Five Tips to Take Care of Your Health on a Budget

• Fresh foods are the foundation of a healthy body. Therefore consider checking for quality foods in your local supermarkets or produce stores.
• Many people believe you have to spend a lot of money to give yourself a little TLC (Tender Loving Care). However, there are many frugal things that you can leverage to pamper yourself on a budget.
• Writing in a gratitude journal is a great way to improve your mood, lessen symptoms of depression, and boost your memory.

Purchase Fresh Foods 

Most people don’t notice, but processed food is more expensive than fresh food. Try to avoid buying frozen foods as they have been filtered through preservation procedures before making it to your dinner table. Most vitamins, minerals, and nutrients have been lost throughout the preservation process.

Fresh foods are the foundation of a healthy body. Therefore consider checking for quality foods in your local supermarkets or produce stores. Purchasing these fresh foods from your local stores will ensure that you eat healthily and save money versus buying from fast-food restaurants. In addition, most produce markets sell vegetables and fruits in large quantities at a reduced cost, all while importing them from local farms in your area.

Conduct Outdoor Exercising

Exercising outdoors has numerous health benefits for your physical and mental health. When you take your workout outside, you put yourself in a position to increase these benefits exponentially. Many factors lead to an increase in benefits during an outdoor workout, from fresh air to sunlight.

The average annual cost of a gym membership is $500.00, which doesn’t consider the cost of fitness classes, personal training, and other amenities that gyms typically try to have you sign up for. 

All of these services start to add up over time. Therefore using the outdoors as your gym can save you a ton of money that could be utilized on other financial goals that you have, like eliminating debt, or contributing to your retirement account. 

First, visit your local parks or recreation centers to see what equipment parks they offer. Otherwise, you can get a great workout by simply going for a run, riding a bike, hiking, doing some yoga in the grass, or creating your own bodyweight workout plans like jumping jacks, sit-ups, or pushups. Next time you feel motivated to exercise, remember this powerful statement: Health is wealth. 

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Have At-Home Spa Days

Having a spa day at home can be just as relaxing and beautifying as a day spent somewhere expensive. Pick a day when you won’t have any interruptions, turn off your mobile phone, and light some candles to set the scene. 

You may have already gotten into the Do It Yourself (DIY) blowouts, facials, manicures, and pedicures amid coronavirus closures. But investing in a few beauty tools upfront, whether a facial cleansing brush or a pedicure kit, can help you enjoy more at-home spa days and save you money in the long run. 

Having a budget doesn’t mean that you can’t pamper yourself. Self-care is one line item that should remain in your budget as you work to improve your finances. The importance of self-care and taking care of your physical and mental health can’t be underestimated.

Many people believe you have to spend a lot of money to give yourself a little TLC (Tender Loving Care). However, there are many frugal things that you can leverage to pamper yourself on a budget. So, although frequent trips to the nail salon may not fall into your financial plan, you don’t have to ditch pampering yourself when you learn how to do it on a budget.

Therapy is Self-Care

The COVID-19 pandemic did more than make us sick with a contagious virus. During the pandemic, many people have endured significant mental health issues. Unfortunately, mental health continues to be a taboo topic in our society. Taking action on your mental health is paramount if you’re struggling with anxiety, depression, self-harm, and other issues.

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Writing in a gratitude journal is a great way to jot down your thoughts and blow off steam. Journaling is both cleansing and purging that has proven to improve your mood, lessen symptoms of depression, and boost your memory. 

However, if one thing doesn’t work, try other healthy and budget-friendly alternatives until you discover what helps strengthen your mental health. 

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Cultivating an environment around practicing mindfulness shouldn't drain your bank account. You can do many things that can provide long-lasting and serious improvements to your mental health with relief as it pertains to your money.

Purchase Herbs and Vitamins

The world of vitamins and supplements can be overwhelming. Between letter vitamins, herbal supplements, and multivitamins, you may have trouble choosing which products are best for you and understanding how to select the highest quality product all while being a better steward of your money. 

Vitamin prices vary depending on whether you buy them in a local herb store or online. When shopping for an online vitamin retailer, select a site that offers the best price. If you're looking for a one-time purchase, consider a local vitamin shop in your area; however, a subscription model may be more affordable if you're looking to reorder a vitamin every month.

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