Health

Clearly I need help on this front given that you've seen photos of my diet over the last couple of months!!

It's not cheap keeping fit and well - or getting well as I experienced while recovering from my cold. So, I spend a small fortune every month trying to not be sick...

BUY:

$58 - doctor's appointment on Friday, 28 May.

WHY?

Need a new pill as my old one was giving me too many side effects (see Secret Women's Business). TMI? Sorry. She took my blood pressure, typed a few words on her computer and 5 mins later I walked out with a piece of paper - $58 dollars poorer for it (not to mention $82 poorer about half an hour after that when I filled the prescription!).

Medicare covers $34.40 of that bill (and a cheque should arrive any day now which hopefully I won't lose like the last one) which I am grateful for. But even with private health insurance (below) there is still quite a gap when there shouldn't be. I totally respect doctors need to be paid for their expertise and time but should we be out of pocket? I believe health, together with eduction,  is an area the government should have a never ending budget for and access should be free. Less fireworks, more medical work!

BUY:

$292 - 4 months supply of Juice Plus capsules.

WHY?

A client got me onto these - yes, she's a franchisee and makes money out of promoting them but I am finding they work! My diet is terrible and I have food aversions that mean I don't get my recommended daily servings of fruit and vegetables and when I get a cold - it sticks around for ages and hits me like a tonne of bricks. It doesn't hurt propping up the immune system so I have committed to 4 months to start with and we'll see from there.

BUY:

$45.90 Gym membership - fortnightly.

(I'm torn as to whether this fits in the Health or Beauty segment).

WHY?

Because I'm locked into a contract until 23 June 2010. I embarrassingly admit that I have wasted about $490 since December of last year on 6 months of membership that I haven't used. Partly because my knee is really sore and I have to do something about it before I can get back into running/exercise and partly because I hate the gym and would rather exercise outside. Last year I was a complete exercise freak - I had a personal trainer for the first time ever (which was fantastic fun but expensive) and you have to be a member of a gym to use his services. I was at the gym at least 2 - 3 times a week even when I wasn't seeing him. I dedicated last year to getting fit (in much the same way that this year I am focussing on money) - to have the body I had always wanted, that i thought I needed to give me confidence in areas I was otherwise lacking it. I had the body for a while but unsurprisingly, nothing changed confidence-wise. It's not the outside that needs changing, it's the inside.

BUY:

 

$68.79 - Private Health Insurance

 

WHY?

Because I have medical condition that will probably require surgery (again). I don't want to wait for that surgery because it is considered elective. I want my choice of doctor where necessary. I want to be covered for the use of an ambulance in an emergency. And, I want some sort of rebate for visiting the physio which I am going to need very soon!!

 

I am currently on an older plan still offered to me by NIB for singles, but it doesn't cover me for things like knee surgery or hip replacements or pregnancy etc... I would like to update my plan but there are sooo many choices. I don't know where to begin! It's quite an investment - any suggestions of a good plan??