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Low-Cost Ways to Prioritize Your Health This Summer

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It’s human nature to take things in life for granted. For example, non-health-conscious people always take their health for granted. The most shocked people in the world who get a heart attack are usually those who don’t look after themselves well. Our health is like money in our bank accounts – we don’t truly appreciate its full value until it’s gone. Even though the United States is slowly opening up after the pandemic, most people are urged not to visit their doctors unless it is an emergency. It’s time to get back into the habit of taking care of ourselves. We have the vitality of youth working to our advantage in our teens and 20s. But the hard reality is that once we hit our late 30s or 40s, our bodies begin literally breaking down. And the only way to stay healthy is to make time to stay healthy. And you don’t need to buy a $3,000 Peloton bike to stay fit either. There are many ways you can prioritize your health this summer on the cheap.

Being healthy does not require a lot of time commitment or money. But being healthy does require you to be disciplined. Being healthy is a lifestyle choice and discipline you must commit to.

When you are healthier, you’ll live longer and spend less money on health care in your lifetime.

Prioritize Your Health This Summer (For Your Wallet’s Sake)

The typical American makes $48,700. And yet, the average American will spend over $11,500 every year on medical care expenses.

The United States spends the most money on national health care, almost $4 trillion annually, and has the lowest life expectancy rate relative to most Western countries.

And relatively speaking, the United States has the greatest number of obese citizens in the world.

I don’t want to preach to you. As someone in their 40s, I understand the struggle to stay healthy. There is always something else to do and as we get older, there never seems to be enough hours in a day.

All I am saying is that the longer you wait to get in shape, the harder it will be to do. Also, what is the point of making money just to end up giving most of it to your doctor to treat avoidable ailments? If you currently have an issue that you have been avoiding seeing a doctor for, now is the time to search for a “walk-in clinic near me” and get the help you need. You want to start your health journey on the right foot, so taking charge of your health is a huge priority

Here are a few low-cost ways to prioritize your health this summer.

Wake Up Early

Did you know that your body has a circadian rhythm? Each human being has a significant amount of time it is supposed to be in action and in slumber.

It isn’t good to oversleep since most people live sedentary lifestyles when awake. Not sleeping enough can leave you with brain fog, harried, and prone to impulsive decision making.

Sleep 6 to 8 hours a night and wake up early. You will train your body to work on a schedule and get ready for exercise.

Exercise at Home Everyday

Find 20 minutes to 30 minutes every day to exercise. Start the morning with exercise to get the blood circulation and blood pumping. After some time, your body will develop muscle memory and your circadian rhythm will expect exercise at dawn.

You can also exercise at noon or evening time – it depends on your lifestyle. This is a great way to prioritize your health this summer without spending money either.

There are many exercises you can do at home without equipment – here is an example on YouTube. There are many videos like this, so find one that suits you.

You can also take up cycling or jogging, but the point is your home can become your gym. You don’t need to buy hundreds or thousands of dollars worth of exercise equipment to get in shape.

Pick a time every day to exercise and stick to it. Remember, we’re talking 20 minutes to 30 minutes a day – make the time if necessary. Your long-term health is at stake.

The 8/16 Metabolism Cycle

Your metabolism is the rate at which your body converts the food you eat into energy. And you need to eat healthily as a lifestyle and exercise regularly for your metabolism to work efficiently.

However, there is a way to give your metabolism a bit of a boost. It’s called the 8/16 or 16/8 diet.

It is also known as intermittent fasting. Eat for 8 hours in a day and then eat nothing for the next 16 hours. If you exercise every day, your metabolism will have more time to convert calories to energy.

And that conversion from calories to energy, or fat burning, will go about more efficiently if you are shoving pizza in your face every hour.

Can’t go 16 hours without eating something? Have healthy snacks on standby to get you through this period.

The 8/16 method is not for everyone. But it is a great way to lose weight and energize your metabolism.

Drink More Water

The typical American drinks 40 gallons of soda a year. And soda drinkers paid soda manufacturers almost $40 billion last year.

If you drink more than 40 gallons of soda annually, then you may be ingesting up to 20 pounds of sugar from soda alone.

Whether you drink too much soda, beer, energy drinks, or coffee, remember what your mother told you – drink more water. It’s a cheap way to prioritize your health this summer.

Your body needs water to function, regulate body temperature, ferry oxygen and nutrients to cells, and dissolves nutrients and minerals so your body can absorb them easier.

Meditate

Now that you are getting into the habit of waking up earlier, you may want to use that time to meditate.

