As we roll into the holidays and the Black Friday sales have already begun, it seems like a good time to touch on a topic that can make even the most easy-going among us a bit uneasy: MONEY.

Cancer doesn't just mess with us physically and emotionally—it takes a hit on our wallets too.

Even with good insurance coverage, treatments, surgeries, and meds can leave your bank account hurting.

And as anyone with a cancer experience knows, it's not all just magically better even if treatment ends.

The ongoing impacts on our bodies and minds demand time and attention, and yes, often more money.

So, we're left making tough calls about how to prioritize our spending and our self-care needs.

This is why learning to explore activities that fit your budget ensures that your financial situation becomes one factor in your self-care journey and not the sole decider.

Why your budget matters in self-care.

Discussing money in the context of self-care is not just acknowledging a reality; it's a practical step towards a more sustainable and mindful approach to wellness amid the financial challenges that often accompany a cancer journey.

When I am guiding someone to find recovery and healing self-care practices and activities, there are four main factors we consider:

Values
Interests
Strategy
Budget

Each of these elements plays into how well you can build a relevant and sustainable self-care practice.

Each activity or practice needs the following to best serve you and your goals:

To be aligned with your values so that you can feel good about it.
To be built around your interests so that you actually enjoy it.
To be well-thought out so that it is easy to follow and appropriate for your needs.
To be in line with your budget so that it doesn't create added strain and you can continue it for as long as you want (or at least as long as you need)!

This last one - while equally important as the others - is often overlooked or ignored for a variety of reasons.

This is partly because we all have stories and beliefs that affect how we think about and use money.

Navigating complicated relationships with money.

Money is undeniably a loaded subject, tangled with personal stories and lessons that shape our financial interactions.

We all know the clichés: "Money is the root of all evil," "Money makes the world go round," and more. These narratives often influence our decisions on self-care spending.

While I'm no money mindset expert, my experience tells me that money is neither good nor bad—it's a tool.

Having more of it would be great, but it's not the ultimate measure of worth.

Recognizing that the abundance of money often means easier and more access to various options, having money is not the only way to create beneficial self-care routines.

Despite financial disparities, opportunities for self-care and healing exist at every level.

You just have to know where to start.

Start by acknowledging and embracing your budget.

Understanding your financial situation without judgment is a significant step.

Regardless of whether money flows abundantly or you're navigating paycheck to paycheck, your budget doesn't define your worth or the quality of care you deserve.

Rather than fixating on a specific dollar amount for self-care, let's explore ranges. Consider these examples:

I'm financially comfortable and can freely invest in my self-care.
My day-to-day needs are covered, and I have some extra income for self-care wants.
Money is tight, and I must prioritize essential needs but still want to preserve some funds for self-care.

Imagine these statements as dots on a line—maybe you align directly with one, or you find yourself anywhere in between using your own language.

In reality, our financial journey is rarely a straight line; it's more like a squiggly, looping path with different points at different life stages.

Because of this, to simplify, focus on where you are RIGHT NOW.

Even if your financial situation may change in the future or used to be something else, work with what you've got now to get started.

So you've identified your budget - what's next?

Figure out your self-care “wants” vs. “needs”.

In the breast cancer community wants and needs can differ wildly from someone who is living without a cancer experience.

One example is massage therapy.

Much of the world looks at massage therapy as a “want” or luxury, but for many of my clients receiving therapeutic massage tailored to their breast cancer experience becomes a key factor in improving their quality of life.

If you have had breast cancer you may “need” massage to:

improve range of motion in your shoulder so that you can get your job done with less pain (I see you hair stylists and desk jockeys!)
manage lymphedema-related swelling so that you fit and feel good in your clothing
release radiation or surgery-related scar tissue that creates pain and makes it hard to hug people you love.

Another example is physical activity.

In one version of life you may “want” to exercise regularly to maintain a weight that makes you feel good or improves the way your clothes fit.

But after a breast cancer diagnosis you may “need” to exercise regularly to:

reduce chance of cancer recurrence
keep bones strong and healthy when living in premature menopause and at higher risk of osteoporosis
protect cardiovascular health that can be damaged by chemotherapy

Only you can decide what is a want vs. a need in your life but once you can tell the difference it becomes easier to prioritize your spending no matter the size of your budget.

Now let's put it all together.

Keep it simple sweetheart.

One of the most common mistakes I see is trying to “do it all” all at once.

Odds are you have multiple aspects of recovery and healing to deal with.

I know for myself, when I was in early recovery (and even now years out) there were MANY things that I needed and wanted to work on in order to start feeling like myself again.

They included:

getting my energy and stamina back
regaining strength I had lost
laying on my stomach so that I could participate in everything from yoga, to chiropractic, to my favorite sleeping position
addressing changes to my vaginal and sexual health that came with premature menopause

But it's been nearly impossible to address all of these at the same time.

Not only is it physically draining and mentally overwhelming but it is truthfully financially prohibitive.

So I had to decide.

What was my most important need at any given stage of my healing?

Once that was clear I was able to look at my finances and figure out how to move forward with specific activities within my budget to address that area of my wellness.

And once I made progress I could begin to work on the next one.

As I started adding layers I was also able to shift where I put my money.

I'm not sure I'll ever be “done” with addressing my healing but I know that through prioritizing my needs and keeping my budget in mind I'm going to make the progress I seek without creating greater hardship.

Finally, let's talk about maximizing your money in self-care.

Making the most of your money for self-care during and after breast cancer.

Self-care comes in many forms.

Sometimes it's putting yourself in the hands of others.

Sometimes it's literally using your own hands.

Here are four ways to maximize your budget when it comes to your self-care needs (and wants):

1. Use your insurance when you can.

Even if you can afford to pay out of pocket, many of the healing services you may need as a breast cancer survivor may be partially covered by your health insurance.

Things like lymphedema therapy, physical therapy, pelvic floor therapy, acupuncture, chiropractic, and even massage are often included as part of rehab and recovery services from a cancer experience.

Check with your insurance company to find out if you have these types of coverage and what your copays may be and use all that is available to you BEFORE moving to out of pocket services if needed.

2. Look for free or low cost activities online and through local non-profits.

Many activities like yoga classes and meditation are offered for free for cancer survivors, even at your local cancer center!

Our own Breast Cancer Network of WNY here in Buffalo has FREE weekly restorative health classes like Yoga, Qi Gong, Tai Chi, Zumba, and more available to the breast cancer community.

Already on social media? Look for accounts like @yogaforcancer on Instagram where Vicky Fox hosts free online classes and tutorials.

3. Ask if practitioners or providers offer discounts or a sliding scale for people who have had a cancer experience.

In my own hands-on practice, I have a “Pay it Forward” program.

If a client is unable to comfortably afford my full fee, I am able to offer them up to a 50% discount thanks to the generosity of other clients who contribute to the fund.

4. Find opportunities to learn to care for yourself at home.

One of my passions is helping my clients learn how to take what we do in the studio into their own hands at home.

For clients living with lymphedema or managing breast cancer-related lymphedema risk I created a dry brushing workshop that can help them manage their risk or condition day to day.

By investing and engaging in self-care activities at home you can reduce the amount of time and money you spend in a professional's office and often achieve even better results!

I hope today's newsletter has shown you that while money can make things easier by increasing access and options, it should not be the thing that keeps you from engaging in self-care that is both relevant and enjoyable for your healing needs.

If you are still not sure where to start with a self-care practice or recovery activity that can meet your budget consider booking an “Ask Amy” Expert Consultation and let me help you with proven resources and recommendations tailored just for you!