Staying Healthy on a Budget
By Donna Kostiew
If you have ever lived hand-to-mouth, paycheck to paycheck, or are presently counting your pennies, you know how difficult it can be to spend the money and put your health first. All organic diets, the new up-to-date gym down the street, the quick dinners from a local restaurant … sure, they sound nice, but they also just seem to be a little out of reach at the moment.
There are always times during our lives when money is a little tighter than others, and it is easy to let the focus on our health slide a little, but that shouldn’t stop you from taking care of yourself and your family.
Low-cost Health Tips
Here are some tips that will help you make wise decisions regarding your and your loved one’s health without using up the bulk of your salary.
Coupons/rebate apps – Try to take advantage of your store’s coupons or their app for daily and weekly discounts. There are also apps that will give you cash back on the food you have already purchased.
Fruits and veggies – Don’t skip buying fruits and vegetables simply because they aren’t organic. Your nutrition needs to come first … just come back to the organics once you are able to. Or, if there is a screaming deal, buy a bunch and freeze what you can.
Generic brands – Take the time at the store to compare the nutrition label of a generic brand with the name brand of the same item. You may find that they are close to being equal, if not completely, and you could end up being able to buy more for your buck.
Exercise - If you can drop or forego the expensive gym membership and find a cheaper, alternative gym that will offer many of the same benefits, you could potentially save yourself quite a bit of money. Or, if you have the motivation and dedication, work out on your own at home. There are plenty of videos online and exercise programs that you can easily look up until you are able to get back into the gym.
Eating out – Try to reduce the number of nights that you are running through a drive-thru to pick up food for your family. Staying home to eat doesn’t always have to be boring or ho-hum. Involve your loved ones with the meal planning and cooking and turn it into a family event.
Soups – The perfect meal for your family cooking event is soup. It is low in price, easy to make in large amounts, and can be frozen for later. Give each person their own job (vegetable cutter, salad maker, bread slicer) and you will be sitting down to eat in no time.
Leading a healthy and active lifestyle does not have to cost a fortune. With a little creativity, you should be able to keep everyone in your family on the path to wellness.
To learn more about your health, wellness, and fitness, see your local chiropractor at The Joint Chiropractic in Eagan, Minn.