What does your health have to do with your budget?

Good morning Dinks.  The answer is everything.  Think about the last time you grabbed some food on the go – was it the healthiest option or was it the cheapest option? Think about the last time you went out for drinks with your colleagues after work – did you order your favorite drink or the cheapest drink on the menu? The truth is that all the choices we make in life, not only food, are directly related to our budget and how much money we have.

Would you rather gain weight or gain debt?

I have a younger sister who is pretty and perfect and can do no wrong.  She is very organized and extremely set in her ways with every aspect of her life – including both her diet and her money.  As you know I have been with my boyfriend for 14 years and we aren’t married – nor are we planning on having kids any time soon.  So my younger sister is my parent’s only hope for becoming grandparents.

Well, I hate to burst their potential grandparent bubble but my sister is not having children any time soon either. My sister hates debt with a passion – she has never been in debt and avoids it like the plague. I’m sure this has to do with her controlling personality. But to be honest I think that my sister would rather be $10,000 in debt than gain 10 lbs.

If you said debt then you are normal

According to Credit Karma  my sister is actually the normal – who knew? In a recent survey Credit Karma confirmed that 72% of Americans prefer to have debt over gaining weight.  This survey, conducted in June of this year showed that “debt-ridden Americans often put their physical appearance ahead of their financial state”.

I am not sure if this is the way that it should be.  As a financial planner I am sad to know that people’s financial well-being is not at the top of their priority list.  But as a regular person I am happy to learn that people are taking pride in their physical appearance.

Where do you choose to spend your money?

A gorgeous physical appearance is different than being healthy.  You can be skinny because you don’t eat – which saves money.  Or you can be physically fit thanks to exercise and eating right – which can be costly.

Spending money on gym memberships and healthy food are not the most budget friendly choices, but it is what’s best for our health.  I am a vegetarian and I try to work out four times a week.  I try to live a healthy lifestyle while being budget friendly.

Find a balance between your budget and being healthy.

The majority of my money is spent on comfy and cute workout clothes, but instead of buying $85 yoga pants at Lulu Lemon I buy $19 yoga pants at Aeropostale. I don’t spend too much money on special organic food; I try to make vegetarian recipes that include regular ingredients that you can buy at any grocery store or bulk food store.  This helps save money and be healthy at the same time.

What is your best grocery money savings tip?

Photo by khargrav

Kristina Tahnyak

Tahnya is a Certified Financial Planner and former Investment Advisor turned marketing and communications professional She holds a degree from Concordia University, is debt free and currently works in the field of digital marketing.