11 Ways to Live Healthier and Save Money

Written by Mary Ward - 18 Comments
Categories: diet, health and fitness, productivity tips, self improvement

There is a persistent myth that living healthy is only for the well-off. With hundreds of fast food chains proudly boasting long lists of 99 cent menus – it seems like for those living on a budget, fried burgers and nuggets are the best option. However these are just marketing gimmicks that propagate the myth. Living healthy DOESN’T mean you have to go broke in the process. There are some excellent ways to save money and still lead a healthy and happy life. Here we look at some easy ways to save bundles and keep you and your family on a healthy track.

1.    Buy Organic But Not For Everything: It’s true that organic foods can provide healthier options, but they need not break the bank to do so. First and foremost keep your organic fruits and vegetables limited to those that have an outer skin which you eat. Secondly so long as they say organic, a standard of “certified organic” is not essential. You can get these types of produce at the local farmer’s market for a fraction of the cost of super stores.

2.   Cater Your Coupons: Everybody trying to save some money should certainly look to coupons to do just that. If you really want to save yourself major money but still eat healthy, sign up for a service or through a site that offers a variety of food options. You can even find services catered to the specialty markets that have the healthiest food options where coupons are sent right to your inbox for instant savings at the register.

3.    Buy in Bulk on Lean Proteins: Visiting your local warehouse club or meat market can help you discover some excellent buys on lean proteins. You can buy in bulk and not only save yourself some money, but also ensure that you have plenty of healthy protein options on hand at all times.

4.    Limit Eating Out: Not only does going out to eat drain your bank account, but it can also pack on the fat and calories. Families who cook at home not only save money but tend to have healthier eating habits and even share some family bonding time in the process as they prepare the meal together. You can be in control of what you eat and how much you spend if you cook at home.

5.    Bring Your Lunch: Going out to lunch can end up being a huge monthly expense for a family budget. The smaller charges here and there on quick lunches can really add up—and they can pack the pounds on the waistline. To save yourself some calories and money, bring your lunch or pack it up for your spouse or loved ones to take to work or school.

6.    Cancel the Gym Membership: You burn no more calories working out at a fancy gym than you do in a home gym or outside. You should absolutely maintain regular workouts to live healthy, but you can do so at a fraction of the cost by getting some good workout videos, using the outdoors for workouts, or using free weights in the comfort of your own home.

7.    Find a Health Insurance that Works for You: There are some excellent health insurance plans out there that reward their subscribers for being the picture of health. While medical insurance is a necessity when it comes to your health, research options that will provide lower premiums or even rewards for being healthy.

8.    Learn to Cook Healthy: If you are not a master chef, then it may be worth doing some online research or getting a good book or two to keep you current on healthy recipes. By cooking at home you are automatically saving money, and learning to cook the right foods can save you calories and time. You can get creative and really have fun with new recipes and best of all you don’t have to be a master chef to do so; with all the online resources and books you can easily get help learning the tricks of the trade.

9.    Sign Up for Prescription Savings Programs: Just about every store out there right now offers some sort of prescription program. It’s true that most households will likely spend some substantial money on prescription medications each year and by signing up for a program, you can get some great savings each time you have to get one. You can even transfer an existing prescription for even more savings.

10.    Create Fun Family Workouts: If you are looking for a great way to get the family to bond but don’t want to spend a fortune to do it, come up with some fun ways to incorporate exercise into your next bonding session. Taking walks or hikes together or even going swimming can help you to be healthier, get in some exercise, and do so at a fraction of the price.

11.    Go with Generic Prescription Drugs When Possible: If you need a prescription drug to get you back to being the picture of health, go with a generic version. In most instances the ingredients are the same and will help to heal you at a fraction of the cost.

Far too often we complicate our health and burden it with high expense.  Often, the cheapest route is the healthiest route.  Let these 11 tips be your start to more affordable healthy living.

Mary Ward is a guest blogger for PickTheBrain and enjoys writing about medical career
topics, such as how to get a  job, education tips, and more.

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  • Zara

    I’m pretty sure ‘organic’ doesn’t mean ‘healthy’. It means ‘good for the environment’ but I haven’t yet found any scientific paper that says that organic is healthier, or that non-organic is unhealthy.

  • http://www.squidoo.com/be-more-creative Marelisa

    I recently stopped going to the gym (I had been going religiously five days a week for the past two and a half years) and started running outside. I’m enjoying my runs more, I feel like I’m getting a better workout (it’s easier to run on a treadmill than it is to run outside), and I’m saving money. All good!

