was made from plants and that that is a very, very vast range of food.

[Jen]

Yeah. So for someone hearing this and realizing, great, I can intersect with this concept, this way of eating and living on a variety of ways. What would you say is the easiest way for someone to get started if they're also considering their budget?

[Toni Okamoto]

I know that Jen has a lot of thoughts about this with meal planning, because that's always where I start. I feel like having a plan with saving money, period, is going to get you far and really taking stock of what's in your pantry so that you're not buying ingredients that you don't need and not finding it. Not finding recipes that are online that require a whole new list of ingredients that you have to spend money on and maybe don't go together. So you can't use the celery that you have left over in your soup because now you're making a pasta and pasta doesn't have that salary. So being a little bit thoughtful and smart about your planning and then using that planning at the grocery store, because the grocery store is like a very hard place to navigate when you're on a budget. Yes, I know. Yeah. The marketing is so fantastic. They've got colors and beautiful signage. And what we don't know as consumers often is that there is a lot of paid placement at the grocery store. So when you go in and you see this big like sale sign, tomato sauce is $1, you're thinking, oh great, this is, I needed tomato sauce. But often that's not the cheapest and it's better for you to avoid that intro section and then also the end caps and go straight to the aisle. Look for your tomato sauce. Don't even look just in Your line of sight, look all the way around because that could be paid placement too. And look for the cheapest by price per ounce. So often that's private label, but still do your diligence and make sure that's the cheapest. And there are so many hacks like that. When you're at the grocery store just shopping smartly, making sure that you've eaten before you've gone so that you don't purchase impulses, make sure you have a plan so that you're not randomly grabbing ingredients because they're on sale or because they look good or because you just want to try them and stick to the plan.

[Jen]

Yeah, it seems like such a misconception that going plant based would be more expensive when the reality is that meat is what usually costs us a lot of money. Although I know even for myself if we're starting to talk about cutting dairy, then there's a lot of other alternatives. And sometimes I see that those alternatives to whatever recipes are going to call for that might have dairy in it, the alternatives might be more expensive. And so I'm curious your thoughts on how to begin. Like if someone were at that end of the spectrum with, I also want to cut out like the dairy and the cheeses and the eggs and all of that. And yet trying to find some reasonable alternatives, how might they go about. Yeah. Planning for that? Well and wisely within their money, I've.

[Toni Okamoto]

Found that sticking to plants like whole foods is going to be the cheapest option. And you can still have a very delicious and familiar experience with tastes and textures with your seasonings. And one thing that I go back to all the time, because I come from a family of meat lovers and I don't eat meat. But I've also been on a budget for my whole adult life. I lived under the poverty line until maybe in the past four years. And so I was on a tight budget. And one meal that I kept going back to are lentil tacos. Lentil tacos are my favorite. You use all the same thing. You wouldn't put cheese on it, but it's still delicious. And you would cook the lentils instead of the beef and you'd flavor them the same. You'd use, I use a taco seasoning packet. But if you, if you use all the, if you make your own blend, that's fine too with some onion, lettuce, tomato and corn tortillas. Oh my gosh, delicious. My meat loving family loves it, so it doesn't have to be a sacrifice. And also if you give Food a try without the alternatives because those can get pricey. You'll find that with the right seasonings, it's so filled with flavor and it's healthier for you.

[Jen]

Yeah. And we're all about values based budgeting and spending anyway. So if this is a decision that we want to make with the way that we're feeding ourselves and interacting with the world, then we can find room to do that and cut in other places as well. But also it's like anything else, like going minimal or you name it, where there's a way to do it expensive and there's a way to do it within our means. And both can be really, really amazing and really great and really tasty. I find that people who like are primarily plant based eat that way. They make incredible food. I think maybe because there's more time and maybe not a ton of extra time and effort, but like you care more about like the main, if the.

[Jill]

Main dish is the veggie we just actually use.

[Jen]

Whereas like if you're cooking meat all the time, if you're like, you don't have to do that, but then you never get really good at cooking.

[Toni Okamoto]