Before you exercise or get ready for the day, spend 10 minutes sitting in a chair or crossed-legged on the ground, meditating.

Try to think of nothing. Imagine a sun in your chest instead of your heart and it is feeding fiery energy throughout your circulatory system and throughout your extremities.

There are many meditation techniques that you can look up online. Meditating will help you become less impulsive and more discipline in your decision-making processes.

And meditating could help you to focus on why you need to prioritize your health this summer.

In addition, some people have found that controlled usage of herbal supplements alongside meditation can result in a richer cognitive and emotional experience, expanding and deepening their meditation practice. Sites such as https://www.magicmushroomsdispensary.ca/4-ways-to-intensify-your-magic-mushrooms-trip/ offer further information.

Prioritize Your Health This Summer

Listen, we are not getting younger. Our bodies are breaking down ever more incrementally as we age.

And the longer that you take to get healthy, the harder it will be to accomplish.

Prioritize your health this summer, one step at a time.

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How to Get a Free or Discounted Gym Membership

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girl-in-the-gym-1391368_1920Maintaining your health is very important and there’s no experience quite like going to the gym. Whether you love or hate the gym, the experience itself is unique. Being surrounded by people who have similar fitness goals as you, all the equipment you could ever want or need, and the resources and help from staff members and trainers can really motivate to stay healthy, fit and see real results.

The real secret is that you can actually enjoy the benefits of the gym for free or an extremely low rate. I couldn’t find the motivation to work out from home even though I had every resource and tool known to man available to me. I recently signed up for a membership at my local park district that’s about 2 miles away from my house for only $36 per month. Affordable gym memberships like that are definitely worth it in my opinion. Not all gym memberships are free or cheap, but there are a few ways around those costs.

Visit the Gym on Free Days or Sign Up for Trials

Privately-owned facilities or new gyms often have free classes or days when the fitness center and group classes are free to the general public. The YMCA is known to host free group fitness weeks during the fall in most areas.

If there’s a new gym opening in your area, attend their free fitness days or you could even sign up for 30-day free trials at a few gyms in your neighborhood to see which location you like best.

Utilize Your Student Discount

If you’re a student, you can get a gym membership for an extremely discounted rate. You may need to verify your enrollment by showing your current schedule or some other documentation, but it will allow you to exercise at the facility for a fraction of what other people will have to pay.

Some college campuses even have a fitness center on-site that enrolled students can utilize free of charge. College is expensive enough, and this was something I definitely took advantage of to get more bang for my buck while I was in school.

Become a Group Fitness Instructor

If you love attending group classes, consider becoming a fitness instructor. Fitness instructors often receive free or reduced gym memberships and you don’t have to teach an advanced class. Zumba classes are very popular and easy to teach because it’s all about moving and having fun; there’s no such thing as a dance expert at a Zumba class.

To become a fitness instructor, you may have to undergo some training and pay a small fee to become certified. Then, you’ll be able to score free workouts during the classes you teach.

Redeem a Coupon or Discount

Tons of gyms and fitness centers offer coupons or discounts on memberships in the hopes of getting more people in the door to use their facility. Some deals may even allow you to receive a monthly membership for up to 50% off or more.

To secure coupons and discounts that will lower your gym membership rate, start by checking out email offers you receive along with offers or coupons you may get in the mail. You can also do a direct search online for local gym membership offers and discounts. LocalSaver rounds up coupons for hundreds of offers along with some of the best gyms in your area. This makes it very easy to search for discounts online and save money on exercising at the gym each month.

Join a Running or Physical Training Program

If you are sign up for a triathlon, running program or even a 5k, you may qualify for a free or reduced gym membership to utilize during the time you train. The YMCA is known to partner up with coaches, trainers and community groups to offer membership incentives to the participants of various different training programs.

If you’re in a physical training program, it’s definitely worth a shot and allows you to get more for your money.

Do you favor having a gym membership or working out at home? If you have a membership, do you ever try to get a discount on the rate?

Save Money On Prescriptions With These Simple Tips

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Prescription drug prices have been rising faster than inflation for years, making it difficult for many people to afford their prescriptions. Millions of Americans report that they have been hit with considerable increases in their drug costs within the last year, ranging anywhere from $20 to more than $100 per prescription. Fortunately, there are many ways to save money on prescriptions with a little bit of effort. Here are some of the best ways to save money on prescriptions.

