General wellness Health insurance & costs Healthy aging

How to save money and live longer at the same time

Can’t afford a personal chef or trainer? You can still optimize your health while sticking to a budget.

Jan, 2026

Buy a personal water filter for cheap, easy hydration

Know where to go for free, lifesaving health checks

Stock up on cheap, heart-healthy whole grains

Get a killer workout without spending a dime

Choose rich, filling lentils instead of red meat

Avoid risky habits that can cost you in the long run

1 of 8

Slide 1

With fresh produce being so expensive and gyms charging a fortune for memberships, it can often feel like you have to choose between your health and your paycheck.

But you don’t need to drain your savings to live a long, healthy life. Alan Burgess, MD, an internal medicine doctor in Denver, Colorado offers smart, cost-saving tips that can also add years to your life.

Written byRose Hayes, MA, RN.

Medically reviewed byAnn Wendling, MD, MPH.January, 2024

Sources: Bushak + 5

Bushak, Lecia. Smokers face nearly $3M in costs over a lifetime of smoking: study. MM+M. January 11, 2023.
Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. The Nutrition Source. Lentils. Accessed January 31, 2024.
Tangka F, Kenny K, Miller J, Howard DH. The eligibility and reach of the national breast and cervical cancer early detection program after implementation of the affordable care act. Cancer Causes Control. 2020;31(5):473-489.
The University of Chicago. Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Neuroscience. The Real Cost of Smoking by State feat. Dr. Fridberg. January 15, 2020.
The Water Project. The Money Spent Can Be Used Better Elsewhere. Accessed January 31, 2024.
Watters CA, Corrado RS, Chaloupka FJ. Prices of healthy and unhealthy beverages in high and low per capita income areas. Hawaii J Med Public Health. 2013;72(3):76-79.

Recommended for you