Yeah, that's so true. I, when I first started my cooking journey, did not know how to mix the different spices and blend different ingredients. And I grew up, I had two phases of my life. I was brought into this world by teenage parents. But my dad went into the Navy full time right after he found out that I was going to be born. And I lived with my grandparents during that time. They were retired and they both were very interested in food. My grandpa was a Japanese gardener here in the Central Valley and my Central Valley of California. And my grandma was a Mexican woman who took his food and made us delicious meals from scratch. And so they were very rich in plants and fresh foods. But then I went and moved in with my dad and we ate like bachelors. So I moved in with him when I was 11 years old. And I loved Hamburger Helper. I loved hot dogs with chili, I loved top ramen Mac and cheese, you name it, we ate like bachelors. That's just how it went. And, and so I didn't develop the cooking skills because I was too young when I was living with my grandma. And I relied heavily on packaged foods. And so going into learning how to cook vegetarian and, and then plant based. Later on I had to experiment. And what I did was I would go to the library and check out books and I would invite a few friends over for, we called it Womanly Wednesdays and we would watch a rom com and make food together where we all brought different ingredients because we were all very budget conscious and trying to save money and didn't have a lot of money. So we would cook together and make these hu huge meals where maybe it would be like a big pot of vegetable soup with a loaf of bread and a salad and everybody brought certain ingredients and we shared the cost, share the food, and also had meaningful time together. So it was a really beautiful experience. But it allowed me to play with things in recipes like ingredients and recipes that may be too expensive. So if some. If kale was called for, but spinach was what I had on hand already, I would say, hope this works and give it a try. And. And so that's really how it happens all the time. Yes. And in plant Based on a budget, Quick and easy. My new cookbook, I actually have lines in every recipe that just say my tips. And they're for the reader to customize each of the recipes based on their own preference. Because that's how I cook. I take something guide and I change it up based on my family's preferences, based on what I have on hand. And I'll say things like, well, that didn't work. Try to swap this out. Or it did work.

[Jill]

Yes.

[Jen]

I love the tip of doing this with a community, exploring something, especially going back to what you said at the beginning about familiarity being a barrier sometimes to trying new things or exploring a different way of life or eating. But then when we bring other people into it and we can do it together, you've got that element of familiarity. And then also just like sharing the cost together and having fun cooking together, probably learning new skills, trying new things. Like, there's so much that I love about your womanly Wednesdays. It doesn't have to be called that, but, oh, it's so amazing.

[Toni Okamoto]

And there are a lot of other ways to do this too, like food sharing. I love food sharing. That is my love language. I want to feed you and I want to celebrate your birthday by making you a big cake. So that is how I express love. And there are a lot of ways to save money and time in the kitchen by using those practices, whether you're cooking together and making a big, giant, giant batch of food and having your friends bring their Tupperware so that they can take them home for leftovers and you can have leftovers. Or another thing that I've done in the past is if I'm making a dish for dinner, maybe I'll ask my co worker to also make a double batch for dinner and we can swap the other one. So if I'm making two casseroles and you're making two casseroles that are both different, you can swap the next day so that you're not having to make two separate dishes, buy two separate recipe ingredients, yet you still share food and cut back on the labor and time in the kitchen.

[Jen]

Yes, totally.

[Jill]

Oh, my gosh. We get a lot of our single listeners asking, like, how do I meal plan and make like this full recipe and then I don't want to eat it for the next five days. What a great idea. And like, just emphasizing further the value of community and doing this thing in community to be able to like, hey, I'm just going to cut it in half and then we can like swap, like, yes.

[Toni Okamoto]

I also have a tip for the single listener and maybe the single listener who's an introvert and doesn't have or maybe want a big community. So I actually have had that experience 100 million times where I've made a big pot and then I hated it five days later. And one thing that I've really loved doing, and I include some notes, notes on this, on my, in my book too, are if I make a big batch of chili or soup, I'll take split pea soup, for example. I will make it very plain. The first day it'll be very plain. And then the next day I will take a ladle and I'll spice it differently with nutritional yeast. And now it's got a cheesy flavor. The next day I'll take another ladle and I'll put some hickory smoke in there and it's going to have a smoky flavor. Now the next day I'll take an another ladle and I'll put lemon juice and some sriracha and maybe some pepper. And now it's got a tangy, spicy taste. And so you can put in the effort, make a pretty plain dish and change up the flavors every day so that you really have a slightly different experience and not hate it a week later.

[Jen]

Oh, I thought you were gonna say you make a bunch and you put some in the freezer, which is still a really great tip. We love the freezer, but you're blowing my mind right now. Taking it to the next level.

[Jill]

I think you've just done a be like. You have beautifully emphasized how eating more plant based does not have to be more expensive that it can. There are tons of ways that it can save you money. I feel like in the times where I'VE seen people spend a lot on it. It's like the times where they're trying to replace like product for product. So like doing the plant based pizza, buying the ready made frozen one, it's like obviously going to be more expensive. But also I think, and I am, I have been guilty of this in my early days of doing like procrastispending. So like, instead of.

[Jen]

Did you come up with that?

[Jill]

Yes, I did. It was inspired by a friend of mine who like wanted to get back into running. And so he bought new running shoes, new running shirts, shorts, everything, and then never got back into running. But he, he thought he was doing something because he was spending money on the thing. And that is the same with like, like going vegan or vegetarian is okay, I'm gonna buy all of these foods that are vegan and vegetarian and totally do an overhaul of my kitchen and get ready and then never follow through. And they feel like they've done something because they've spent money on it. And I have done this before. And that's where we find ourselves thinking, oh, this is too expensive. But the reality is that in going small and doing these just small common sense things like, oh, it saves you so much money.