  • http://fitandsexed.com/read-this-feed-pick-the-brain/ Read This Feed: Pick The Brain — Fit and Sexed

    [...] 11 Ways to live healthier and save money [...]

  • Erin Falconer, Editorial Director

    Thanks for the shout out, Fit and Sexed! I almost deleted your comment because I thought it was spam. Good thing i clicked through…appreciate the support! – erin

  • Mary Ward

    @Zara–

    You are absolutely right that the two are not synonymous, but the marketing machine makes it sound as if they are. Still, there is health benefit to going organic, as long as you know what you are really getting.

    Organic is healthier because of the growing practices (i.e., pesticides are not used or chemical, synthetic fertilizers, etc…..). It is not just a greener practice, although it is, eating organic is about putting fewer poisons and man-made chemicals into your body. However it does require some research, because the labeling can easily make a product look more pure than it is, and can at times produce a false sense of security and healthfulness for the consumer. It is very involved if you really start researching the topic.

    On the flip side, having grown up on a farm and being close to many people in agriculture, many farmers practice very naturally growing techniques, but just don’t go for the labeling. Being certified organic is EXTREMELY time consuming and expensive, and most farmers do not have that extra time or money. Many do not think the trade-off is worth it. That does not mean that they do not manage their farms in a way that is in keeping or close to organic practices (I hope this makes sense!). The point is, you can often achieve just as much for MUCH LOWER cost to you by knowing where your food source comes from (i.e. buying local, talking to the producer) and asking them what their practices are. Farmers Markets are ideal for this.

  • Mary Ward

    Marelisa–good for you! Personally I’ve always had a hard time with indoor exercise. It just never sticks for me. AND having mixed up your routine has probably done a lot to reignite your interest. Change can sometimes be very good!

  • http://www.purposepowercoaching.com Chris Edgar | Purpose Power Coaching

    Thanks for this. Now that I think about it, I could probably save money over the long term by buying weights, or perhaps even two Nautilus machines, rather than paying for lots more years in the gym.

  • http://www.fuel-my-motivation.com Kim self improvement and motvation

    Taking a lunch to work saves me a nice sum of change. I also use coupons and exercise at home—-more money savers. Your advice on health care coverage is sound. Recently we shopped around for a more cost effective plan for my oldest son who just graduated college. By eliminating unnecessary coverage such as maternity benefits – he is saving hundreds of dollars.

    Thank you for the tips.

  • http://inspiration-central.com Tim | Inspiration Central

    As someone who lost 80 pounds, I can attest to the “Limit Eating Out” tip. I probably spend 30% less on food than the people who eat out on daily basis.

    That article was helpful and I look forward to reading more.

  • http://askthepharmacist.wordpress.com/ Pharmacist Millie

    Some good points here, I’ve already written myself about losing the gym membership. Eating out was a huge money waster for me and my partner, we cut this back tremendously and are spending much less. I’m intending to write about a new concept we are developing soon, food budgeting.

  • http://www.everythingcounts.com Everything Counts

    Great points. I quite appreciate and agree with them. Life can be really beautiful if we follow them to our best.

  • http://www.alternative-spiritual-healing.com ryan

    Healing is EASY!

    Eating organic is one great way to be healthy. Another is through traditional and alternative medicine. But..

    “There is no alternative medicine. There is only medicine that works and medicine that doesn’t work.” -Richard Dawkins

    The best thing you can do is find out what alternative medicine is best. The question is…

    Do you know which way is best to heal you?

    Do some research and you will find a great technique to heal yourself.

    Warm Wishes,
    Ryan

    PS. If you want a free alternative medicine information check out…

    ——————————————————-
    http://www.alternative-spiritual-healing.com/types-of-alternative-medicine.html
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  • http://www.RoseannaLeaton.com Roseanna Leaton

    I think a lot of people join a gym as a form of motivation; if they spend x amount of dollars on it then they feel they must go and therefore justify the expense.
    In the long run this is not the best motivation; people do what they want to do, not what they think they must. The key to exercise motivation is to find what you enjoy and then exercise is a by product of that. I personally play golf, which gives me fresh air and fun and keeps me fit along the way. I appreciate that golf isn’t for everyone, but it does hit the spot for me.

  • http://www.buyinghealthinsurance.net/ BHI

    Do you get a discount on health insurance if you have a gym membership and work out?

  • Mary Ward

    BHI–that would probably depend on your plan. Personally, I never had a plan that gave you a discount, but mine does reimburse the cost of the gym membership. I just have to submit a copy of the contract and payment info.

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