50 money-saving health tricks to try in the new year

Feeling the impact of the cost-of-living crisis? Energy bills and supermarket prices have skyrocketed, so it’s no wonder many of us want to save money where we can. However, it doesn’t mean your health and wellbeing have to suffer.

You don't need an expensive gym membership, top-price organic food, or a cupboard full of supplements to keep yourself fit and healthy.

From free workout apps to mood-boosting tricks, foods to forage and making the most of public services, here’s our cheat's guide to staying healthy without spending a fortune.

50 smart money-saving health tips

Avoid packaging

Loose fruit and veg can be nearly half the price of pre-packaged produce.

Reduce your meat consumption

Substitute meat for beans or veg to improve your diet and your bank account. “Peas, lentils and beans, such as chickpeas and black beans, are foods rich in protein and fibre and are a cheap, easy way to bulk out dishes and cut down on meat,” says registered dietitian Helen Bond.

Scratch and batch

Cooking from scratch is generally more affordable than buying expensive ready meals, and batch cooking and freezing will save money, time, and your waistline.

“It’s a great way to cut down on added fat, saturated fat, sugars and salt,” says Helen.

Embrace the seasons

Contrary to popular belief, buying local, seasonal produce is often more affordable. It’s also better for you and the planet.

Be wary of cereal offenders

Cereal tends to be both expensive and high in sugar. Opt for oats instead.

“Oats, seeds and nuts can be used to make breakfasts and will keep you fuller for longer, preventing you from snacking,” says Ian Theasby, co-author of BOSH! On A Budget.

Fill up your freezer

“Frozen fruit and veg tend to be cheaper than fresh, but still count towards your 5-a-day,” says Helen.

Helen’s favourite ways to use frozen veg...

• Add handfuls of frozen berries to porridge or yogurt.
• Make smoothies from frozen mangos, bananas and spinach.
• Serve fish or lamb chops with frozen mixed veg.
• Whizz frozen cauliflower in a blender, then stir-fry for quick cauli rice.
• Add frozen peas and sweetcorn to chilli, bolognese and casseroles.

Store safely

Don’t keep supplements in the kitchen or bathroom. This exposes them to damage from dampness and light, meaning you may have to replace them sooner.

Make the most of free prescriptions

If you’re over 60 or have a medical exemption certificate, your prescriptions are free. If you’re on income support, you may also be eligible, so check with your pharmacist.

Get a deal on your prescriptions

It may be cheaper to buy a PPC (Prescription Prepayment Certificate). This covers all your NHS medical and dental prescriptions.

A year’s prepayment costs £114.50 and saves money if you need more than 12 prescriptions in 12 months.

Have a free eye test

Adults over 60 can get checked for free. You’re also eligible if you have diabetes or are at risk of glaucoma, registered as partially sighted or blind, and in other circumstances, for example, if you’re on income support. See more on the NHS website.

Stay social and get fit with others

Park Run organises free weekly 5km runs across the UK. Just 30 minutes of exercise, including walking five times a week, reduces the risk of cardiovascular disease, cancer and type 2 diabetes.

The NHS recommends 150 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise a week, which includes activities like walking and swimming workouts.

Check your hearing

Hearing tests are available on the NHS, and are often performed in high-street opticians. Some hearing aids are also available on the NHS, as is follow-up care, which may include repairs and replacement batteries.

Take up your vaccines

All adults over the age of 50 will usually be offered a flu vaccine. Adults with certain health conditions are offered a one-off pneumococcal jab against pneumonia, sepsis and meningitis. This is automatically offered at age 65, and a shingles vaccine is offered at age 70.

Ditch branded painkillers

On a budget? Don’t be lured into paying more to stock up on big-name brands. “With medicine, the name and brand are irrelevant to how well it works,” says Chemist4U superintendent pharmacist James O’Loan. “They all must be manufactured to the same standard.”