[Toni Okamoto]

I love, I love what you just said because it reminds me of a book that I read quite some time ago called Born to Run. And it was pretty much the same thing. Stop buying fitness gear. Get into running first. Yeah, try it out, see if you like it. And then maybe 50 miles, 100 miles after of running later, get new shoes first. Then put in another 50 miles or 100 miles, then get new pants. Like it doesn't, it doesn't have to come before the actual doing of the thing. And, and so that's such a good comparison.

[Jill]

Yeah, try the lentils. Try the black beans before the tempeh and the tofu and the seitan. Like, yeah, start small and not all at the same time. Like one plant based meal also start.

[Toni Okamoto]

And then keep trying. Because I hated brown rice. I had never had brown rice before and I did not like it to like the 10th try. So sometimes you have to try it like 10 times and then you might like it.

[Jen]

They do say that. I think the research I'm using air quotes is you have to try something 11 times before you acquire a taste for it if it's a new thing.

[Jill]

Also it takes you like 10 times to figure out how to make brown rice. I think like 10 times of making it to start making it. Right. I make it like pasta now. So I'll just put a lot of water in and then drain it at the end. Then you never run out of water. You never worry about it being too dry. Wow. So that's my. That's my brown rice.

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[Narrator]

See full [e-mail] ready for another dose of mystery, mind games and psychological intrigue? The Hulu Original series nine Perfect Strangers starring Nicole Kidman is back for an all new season. This season, a new group of visitors with mysterious connections to each other journey to an exotic healing retreat set high in the Swiss Alps. In this opulent winter wonderland, the group is subjected to a unique vision of therapy that takes them to the very edge of sanity. As they peel back the layers in a series of shocking twists and character revelations, the retreat's leader reveals her own complex motives as the strangers unravel before our eyes, everything is revealed in a visually stunning and intoxicating finale that will leave you breathless. Starring Nicole Kidman and with an all star cast including Christine Baranski, Murray Bartlett, Henry Golding, Annie Murphy, Mark Strong and King Princess, nine Perfect Strangers is your next must watch drama. The season premiere of Nine Perfect Strangers premieres May 21st. Streaming on Hulu.

We're leaving today and entering a world of Cinderella, castle, sightseeing, Tron light cycling, jungle cruise, punning, pirate, Swashbuckling Everest Climbing Dapper Danning Danning Dunning Soarin Soaring fireworks show of. I'm not crying. You're crying. World of favorites for whatever you love, infinite worlds await at the most magical place on earth. Walt Disney World Resort.

[Jill]

So let's talk a little bit about the time involved with Plant based because especially if we're following these tips for the less expensive foods that are not the prepackaged, that are not like necessarily the pre prepared. Like how can we cut the time cost of going plant based? Or does it even. Do you even find that it costs more time?

[Toni Okamoto]

It can. When I started Plant Based on a budget, I had very little money. I was negative, a lot of money. And then the cash I had in my life was very little. And so I made a lot of the food that I ate from scratch. I made my bread, I made my pasta sauces. And I really, if I wanted to eat that way because I just, I had more time at that point in my life than I had money. I made it work. But now I have more disposable income than I do time. I feel like I'm super stressed, strapped for time and I splurge now on a can of beans instead of making my beans from scratch. Not 100% of the time, but that's something that's a good example of what I would splurge on now, even though it's so much more economical to make them yourself and they taste better. So I will say you can spend a lot of time, but some of the ways to avoid that are thinking simply, it doesn't have to be an elaborate meal. You can make maybe a pot of brown rice for the week and throw things together like a hummus wrap or a burrito with a can of beans and your rice and some tomatoes and some lettuce and salsa and that's your lunch for the week. Or put some hummus and vegetables. So that's something that's quick and easy. Pasta with frozen veggies, a can of cannellini beans and red sauce. Also very quick, easy, familiar. It doesn't take more than 15 minutes to throw any of those meals together. So that's when I am on the go. I tend to or trying to get out of the kitchen as quickly as possible. Those are the meals that I rely on. But the style of eating that I do at home the most is cooking legume and a grain and then mix and matching those throughout the week. So I'll throw them in a soup with veggies. I'll throw them in a burrito. I'll do some fried rice with some brown rice and some vegetables. And I use tofu, I use beans, I use lentils, I use split peas. I use different types of lentils, red, brown, green. So there are a lot of protein sources that are very inexpensive and you can play with those to decide which ones you like better. But I use one of those, a grain and then either a store bought sauce or a sauce that I make, plus some vegetables and I throw them all together and mix and match them throughout the week. That's my style of eating. But there are a lot of others. You can do the one pot thing that I mentioned earlier with the soup or chili and change it up. You can do the freezer friendly meals that you mentioned earlier. And there's a way of meal prepping for everybody.

