You aren't cheap, just frugal. You want to stay slim, but your finances are a tad too lean. You seek to maintain your health, but your bank account is lower than Michael Phelps' pulse rate.
What to do?
Follow these 15 ways to save on health and fitness.
Use generic prescription and over-the-counter drugs when possible. The Consumer Reports National Research Center says generics are as safe and effective as name brands.
Skip the treadmill and the high health-club fees. Go outside and run or walk. It's really not that cold here.
Can't afford fancy gloves to keep your hands warm? Find your warmest pair of socks and put them on your hands before a run.
Stay out of emergency rooms. If you have an ailment that can wait until morning, let it wait. You'll literally save thousands.
Do bicep curls with milk jugs and heavier cans as you're putting away the groceries. They weigh about the same as health-club barbells.
If your company offers a flexible-spending account option for health care, take it. These are pretax funds squirreled away in an account to pay for office visits, prescriptions and the like. It's a use-it-or-lose-it plan, so you must estimate how much money to set aside for a year. Err on the low side, lest your December be all about finding ways to spend health care money.
Buy your own crutches and braces for your appendages. The ones hospitals supply are pricey.
Buy a yoga video (Rodney Yee's "Power Yoga" can be had for $8.99 on Amazon.com) instead of paying $15 for every yoga class. (Plus, you won't have to deal with some creepy guy staring at you while you're executing the downward dog.)
When your doctor tells you you need to take a new drug, ask her or him for free samples. They usually have a stash on hand.
If you have no insurance and pay cash for your doctor's bill at the time of the appointment, ask if the office gives a discount. Many practices will give cash-paying customers a deal because they don't have to deal with the insurance hassles.
Get your dental work done at a dental school. (For information on the University of the Pacific's Arthur A. Dugoni School of Dentistry, go to http://dental.pacific.edu.) But be prepared for a long appointment. These are dental pros-in-training.
Forget those fancy freezable ice bags pro athletes use. If you've got a sprained ankle or a swollen knee, put a bag of frozen peas on it. (You can use one bag for about a year. Don't cook the peas after a year, though. They get kind of smooshed after repeated use.)
Try mail-order pharmacies for your prescription drugs. Buying in bulk is cheaper. (Caveat: Do it only for prescriptions you routinely take.)
Know your tax tips. The IRS allows you to write off the amount by which your medical care expenses for the year exceed 7.5 percent of your adjusted gross income.
Eat out less and eat smaller portions. It saves money and shrinks your waistline.
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