Many people know that working out and eating well is a good habit, but they might not know that these same habits can also benefit them financially. For instance, you’ll often get lower life insurance premiums by making better choices. By maintaining these habits, you’ll ensure that you can protect both yourself and your family. In this article we look at how leading a healthier lifestyle can save you money.
Lower Life Insurance Premiums
Many health insurance companies offer fitness programs or reward you for taking specific steps to manage your health. That’s because you are not at as high of a risk of particular health conditions, and you are not as risky to insure. And when you sign up for life insurance, you’ll likely need to give some information on your lifestyle. Then the company can determine if there is much chance that they’ll need to pay out.
Of course, just because you get a lower premium does not mean you have to keep the policy forever. You might consider selling a life insurance policy at some point, and it’s a good idea to look into it in case you find you no longer need it at some point. You can estimate the cash value in seconds, letting you determine the amount you may receive.
Reducing Expensive Habits
Both drinking and smoking are examples of habits that reduce your income, while damaging your health. And while you likely understand the health implications of smoking, you might not be familiar with the financial ones. If you spend just $6 each day on cigarettes, you’ll be spending over $2,100 annually on the habit. Drinking can also cost you a lot of money. Even if you and your household only go through a pack each week, that’s still several hundred dollars every year. And depending on the amount that you smoke or drink, the amount you’ll save might be even more.
Savings On Food
You might be surprised that changing your eating habits can also lead to significant savings. It doesn’t mean spending more on organic products or expensive health foods. But if you reduce snacking and lower your portion sizes, you won’t have to spend as much and it will therefore save you money. Snack foods are often disproportionally expensive than what you get, so consider swapping out these items with fresh fruits and vegetables when you’re hungry.
Reducing the amount of times you eat out is another excellent way of seeing significant savings. Instead of purchasing your lunch at work, try preparing meals ahead of time that you can heat up. When you eat more food you prepare yourself, you’ll also be able to purchase some items in bulk, saving you even more. And of course, it’s often healthier to cook your food instead of going out to eat.
Lower Transportation Costs
If you live close enough to different places that you can walk or bike to them, it will save you money on transportation as well. It’s good exercise to walk and bike, and it reduces wear on your vehicle. Plus, you won’t have to spend as much to fill it up. You can save a significant amount each year by reducing how much you drive.
*collaborative post
