Are wellness and self-care products a ripoff? How to save money and get healthy for real

Doesn’t it feel like every day you read about yet another product or service that promises to help you “get well” or find an avenue to “self care” — for a hefty price tag (hello, Gwyneth Paltrow’s “Goop” products)?

It’s tough because you know that wellness and self-care — including getting enough sleep and eating nutritious foods — are important, both for your body and for your career. But how do you take care of yourself if funds are limited? In this episode of the Payoff podcast, our hosts help you figure out how to prioritize your health without emptying your wallet.

In the first segment, we walk through simple tricks to avoid paying too much for healthy food at the grocery store. Learning the moves to avoid overpaying means you can brown-bag delicious meals for cheap.

Then, in the second half of the show, we talk to wellness expert, cookbook author, private chef and food personality Phoebe Lapine, whose new book The Wellness Project chronicles her journey with Hashimoto’s thyroiditis. She explains how she learned to balance health and hedonism with one simple lifestyle shift each month.

Love this topic? Check out our pieces on eating healthier and for just $5 a day; saving money when you dine out; and getting better sleep — plus the Payoff guide to getting in shape for free.

You can subscribe to the Payoff podcast on Apple Podcasts, Google Play, Spotify, Stitcher, iHeart Radio, TuneIn, RadioPublic or wherever you listen to podcasts. Please rate and review — and stay tuned for new episodes every other Wednesday!