[Jen]

Again, it sounds like a spectrum of however you want to intersect. You can find a way that doesn't take a lot of time and you can find a way that takes a ton of time. And I also like how you're giving yourself permission to trade off time and money. Sometimes we don't have a surplus of both, sometimes we have a surplus of neither. But sometimes it's, it's, you know, you've got more than one than the other. And so figuring out what kind of trade off works for us, maybe we've got a little bit more money than time, so I'm willing to pay for convenience or I've got more time than money. So I'm going to do a lot of the things myself. And that's just a really helpful kind of foundational concept here.

[Toni Okamoto]

I love that you said that because it also puts your head into thinking what actually costs more. And if you value your time at a certain amount and then you look at the thing, we'll say beans or pizza dough is $2 at Trader Joe's and can sometimes I can put together two personal pizzas with that versus it will take me about an hour to make pizza dough. If I do it from scratch and I let it rest, what am I valuing my time at and making those decisions based on what's going to actually cost you more.

[Jen]

Yeah. Speaking of a spectrum and making decisions, I resonated a lot with you when you were describing like growing up and the difference between being with your grandparents and then being with your dad and kind of what the eating landscape looked like. And I think you're describing a lot of people's households now when you've got maybe one spouse who wants to eat one way and another or partner who wants to eat a different way. I can kind of relate just personally with the way that my husband enjoys eating. Now don't get me wrong, like I am down for like a good Mac and cheese but there are times when I'll go a little bit more healthy plant based and sometimes he's on board, sometimes he's not. So like for someone like me or anyone else who can relate to that situation, do you have any advice for maybe one person wants to go plant based but the partner loves meat or loves bachelor eating. They just can't get away from their ramen and hot dogs. I do like hot dogs too though.

[Toni Okamoto]

I have, I have a different scenario in my house where even though I eat pretty healthy ish, my husband eats super ultra healthy and doesn't use oil and doesn't like salt and all the, the things I think are tasty. And so the way I get around that is I make and I a way that I think you can do this if your partner wants to eat meat or cheese is make a, make a meal that is pretty plain again. And then I take the, we'll say pasta and sauce and in mine I can really flavor it up with what I want. I can saute my own veggies if I but in his I've used the same pasta and the same sauce and he can be responsible for what goes in that. I can put some vegan cheese if I wanted that I can put in. You name it, whatever he doesn't like, that's what I can do. I hate mushrooms. I know I'm the worst vegetarian. But in his he loads his up with mushrooms. He'll put nutritional yeast for that cheesy flavor. And I, I don't want that pasta. So you can make a the same base and then take it and create your own preferences using that base negotiation station.

[Jen]

I love that that your tip isn't here's just how to manipulate them into your way of thinking and doing but here's a way that you both can get what you want and, and need and value and there's space for that. That's wonderful.

[Jill]

Yeah.

[Toni Okamoto]

I have been vegan for 16 years now and there's one thing I've learned is that you cannot force anyone to do anything. You can only be kind and loving and hope that they will support you and accommodate you. And I have found that approach. My friends want to make sure that I'm included. So often they'll look for a vegetarian restaurant or they'll make Mostly everything. All the sides that Thanksgiving, vegan, except the protein on the table so that I can enjoy all of them. So that has been my experience, and I've tried a lot of different approaches. That's the one that works. It's really hard to try to push someone into something that they don't want to do. And they can resent you, they can make life harder for you, but if you just say, you know, this is what I'm doing. If you want to change yours up, I'll give you the meal before I dress mine in the way that I want to.

[Jill]

Yeah, we had a similar experience because I was a vegetarian when I met my husband, and for the first, I guess, five, six years of our relationship until I got pregnant and I craved a chick fil. A chicken sandwich, and I pregnancy, and that was it. And I just. I would cook only vegetarian. And he never stopped eating meat. Like, he would eat it if he went out somewhere, but I wouldn't buy it if it was in the house. He bought it and, like, or it was leftovers. And he was very. I mean, I'm very lucky in that he was very, you know, okay with that happening. He's like, I wouldn't eat healthy on my own, so this is kind of like the only way I would eat healthy. And sometimes he says he misses it, and then other times he says, I'm glad you cook meat. So I don't know. But yeah, I do, like, cook half vegan or vegetarian meals every week. So. But yeah, I think it was really, if he wanted meat, he was on his own. And it's not like I was like, oh, meat can't be in my house. But, yeah, I wasn't gonna cook it.

[Toni Okamoto]

That's how my. My best friend from childhood, she told her husband, this is what I'm making. And if you want to do your meat, if you want to cook your chicken, you can do that and add it to the meal that I make if you really want to. And he was gung ho about it for, like, five seconds and then realized how much effort it was to put in the time to one, he. He bought this, like, big, giant Costco pack of chicken. And he was like, I'm never gonna eat this if you're not eating it. It's like it's taking up so much space. So one, he was thinking, gosh, I wish I didn't buy that big thing, because now I don't want to do it. He did the runner thing. He bought the product before he realized he did not want to cook before.

[Jill]

He gave it a chance. Yep, yep. Procrastis spending.

