The healthcare industry is extremely expensive, and it is still on the rise. Between 1993 and 2013 health care spending increased by over $900 billion. Although health care is expensive, here are a few things that you can do to offset the costs.

Exercise

There are so many benefits of exercising daily such as muscle gain, increase in your energy, weight loss, improvement in brain health, and more. Your body will thank you later. Keeping yourself healthy is going to save you thousands in the long run. It's simple! The best way to save on health is by being healthy. Obesity has many harmful effects such as high blood pressure, diabetes, heart disease, joint problems, cancer and more. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services reported that a lack of exercise can lead to more sick days. This means more trips to the hospital and more days you have to miss work. 20 minutes of exercising has so many benefits. Dust off those cobwebs on your treadmill. Find your old running shows and get active today. You may not see the immediate benefits, but down the line you will see an improvement in your health and without knowing it you might even increase your life span.

Cut down on the junk food

Every year the average American spends over $1000 a year on junk food. Once you start saying no to McDonald's, Burger King, and other fast food restaurants you will notice that you have more money to spare. When you cut down on all the junk and the processed foods you will begin to feel better. You will start seeing weight loss instead of weight gain. You will reduce all the potential health risks that comes with eating healthy. You will even begin to notice that your overall sleep becomes better. Five years down the road you are going to be healthier than you ever thought that you would be, and you will have 5000+ in savings that you never thought that you would have. If you want to save, then do yourself a favor and make your own food. Does it take more time to make? Yes, but the benefits of a simple diet change will be extraordinary.

Choose a more affordable healthcare option

One of the most expensive things that you will have to worry about is health insurance. If you are able to lower the cost of healthcare for you and your family, then you can easily save. I love to shop around for different insurance providers if my rates get too high. Take the time to do some research on more affordable options in your city. To lower your rates, you can also do a few things within your current provider such as raise your deductible. Also, there might be coverages that you don't need. Don't be afraid to drop unnecessary coverages. This can drop your rates by 5% or more. Another option that you have is joining a sharing ministry. There are many sharing ministries out there such as Medishare health insurance. What exactly is a sharing ministry? A sharing ministry is not an actual insurance provider. If you join a sharing ministry you will be sharing your medical bills with others and others will be sharing their bill with you. This can reduce your healthcare costs by $300 a month.

Talk to doctors about your budget

Many people do not know that they are able to talk to doctors about how much that they are able to pay. Don't be afraid to talk to your physician about the procedure. You will be surprised by how your physician can reduce the out of pocket cost or find a good alternative to work around your budget.

Bottom line

Never neglect your health costs. Why pay more when you can pay less? Put these tips into action and round up your yearly savings.

Author's Bio: 

Torsi is a professional blogger.