Discount Insurance and More! 8 Effective Strategies to Reduce Healthcare Costs

Let’s face facts — Americans face some of the highest healthcare costs in the world. The average American spends over $10,000 per year on healthcare. That’s no small number, and many people struggle to make ends meet because of these expenses.

For many people, the high cost of healthcare means you either need to take on new debt, pull from savings, or just hope you get better. Financial stress like these can make things worse by impacting your physical health. The good news is that there are steps that you can take right now to reduce the impact of healthcare on your wallet.

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Throughout my entire pregnancy, I practiced yoga. I went to two or three classes every week up until I gave birth and it became something I really enjoyed. I was eager to practice again once my doctor cleared me for physical activity. There were so many awesome poses that I just simply couldn’t do with a nine-month prego belly (and others that just weren’t safe while I was pregnant). So, at the beginning of the year I set up one-on-one yoga sessions with my instructor/friend.

My goal for my practice? Headstands. 

Why Headstands?

I’ll preface this by saying I practice with a YogaFaith instructor. My first true goal when I roll out my yoga mat is to get closer to God. I usually bring a Bible verse with me to think about while I hold poses and breathe. This has brought me a lot of peace over the last year or so. My time on my mat is time to spend with Jesus and time to spend with myself.

As I’m sure you know if you have followed the blog for a while, I am a fan of reflecting. Yoga is a chance to do that in a quiet, supportive environment while also working towards a physical goal. For me, my 2022 yoga practice is focused on the idea of grace. One of the verses I’ve been bringing to my practice is this…

Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need. – Hebrews 4:16

Do I always feel confident or graceful when attempting a pose that demands balance? Absolutely not. There are times I feel like a newborn baby gazelle who can’t use its legs properly. When I lay those insecurities at the feet of Jesus, I can do anything. I am full of His grace.

My First Headstand

I’m about five one-on-one sessions into my practice for the year. I have already made huge strides in what I wanted to do. My balance is improving, the connection between my breath and the way my body moves is there.

What many people don’t realize is that, while yoga does take a certain amount of strength, much of that strength comes from focusing your energy inward. When I put my shoulders into the inverted yoga chair and kicked my legs up for my first assisted headstand, it was amazing! I decided to take that energy and focus and discover other places where it could positively impact my life.

How Headstands Will Help Improve My Finances and Beyond

As I said, doing a headstand takes a lot of focus, but you also have to be extremely self-aware. Your body will always let you know when you should stop when it comes to exercise, stretching, etc. Actually, your body probably let’s you know when to stop other things too, but most of us ignore it. My goal is to listen to that intuition more.

From a financial standpoint, headstands are training me to be more patient, focus on the end goal, and be more aware. Every move I make has an impact on the integrity of my headstand and, potentially, my safety. The same is true of my finances. Every dollar I spend (or don’t save) has an impact on my long-term financial health. The same can be said of my health, relationship, and creative goals.

Take some time to think about what would help you truly focus. Meditation, regular exercise, and even simply journaling can help you make progress. What works for you?

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Toy R Us and Babies R Us both announced they will be closing their doors, kicking off some seemingly great going-out-of-business sales. For growing families, these sales may be tempting. However, most people are better off just staying home.

Going-Out-Of-Business Sales Are Tempting But…

Our Debt Free Family’s sister site, Saving Advice, had a colorful description of zombie toys in the back of liquidated stores. What you should really be scared of is the impact wasting money on a going-out-of-business sale might have on your wallet.

According to the Federal Trade Commission, many of these businesses have ways of making you spend more when all is said and done. If it is a large retail chain, like Toys R Us, the sale is most likely being handled by a liquidator. This also means there will be huge discounts advertised, but you may not be getting that great of a deal. In many cases, liquidation sales are marked down from seriously inflated prices. Here are a few questions to ask yourself before heading to any liquidation sales.