Comparison Shop

Many people do not realize that they can save money on prescriptions by comparing prices just like they can compare prices for other goods. According to a recent Consumer Reports study, only 17 percent of respondents said that they comparison-shopped to see whether they could get a better deal. The price for a particular drug can vary widely between drug stores, so you may be able to get a better deal by shopping around.

Ask For Price Matching

If you find a prescription for a lower price at a location that is not convenient, ask a closer pharmacy if they would be willing to match the price. Many companies are now offering price matching because they know that their customers can always go online to find a lower price. Websites like GoodRX.com can help you find the prices you can expect for each prescription.

Try Independent Drugstores

Independent drugstores often have lower prices for some prescription drugs because they have fewer expenses that they must recoup through sales. Independent drugstores also have more flexibility to negotiate prices with their customers. Check GoodRx.com to learn the “fair price” for your prescription and use that to negotiate when a pharmacist quotes you a higher price.

Ask For A 90-day Supply

You can save money on prescriptions by asking for a 90-day supply for drugs you are taking long term. You will pay less in co-pays and will have to go to the drugstore less often, saving time and transportation costs. For discount generic drug programs, paying $10 for a 90-day supply amounts to less than $4 every 30 days.

Fill Prescriptions With An Online Pharmacy

Online pharmacies often have lower prices for prescription drugs because they have lower overhead. Make sure that you are only using online pharmacies that operate within the U.S. and display the “VIPPS” symbol to show that it’s a Verified Internet Pharmacy Practice Site. Read the terms carefully once you’ve verified that an internet pharmacy is legit.

Paying Out Of Pocket May Be Cheaper Than Using Insurance

Many people believe that using their health insurance for their prescriptions will get them the best price, but that is not always the case. Many pharmacies have special deals on generic medications that allow you to pay little out of pocket for them. When you fill your prescriptions, ask the pharmacist to give you the best price for them. They may have discounts on them that you do not know about.

Prescription Drug Myths Are Costing Consumers Millions

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Myths about prescription drugs are some of the most prevalent myths in our society, with millions of people swearing that the myths are true. While believing these myths will not often harm your health, it may be harming your finances by causing you to spend much more than you should on your prescription medications. Knowing the truth about prescription drugs can save you a ton of money over the course of a year. Here are some of the things that you should know.

You May Not Need Everything Prescribed To You

Many people would be surprised to learn that they do not always need all of the medications that are prescribed to them by medical professionals. This is because some conditions can be managed by changing your diet or exercise regimen, but many people have difficulty sticking to these lifestyle changes and opt to pop a pill instead. If you are interested in limiting the amount of medications you must take on a regular basis and are willing to make lifestyle changes to improve your health, make sure you discuss this with your doctor and any other medical specialists you may be seeing. Sticking to your lifestyle changes could save you hundreds in prescription costs each year.

Brand Name Drugs And Generic Drugs Must Be Structurally Identical

Many people hold on to the mistaken belief that brand name drugs are more expensive because they are of a better quality. This is not true, especially in the United States where laws dictate that generic prescription medications must contain the same active ingredients in the same quantities as the brand name medication it is copying. That 85 percent increase you are paying for the brand name item is for the years the original company spent researching and developing the drug. Generics companies can manufacture and sell the drug at a fraction of the cost at the end of the exclusivity period because it does not have any research costs that have to be recouped.

New Drugs May Not Be Better Than Older Formulations

A number of people also believe that recently released drugs are better for treating a condition than drugs that have been around for a long time. While improvements are being made at a rapid pace in the drug industry, that doesn’t mean that your body will respond better to a newer drug rather than an older one. In fact, older drugs are often considered safer because they have been out longer and more data has been collected on their side effects and interactions with other drugs. In many cases, people only try the newer drugs after all of the similar older drugs have failed to produce the desired effects.

Is Your Employer Offering You A High Deductible Health Plan?

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pharmaceuticalsMore and more companies are switching from traditional health insurance plans to high deductible health plans to save costs. Also known as consumer-directed plans, these health care plans make employees more responsible for the cost of their health care and are designed to make the employees more conscious of the price of the health care options they choose. In 2015, nearly 30 percent of companies in the United States will have high deductible health plans as the only plans they offer to their employees, including JPMorgan, Wells Fargo, General Electric and Honeywell.

The Cost Of The Plan

While the premium for the high deductible health plan will be much lower than the premium for a traditional health plan, meeting the deductible means that you will pay much more for your care before your insurance kicks in. In some cases, the deductible for the health plan can be as high as $6,000 for an individual or $15,000 for a family. Even after the deductible is met, the health plan may only pay a portion of any additional costs, leaving the employee on the hook for 10 percent to 35 percent of the additional costs.

