09 Jan How to SAVE $34,700 this year to make Positive Improvements for Your Health

There are two types of people

One type of person will say, it is scarier to me to stay where I am than step outside my comfort zone and invest in myself to make the changes I know I need to.

It is scarier to me, to be constantly losing and gaining the same weight over and over than to finally improve my relationship with food and address the areas of my life that are limiting me from showing up for myself.

“I will figure out HOW TO make this work.”

vs the other type of person that will say, “I can’t make this work.”
“It’s not the right time.”
“I can do it on my own” (even though doing it on your own hasn’t worked for 20 years).

I remember feeling this same way when I hired my first business coach 3 years ago. It was a super scary investment, my stomach was in knots, my heart was racing. I knew it would mean stepping outside my comfort zone financially and mentally.

But I also knew I couldn’t do it on my own. This investment would allow me to create the life and purpose I was meant to do, and would 10x the speed of success ultimately.

I continue to invest into coaching because I value the support, guidance, accountability and perspective that I wouldn’t have on my own.

In my case, which was more of an extreme example … my husband and I rented our home and lived very simply, so I could go all in on my business. This certainly had its challenges, but we have been able to completely recreate a life pace that is health promoting and purposeful!

I’m not saying to go sell your home! But I do challenge you to sit down and make a list of EXTRA COSTS you are spending money on. I will share with you some common areas that we don’t often realize can really add up!

1. Magazine or App subscriptions you are paying monthly for, but don’t read or use = $10 x 12 mo = $120 per year

The next time you receive a magazine you are paying for but never read, call the number on the back immediately and cancel the subscription. It literally takes 2 minutes. Go through your phone and look under the app subscriptions you are paying for, but haven’t used in a year.

2. Buying a new dress for each wedding or event you go to

(this can obviously vary greatly, but just for an example)
$100 per dress (conservatively!) x 5 = $500 per year

Rent or borrow a dress! It’s totally fine to want to spin a new number for each event. But it doesn’t have to put you back so far. Find a friend that you can swap with, or rent a dress online!

3. Extra medical bills and medications, outside of routine checkups
Let’s use diabetes for example. People diagnosed with diabetes incur average medical expenses of $9,600 just from diabetes (not including other medical costs).
*source: Economic Costs of Diabetes in the US 2017

What you put in your body is a direct affect on your health, we know this. But when you look at the money you are spending on medications, dental work and preventable disease, it really adds up.

4. Individual Coffee Purchases

Starbucks Grande Latte = $3.65 x 5 days / week = $18.25 x 4 weeks in a month = $73 x 12 mo = $876 in a year!

One option is to still go out and get your coffee if you genuinely enjoy this, but use a reusable mug. OR make your coffee at home (huge $ savor). OR drink less coffee 😉

5. Purchasing snacks and drinks while out doing errands

drink = $2.99
muffin = $2.49
combos snack = $1.69
Total = $7.17 (without tax) let’s say you do this once per week
$7.17 x 4 weeks (in a month) = $28.68 x 12 months = $344.16 per year

Plan ahead! When you know you are going to be out of the house during a meal period or longer than several hours, bring a water bottle or beverage and a few portable snacks that hold well. You will also FEEL so much better.

6. Buying brand name products (food, clothes, toiletries)

10.8 oz box of honey nut cheerios name brand = $3.49
12.25 oz Target brand Honey Nut Toasted Oats = $2.49

Read the label, they are often very similar, if not the same ingredients.

$1 more for name brand (and less cereal), let’s say you buy this once per week
$1 x 4 weeks = $4 x 12 months = $48 savings in 1 year (on just this one food item!)

7. Being Unorganized

There are SO many examples we could use here! When we are scattered and unorganized we are much more likely to misplace things or forget things, which can also cost us TIME and MONEY.

Losing your cell phone charger = $6.99
Misplacing headset (this ranges vastly, but let’s go in the middle) = $30
Sunglasses (for a cheaper pair) = $20
Total = $57 per year (if you misplace these once a year!)

If seeing the mess around you doesn’t motivate you to get organized, think about how many new cell phone chargers you had to buy because you lost yours. Or how many times you had to pay a locksmith to open your house/car because you couldn’t find your keys 🙂

8. When you go to the store for One thing …

This can also come back to being organized and making a list before going to the store. Because it’s NEARLY impossible to go to the store and actually leave with the one thing … no matter how much self control you have! If you didn’t come in for it, you didn’t really need it.

You got for toilet paper
Then leave with a $50 (conservative number!) receipt 🙂
Let’s say you do this once per month.
$50 x 12 = $600 per year on extra stuff

9. Going out to eat/drinks on a regular basis

My husband and I went to sushi the other night, and we did order alcohol/drinks as well (4 total), so that of course plays a large role. Our bill was about $150 for two of us (I’m not including tip). So let’s say this was 3x per week

$150 x 3 = $450 a WEEK x 4 weeks (in a month) = $1800 a MONTH x 12 months in a year = $21,600 a year! This one REALLY stood out to me when you break it down.

Absolutely go out to eat! But make it the occasion, vs the norm.
Make more meals from home. Get more comfortable in the kitchen. Make eating at home enjoyable and satisfying! Play music, have time for yourself solo while cooking, or involve friends/family. Make extra so you have options for future meals.

10. Getting your nails done regularly

Let’s call it $40 each time you get your nails done (this varies based on acrylics, etc) 2 times per month. This is not including tip.
$80 per month x 12 months = $960 per year

Just to be clear if getting your nails done is something you do as self care and really improves your mood and you value this. Then this may not be the area of opportunity to adjust.

If we add up each of these examples, per year you could be saving $34,700 !

My point is, if something is important enough to you, there are many areas of your life you can look at that you can adjust to make investing in yourself a priority.

Temporarily adjusting spending to feel amazing, create better life long habits, a confident relationship with food and yourself, and finally lose the weight for good is always 100% return on investment!

I would love to hear what area shocked you the most!

What did you realize about your current spending habits that you could adjust?

Comment below, Always love hearing from You!