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Nothing drives home the importance of your health like a pandemic. The coronavirus chaos – and the general stresses and strains of modern-day life – have underscored the importance of good health and healthy living for almost everyone. According to Healio, 80 percent of Americans are planning to actively pursue self-care now.
Contrary to what you might think, healthier living doesn’t require a huge financial or time investment. In fact, if you play your cards right, it could help you save money in the long run. In this mini-guide, Femto Medicine offers easy-to-implement suggestions on living healthy while saving money:
Being Physically Healthy Helps You to be Financially Healthy
First, we’d like to point out that your physical well-being is connected to your financial health. Here are some reasons why:
- Lower health insurance premium: When you are healthy, you require less medical care, which automatically reduces your insurance premiums. As you get healthier, you might find that you don’t need as many prescriptions, either. However, for those you do need, you can refill your prescription online, which can save you time and money, especially if you also switch to a doctor who offers video appointments. It all means less drive time and less time taken off work.
- Fewer sick days: You don’t need to take as many sick days at work. That’s time you could put to good use by working more (or just cashing out your extra sick days at the end of the year).
- More energy equals more productivity: When you’re healthy, you have more vitality physically and more focus mentally. You can think clearer, pay attention to your work, and just get more done in less time.
- Fewer vices: Alcohol, smoking, and drugs are often pick-me-ups for people when they’re feeling down. Exercising and good health can bust stress and keep you feeling good in a natural way, reducing your reliance on these harmful substitutes.
- Cheaper entertainment: Finally, healthful activities like going for a walk in nature or swimming down at the beach are (almost) free. Compare that to a $50 night at the cinema and you have some significant savings at the end of the day.
How to Save While Living Healthy
You can switch to a healthier lifestyle and potentially save a great deal of money at the same time. Here are easy suggestions:
- Buying healthy food in bulk
You can buy some types of food for cheap in bulk quantities and store it for a long time – three months, six months, or even up to five years. Some examples from Treehugger are dried beans, lentils, oats, nuts, honey, rice, grains, and maple syrup.
- Growing your own food
Gardening has long been linked to long life. It can be healing, is a good use of your time, and is good exercise besides. Furthermore, if you become a vegetable gardener, you could grow your own food and save big on grocery bills.
- Using employee-wellness benefits
Many employers offer wellness benefits as part of the perks packages for working for them. Some examples are gym memberships, free nutritious food, therapy, spa treatments, counseling, and more. Take advantage of these, if possible.
- Walking or biking to work
The WHO recommends from 150 to 300 minutes of moderate-intensity activity for adults every week. If you bike or walk to work (assuming your work is nearby), you could kill two birds with one stone: get the exercise you need weekly and also save big on transportation costs.
Exercising is an essential part of being healthy. It’s a good idea to pick up a sport or a physical activity you enjoy – it can help you remain fit and maintain your wellbeing long-term, enjoyably. You can even look for online reviews for exercise equipment, like a stationary bike or a jogging stroller. Then, search around for sales on these items. Just make sure you’ll actually use what you purchase.
- Cook your own fancy dinners instead of eating out
Last, but not least, is cooking your own food. By cooking the same meal you’d buy at a restaurant at home, you’d likely end up saving half the cost of the meal. You could also pack your own lunch to work every day, instead of buying. Also, don’t forget to take a look at food discount apps – many offer great deals every once in a while.
You Could Actively Monetize Your Healthy Lifestyle
Many people monetize their healthy lifestyles by launching their own “lifestyle” businesses. For example, starting a yoga studio, opening a sports gear shop, becoming a personal trainer, publishing a health blog, and more. You could make a lot of money this way (or at least finance your healthy lifestyle).
If you’re interested, it’s important that you think like an entrepreneur, brainstorm ideas, research the market, and brand yourself. You may also want to look into getting a DBA (doing business as) name for your company. It makes it easier to branch out into new product or service areas (related to health), so you can try out different things. Also, DBAs allow you to market under a different name if a particular domain isn’t available.
Conclusion
Healthy living is the way nature intended you to live – being vital, enjoying your body, and feeling good about being alive. Make self-care a part of your day-to-day routine, and you will enjoy good health for the remainder of your days. And if you’re looking for articles on health and well-being, visit Femto Health. They offer a wealth of information on a variety of medical topics. Happy healthy living!