Tips for managing your money whilst suffering from a chronic illness

Millions of people across the United Kingdom are living with chronic illness. This could be anything from diabetes, to heart disease or any other condition that has a direct impact on the way you live your life. For me, I suffer from chronic migraines. This might not instantly jump out at you as being a recognised chronic illness, but suffering with regular migraines is extremely debilitating. I’ve talked about how I manage my migraines before, but I wanted to write a post going a little deeper into managing finances whilst also living with a chronic illness.

Not many of us are fortunate enough to never have to worry about money. The chances are that if you were to become seriously ill and unable to work, then your income would take a direct hit. For those of us suffering with lifelong conditions, this can be something we worry about every single day. In my case, about 50% of my income comes from employment ant the other 50% comes from my self-employed business. For the most part, if I don’t work, then I don’t get paid – it’s as simple as that. As a migraine can hit me at any point without warning and last up to 3 days, I’ve put some measures in place to minimise the impact.

Have an emergency fund

I can’t emphasise enough how important it is to have an emergency fund! This is particularly true if you live with a chronic illness. You simply cannot predict if or when you will next become unwell and unable to work, so it’s really important to have some money put to one side to cover costs when you’re not being paid. You may have a generous sick pay package from your employer, but many employers don’t pay sick pay until you’ve been off work for three consecutive days.

Saving for an emergency fund is something that you’ll need to do gradually. You could set up an automatic bank transfer into your savings account as soon as you get paid each month, you’ll soon have a healthy savings account ready just in case you need it.

Keep your medication supplies topped up

I’ve been caught out a few times and run out of my migraine medication. If I start to feel a migraine coming on and manage to take my medication quickly enough, then I can prevent the attack from being too severe. This often allows me to carry on working without the migraine taking hold. I use an online prescription service for my medication delivery so that I can always order and get it delivered as soon as I start to run low. I work long hours, so I know that I won’t always get the opportunity to nip to the chemist. Online pharmacies such as Oxford Online Pharmacy make it really easy to stay in control of your prescriptions.

Furthermore, as natural remedies are becoming more popular, I like to do my research on the latest craze, Kratom, for example, is now very popular for aiding pain and anxiety surrounding various illnesses. There are so many strains available online, such as white strains (check out the original link for the Kona Kratom website here), so it’s important to understand the benefits of each one!

Be prepared

On the days that you’re feeling well and able to function, get as much done as you can in preparation for the days when you’re struggling. This might mean working an extra hour or so to get ahead, but it also works well for your home life too. I like to prepare as many things as I can in advance, including meal prepping and paying bills. Some days, even something as simple as paying a bill online is impossible when you’re feeling unwell.

Be honest

We all want our bosses to think the very best of us. But covering up a chronic condition really isn’t the best thing to do. It’s always best to be honest and upfront about these things so that our employers can recognise and understand why we might struggle some days. My boss knows I suffer with regular migraines and on the days when the medication just isn’t working, I’m able to tell him that I’m not fit for work and that’s absolutely fine. By being honest about how you feel and opening up when you’re struggling, you may find that your employer is able to be flexible about the days and hours that you work which can be a real blessing when you’re feeling unwell.

If you struggle to function some days due to any kind of illness or condition, and you worry about how you’ll cope with work and your finances, then I hope some of these tips have been useful. Planning ahead is always the best way, and whilst you can’t predict when your next episode will happen, you can make sure that you’re ready for it.

*This is a collaborative post.