Having a high deductible health plan makes people much more cautious about when they need to seek health care. An injured individual may put off going to an urgent care center because they have not yet met their health plan deductible and will shoulder the entire cost of the visit and treatment. Some believe that this will ultimately bring down the cost of health care, as people will only purchase services that they actually need. Other believe that people will lower incomes will be disproportionately hurt as they will be unable to afford the deductible and will go without the care that they need.

Preparing For The Expense

If you have a high deductible health plan, you need to make sure that there is enough money in your emergency savings account to ensure that you can pay your deductible if you must. Some people choose to use a health savings account to put away the money for their deductible tax-free. However, if you do not need to meet the deductible in a particular year, you have to use that money for health care related costs before the end of the plan year or that money is lost. Putting the money into a traditional savings account allows you to use it for your health care costs or for other urgent needs as they arise.

Use These Techniques To Manage Your Medical Bills

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Photograph Courtesy Of John M. Kimmins

Photograph Courtesy Of John M. Kimmins

Costly medical bills have become one of the major causes of bankruptcy across the country. A single hospital stay can cost the average American household thousands of dollars, even if they have health insurance. Because many hospital stays are due to an unexpected illness or injury, a household may not be prepared for the costs incurred. A significant percentage of medical debts end up in collections, causing considerable damage to the credit scores of the individuals reported. Here are some tips that can help make managing your medical bills easier and reduce the chances of having your medical debts reported to a collection agency.

Monitor Each Medical Bill To Completion

One of the biggest mistakes you can make when it comes to medical bills is assuming that your insurance company will automatically take care of any bills submitted to them. Mistakes happen and you will be the one paying the price in the form of collection actions against you and a lower credit score than you deserve. Review every medical bill you receive and keep track of when it has been paid by your health insurance company. If you notice that the bill has not been paid within a month, initiate contact with your insurance company and the medical provider to find out what you can do to speed up the process. If you monitor each medical bill to completion, you will never be caught unaware by an unpaid medical bill.

Work Out A Payment Plan For Large Medical Bills

Contrary to popular belief, most hospitals do not think that average consumers will be able to pay large medical bills outright from their bank accounts. Many medical facilities have a process in place to allow people treated at the hospital to work out a payment plan for the debt that will not be covered by payments from the insurance company. In many cases, these payment plans have little to no interest charges added to the account. The medical facilities aren’t interested in making money on interest charges; they just want you to pay for the care that you have received at their facility.

Inquire About Financial Assistance

If you find that your medical bills are overwhelming based on your income, you may qualify for some sort of financial assistance or discount on the amount owed. Different states have different programs in place to help residents that are facing large medical debts that they are unable to repay based on their income level. Your medical provider or the hospital where you received care should be able to direct you in how to apply for these programs.

Save Money On Prescription Drugs With These Simple Tips

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Photograph Courtesy Of The National Cancer Institute

Photograph Courtesy Of The National Cancer Institute

According to recent estimates, the average American fills around twelve prescriptions each year. Last year, people filling prescriptions helped the pharmaceutical industry earn nearly $329 billion. The prices for many of these prescriptions are much higher today than the prices that our parents paid for the same types of medications. Fortunately, there are many techniques that you can use to save money on the cost of your prescription drugs. Here are some of my favorite.

Buy Generics

The single most important thing you can do to hold down the cost of your prescriptions is to opt for generic versions of the prescription drugs you need whenever possible. In many cases, the price of the generic version of the medication is around 80% cheaper than the name brand version. The quality of both medications will be the same because by law, medication dose, safety, quality and instructions must be the same. Generic drugs are allowed to differ from brand-name drugs only in appearance and inactive ingredients.

Compare Prices

Many people make the mistake of filling all of their prescriptions at the pharmacy nearest to their doctor or their home, taking it for granted that prescriptions are priced the same across the board. The truth is that there could be a wide discrepancy in the price of a particular prescription from one pharmacy to another. I made this discovery myself when I moved from one area of my city to another and chose to get a regular prescription filled at a different grocery store pharmacy. Imagine my surprise to find that I could save more than $20 on a single prescription simply by driving 2 more miles down the road to a branch of my previous pharmacy.

Since the prices for prescription drugs are not listed on the shelves like most products we buy, comparing prices is a little more difficult. You can always call the pharmacy and ask them what the price would be for a particular medication. Websites like LowestMed and GoodRx compare specific medications at pharmacies within the same zip codes, and sometime even offer coupons for the drugs you are searching for.

