Why leading a healthy lifestyle can save you money

Being healthy doesn’t just make you feel great and in turn, look great, it is actually a cost-effective way of living!

Many people think leading a healthy lifestyle is expensive, but you can actually save money, especially in the long run, by being healthy.

Here’s how.

Save money on food by making healthy eating choices

It’s a misconception that eating healthy food is expensive or that following a vegan diet is expensive.  Ultimately, your diet can be as expensive or inexpensive as you want it to be!  If you buy a lot of prepackaged and preprepared foods, a lot of convenience foods and takeaways, then yes, no matter what type of lifestyle diet you follow, it will be expensive!  The same goes if you are regularly buying milk, cheese and meats.  However, if you choose the healthiest diet you can filled predominantly with vegetables, seeds, legumes and grains, then these are some of the cheapest ingredients available to buy and the best for your health.  Oats, whole grain rice, lentils, beans, pulses… these are full of nutrients and when bought dry they are very cheap.

Save money on bad habits by stopping them

It’s no secret that bad habits cost money.  Whether you are a smoker, drink alcohol regularly, take recreational drugs or eat fast food frequently – all of these bad habits cost a LOT of money.  You’d probably be shocked if you totalled up the amount these bad habits cost you over a month and then over an entire year.  If you lead a healthy lifestyle and don’t smoke or drink, then you are already saving money leading a healthier lifestyle!  

These types of bad habits also have a knock-on effect on things like life insurance premiums.  You must declare whether you smoke or drink alcohol, and how much, when applying to ensure your premium is correct depending on your level of risk.  You shouldn’t ever lie on a life insurance application as they’ll refuse to pay out if you’ve been dishonest.  Also, they may require a medical test to check your health anyway!  What do life insurance companies test for? All sorts of things from high cholesterol levels to glucose levels, to nicotine levels or drug levels.  These tests can validate your answers and prove whether you really are leading a healthy lifestyle. 

Save money on insurance costs by leading a healthy lifestyle

As we’ve just touched on, life insurance can be affected by how healthy you are.  If you smoke or drink alcohol regularly then you are putting your health at risk of diseases and your life insurance premium will therefore be higher.  There’s an increased chance of premature death due to these risk factors, and therefore the insurance company will charge more.  You’ll still be able to search online for a competitive quote even if you are leading an unhealthy lifestyle, but it would be better for you to reassess your healthiness and make changes to improve your life and also pay less on life insurance going forward.  In this article which compares how Aetna and United Healthcare measure up they say “A health insurance policy is a large and important purchase, and you want to make sure you make the best choice that will save you money while providing all the policy features you need.”  You’ll also want to address your health and make it the best it can be so you get the best value premium.

Exercise doesn’t need to cost a penny

Joining a gym or exercise class can have its benefits, but there isn’t actually a need to spend a single penny on keeping fit and active if you don’t want to or you can’t afford it.  Walking is free.  Running is free.  Most of us have the internet at home already and YouTube is filled with exercise videos and classes of all abilities, levels, types and lengths to suit every person!  There are videos online for how to exercise whilst sitting in a chair, arm exercises if you are in a wheelchair, yoga you can do at your desk… no matter where you are or what your situation, you will find an exercise video suitable for your unique needs online that you don’t have to pay for. 

And how can exercise save you money?  By being fit and active you can walk further, thus saving money on transport.  You will also improve your physical health which can improve your overall health and wellbeing, making you less likely to suffer a lifestyle based illness or disease, making health insurance cheaper.

Exercise releases endorphins which can help combat depression and anxiety, so it’s possible that any expensive medications or counselling being used to tackle these mental health issues may not be necessary anymore or can be reduced. 

You’ll look great and won’t spend as much on beauty products

You won’t be spending on expensive beauty products like face masks, hair care products and makeup remover wipes because your skin, hair and nails will look better and healthier naturally and you won’t need them as often; thus saving money on them!  Leading a healthy lifestyle can make you look and feel great both inside and out, whilst reducing breakouts and skin conditions which means less expensive skincare products and cosmetics.

Save on expensive prescriptions

A healthy lifestyle, such as eating healthy and exercising, can not only improve your quality of life but also save you money on prescriptions.  If you are regularly ill and visiting the doctors to get medications for illnesses due to your poor lifestyle choices, then the cost of prescription meds can add up. 

With a good diet and lifestyle and improved health, you will be able to cut down the number of prescriptions that you need to take, which will also result in big savings on costly prescriptions.

Drink more water to save money

Drinking water is technically free with clean drinking water on tap in many homes.  There’s no need to buy expensive fizzy drinks, squashes or other soft drinks when the most healthy drink available to you is on tap in your home.  If you prefer the taste or health benefits of purer water, then it would still be a cost-effective solution to distil your own water at home rather than buy lots of bottled water (and better for the environment too).

Many people don’t drink enough water. Increasing your water consumption can help you feel fuller longer and more energised, reducing how many snacks you reach for and pay for!

Conclusion on how healthy living is a more cost-effective way to live

A healthy lifestyle can have many benefits. It can result in better physical, mental, and emotional health. People who lead a healthy lifestyle are also less likely to need treatments or even doctor visits. This can save them money in the long run.

If you have an unhealthy lifestyle, you are more likely to spend a lot of money on bad habits from convenience foods to alcohol or cigarettes, or even an addiction to fizzy pop.  These all cost money. 

An unhealthy lifestyle could lead to obesity and issues with mobility which results in reliance on transport more often, costing money. 

Bad habits or illnesses caused by poor lifestyle choices can all have an impact on the cost of insurances too, such as life insurance, pushing up premiums.  Those leading healthy lifestyles are rewarded with lower insurance costs as well as improved health. 

A healthy lifestyle may seem expensive at first, but it doesn’t need to be, and over time it will save you a lot of money.