We just welcomed two puppies to our household. They are super cute. At 12 weeks of age we are deep into training (house, leash, not biting everything…) but the way they personify love and happiness, it’s hard not to enjoy being around them.
Pets can save you money
I’ve always heard that owning pets creates wonderful social and health benefits. As I looked at the receipts from my now frequent visits to the pet store, I thought I’d do some research. I found some pretty amazing numbers. It’s been known for a while that pet ownership is linked to better heart health through lower blood pressure and cholesterol levels. A new study has also shown that pet owners visit doctors less often to the tune of $11.4 billion in savings per year in the US alone. (It’s becoming clear now how I’m justifying these trips to the pet store…)
In the category of “Strange but Cool” research studies, there is evidence that even fish in an aquarium produce actual costs savings for long-term care facilities with Alzheimer’s patients. The presence of an aquarium boosts food intake by residents which lowers the need for nutritional supplements and with it, the total cost of patient care. Who would have thought?
Ok, so these puppies must be saving me money somewhere. I’m always interested in the intersection of life and money so I looked up a few other things that might be saving us money or contributing to a better life that outweighs the actual dollar cost.
Vacations could help you live longer
As the winter is slowly ending, we’re thinking about summer vacations. Depending on where you go, a vacation can cost a lot of money! But aha, I found another good study about vacations. In the famous Framingham Heart Study, they found that among men at risk for heart disease, those who took more frequent vacations lived longer. That might not save me money but I like the idea of a longer life. And where is the study for the women?
Eating Dark Chocolate can be good for you!
We’ve all heard the “Goods” and “Bads” about eating chocolate. I like to focus on the “Goods”
Dark chocolate can, lower blood pressure, improve cognitive function, improve mood, control blood sugar, and slow the aging process with its many anti-oxidants! As with most things that are good for you, try not to overdo.
So where do all of these fit into financial planning? These are good reminders that it’s not all about the bottom line. We all need to keep an eye on our financial health but there are many factors that contribute to a wonderful life and we shouldn’t forget about them. Now to keep my cognitive function at a high level, I think it’s time for some chocolate!
Kristin Rodriguez