Use Mail Order For Repeat Prescriptions

For medications that you take every day or on a fairly regular basis, purchasing them from a mail order company may be your cheapest option. These companies typically sell medications in 90-day quantities at a cheaper per dose rate than bricks-and-mortar pharmacies. Be sure to ask your prescribing doctor’s office and your health insurer if there is a preferred pharmacy they work with regularly, as you may be able to get additional discounts through that pharmacy.

Save Money With These Healthy Habits

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Living a healthy lifestyle is not only good for your body, but it can help you save money as well. By changing some of your bad habits into healthy ones, you can reduce your monthly expenses by a significant amount. In time, these habits will become second nature for you, slimming your waistline without slimming your wallet. Here are some of the best healthy habits for helping you save money.

Drink Water

Feeling thirsty? Then, reach for a glass of cold water. Water is not only better at hydrating the body than any other beverage, it is one of the cheapest as well. To hold your costs down, stay away from expensive bottled water, which is really nothing more than filtered tap water in a plastic portable container. Instead, put some ice in a reusable bottle or cup and drink as much as you need to rehydrate yourself.

Limit Your Vices

Have you ever noticed that some of the things that are most detrimental to your health are also some of the most expensive? Alcoholic drinks, cigarettes, ice cream, and donuts often cost much more than their healthier counterparts. By limiting the amount of these items that you consume, your body will be healthier and you will not spend as much money. For example, someone that has a pack a day smoking habit could save nearly $15,000 per year simply by quitting smoking.

Consume Fresh Foods Prepared At Home

While it may seem as if processed foods are cheaper when you are at the grocery store, consuming healthy fresh foods will be cheaper for you in long run. The overconsumption of processed foods have been linked to a number of negative health conditions, including obesity, diabetes, heart disease, and liver damage. Buying fresh ingredients at the grocery store and preparing your meals at home allows you to create the meals that you like at a much lower cost than eating out at a restaurant.

Use Public Or Alternative Transportation Methods

Owning a car is expensive and encourages us to be lazy. Many of us allow the car to take us short distances instead of walking or riding a bicycle to a destination that is close by. Walking is not only cheaper, it is better for our health as well. People that walk for considerable distances regularly tend to have lower levels of body fat and stronger muscles than people that tend to drive everywhere they go. Walking regularly could also result in improved mood, better-quality sleep, improved mental sharpness, and improved bone mineral density. If you need to go a long distance, walk to the bus stop and let someone else do the driving.

Understanding Flexible Spending Accounts

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Nearly 35 million Americans have chosen to use flexible spending accounts to reduce the cost of their healthcare expenses. You could be saving a significant amount of money every time you make a purchase that can be classified as medical. Using a flexible spending account can help you save 20% or more when purchasing prescriptions and medical supplies.

How Does A Flexible Spending Account Work?

A flexible spending account uses money deducted from your paycheck pre-tax to pay for medical expenses not generally covered by health insurance. A portion of your paycheck is diverted directly into the flexible spending account, in much the same way that a 401(k) account is funded. The account holder determines the amount that is placed in the account during each pay period. The amount diverted from your paycheck can only be changed during the benefit enrollment period each year.

You may have little control over the types of flexible spending accounts available to you because most flexible spending accounts are obtained through an employer. There is no federal limit to the amount that can be deposited into a flexible spending account. Many companies that offer the plans to employees cap the amount that can be placed into the account at $5,000 annually.

Using The Account Funds

The flexible spending account can be used to pay for a wide variety of expenses, including insurance deductibles, prescriptions, and birth control. Other covered expenses generally include prescription eyeglasses, over the counter medications, and bandages. You will save a lot of money in taxes by using pre-tax money to pay for these items or to provide reimbursement for the money you have spent.

The money in the flexible spending account can be accessed using one of several different methods. Some accounts issue the account holder a debit card used to access the money in the account for eligible expenses. Other accounts require out of pocket payments for eligible items and then the account holder must file for reimbursement from the company managing the account.

All of the money that is left in the account at the end of the plan period is forfeited. If you have a lot of money left in the plan at the end of the year, you will not get the unused portion back. It is important to make sure your flexible spending account is not over-funded and be sure to try to use up the allotted amount before the end of the grace period. Purchase an extra pair of glasses, replenish your bandage selection, or stock up on commonly used medications to use the rest of the money in the account.