[Jen]

Do you know what? We always give a chance and it hits all ends of the spectrum.

[Jill]

Never procrastinate. This one.

[Jen]

The bill of the week. That's right. It's time for the best minute of your entire week. Maybe a baby was born and his name is William.

[Toni Okamoto]

Maybe you paid off your mortgage.

[Jill]

Maybe your car died and you're happy.

[Jen]

To not have to pay that bill anymore.

[Toni Okamoto]

Duck bills.

[Jill]

Buffalo bills.

[Toni Okamoto]

Bill Clinton.

[Jill]

This is the bill of the week, Toni. Every week we invite our listeners and our guests to share with us a bill that they love, hate, lost, gained, whatever. It's vague for a reason. A person named Bill. Tony, we would love to hear yours.

[Toni Okamoto]

I very, very rarely go to Starbucks Bucks. But I went there and someone before me paid for my bill. And I knew that that was a thing that happens to other people. And it's like something you hear exists, but not to me. And I almost hugged that person. We weren't like post Covid times and people were a little bit weird about hugging. Stay away from me. I probably. I couldn't believe it. It was so nice, and it made me want to be in a place where I could do that too.

[Jill]

Oh, that's cool.

[Jen]

What did you end up getting?

[Toni Okamoto]

I got a hot chocolate with soy milk.

[Jill]

Yum.

[Jen]

I don't know why that sounds, like, so adorable to me. I don't think I've heard, like, a grown adult talk about getting hot chocolate and so long. And it's so endearing.

[Toni Okamoto]

Yes, it was delicious.

[Jill]

I bet. And especially with soy milk because I still order soy milk at Starbucks. I know it's like not in anymore, but.

[Toni Okamoto]

Oh, I.

[Jen]

It's not in.

[Jill]

I know.

[Jen]

It's not on trend anymore.

[Toni Okamoto]

It's not old school about it too. I love soy milk.

[Jill]

Yes.

[Toni Okamoto]

Wow.

[Jen]

Well, I'm not a big Starbucks fan, so that'd be the only way to get me there is if someone else bought mine. So I'm here for it. I'm here for that bill, just in a different, different perspective. Oh, man. If anyone listening has a bill where someone else maybe paid for you. Bought you your hot dog.

[Jill]

Barista's name is Bill.

[Jen]

Chocolate milk or your barista. You know, we're here for the people named Bill. We don't get enough of them. Visit frugalfriendspodcast.com bill. Be a bill or leave a bill.

[Jill]

The choice is yours.

[Jen]

Looking to save even more money on your phone bill? How does free sound? Helium mobile is offering the first free phone plan. That's right. Free phone service. Seriously. No bill, no contract, just free.

[Toni Okamoto]

It's not just some limited time deal. You get nationwide 5G coverage with 3 gigabytes of data, 300 texts and 100 minutes of calls. If you need more data, you can upgrade to their other plans. Plus, you're supporting a community built network that's growing every day to keep you seamlessly connected wherever you go.

[Jen]

When we first heard about Helium Mobile, we couldn't wait to share it with all our frugal listeners who are looking to budget smarter when it comes to everyday necessities without sacrificing quality.

[Toni Okamoto]

So if you're in the market to cut that monthly phone bill, like really cut it, Helium Mobile is where it's at. Download the Helium Mobile app today and use the code Frugal to get your free plan today.

[Narrator]

Ready for another dose of mystery, mind games and psychological intrigue? The Hulu Original Series Nine Perfect Strangers starring Nicole Kidman is back for an all new season. This season, a new group of visitors with mysterious connections to each other journey to an exotic healing retreat set high in the Swiss Alps. In this opulent winter wonderland, the group is subjected to a unique vision of therapy that takes them to the very edge of sanity. As they peel back the layers in a series of shocking twists and character revelations, the retreat's leader reveals her own complex motives as the strangers unravel before our eyes. Everything is revealed in a visually stunning and intoxicating finale that will leave you breathless. Starring Nicole Kidman and with an all star cast including Christine Baranski, Murray Bartlett, Henry Golding, Annie Murphy, Mark Strong and King Princess, Nine Perfect Strangers is your next must watch drama. The season premiere of Nine Perfect Strangers premieres May 21, streaming on Hulu.

We're leaving today and entering a world of Cinderella, Castle sightseeing, Tron Light cycling, Jungle cruise punning Pirate swashbuckling, Everest climbing Dapper Danning Danning Dunning Soaring soaring Fireworks show of I'm not crying, you're crying. World of Favorites for whatever you love, infinite worlds await at the moment most magical place on Earth.

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[Jen]

And now it's time for the lightning round.

[Jill]

Pew, pew. All right, for this week's lightning round, we will all take turns answering this question.

[Jen]

Toni already answered this like a ton of times, but I'm still excited for her answer.

[Jill]

What's your favorite inexpensive plant based meal to make, Toni?

[Jen]

This is the vulnerability round.

