Breaking Stereotypes: Illness is More Expensive than Wellness

Some people tend to think choosing a healthy lifestyle can be very costly with all the money spent on various activities to improve wellness. And while it’s true that some techniques will have you take out some bucks out of your pockets, it’s still nothing compared to the money you’d need to treat various illnesses that can be simply avoided through wellness.

Even with a solid healthcare plan, you may end up spending big bucks if you neglect your health and choose an unhealthy lifestyle. To put it bluntly, you’ll need much more than a free bingo to pay for hospital bills in case you get ill and your insurance doesn’t cover it.

Furthermore, the wellness cost doesn’t have to be high. There are plenty of activities and ideas you can apply to be healthy and stay away from hospitals. In this article, we’re going to analyze these various ways to approach wellness, so it’s not a costly experience. Also, we’re comparing the wellness budget cost to how much you need to spend on insurance and hospitalization if it ever comes to that.

Health Insurance vs Wellness Cost

We simply can’t talk about illness costs without starting with health insurance. Without insurance, there’s simply no discussion here. The bills you’ll have to pay if you’re not insured are sky-high and it’s always recommended going for even the most basic health insurance out there. According to Statista, the single coverage health insurance average for employees in 2021 stands at $7,739. To put this into context, it was just $2,471 in 2000 and grew constantly from one year to the other.

And this applies if your employer offers decent health care premiums. If not, you’ll be forced to go for an individual insurance on top, and you may end up paying another $105 per month. No matter how you put it, getting sick is a really expensive endeavor in the United States.  That’s why the saying goes, “It’s better to prevent than to treat”. 

How Much does Ideal Wellness Cost?

After our quick overview of what you’re looking at in terms of healthcare insurance and the money you have to spend, let’s take a look on the other side of the wall. Sure, some wellness activities are costly, especially if you go for premium gyms and other treatments. However, you can enjoy a healthy lifestyle without throwing away all those bucks on 5-star spa treatments, floating capsules, etc.

Actually, there are lots of no cost wellness ideas you can apply to maintain your health and stay away from doctors and hospitals. You can keep reading magazines and let’s check them out!

Walking

The most basic of low-cost wellness ideas. Instead of taking the bus or driving all the time, you can start walking more. Why low cost and no cost? Because you’ll still need to invest in a proper pair of Snickers to make sure all those extra steps don’t lead to injuries or pain in your feet and back. You don’t have to start walking to work every day. Even parking your car a bit further from the office or walking towards the cafeteria during the lunch break can deliver important benefits.

Use a Wellness App

In most cases you won’t have to worry about the wellness app cost because there are some really good ones available for free. However, if you want to make sure you’re doing it right, you won’t be spending more than $15 on a reliable wellness app. Furthermore, it’s a lot cheaper than a wellness program cost, and you don’t have to go anywhere. You will find something for every fitness level, and you can start working out at home, in the park, and even at the office. You’ll be amazed to see how many awesome workouts don’t require the trip to the gym.

Make Great Use of Your Bodyweight

Another idea that acts like an awesome wellness benefit cost reduction is using your bodyweight for various exercises to stay in shape. Actually, you’ll find many exercises in wellness apps that promote this type of workout, and you will be able to avoid spending big bucks on a gym membership.

And since working out regularly also requires a diet to match, you can go for homemade protein bars to reduce costs as well. You don’t need exceptional cooking or mixing skills to make them, and you’ll be able to control what you eat to get the body you want.

Join Scheduled Outdoor Activities

Most cities offer various outdoor programs held by personal trainers that are either looking to build a customer base or simply want to spread the word. It’s like getting a personal trainer at the gym, but without having to spend lots of money. The activities are mostly outdoor, in parks or outdoor gyms, and it’s a great thing to try if you can’t really find the motivation to work out alone at home.

Build an at-Home Gym

If you don’t find yourself in the category we mentioned in the previous paragraph, it’s a good idea to buy some minimal gym equipment and improvise an at-home gym. It’s not a huge wellness healthcare cost, but it comes with lots of benefits. For starters, you won’t have to waste time actually going to the gym, getting changed, and all that. Also, there’s an added advantage of being able to work out throughout the day. So, even if you have a very busy schedule, you’ll still be able to get moving and maintain your wellness.

Cook More

You probably didn’t expect to see this one listed among other wellness care cost reduction ideas. However, staying healthy has a lot to do with alimentation and no matter if you work out or not, eating healthy will take you a long way. Not to mention that cooking more will also work wonders for your budget. Compared to going to a restaurant or getting food delivered to your place, cooking is a lot cheaper, and you can enjoy the food for a longer time.

If you want to save even more money, you can go to a farmer’s market and get local products at great prices. Besides helping you reduce expenses, cooking can be a very relaxing activity and that also improves your wellness. As long as you don’t burn the kitchen down, you should have a great time.

Learn How to Avoid Scams

You’ve probably seen lots of advertising for wellness checkups that promise to find out immediately what needs to be improved for a better life. Well, while a wellness checkup cost is not that high, you should always do it in a clinic after doing some research on the topic. Don’t just go with the first offer you see on the street as it may be no different from weighing you up, checking your blood pressure, and calculating your BMI. And you can do all these things by yourself without spending big bucks.

So, while the answer to “Does wellness check cost money?” is definitely YES, you have to make sure you understand what are the included procedures and if it makes sense for you. Always go for licensed clinics that employ actual nutritionists and other professionals that know what they’re doing.

Final Words

Applying the low-cost wellness ideas mentioned above will give you the opportunity to enjoy a healthy lifestyle without spending too much money on it. Compared to the hundreds of bucks you take out of your pocket for a hospital visit, even with insurance, it’s clear that staying healthy is a better strategy. Of course, we don’t want to reduce the importance of having good healthcare insurance but, just like any other type of insurance, it’s best if you don’t use it. Wellness is one way to make sure you won’t have to visit the hospital too often for illnesses that are associated with sedentary lifestyles and other affections.

We’re sure there are many other ways to enjoy cheap wellness activities, and we encourage all readers to go to the comments section and share their ideas. It’s a topic that can be extended greatly, and your contribution can help lots of people.

About the author: William Benetton is a famous writer, professional photographer and web-designer. Last few months he has been creating interesting, informative blogs and websites. If you want to contact William, please check his Facebook. He can’t imagine his life without sport, travel and morning coffee.