INPUT ARTICLE: Article: Northern cardinals are found throughout eastern and central North America from southern Canada into parts of Mexico and Central America. These birds live as far north as Maine or Nova Scotia, Canada down south through Florida and the Gulf Coast. They range as far west as South Dakota, Nebraska, and Texas. Cardinals have also been introduced to California, Hawaii, and Bermuda. Northern cardinals do not migrate so they live in the same place year-round. Cardinals prefer stationary or platform feeders over a hanging variety. Make sure the feeder is sturdy enough to handle the weight of a cardinal (which is equal to 9 US nickels) and that the perches are long enough for the birds to fit on them. Cardinals also like to have cover near feeders, so place it close to trees or shrubs that the birds can flee to if they are frightened. Cardinals like areas with dense foliage and high perches but usually stick to the edges of forests. Suburban landscaping and common backyard trees and scrubs are usually attractive habitats to cardinals. Place a bird bath a few meters away. Bird baths do take a bit of upkeep to keep them clean and attractive to birds. Clean the birdbath every week or more often if used heavily. Scrub the bird feeder with a stiff brush, rinse it with cold water, and then refill it. If you have a buildup of algae or scum on the birdbath, use a mixture of one part chlorine bleach to nine parts water to clean the bath. Then rinse thoroughly before refilling the bath with fresh water. If you live in an area where it freezes in winter, a heated birdbath will be very popular with your cardinals. Cardinals will not nest in nesting boxes, so you just need to make sure there are natural places for the birds. They like thick trees, thickets, or shrubs, where they can nest between 3 and 20 feet off the ground. Food and water doesn't need to be really close to the potential nesting area, but it should be relatively close. For instance, if the thick shrubs are in the back of your house and the food and water are in the front, it should be ok. Cardinals feed most heavily in the morning and evening, so keep track of their daily visits for maximum viewing. They shouldn't be hard to spot, due to their beautiful, brilliant color. Male and female cardinals look different. Male cardinals are typically bright red overall, with a black ring around the beak. Female cardinals are usually predominately brown, with bright red bills and a red crest on the top of their heads. Keep household pets away from feeders, birdbaths, and nesting areas. Avoid using deadly poisons, such as herbicides, insecticides, or fertilizers, in the vicinity of your feeders and birdbaths. Lawn-care chemicals, for instance, are known to contaminate bird food and water and kill all types of songbirds. You can also help cardinals by eliminating the reflection on your windows near feeding or nesting areas. Cardinals are known to fly into windows, which can seriously injure or kill them. Install bird netting, awnings, window screens, or flash tape on the outside of your windows to help cardinals avoid crashing into your windows.

SUMMARY: Make sure cardinals are native to your area. Buy a bird feeder. Provide water. Make sure there are places for cardinals to nest in your yard. Watch for cardinals in your yard. Keep your yard free of predators and harmful chemicals.

INPUT ARTICLE: Article: Most grocery stores post the price per ounce (or kilogram) along with the total cost of a product. Compare the prices per ounce between 2 or 3 different brands to find which one offers a better deal. For example, say that 1 brand of peanut butter offers 20 oz for 8 an ounce, while another company offers 30 oz for 5 per ounce. While you'll be buying a larger amount of peanut butter, the second company offers a much better deal. If the price per ounce isn't listed, a pocket calculator can be handy. Just divide the total price by the number of ounces. Consider buying private-label or store brands. In many cases, these rival the quality of the better-known brands at a significantly lower cost. When your grocery store offers a great discount on an item that you like, take advantage of the sale and stock up! The item probably won't be on sale for very long, so you can save money by buying, say, 6 months' worth of ground beef at once. This is especially helpful for nonperishable items or for foods that can be frozen, including meats and veggies. Keep the stockpiled foods in the freezer until you need them to prevent them from spoiling. Stocking up on a food that you won't use defeats the purpose of this step. If you rarely eat artichokes but they're on sale 10 for $1, it's probably smart not to take advantage of that particular sale. For example, visit your grocery store early and shop for baked goods early in the day. That is when bakeries and grocery stores mark down their day-old items. Also try to shop for meat later in the day. That is when the meat department marks down items about to go past the "sell by" date. This meat is perfectly safe and can be frozen for later use. Your grocery store may have other recurring mark-downs that you can capitalize on. For example, some grocery stores slash their prices on Sunday evenings to prepare for new incoming inventory on Monday. Processed items may be convenientand make up a large part of many people's dietsbut they're usually more expensive and less nutritious. Instead of processed foods, look for whole grains and fresh produce that have more nutritional value. Also try cutting back on expensive meat and dairy products. Look for ways to get your protein from items like beans and nuts. For example, buy inexpensive but healthy foods that are easy to fix, such as oatmeal and legumes. Shop on the periphery of the store where fresh produce is located. Avoid the center aisles where processed and packaged food is found. Wholesale clubs usually sell in bulk at cheaper prices than their competitors. They're especially good for finding cheap packaged foods, and often also have affordable delis and bakeries. Try shopping for your processed and pre-packaged foods at a wholesale club. Also buy durable goods that you'll need in the future, such as bath tissues, grains, canned food and dried beans. Common wholesale clubs include BJ's, Costco and Sam's Club. These stores do charge an annual membership fee, but that's easily offset if you shop there even 12 times a month. If you buy mostly fresh produce and not much packaged food, wholesale clubs are probably not for you.

SUMMARY:
Compare prices between similar items to find the cheaper. Stock up on discounted foods that you know you'll use. Shop early and late in the day for specific discounts. Avoid buying unnecessary processed foods, meat, and dairy. Join a wholesale club to buy bulk food at discounted prices.