[Jill]

Yeah, this is her vulnerability round. It gets a little less vulnerable when we have a guest. But I love soup.

[Toni Okamoto]

Soup is so comforting to me. And some people say that they love soup and soup season, but here in Sacramento, it gets like 110 degrees and I'm still eating soup.

[Jill]

Yes, yes, I know I can't. I have a soup season and so there's only a few months a year that I can eat soup.

[Jen]

The closest I get to eating soup is chili, but then I gotta have it with rice or something.

[Jill]

But I do love soup person. I love a soup.

[Jen]

Yeah, yeah.

[Jill]

What's your, what's your go to right now?

[Toni Okamoto]

Right now I've been loving a super vegetable heavy but with a, like a clear broth. And I do little tofu cubes so that I can feel like it's chicken noodle. Like, and I'll put in a pasta or something like that to make it hearty. Or white rice. My grand. Like, like a chicken and rice type soup with white rice. That's delicious too.

[Jen]

I love the word hearty. Like, if you tack on the term hearty to any meal, I am here for it.

[Jill]

Yes. I love a minestrone. Minestrone, however you say it, with a little shell pasta and veggies. Yes.

[Jen]

What about you, Jen?

[Jill]

Okay, okay. So I don't wanna toot my own horn.

[Jen]

Please don't. Cause that sounds gross.

[Jill]

But I feel like I have perfected two things in the kitchen and only two things. I am not a chef. I have perfected the kale Salad.

[Jen]

Yeah, you have.

[Jill]

So in salad season, I am making delicious kale salads.

[Jen]

Yeah, you have.

[Jill]

And I will do this. This, like, kind of mayonnaise based dressing. I make my own dressings. And you use like a plant based mayonnaise with. Oh, my gosh.

[Jen]

It's just.

[Jill]

You use the mayonnaise instead of oil and then like an apple cider vinegar and other stuff and strawberries and walnuts.

[Jen]

Yum.

[Toni Okamoto]

Oh, sounds delicious.

[Jill]

Oh, yes.

[Toni Okamoto]

My stomach literally just grumbled. I wish, I wish I had my, My. Yeah, I really, I really grumbled. You might go back and listen to it. You might hear it.

[Jen]

A hearty kale, I love.

[Jill]

It's so much better the next day. You just gotta massage it. Count to 60, massage your kale. Or if it's not salad season, I have also perfected crispy tofu, which is hard to do.

[Toni Okamoto]

Yeah, it is.

[Jill]

So I will put tofu in everything. And even my husband loves it.

[Jen]

Even him.

[Jill]

Yes. So I will mix it. The secret is, and I got this from, I think, Cookie and Kate. The secret is a tablespoon of soy, a tablespoon of oil, and a tablespoon of cornstarch. Just make up that slurry. Toss your cubes in.

[Toni Okamoto]

Bake. Yum.

[Jill]

That is slurry. Slurry, yeah, cornstarch.

[Toni Okamoto]

Slurry.

[Jen]

I like that word too.

[Jill]

Yes. You can use like liquid aminos too, if you're not on gluten. But like. Yes, like that is. That is everything. I'll put it in the kale salad.

[Jen]

The other day, she's not with us anymore. Her mind is on food.

[Jill]

I made a warm kale salad with the tofu and oh, my gosh.

[Toni Okamoto]

I put.

[Jill]

I roasted some butternut squash. It had some quinoa and some almonds. I think, yeah, maybe pepitas. I don't know. I don't know what my. Oh, gosh, yes. And so it was warm when I served it. And then next day, for leftovers, it was a cold kale salad.

[Jen]

So it was like, that's Tony's thing. It's right out of Tony's book.

[Jill]

But my husband did call me the next day and was like, should I microwave this? It feels weird to microwave a salad. I'm like, no. I mean, it should feel weird.

[Jen]

No, no, you shouldn't. You want to know what Jen's real response was? Because I. She was at my house and I heard her on the phone with her husband. She's like, these are the kinds of decisions you need to be able to make on your own. I'm like, what? What is happening? She's like, yeah, that was Travis. I'm like, why was it.

[Jill]

Just joking.

[Jen]

Okay. I couldn't tell. I don't know if you could tell.

[Jill]

I was just telling. I was like. I was like, dude, you gotta, like, you gotta make these decisions for your life, you know? Like, you gotta. You gotta know thyself.

[Jen]

Yes.

[Toni Okamoto]

Yep.

[Jen]

For me, it's like a chickpea rice bowl with all sorts of other goodies into it. But I love what can happen with chickpeas with a variety of seasoning baked. They get just a nice crisp to them and. And then other veggies thrown into there, and that's fun for me.

[Jill]

Yeah, I did a chickpea and sweet potato curry last night.

[Toni Okamoto]

I was just saying, oh, nice.

