Journey Together
Budgeting
How to Create a Budget
Time/Energy-Saving Costs
Build an Emergency Fund
- Why: A budget is your roadmap—especially when medical needs or income can shift month to month. Here's how to budget when life is unpredictable.
- Tips: Each of the tools below have info on building a budget and can help track a budget.
- Tools: Most of these have paid & free subscription options. PocketSmith, EveryDollar, NerdWallet, YNAB, PocketGuard, Simplifi by Quicken
Build an Emergency Fund
Time/Energy-Saving Costs
Build an Emergency Fund
- Why: Health changes can bring sudden expenses—being ready reduces stress.
- Tips: Start with $500–$1,000, then aim for 3–6 months of expenses.
- Tools: Utilize a savings account at a bank or talk with a financial planner about options. Here's how to build an emergency fund quickly.
Time/Energy-Saving Costs
Time/Energy-Saving Costs
Track Income & Assistance
- Why: Time and energy are limited—budget for help when you need it.
- Tips: Get help with cleaning, errands, and pet care.
- Tools: TaskRabbit, Care.com, Thumbtack, Rover
Track Income & Assistance
Budget for Emotional Well-being
Track Income & Assistance
- Why: Caregiving and chronic conditions often affect income or involve benefits.
- Tips: Budget for your lowest expected income and check for public support programs.
- Tools: Benefits.gov
Plan for Healthcare Expenses
Budget for Emotional Well-being
Budget for Emotional Well-being
- Why: Medications, co-pays, and treatments add up and aren’t always predictable.
- Tips: Make a monthly "Medical" category. Adjust as needed and use discounts for prescriptions.
- Tools: GoodRx, SingleCare
Budget for Emotional Well-being
Budget for Emotional Well-being
Budget for Emotional Well-being
- Why: Self-care is essential—joy and mental health aren’t luxuries.
- Tips: Add a budget line for therapy, hobbies, or breaks—even small amounts help.
- Tools: Pull out a set amount of cash or have a reloadable card.
Bills
Prioritize Essential Bills
Prioritize Essential Bills
Prioritize Essential Bills
- Why: Focus on what keeps you safe and healthy—housing, food, utilities, and medical needs.
- Tips: Rank expenses by priority; cover essentials first when money’s tighter.
- Tools: Using a budgeting app, as mentioned in the "Budgeting" section above, can be helpful with prioritizing bills.
Plan for Medical Bills
Prioritize Essential Bills
Prioritize Essential Bills
- Why: Health bills often show up late or vary in cost.
- Tips: Create a buffer for medical or unexpected charges.
- Tools: GoodRx, SingleCare
Track Due Dates & Automate
Prioritize Essential Bills
Check for Duplicates or UNNECESSARY Costs
- Why: Missed payments can happen during busy or crisis periods.
- Tips: Use auto-pay where possible; set reminders for others.
- Tools: Many companies give options for setting up reminders via text, E-mail, phone call, or mail.
Check for Duplicates or UNNECESSARY Costs
Check for Duplicates or UNNECESSARY Costs
Check for Duplicates or UNNECESSARY Costs
- Why: Needing to focus time and energy on a chronic condition can sometimes lead to overlooked or unused recurring charges.
- Tips: Review accounts monthly and cancel what you don’t need.
- Tools: Rocket Money helps identify subscriptions and can even cancel them for you.
Negotiate or Request Payment Plans
Check for Duplicates or UNNECESSARY Costs
Negotiate or Request Payment Plans
Keep Records & Organize Paperwork
Check for Duplicates or UNNECESSARY Costs
Negotiate or Request Payment Plans
- Why: Insurance claims, medical bills, and payment plans can pile up fast—staying organized saves time and stress.
- Tips: Use folders (paper or digital) to track bills, receipts, and EOBs. Snap photos or scan documents as soon as you get them.
- Tools: CamScanner, Expensify
Ways to Save
Plan Meals & Groceries
Reduce Medication Costs
Reduce Medication Costs
- Why: Impulse buys and takeout can strain your budget—especially on hard days.
- Tips: Many stores offer grocery pick-up/delivery. Utilize that to avoid impulse buys and reduce physical strain. Plan simple meals you actually like.
