How to Improve Your Financial Health in One Week

Finding ways to save money isn’t always easy. Sticking to a cost-saving plan isn’t much easier, either. The key to doing both is aiming for small changes. Chances are those changes will be easier to stick with and can actually add up to a lot over a long period of time

Follow this handy, 7-day guide to cut back on some common and unnecessary expenses:

Saturday
Grocery day. Before you go to the grocery store, plan your meals for the week and ask yourself what you’ll eat for each meal. It may seem tedious, but it’ll help you cut back on buying unnecessary groceries. It’ll also encourage you to make sure you’re getting enough variety in your weekly diet. Try to buy ‘whole’ products and avoid pre-sliced and pre-cooked products to score more savings if possible. Don’t forget to also check online or in a magazine for any coupons the grocery store might offer.

Sunday
Cook dishes that have several servings ahead of time and freeze for quick, easy and healthy meals that you can heat up. Just be sure to store your leftovers properly.

Monday
Make every Monday a ‘meatless Monday’. There are tons of vegetarian versions of your favorite dishes that will cut costs and add more vegetables to your diet. Tofu, beans, eggs and chickpeas are just a few great sources of protein that will make you satisfied after eating. You won’t miss the meat.

Tuesday
Today’s the day you start making breakfast at home. Filling, healthy breakfasts don’t always require a ton of time and prep work: oatmeal with sliced banana or nonfat yogurt with berries are two great options.

Wednesday
If you haven’t already, sign up for MyBlue^® so you can review your financial dashboard. You’ll be able to view your costs, claims and deductibles at a glance and see where the bulk of your healthcare spending goes.

Thursday
Search for discounts on Blue365^®. You’d be surprised where you can save money since deals are always being added for everything from nutrition to apparel.

Friday
Take a few minutes to calculate how much you’ve saved the past week. Seeing the savings will give you motivation to keep up good financial habits.