Today, I was thinking about the expense of being disabled or chronically ill. Medical expenses can exceed our rent/mortgage payments each month. All of us can suffer and struggle financially. I thought it would be great to share some tips and learn from each other as to how to manage the high cost of being disabled and/or chronically ill.

Much of the conventional wisdom of saving or stretching money does not work for us. We can’t go out to find the best deals or get a “second” job in order to make a bit extra. Saving isn’t always an option as we live week to week due to medical bills and expenses.

Each of us has our own set of struggles which cause things to be more expensive. For instance, shoes must fit over adaptive devices, clothes must work with arthritis or other medical conditions and groceries must be free from allergens. All of these things add expenses.

For me, we must avoid a host of allergens and accommodate limited mobility. Here are a few things that my family and I do:

1. Obviously, shop sales. This means black Friday sales, holiday sales, etc. We stock up as much as we can when things are least expensive. If you visit my home, just ignore the holiday soap in June. It was gotten on sale and is safe.
2. Thrift shop, if possible. Personally, I am unable to enter thrift shops or get out shopping much. My family shops there for me. If you have a friend who loves to thrift shop, they may be willing to look for needed items for you.
3. Make your own. Sometimes, it is cheaper to make your own product. For instance, vinegar makes a wonderful cleaner. Making your own food within your strength level may help save money.
4. Buy produce in season and freeze it. Of course, this requires an additional freezer, but can save a large amount of money. (Yes, you also have to balance strength. Canning is also an option, but may require more strength.)
5. Find the shopping rhythm that works best for you. Some people do best financially when they shop every two weeks as they are not tempted to buy too much. Shopping less frequently can also mean fewer delivery fees. Some people find they can better budget when they shop weekly. See what works best for you.

Ok, these may be really simple things to you. Within the past year, a new allergy to a very common preservative gravely affected my grocery bill as I am allergic to most inexpensive foods, cleaners, soaps, shampoos, and the list goes on. We have had to learn on the fly how to save money just to survive.

We would really love to hear your tips and tricks to survival as well. We can learn from each other. Please share them here or on our Facebook page!