For many of us, health care costs are one of the largest expenses of our household. You may be lucky enough to have coverage provided from your employment, but even then doctor’s visits can add up and make a real dent in the savings. There are many little changes you can make to your habits and day to day life that ensure that you keep your health care bills as low as possible.

1. Get Your EHIC Card

If you’re living or traveling within another country in Europe and are eligible for the EHIC, then you’d be silly not to have one. It allows you access to the local health care system, resulting in a reduced-cost or free treatment. This is one of the best ways to cut down your health costs. You have to be from one of the participating countries to be eligible and the specific eligibility requirements vary for each country. Don’t forget to ensure that your EHIC card is valid to enjoy these benefits.

2. Exercise More Often

Most of us now have office jobs where we’ll be stuck on our butt for the better part of a day, then we’ll drive home (on our butt) and then we’ll relax on the couch watching TV – do you see a trend here? We’re less active than ever before and it’s affecting our waist as well as our general health. Adding a bit more exercise into your routine can be a great way to increase your overall health and body’s cardiovascular system, while ensuring that you can reduce your health bills. Being healthier means less doctor’s visits, less need for medication, and less cost to your monthly bill.

3. Take A Probiotic

Our diets are so different to how they used to be. We eat processed food, a higher amount of sugar and a whole host of other things that wouldn’t have been possible hundreds of years ago. Sometimes our bodies get out of whack and we find ourselves with low energy, unable to properly digest what we’re eating. If you’ve suffered from problems with IBS-like symptoms, consider taking a probiotic as it can help balance the digestive system. Sometimes due to sugar certain bacterias can thrive while other important ones are not as abundant. This is quick, relatively easy way to increase your health and hopefully cut down on doctor’s visits!

4. Take Some Time Out to Meditate

Meditation is a key way to improve your overall health and wellbeing. If you find yourself stressed, anxious or overwhelmed, investing as little as ten minutes a day can make a real difference. I personally prefer guided meditation as I have a monkey brain and I really love using the Headspace App on my smartphone as I find it easy to keep on track. Adding in some meditation can be a great way to focus on your mental health and ensure that you’re at your best.

These are small changes that can, over time, add up to a big difference. I hope they help you save money on your health care costs!