5 ways to get healthier and save money

Most of us would love to feel healthier and fitter, but often it’s the thought of the costs involved in getting fit and eating healthier that feel like a brick wall standing in our way. However, there are lots of ways you can live a healthier life without it costing you a fortune. In fact, sometimes our unhealthy lifestyles cost us more money than it would cost us to switch things up and be a little healthier! These 5 ways to get healthier will not only make you feel better, but they’ll also make your wallet feel a little healthier too.

5 ways to get healthier and save money

1. Quit smoking

OK, so it’s an oldie but it’s such a goodie and if you quit smoking, both your health and your wallet will thank you! On average, smoking costs £3,000 per year according to the NHS, that’s a whopping £250 every month!

Not only is smoking incredibly bad for your health – even the most hardened smokers can’t deny that – but it costs an absolute fortune too!

There are so many ways to cut back on smoking these days too. Vaping costs far less than smoking and it’s much better for you too.

2. Walk

Public transport can be cheaper than driving your own car, but it’s still not cheap! If you can, then walk – especially if you’re only travelling a short distance.

Walking is great exercise, and the fresh air is so important for both a healthy body and a healthy mind.

3. Cut out the takeaways

It’s common sense that takeaways are incredibly bad for you. The odd takeaway as a treat is fine, but many of us are coming to rely on takeaway meals to provide a quick and easy fill midweek when we’ve run out of steam, or we’re short on time.

DON’T DO IT!

Takeaways are SO expensive.

Spend a little time at the beginning of the week planning what meals you’ll cook each night. I guarantee this will save you money and you’re also far more likely to eat a healthier diet by planning ahead. If you’re an endomorph (and typically gain weight really easily) then takeaways just aren’t worth it if you’re trying to lose weight, they’re full of empty calories with little to no nutritious value.

4. Batch Cook

This one kind of goes hand in hand with number 3. If you can take some time out even once a month to batch cook, then you’ll save yourself a fortune. Make healthy tomato sauce as a base for pasta dishes, homemade soups, casseroles etc. You can bulk these meals out with lots of healthy vegetables. Batch cooking is healthy, money-saving and time saving too. Think of those week night evenings when you’re really struggling for time – how amazing would it be to know that your meal is ready and waiting for you when you get home?

5. Drink more water

This is such a simple way to get healthier AND save money, but it’s one that many people seem to forget about.

Cut back on the carbonated soft drinks, expensive juices and multiple cups of coffee each day and just drink more water.

We should be drinking 6-8 glasses of water every day in order to keep our bodies hydrated. Water is incredibly cheap. It doesn’t need to be mineral water, tap water is perfectly fine to drink in the UK and it costs very little compared to other soft drinks.

 

Just by changing these five, small things, we could be so much healthier and if we continued it longterm, we’d save a fortune too.

 

*This is a collaborative post.