Get Healthy, Stay Wealthy

Many of us mistakenly believe that we have to spend our entire life savings to live a healthy lifestyle. Fortunately, the opposite is true, and there is no reason to waste your hard-earned cash on trends that won’t actually enhance your overall well-being. Today we offer a wealth of information that will help you maintain a healthy lifestyle without sacrificing your dollars and cents.

Look to Nature

As you may know, there are plenty of natural remedies and homeopathic treatments that can help you overcome your emotional concerns. While we are not suggesting you skip counseling or important medications, it might be possible to take control of your mental health with a few natural remedies. This might include spending more time outside or taking supplements that can boost your mood.

Drink More Water

Every single cell in your body needs water to survive and thrive. Consider replacing other drinks, including tea, soda, and alcohol, with water. Plain tap water – municipal sources are pre–treated, but you may need a water filter if you have a well – is not only insanely inexpensive, but it can also help to reduce bacteria from your bladder. Drinking ample water can also relieve and prevent constipation while helping to normalize your blood pressure and heartbeat. Water will also give your joints more cushioning, which may help stave off arthritis and other mobility issues later in life.

Get Social

Being social is crucial to our overall mental well-being. Our brains are naturally wired to congregate with others, and we all need love and support from our friends and family. You can take your socialization one step further by also publicly sharing your healthy lifestyle habits. Consider launching a social media account, which can put you in touch with others with whom you have a similar struggle. This will not only help you build your support network but may also be a valuable opportunity to monetize your wellness journey. You may even find yourself with your own blog, fitness line, or consulting firm that can give you a cash cushion and may even serve as a new career. If you’re not yet business savvy, there are plenty of training programs with all the information you need on how to run a business.

Travel More on Less

While you will spend some money on traveling, seeing new places and experiencing new things can open up a world of possibilities for your wellness goals. You never know when you may discover a new type of healthy food on a trip to Thailand or an interesting new exercise on a safari through the jungle. But, most major metropolitan areas are hyper-expensive, and they also come with the temptation of overeating and overindulging in alcohol. Instead, consider visiting some offbeat areas where you can experience new cultures like a local. Vietnam, India, Egypt, and New Orleans are considered some of the least budget-busting locations.

Learn to Cook

We know what you are thinking, and that’s that you already know how to cook. But, move beyond your standard rotation of weeknight dinners. Don’t be shy about looking for new foods to put on your plate. If you’re concerned about cost, fill your refrigerator and pantry with canned tomatoes, beans, potatoes, canned tuna, frozen berries, and eggs. Each of these can serve as the foundation for a healthy dish that won’t break the bank. You should also stick to lean proteins and avoid expensive processed foods when possible.

Change Your Health Insurance

If you’re currently paying for health insurance, now’s a great time to evaluate your lifestyle and potentially change your plan to ensure that you are covered if you need it. If you are over insured, you may be spending more money than you should each month on premiums. Underinsurance puts you at risk of coming out of pocket for potential health concerns down the road, such as pregnancy or diabetes.

Don’t Go to the Gym

Most of us have been conditioned to believe that the only way to get physically fit is to spend hours at the gym each night. Unfortunately, gym memberships typically are unused anyway, and there are plenty of ways to get your body moving without signing a check each month. Hiking, biking, swimming, and running are all excellent forms of exercise that you can do for free. As an added benefit, each of these will get you outside so that you can enjoy the sunshine on your cheeks and the wind in your hair, both of which will put you in a better mood every day.

Understand Your Budget

While most of the tips we list here have to do with physical and mental health, you can’t count out your financial health as well. Before you make any major changes to your lifestyle, spend some time looking at your budget and how your future decisions may affect it. For example, you may just find that you spend less money on food if you are not going to the drive-through every day. Similarly, you can save on gas by walking to work or the grocery store as part of your exercise routine.

Have a Garden

If you have space, you can have your very own food source right in your own backyard. Gardening pulls double duty as both a form of physical fitness and an opportunity to eat healthy, organic foods. Some of the easiest things to grow include tomatoes, potatoes, green beans, and cucumbers. Even better, the kids will have fun, and it will lay the foundation of healthy eating habits for them. When you grow your own fruits and vegetables, you may even be tempted to try things (think eggplant Parmesan or stuffed peppers) that you would’ve never considered when buying from the produce stand.

Lifestyle choices don’t have to mean reducing our overall net worth. In fact, many changes that you make can even help you save or make money. Remember, health is not found on late-night infomercials that tout big promises of toned muscles and smaller bellies. Your health is hidden in the actions you take every day, and this doesn’t have to include whipping out your wallet.