By the end of February, many people have abandoned their New Year’s Resolutions. If exercising no longer seems like a priority, there are still good reasons to commit to a healthier way of life. After all, staying healthy can help you save money all year long.
Long term health insurance rates and life insurance rates are lower for healthy people. For example, smokers pay as much as 40% more for health insurance. Being a smoker may disqualify you from the best life insurance policy rates.
Some companies even offer direct incentives to their employees to make healthy moves like losing weight, quitting smoking, or simply going to the gym several times each week. The money-saving incentive for quitting smoking is strong for many people. Cigarettes are expensive, so that expense is immediately eliminated for quitters.
Staying healthy also helps people miss less work, which for hourly employees and those with limited vacation and personal days is the key to enjoying scheduled time off. Even those with great health insurance benefits can save their co-pay several times each year by staying well enough to not need a face-to-face with their doctor.
Other ways to save money while becoming more healthy include skipping the drive-thru, where some of the lowest-quality food is the most expensive. Spend that money on nutrient-dense foods at the grocery store or farmers’ market instead.
