Be frugal; but do take care of your health.

As our economy is heading south, many of us view our personal health as sometimes a secondary need. Although I can understand the many reasons and factors of why a decision like that would happen, health is important. I am stating a fact, but it merits explanation. Health is important and the management thereof just as important. It is important to be involved in the process, to be a good consumer. This means to be aware that you need care, but focus on the approach.

Does anyone remember the “Friends” episode when the character “Joey”, who a played an actor,  had a terrible pain in his abdomen but would refuse to go see a doctor because he had no insurance. He waited until the pain was just too much, but luckily he had gotten a job just in time. He finally was diagnosed with a hernia and cured.

The point is that his illness could have been much worse and much costlier. He should have acted (no pun intended) sooner and gone to the doctor to know his options. It could have been something very simple to treat. We need to know and be involved. Many times we simply view healthcare as inaccessible due to the fact that we do not have health insurance.

While some of this is true, healthcare, especially preventative and basic care is still accessible from an affordability point of view. There are clinics, doctors, and even hospitals that offer discounts and special rates.

Definitely, waiting and not treating and facing the problem won’t help and could make it worse.

Take care