- Tools: Mealime, Plan to Eat, Instacart
Reduce Medication Costs
Reduce Medication Costs
Reduce Medication Costs
- Why: Prescriptions can frequently be a large expense.
- Tips: Ask your doctor about 90-day refills or safe pill splitting. Compare pharmacy prices before filling.
- Tools: GoodRx, SingleCare, Cost Plus Drugs
Use Cash-Back & Rewards
Look for Discounted Services
Use Cash-Back & Rewards
- Why: If you're spending anyway, rewards and rebates can stretch your dollars.
- Tips: Use grocery and gas rebate apps. Stick to one rewards card if you use credit.
- Tools: Rakuten, Ibotta, Fetch Rewards, Upside. Here are tips on "Fun and Creative Ways to Save Money".
Look for Discounted Services
Look for Discounted Services
Look for Discounted Services
Find Energy Savers
Look for Discounted Services
Look for Discounted Services
- Why: Saving energy can often save money—and reduce daily strain.
- Tips: Batch errands, prep in bulk, and use delivery or online services.
- Tools: Make a list of errands by the most efficient route. Consider "subscribe and save" purchase options for items you regularly purchase online.
Insurance
Health Insurance
Long-Term Care Insurance
HSA & FSA Accounts
- Why: The right plan can mean better access to care, lower out-of-pocket costs, and fewer coverage surprises. Many employers offer health insurance as a benefit.
- Tips: Compare plans carefully—look at premiums, deductibles, out-of-pocket max, and your providers. If you qualify, Medicaid or ACA plans may offer better value.
- Tools: Healthcare.gov, HealthSherpa, Benefits.gov, Medicaid.gov
HSA & FSA Accounts
Long-Term Care Insurance
HSA & FSA Accounts
- Why: Health Savings Accounts (HSAs) and Flexible Spending Accounts (FSAs) let you save pre-tax dollars for healthcare expenses, helping stretch your budget further.
- Tips: HSAs (available with high-deductible health insurance plans) roll over and grow; FSAs are "use it or lose it." Funds can be used for co-pays, prescriptions, therapy, and medical equipment. Or, you can pay out of pocket for medical expenses and save HSA funds for long-term care and future needs.
- Tools: FSA Store, HSA Store, Optum Financial HSAs)
Long-Term Care Insurance
Long-Term Care Insurance
Tracking Claims, Appeals, & Explanation of Benefits
- Why: Chronic conditions may lead to long-term care (LTC) needs (e.g. home care, assisted living)—which regular health insurance doesn’t cover.
- Tips: Typically, the younger and healthier you are, the cheaper LTC is. Look for hybrid policies (life + LTC) and review benefit caps and elimination periods.
- Tools: AARP LTC Resources, Genworth Cost of Care Calculator
Tracking Claims, Appeals, & Explanation of Benefits
Tracking Claims, Appeals, & Explanation of Benefits
Tracking Claims, Appeals, & Explanation of Benefits
- Why: Insurance paperwork gets complicated fast—and missing details can cost you money or delay care.
- Tips: Save Explanation of Benefits (EOBs), track claims, and appeal denials in writing. Keep all records in one place (digital or paper).
- Tools: Genius Scan, Evernote, Patient Advocate Foundation (help with appeals and billing issues). For more info, check out tips on how to navigate the appeals process.
Disability Insurance
Tracking Claims, Appeals, & Explanation of Benefits
Term vs. Whole Life Insurance
- Why: If you can’t work due to a chronic condition, disability insurance replaces part of your income—this can be a lifeline.
- Tips: Know the difference between short-term and long-term disability. Check if your employer offers it or look into private options. Also apply for SSDI if you qualify.
- Tools: SSA.gov - Disability Benefits, Policygenius, LifeHappens Disability Insurance Needs Calculator
Term vs. Whole Life Insurance
Tracking Claims, Appeals, & Explanation of Benefits
Term vs. Whole Life Insurance
- Why: Life insurance can help cover final expenses, debts, or future caregiving costs for a dependent or child with chronic needs. Read more about why life insurance matters.
- Tips: Term life is affordable and often enough. Whole life is more expensive but may be useful in certain cases. Choose based on long-term needs and budget.
- Tools: Policygenius, Fabric by Gerber Life, Ladder