6 Ways Staying Healthy Can Save You Money

Staying healthy has many benefits — from an overall better quality of life to a longer life. But did you know it can also save you money? Here’s how.

Fewer sick days

Staying healthy can help you miss fewer days at work — and if you’re an hourly worker or do not have paid sick time, this can save you hundreds, if not thousands of pesos or more a year.

“Getting preventive care like flu shots and maintaining regular care for chronic conditions like diabetes can keep people functioning and active in the workplace,” said Jordanna Davis, a health care expert who works with the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center’s website Health Care Reform Simplified.

More benefits to quitting smoking

If you quit smoking, there’s the obvious financial benefit of saving more than P50 per pack. The average pack costs nearly P60, and assuming you smoke a pack a day, that’s a monthly savings of about P1800 per month and more than P20,000 annually. Quitting smoking will save you a substantial amount of money in health care costs as well.

Fast food war with your wallet

Forget the fast food wars. The real war is with your gut and your wallet. If you’re maintaining a healthy lifestyle, however, chances are you aren’t eating out often — especially at fast food restaurants. That means less food is going to waste at home.

Put down the soda

Drinking soda has been linked to increases in diabetes, obesity and a number of other health conditions. It can also be very costly. Instead, slowly wean yourself off soda, choosing a glass of (free) water instead.

Portion sizes are key

If you understand portion sizes, you’ll likely eat less — and therefore save more on groceries. Did you know that one serving of meat is about the size of the palm of your hand? If you enjoy eating out, save half that huge portion-size meal for dinner later or split the meal with your guest.

Go vegetarian

OK, so you don’t have to go full-on vegetarian to save money, but the more veggies you buy and the less meat you purchase will result in a noticeable difference in your grocery bill. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the average cost of an uncooked beef steak in 2013 was P300 per kilo. Compare that with items from other sections in the store, such as apples at P70 per pack or spaghetti at P120 per kilo, and you can see substantial savings by purchasing less meat.

Source: SheKnows