Having a healthy lifestyle can be hard, especially on a budget. A difficult economy can really make you wonder how you are going to make ends meet. You may find yourself being a little more frugal and thinking more about saving for your future. You might not even realize it, but being frugal can often improve your health. The link between frugality and health actually means that there are habits that help you save money also help you stop bad habits and improve your overall health.
You might wonder how spending less money can improve your health. The answers are simple really and all have to do with making changes in your lifestyle.
Saving Money
The first thing you have to do to live frugal, is to start saving more money. Your goal isn’t just to be able to pay your bills, it’s to be able to save money for when you really need it. The easiest way to accomplish this is by having savings accounts. A single account is no sufficient. You need an emergency account, a rainy day account, and a retirement accounts at minimum. Many also have Christmas and vacation savings account. If your bank will automatically split your deposits, this is a big help in the savings process.
Cooking at Home
When you are trying to save money one of the first things to go is often eating out and expensive junk food. When you cook meals at home you are able to control the amount of fat and sodium that you add to your dishes. Fast food meals are loaded with sugar, carbs, and calories, and while you may appreciate their speed and ease, they are killing your budget and your waistline. Another benefit of cooking at home is you are also less likely to splurge for costly sugary beverages which can really keep you out of shape. If you remove a 12 -oz can of soda from your diet per day you can save yourself about150 calories in a day, 1050 calories in a week, 3,500 in about 3 1/2 weeks. Since 3500 is in a pound, this could really help take off the pounds.
Low Cost and Free Entertainment
If you weren’t trying to cut back on expenses, you might spend Friday night having dinner out a movie. A glass of wine, a tub of popcorn, chocolate candy, and a super-size soda can be very expensive. These are also really poor food choices and should be limited in a healthy diet. If you are living frugally you will likely look for alternative forms of entertainment that are cheap and often free. Going for a hike or a to fly a home-made kite is a frugal way to have fun that may help you burn a few calories.
Stopping Bad and Expensive Habits
Drinking and smoking are not only harmful to your body they are also very expensive. If you are in saving mode then cutting out the cigarettes and beer can really help you meet your savings goals. Removing these two vices from your like can increase your life expectancy, reduce the calories the you consume, and allow you to make decisions without the effects of mind-altering substances in your body.
Your original goal may be to be a little more frugal and save money but ultimately your can improve your health. Cooking at home, find free entertainment, and stopping bad habits save your money and reduce your health risks. But this is only the beginning of how frugality can improve your health. Who knew that saving money could have such a valuable impact on your health?
Be sure to comment below and let us know ways you can think of that being frugal can keep you healthy.
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