August 20, 2020

How Staying Healthy Saves You Money

Investing in a healthy lifestyle means healthier finances both now and in the future.

Curb hunger and spending.

With a few healthy snacks from home you can stay away from hunger and that costly vending machine. Spending $2 daily at the office snack machine could cost you over $500 every year. Consider packing your own food to snack on at work. Eating a bag of chips or filling up on sweets may seem cheaper and quicker than bringing your own snacks, but in an hour, your stomach might still be growling. Whole foods and healthy snacks high in protein or fiber will keep you full longer because they digest slower than sugar and simple carbs. Try buying some of your favorite snacks in bulk instead of buying from the vending machine.

Buy in bulk and minimize fast food.

You’ve heard it before that fast food is more expensive than eating at home. And that’s the truth! Buying the ingredients for some of your favorite meals can make your meals go much further. What would have been one or two meals from a package or restaurant is now about five homemade meals. Cut your monthly food bill by eliminating unnecessary eating out and prepare your own meals instead. Your finances will feel better and you’ll feel great saving money to improve your health.

Invest in your future self by eliminating unhealthy habits.

How many times a week do you get drinks with friends? How many packs of cigarettes do you buy a week? Have you actually added up how many movies you’ve rented on Amazon? While these things are fun, too much of anything can be unhealthy. Developing healthier lifestyle habits can save you money now and increase your health later on by minimizing risk of disease or injury that could lead to costly medical expenses. You’ll feel better about yourself and save money too!

Reduce medical expenses with regular exercise.

Investing time and money on staying active could save you thousands of dollars. Have you ever heard someone complain about knee or back pain after moving in a way they haven’t in a while? Those who don’t exercise regularly are at higher risk of injury because their muscles aren’t used to moving. Avoiding exercise or an expensive gym membership could actually cost you more. Most knee, hip, and back injuries that need medical procedures could cost anywhere between $20,000 to $50,000. Split $20,000 into the average $50 gym membership and that’s 33 years’ worth of a gym membership.  Imagine how much you could save by exercising without a gym membership? By staying active, you could both prevent strain on your muscles and your wallet.

By making your health a priority, you can both improve your quality of life and your finances. Try putting more time into healthy eating, regular exercise, and eliminating unhealthy habits this month and see the positive results in yourself and your bank account.