[Jen]

I just made this recently. And then I saw you that night we went like, midnight bowling, and. Which was fun. And my husband was like, oh, no, I'm really hungry. Why am I so hungry? I'm like, well, because normally we're not up at this time and your body's just expending energy. But also, I did make just a vegetarian meal. He's like, I think it. Cause. Cause there wasn't any meat dinner tonight. And then Jen's sitting there. She's like, no, it's because you didn't put enough protein in your meal. And that was fun. That little exchange.

[Jill]

That was a fun exchange we just recently had.

[Jen]

See, that's what happens I think sometimes is there's, like, these ideas around what it means to be plant based. You're not gonna get enough food, but you can. You can enough food and all your nutrients. You just don't stay up till midnight bowling. That's the trick, really.

[Toni Okamoto]

When you said midnight, I was like.

[Jill]

Yeah, anybody's gonna need a. I know they are.

[Jen]

And this one's pregnant, so I know she was the real hero.

[Jill]

I spent all day conserving my energy for that outing. It was a special occasion, so. Well, Tony, thank you so much for joining us. Please tell everyone where they can find more from you find your book, et cetera.

[Toni Okamoto]

Thank you so much for having me. And I loved our conversation. People can find me@plant basedonabudget.com My book is called Plant Based on a Budget. Quick and Easy. And it's available anywhere you buy books and@plant basedonabudgetcookbook.com and I'm on Instagram at Plant. Plant Based on a Budget.

[Jen]

Amazing. Just everywhere. Plant Based on a Budget.

[Jill]

There you go.

[Jen]

So great.

[Jill]

Easy.

[Jen]

Thanks for being with us. Tony.

[Toni Okamoto]

Thank you. Thank you again.

[Jen]

I enjoyed talking to her. That was a fun one.

[Jill]

Yes. And I am. I'm still into kale salads. I'm gonna bring it back. A good massaged kale is such a hearty green. It's so good, so filling and with a crispy tofu. That's a good protein right there. I mean, I'll do it with other proteins, but I do. Being vegetarian was a big reason we were able to spend so little on food. When we paid off debt, this was.

[Jen]

A good reminder of how much I love chickpeas. I have not made chickpeas in a long time or, like, done something with them. But it's funny. Just this week I put them back in my meal plan. I'm gonna make a chickpea, heart of palm, and beet salad.

[Toni Okamoto]

Wow.

[Jen]

Yeah. Because I have all of those cans in my pantry from the hurricane. I went a little not so during the hurricane this past season.

[Jill]

Who didn't?

[Jen]

And just bought all kinds of random. Some stuff that I'm like, oh, maybe this will feel elevated if we are without power for weeks on end. It didn't ever end up eating them, but now I just have like a can of pickled beets and hearts of palm and chickpeas, and I'm like, what do I do with this? Anyways, I'll probably talk about it in the Sunday reset. So if you're not subscribed to our YouTube channel, you definitely need to be because we give six recipes every week. We talk about our meal plans, the recipes we liked, so you can know they've been tested by the frugal friends. So I'm gonna end up talking about that in our Sunday reset.

[Jill]

Perfect. Well, thank you so much for listening. We hope you enjoyed this episode as much this time around as you did the first. And if you have listened to the show and enjoyed it, we would love if you would leave a rating and review on Spotify. If you've read our book Buy what yout Love without going Broke. We would also love if you would leave it a rating and review on amaz, the place most people go to determine if a book is worth reading. Even if you don't buy it from the platform, which we would encourage you to buy it from. Bookshop.org like Jennifer Carney left this Amazon review. 5 stars. An absolute gem of a book that's focused on spending. I loved this book so much. It's a breath of fresh air from other personal finance books. The focus is not on budgeting. Or baby steps and is instead is on understanding values and all the things that trigger spending. If you already have your budget, this book is the next step to think more about spending habits. It's worth coming back to reread and reference Jen and Jill's words. The writing is nonjudgmental. One of the biggest takeaways. Retail therapy can feel like one thing we can control when things are chaotic. Wow, that is a good takeaway. I love that that was is one of your biggest takeaways because we very often think of a lack of self discipline with spending as some kind of failure or lack of control when really it is a small thing we can control when other bigger things are outside of our control. So way to go.

[Jen]

I appreciate how some people look at our book as a great place to start and other people find it to be helpful when they've already begun and kind of dig deeper. Yeah, I do think we offer both to people. Wherever you're at, you can find something for you. So thanks Jennifer for that and thank you all for listening. If you have not yet listened or rated this show, please do that wherever you're listening. If you've not yet read the book, feel free to do that. We would love to hear what stood out to you, what your biggest takeaway is and for you to leave a rating and review of the book on Amazon on goodreads. That'd be so, so helpful.

[Jill]

Yes. BuyWhatYouLoveBook.com and we will see you next time.

[Jen]

Bye.

[Jill]

Frugal Friends is produced by Eric Sirianni. So Memorial Day is coming up, right? Yeah, it is my kid. Kid's last week of school. Well, one of them. The other one's in daycare and he gets to go through but two and a half more days until summertime and the living's easy. No.