Here are the ones to look out for…

• Paracetamol: Own-brand painkillers contain the same active ingredients as branded ones – you could save around £2. Simply look for “paracetamol” or “ibuprofen” instead of brand names.
• Pricey sprays: Gargling with a 300mg tablet of aspirin dissolved in water is as effective as a pricey anaesthetic spray. Save around £6.
• Viagra: “Viagra is a household name,” says James. “But the drug itself is sildenafil. It’s identical in every way, apart from the price.” Make the switch, and you could spend £5 less.
• Eye drops: Look for chloramphenicol, the active ingredient in own-brand eye drops. You’ll be £1.50 better off for making the decision.
• Eczema cream: Aqueous cream contains the same liquid paraffin and white soft paraffin as specialist soap substitutes. You could save around £10.
• Nasal decongestant: Look for the active ingredient pseudoephedrine, found in Sudafed. You’ll save yourself around £1.
• Antihistamines: Pick antihistamines, loratadine, cetirizine, or fexofenadine for a fraction of the price, plus they won’t cause drowsiness. It could mean you pocket £1.50 or more you would have spent.

But always buy from somewhere reputable

Don’t waste money on fakes – always buy from a reputable company. It’s estimated that half of all drugs sold from disreputable sites online are fake.

Some drugs are bootleg versions in different doses from those on the label and are produced without quality control.

Ditch branded painkillers

There’s a bounty of goodness growing wild in the coming months – even in cities – and you don’t need a degree in mushroom identification to find them.

Take a look at these simple swaps:

• Apples for crab apples: The skin is full of gut-friendly pectin and beneficial for detoxification,” says foraging expert Caroline Sherlock. “The darker the colour, the better.”
• Ginseng for elderberries: Elderberries are full of vitamin C, making them great for warding off colds and flu. You can’t eat them raw as they can contain toxins. “Instead, cook them into syrups and jams,” says Caroline. “I wouldn’t be without elderberry syrup to help ward off colds and viruses.”
• Goji berries for sea buckthorn berries: “While goji berries are known for their high antioxidant and vitamin C content, they are pricey, so keep an eye out for sea buckthorn berries,” says Caroline. Look for sea buckthorn with its spiny thorns and orange berries in hedgerows and near the coast.
• Strawberries for sloe berries: Sloes are rich in antioxidants, potassium, calcium and magnesium. Just make sure you leave some for the wildlife.

Download a pocket-sized motivator to save money - and time

Download a free pocket-sized motivator to help you make changes to your exercise routine away from the gym or stick to your money-saving goals – you’ll find them on the App Store and Google Play.

We like NHS Active 10, where the aim is to get you doing 10 minutes of brisk walking every day, and Quitzilla. Whether you’re trying to ditch drinking, smoking or procrastinating, Quitzilla will keep you motivated.

Make the most of the NHS

Don’t miss out on vital tests that you're likely entitled to for free:

• Cervical screening: Women and people with a cervix are offered this between the ages of 25 and 64 every three or five years. It looks for infection with human papillomavirus (HPV), and has the potential to stop you developing cervical cancer.
• Breast screening: This starts at the age of 50 and is repeated every three years until the age of 69, although you can request a mammogram every three years after the age of 70.
• Colorectal screening: Offered to 56-year-olds and everyone between the ages of 60 and 74, the NHS is currently in the process of starting this earlier, from the age of 50. You’ll be sent a home testing kit, for which you collect a small sample of poo, which you send off to a lab for analysis.
• NHS Health Check: If you’re aged 40 to 74 and don’t have any pre-existing health conditions, you’re entitled to a free health check every five years. This looks for conditions, such as high blood pressure and type 2 diabetes. Questions for menopause screening will also be offered from 2026.

Give your mind a boost

Though therapy can be invaluable, it's also expensive. If you're feeling overwhelmed, these self-help tips can be done at home:

• Listen to music: Listen to upbeat tunes for a surge of feel-good hormones.
• Create a safe space: Feeling anxious? Try the 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 grounding technique, which will bring you back to the present moment. This exercise requires you to engage all of your senses by naming: Five things you can see, four things you feel, three things you can hear, two things you can smell, and one thing you can taste.
• Switch off the news: Schedule a digital detox where you switch off from your phone, laptop and the TV, and only look for positive news that makes you feel uplifted.
• Play with your pet: “Stroking your pet triggers positive emotional responses,” explains psychologist Dr Joan Harvey.
• Touch away tension: Stress often manifests in the jaw. Lightly stroke from where the top of the ear joins the face down to the edge of the jaw. Repeat until relaxed.
• Be thankful: Expressing feelings of gratitude can make you more optimistic. Write down five things you’re grateful for every week.

