When thinking about personal finance, the first things that come to mind might be the general costs associated with living, such as the home, car, and bills. But there is one often overlooked area of personal finance that can help save you money, your health.
It may seem like an area that would not impact your finances that drastically, but taking care of your health prevents unexpected costs. You also have to consider the costs that come with your health, insurance, co-pays, and prescriptions can all add up over time. The benefits of taking care of your health don’t stop with the dollar, you’ll also live longer and feel healthier while doing so.
Putting Your Health First With Preventative Care
Taking preventative measures when it comes to your health offers a positive impact on both your quality of life and your wallet. Many illnesses are completely preventable if proper diet, exercise, and sleep schedules are maintained. Maintaining a healthy lifestyle can not only add years to your life but also prevents those unexpected illnesses that can escalate into something far more serious.
You should always schedule an annual check-up. Visiting the doctor once a year ensures that you are exercising proper habits. An annual check-up can also detect any possible conditions that you may be developing. Regular bloodwork can identify deficiencies in vitamins or nutrients. Visiting your doctor once a year is also the time to mention any changes or discomfort that you have been feeling. These could be symptoms of a developing or underlying condition and are best treated early.
Don’t Just Visit Your General Doctor
It can seem like an annual visit to your general practitioner is enough. It isn’t. Scheduling annual visits to the dentist and any specialists that you might see, is also a must.
Regular dental visits can catch tooth decay before it progresses to the state of needing more intensive work done. Tooth decay is far more common than you would think. It is 20x more common than diabetes and five times more common than childhood asthma. Along with an annual dental check-up, proper brushing and flossing habits can save your wallet and your teeth by stopping tooth decay before it begins.
Plan For The Unexpected
While the unexpected is just that, unexpected, there are still steps that you need to take to plan for it. When it comes to life, we never know what is around the corner.
Only 18% of Americans over the age of 55 have a will, advance healthcare directive, and power of attorney set in place. A will is important because it lets you lay out what you would like to happen to your estate when you die. If you do not have a will, all of that is decided by the courts. Advance healthcare directives are set in place so that both medical professionals and your family will know your wishes as to treatment in the event of a crisis. Power of attorney should be set into place. It allows you to select someone who will be able to make any decisions regarding your finances and healthcare. All of these combined are necessary to protect your finances in the event of an emergency.
A Sense Of Financial Peace
Taking care of yourself will give you a sense of financial peace. Living a healthy lifestyle means fewer sick days at work and an overall increase in quality of life. While unexpected costs can arise, lowering your chances of facing medical issues lowers the impact that medical costs will have on your bank account over time.