[Jen]

Something tells me that's not gonna be your experience.

[Jill]

Yeah. No.

[Jen]

All right, tell me all of your plans, hopes and dreams for you and Kai. Fun, fun boy summer.

[Jill]

I Fun boy summer. Okay. Coined. I am definitely gonna go to the gym more because I'm gonna be out of the office much more. So I actually switched gym memberships to one that has a daycare so I'll be able to have Kai there and move my body a little bit more, which will feel better in this time of like, heightened stress and anxiety for me and getting outside in the mornings. Just kind of having an excuse to be lazy and not feel guilty about it.

[Jen]

Yeah.

[Jill]

So probably clean the house more, do laundry more consistently.

[Jen]

What if you fall in love with Funboy Summer.

[Jill]

No, I don't foresee that.

[Jen]

For the silver linings.

[Jill]

Yeah. Yes, I'm looking at the silver lining. But I will miss the office and I will look forward to getting back to the office. I already have a plan to put Kai, like to do the YMCA thing the before school. I'm gonna get him in that next year. Doesn't cost a lot.

[Jen]

What does that mean?

[Jill]

So I could drop him off earlier so I have like a full work day instead of short to get bussed.

[Jen]

From the YMCA to school?

[Jill]

No, it's at his school.

[Jen]

Oh, the YMCA posts up at school?

[Jill]

Yeah, at schools. Yeah. They didn't have that at your schools or your mom just like was able to take you to and from school like a. Like a regular mom?

[Jen]

I don't remember my childhood.

[Jill]

Oh, I don't know.

[Jen]

I was homeschooled for a year. I went to private school for like a year and went to public school for a year. I don't. I don't remember what happened.

[Jill]

All right. My mom had a regular job so she had to drop me off the YMCA in the cafeteria in the morning so she could get to work at 9. And then I had to go there after school too.

[Jen]

Yeah, I think our school had a program in the morning. I don't think it was run by the Y though. It was just the teachers. Some teachers were there early and that was that.

[Jill]

Nice.

[Jen]

Yeah.

[Jill]

So.

[Jen]

Okay, cool.

[Jill]

Yeah, that's exciting. We'll see how fun boy summer goes.

[Jen]

Well, hold on though. These are all like, what you're gonna do? What does would Kai have an answer to what he's looking forward to this summer?

[Jill]

He's looking forward to whatever I'm looking forward to.

[Jen]

Oh, laundry, working out.

[Toni Okamoto]

Perfect.

[Jill]

Yep. Don't ask him, but that is his answer.

[Jen]

Funboy Summer starts in two days.

[Jill]

Woo.

[Narrator]

Your dream getaway welcome in starts at the airport. With Amex Platinum, you get access to the Centurion Lounge where you can find space to send off that last work email, fill up on premium dining, and finally relax for up to three hours before takeoff. You might even wish your layover could last just a little longer.

[Jen]

Flight to Mexico, now boarding.

[Narrator]

Oh, that's me.

That's the powerful backing of American Express. Terms apply. For more information, visit americanexpress.com withamx looking.

[Jen]

To save even more money on your phone bill? Well, how does free sound? Helium Mobile is offering the first free phone plan. That's right. Free phone service. Seriously? No bill, no contract, just free.

[Toni Okamoto]

It's not just some limited time deal. You get nationwide 5G coverage with 3 gigabytes of data, 300 texts and 100 minutes of calls. If you need more data, you can upgrade to their other plans. Plus, you're supporting a community built network that's growing every day to keep you seamlessly connected wherever you go.

[Jen]

When we first heard about Helium Mobile, we couldn't wait to share it with all our frugal listeners who are looking to budget smarter when it comes to everyday necessities without sacrificing quality.

[Toni Okamoto]

So if you're in the market to cut that monthly phone bill, like really cut it, Helium Mobile is where it's at. Download the Helium Mobile app today and use the code Froogle to get your free plan.

[Narrator]

Today you have a long list of things to deal with. Check dry eye symptoms off with Refresh Relieva PF Extra Lubricant Eye Drops, offering an advanced formula to soothe and hydrate your dry eyes, Refresh Relieva PF Extra includes moisture locking technology that prevents further irritation and gives you lasting relief. You deserve relief from your dry eye symptoms and your eyes deserve extra. Find Refresh online or in the Eye Drop section at all major retailers. FSA and HSA eligible.

[Toni Okamoto]

Did you know that parents rank financial literacy as the number one most difficult life skill to teach? Meet Greenlight, the debit card and money app for families. With Greenlight, you can send money to kids quickly, set up Chores automate allowance, and keep an eye on what your kids are spending with real time notifications. Kids learn to earn, save and spend wisely, and parents can rest easy knowing their kids are learning about money with guardrails in place. Try Greenlight Risk free [e-mail] iheart you're.

[Jen]

Listening to an iheart podcast.