Questions to Ask Yourself

1. Would you be buying this item anyway? Shopping sales just because things are on sale is a bad habit to have! Don’t go out shopping going-out-of-business sales unless you already planned on purchasing the item. In the case of Toys R Us, you may be able to save a little on larger Christmas gifts or birthday presents for your children.
2. Is the sale being handled by a liquidator? If your favorite mom-and-pop shop is going out of business, they probably aren’t being liquidated. However, Toys R Us and Babies R Us will be. This can mean price mark ups.
3. Have you researched the price of the item you are there to buy? This goes back to #1. If you have been thinking about buying the item, you know how much it costs elsewhere. Compare the sale price to prices available at other stores. Make sure you’re actually getting a good deal.
4. Does the advertisement have the original price of the items? Many liquidation sales don’t offer the original price in the ad. The advert will just say “75% off all items in the store.” This is a sign that the prices are probably marked up prior to being discounted.
5. Is there debt you could be paying off instead? Consider other things you could be spending your money on. If you hear about a going-out-of-business sale and have some extra cash, think about snowballing your debt or adding more to your savings.

No matter what kind of sale you’re headed to, price comparison is the best way to protect yourself from false discounts. Know what you are purchasing and what the average price is before going crazy at a sale.

Readers, have you been tempted — or even tricked — into buying items at a going-out-of-business sale?

If you’re a regular visitor of Our Debt Free Family, you know that I am no stranger to trying new, crazy things to save money and lose weight. What if you could do both at the same time?

Like me, millions of Americans spend quite a bit of money each year maintaining their mental health. More specifically, warding off depressive episodes. A recent study found changing your diet could help decrease your risk of depression.

That’s right, not only does what you eat have a direct impact on your physical health but it can affect you mentally as well. Researchers found that people adhering to the DASH diet are less likely to develop depression. The DASH diet is heavy in fruit, veggies, and whole grains.

Depression is one of the most common mental illnesses in the United States. In fact, the health costs associated with depression cost Americans millions of dollars a year.

Save Your Life By Changing Your Diet

For many people, controlling their diet may be the secret to saving their life, especially if they are prone to depression. Depression can oftentimes lead to thoughts of suicide and feelings of complete loneliness. Not to mention, adhering to what would be considered an unhealthy diet can cause a number of other health problems too (including heart disease).

You’ll save yourself a ton of stress by eating healthier, and you’ll feel it in your health and your wallet.

Thing to Eat to Maintain Your Health and Finances

So, what should you be eating to maintain your mental, physical, and financial health? Here are a few of my favorite foods that are DASH Diet friendly and super cheap…

Carrots & Celery 

Carrots and celery are two of my favorite snacks. It may sound crazy but both are great dipped in peanut butter and are super cheap. Usually, you can get a bag of baby carrots for $0.99 and celery for a little over $1. So, for less than $3 I’ll have healthy snacks throughout the week. It will help stabilize my mood as well as keep plaque from building up on my teeth, which helps control my dental costs.

Apples

Everyone knows the saying, “An apple a day will keep the doctor away.” Working fruits into your diet will help elevate your mood. Apples are also fairly inexpensive. The national average price of apples is $1.31 per pound.

Bananas

Another great and inexpensive food to work into your diet for mental, physical, and financial health are bananas. Cost wise, they are great (about $0.44 per bunch). Bananas are also rich in potassium and can help you maintain your health.

Unsweetened Applesauce

Unsweetened applesauce is a staple in my kitchen. It is super cheap, contains only natural sugars, and is delicious! You can get a 48-ounce jar of applesauce for less than $2.

Almonds

Almonds are one of the more expensive items on this list but they won’t break the bank. The Dash Diet-approved food is rich in protein and healthy fats. Compared to other types of nuts, they are also cheaper. The average national price of almonds sits around $3 per pound.

