How To Afford Healthcare and Groceries Without Breaking Your Budget
Let's be real: picking between a doctor's visit and actual food shouldn't be a choice anyone has to make. Yet here we are.
"More Americans are finding themselves in the difficult position of choosing between paying for healthcare and paying for everyday necessities like groceries," said Whitney Stidom, vice president of consumer enablement at eHealth. "Our new research found that 42% of Americans have skipped or delayed medical care because of inflation."
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And it's not just healthcare taking the hit. Sixty-four percent of Americans say rising prices have made basics like food, housing and clothing feel out of reach. But before you start choosing between your health and your hunger, here's the good news. There are real, actionable ways to cover both without tanking your budget. It takes strategy, but it's doable.
Step 1: Make Sure You Have Coverage
For people who are not yet eligible for Medicare and don't have access to an employer-sponsored plan, the first step is figuring out your options for health insurance. An Affordable Care Act (ACA) plan might be the answer.
According to Stidom, whether people are facing higher premiums or their coverage needs have changed, comparison shopping is key.
She said, "Enrollees should review coverage options from competing insurers in their area, which they can do through the government marketplace serving their state or through a licensed online health insurance marketplace."
Step 2: Maximize the Coverage You Have
Once you've got a plan in place, the next move is getting the full value from your health coverage. Stidom noted that this is one of the best ways to ease pressure on a household budget.
"Whether that's taking advantage of no-cost preventive care, comparing Medicare plans during enrollment or determining whether you're eligible for benefits like grocery allowances through certain Medicare Advantage Special Needs Plans, maximizing available benefits can help lower both healthcare and everyday living expenses," Stidom said. "Small savings across multiple areas can make a meaningful difference for families trying to balance medical costs with the rising price of groceries."
One specific tool worth exploring is a Health Savings Account (HSA).
"For healthcare specifically, an HSA is one of the better tools out there if you have access to one, since the money goes in pre-tax and rolls over year to year instead of disappearing like a Flexible Spending Account (FSA)," said Taylor Kovar, certified financial planner (CFP) and co-founder of Klear. "Even a small automatic contribution each paycheck adds up and gives you something to draw from when a bill shows up unexpectedly."
Step 3: Get Smart About Your Grocery Budget
With your healthcare coverage locked in and optimized, the final piece is managing the other side of this equation: food costs.
Kovar said the people who seem to manage best are the ones who plan meals around what's on sale that week rather than shopping off a fixed list. "It sounds small, but it tends to add up to a real difference over a month."
Small changes to your shopping habits can also help reduce your grocery expenses. Here are a few ways we've suggested cutting costs in the past:
Shop with a list so you only buy what you need.
Download supermarket apps for a quick and easy way to clip digital coupons and earn loyalty rewards.
Use curbside pickup to avoid random impulse purchases.
And remember, delaying medical care to save money now can backfire later. As Stidom put it, "Delaying care may seem like a way to save money in the short term, but it can lead to more serious health issues — and potentially higher medical bills — later due to the increased risk of developing certain chronic conditions such as diabetes."
The bottom line: with the right coverage and a solid strategy, you don't have to choose between your health and your groceries.
This article was provided by MoneyLion.com for informational purposes only and should not be construed as financial, legal or tax advice.
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