Breathe deeply

Need instant calm? “Try to slow your breathing even though you will feel that you need to breathe harder,” says consultant psychiatrist Dr Paul McLaren.

This 4-7-8 breathing exercise will help activate your parasympathetic nervous system, which is responsible for relaxation. Here's how to do it:

• Close your mouth and inhale through your nose for a count of four.
• Hold your breath for a count of seven.
• Exhale completely out of your mouth, making a whoosh sound to the count of eight.
• Inhale again and repeat the cycle three more times, or more if needed.

Tidy up

Practical tasks, like decluttering your house, can have a meditative effect, and you might find forgotten former treasures that you could sell to make some extra money this year.

Feeling overwhelmed? Set a short time limit to help blast through chores.

Sing in the shower

Belting out your favourite tune under the jets increases oxygen levels, slows heart rate and decreases blood pressure.

Map your moles

Taking photos of your moles regularly will help you spot any changes. The ABCDE guide is a handy, memorable way to recall the warning signs, says consultant dermatologist Dr Adam Friedmann. Here's how to do it:

• ASYMMETRY: Does the left side of the mole look like the right side, or does the top half look like the bottom half? Both halves should look the same.
• BORDER: Is the border well-defined and sharp?
• COLOUR: Keep an eye out for any changes in colour, especially black or blue, multiple colours or pale areas.
• DIAMETER: Is your mole smaller than the end of a pencil?
• EVOLVING: Is the mole the same size it was when you first noticed it? Monitor any changes in size, colour, crustiness, itching or bleeding of existing moles.

Be kind

Try to do a small act of kindness every day. Kindness reduces anxiety levels and makes us feel warm and fuzzy inside, as it causes the release of a feel-good hormone, oxytocin.

Chew your food properly

It will help your body absorb vitamins and minerals, aid digestion, and studies suggest it can help oral health as it triggers the production of saliva, which washes away food particles and bacteria, neutralising plaque acids.

Stand tall

Check your alignment a couple of times each day until better posture becomes your new normal. Aim for 50% of the weight in the heel, 30% around the big toe and mid foot, and 20% to the outer two toes.

Let the knees soften and allow the back of your pelvis to gently lengthen down.

Breathe softly into the space between your shoulder blades. Breathe out, allowing the lower ribs to come together and back. Your shoulders will naturally soften into the back of the ribcage, which is where you want them, not by your ears.

Ease pain naturally

Before you head to the pharmacy to spend money, try icing the area. For example, for a headache, it will cool down the blood passing through the arteries and alleviate some of the throbbing. If pain continues, speak to your doctor.

Open a window when cleaning

Not heard of indoor pollution before? “It describes the pollutants in the air,” says Dr Chris Etheridge. “We can’t see these. They’re microscopic, but they can be gases, dust or dirt. It includes mould, central heating, gas cookers, chemicals in cleaning products and even pets.” The solution? Sounds simple, but letting fresh air in will immediately improve the air quality in your home.

Stretch

Yoga moves ease back pain. Studies have found it helps alleviate joint aches in arthritis sufferers. Look for a free yoga app on your phone or turn to YouTube for free videos – we rate Yoga With Adriene.

Try steam inhalation if you have a cold

“It helps to open nasal passages,” says expert Dr Tim Bond. It could help you avoid those pricey cold and flu medications.

Massage away bloating

Tummy feels tight and uncomfortable? Instead of trying expensive anti-bloating supplements, lie on your back. Place your right hand above your belly button, left hand on top. Then move your hands together in a circle around your navel.

Do this 100 times. Then, reverse the direction of the circle and repeat 100 more times.

*If you have concerns about your health, speak to your GP.