I like to think that I’m careful and live fairly frugally, as I have previously written I love the challenge of trying to save a dollar wherever I can. Whilst I will always search out the best deal, my health is something I’m not willing to compromise on. A good friend of mine inspired this thought process when she said to me “I hate spending money on medical things”. So I look at this in two ways, spending money and the opportunity to spend the money.
Why do we so frequently take good health for granted? It’s something many would give all the money in the world for. I am lucky enough to live in a country where I have access to first class medical care and the opportunity to pay for any additional services that I might need. In some countries, just because you might have the money to pay for something doesn’t necessarily mean it’s a service that’s available to you. This is something that I am grateful for, that I can have what I need.
A couple of years ago I was unfortunate to become quite ill and I must have spend hundreds of dollars trying to get better after spending lots of time in hospital. If I wasn’t able to do this my recovery time most likely would have been significantly drawn out and I might not have the quality of life which I have now (instead I would be perpetually sick).
Once you’ve had a stint of being unwell it really puts things in perspective as to what is important. For example I personally think It’s easier to spend $200 a year with an annual dental checkup than it is to let things go and need multiple fillings and a root canal further down the line. If I have to take my work to lunch every day in order to be able to afford my private health insurance then that’s exactly what I’ll do.
Frequently I feel the way my friend does, but there have also been many instances where I have been happy to pay for good health care because I believe being well is worth the price tag. It’s why I am happy to scrimp and save in other areas of my life but not this one. I will always sacrifice other things before I will do away with paying for checkups and health cover. If you can afford it and even if you complain about it, just be grateful you have access to it.
Sometimes peace of mind is worth the price tag.
How do you feel about health care spending?
This is Minimalism 