 

Sliced Deli Meat

Sliced deli meat is great for snacking and for meals. Places like Aldi sell pre-packaged deli meat for less than $3. Be sure to buy products lower in sodium and fat for health purposes.

Incorporating these inexpensive foods into your diet can help you in three major ways. The first is eating healthy will help you be healthy. This is a simple fact. It will also help you financially. Many people believe dieting means an expensive grocery bill, but it doesn’t have to! Lastly, altering your diet can save you mental stress and potentially reduce your risk of depression.

So, why not start changing your diet today? Introduce some healthy foods into your diet and let us know how it impacts you!

It’s a horrible feeling when you can’t pay your bills or you run out of money before the end of the month. When you’re not even half-way through the month and already know for sure your account will be hitting zero soon it can be even worse.

Before depression sets in or you hit panic mode, stop and take a deep breath. There are solutions when you need extra cash this month.

Sell Stuff

When you need extra cash this month, start your spring cleaning early. Take an hour or two to go through the clutter in your home or apartment.

If you are like me chances are you usually put it off until you have time. But what better time than when you need some extra money?

Tackle that closet or dresser that is stuffed with clothes that don’t fit or new items you never used and won’t miss. Then, go online to eBay, Amazon, Letgo, or some other site and give it a new home.

Fill Out Surveys

Have you ever considered filling out surveys to make some extra money? There are plenty online to choose from that are willing to pay for your opinion of their products or services.

Some pay more than others, of course, but you could make anywhere from an extra few dollars to $90 or more. Regardless of the amount, if you have a computer already and a little extra time on your hands you could be making money in no time.

Ask for a Raise

Another thing to do when you need extra cash this month is ask for a raise. Obviously you will want to make sure you have been doing an exceptional job before you approach your supervisor. But this is one way to get some extra money in your budget when you need it.

Drive for Uber or Lyft

If you don’t mind driving you could use your car to earn some extra money. Sign up for Uber or Lyft and within a few days you could be chauffeuring others around and earning money for it.

Don’t worry if you don’t have a car. You can still sign up through HyreCar. Just fill out the paperwork and they will do a background check before matching you to a car you can rent.

Rent Your Extra Bedrooms

Having an unused bedroom can help when you need extra cash this month. With a little time and preparation you could rent it to other people such as vacationers or those traveling for business.

Check out the requirements with Airbnb to see if your home qualifies. You can either be absent or present when guests are there as long as you notify them before they rent.

You might be able to offer travelers additional services for extra money too, such a meals or transportation. However, if you do offer extras, make sure the prices are stated up front.

Offer a Variety of Services

Often people just need someone to fill the gaps in their lives. You could be that person. Advertise on Facebook, Twitter, and other places so that your community knows you are available.

The services you could provide are only limited by your imagination and what others need. You could babysit, animal sit, clean houses or businesses, paint, detail cars, tutor, clear snow, clean gutters, wash windows, buy and deliver groceries, run errands, and more.

Mend and Alter Clothes

If you have a sewing machine and are good at sewing you could tailor, mend, and alter clothes for other people to bring in extra cash. Some communities have a need for these services with no one to fill it.

Check with bridal shops, dry cleaning services, and clothing stores to see if you can get referrals. You may even be able to turn your temporary side-hustle into a permanent side business.

Bake or Cater

If you love to spend time in the kitchen and are a good cook, turn it into a money maker. Decide if you want to cater full meals or bake cookies, cakes, and other sweets.

Then, advertise and share a few samples to get customers fast. Before you know it you will be raking in the dough.

As you can see, when you need extra money in pretty short order there are things you can do to get it. Choose one or two of these ways to add to your income and help you breathe a little easier.

Have you ever fallen short on cash before? If so, what did you do to solve the problem?

Jeanne is a married mother of 2 children who works as a full-time freelancer and also helps out occasionally on the farm she and her husband own together. Her background is mostly finance and medical office management.  She’s currently working to improve her financial well-being and hopes to help others improve theirs as well.