Welcome
Welcome to the Health & Leisure Section of SavingsNut.com, dedicated to providing
money saving advice, tips and ideas on how to be frugal and save money on all your
medical and healthcare expenses and leisure activities. Tips on how to reduce the
cost of health insurance, doctors & diagnostic tests, prescriptions & over-the-counter
drugs and hospital charges. Also, savings ideas to reduce the cost of leisure activities
including home entertainment, dining out and events and recreation. Start reducing
your healthcare and leisure activities costs by reviewing the tips presented below.
For hundreds more tips, advice and savings, click on the navigation buttons on the
left.
Health Insurance - Make sure the policy is renewable at your option and is not a
temporary policy. Many people, when they are between jobs, buy temporary policies
that expire after a set period of time. If you do not get hurt or sick you probably
will be able to renew. But, if you do get hurt or sick, and you have not yet secured
a job that provides coverage, you will probably not be able to renew and you will
become uninsured. Find health insurance quotes here.
Doctors & Diagnostic Tests - Before going to a new doctor, make sure you check the
doctor’s background, to ensure that there have not been any prior problems, and that
you are happy with the doctor’s credentials. You may also want to consider this
for your present doctor. The web site DocBoard.org (free) will link you to state
licensing boards for doctors. In many instances these boards will have a wealth
of information on any doctor licensed to practice in your state.
Prescriptions & Over-The-Counter Drugs - Make sure you really need to be on all the
drugs that have been prescribed. This is particularly true of so-called “maintenance”
drugs that are taken over a long period of time. Sometimes conditions for which
these drugs are prescribed go away or lessen, or as you age you require a smaller
dosage. Make sure to ask your doctor if all these different drugs you have been
accumulating throughout the years are really necessary, or if there is some duplication
or over medication occurring.
Hospital Expenses - Before you are admitted to the hospital, make sure you know how
long the hospital stay is expected to be. When in the hospital, if you are progressing
well, ask if you can go home early. Sometimes you can easily save an extra day’s
hospital stay just by asking to be released. And make sure you know what time of
the day to be released in order to avoid an extra day’s charges. Look for healthcare
supplies and equipment here.
Home Entertainment - If you do like to watch a lot of TV, consider buying or renting
a digital video recorder (DVR) from your cable or satellite company. It will cost
about $5-$10 per month, but it will give you a tremendous amount of flexibility to
record shows for later viewing. Instead of relying on premium channels, or on-demand
or DVD movie rentals, you can record several hours of free programming (including
great movies you have never seen) to provide you with video entertainment whenever
you like. Find home electronics specials here.
Dining Out - Restaurant discounts and coupons are available from many local sources,
for both fancy and everyday restaurants. So, be sure to use discounts whenever possible,
and make sure to keep track of coupon expiration dates. Check your local newspaper
for discounts and coupons for local restaurants. Also, make sure to check out the
local mailers for restaurant coupons. New restaurants are particularly fond of using
discounts and specials to attract customers. Look for restaurant discounts and coupons
aimed at tourists. These can be found at the local visitors’ bureau or chamber of
commerce, and in free magazines and brochures aimed at tourists. Also, make sure
to check out the brochure racks at lobbies of local hotels for restaurant discounts.
Keep in mind, you do not have to be a tourist or visiting business person to use
these discounts.
Discounts and coupons for local restaurants can also be found on the Internet. Just
do some searches and you are sure to find some savings. Many national restaurant
chains offer discounts through their web sites. By signing up at their web sites,
you may be able to receive special promotions and coupons. Internet sites like Restaurant.com
offer discounts and discounted gift certificates at many restaurants. While there
is an up front cost to purchasing these “coupons,” you will often be able to save
more than 50% off the cost of your restaurant meal. Or try DinnerBroker.com, a free
site that lets you book a table and lock in savings of up to thirty percent during
off-peak hours at many fine restaurants. Discounts can also be found at web sites
like EntertainmentBook.com and Entertainment.com.
Attractions - If you live near a major amusement park or attraction, they are often
a popular way to spend some time outside the home. However, this can get quite expensive,
particularly for a large family. Discounts to these attractions are available from
many places, but do not forget “tourist” discounts even though you are local. Check
visitor centers, local tourist guides, convenience stores, grocery stores, libraries
and the local newspapers. Make sure you check in hotel lobbies for information and
discounts on numerous area attractions, and ask at the front desk if they have any
special deals or are aware of any discounts available. Find event and movie tickets
here.
Thanks for visiting our Health & Leisure Section and we hope the ideas and tips for
saving money on your healthcare needs and expenses and leisure activities will make
life just a little bit better and healthier for you and your family.
