Menopause. It’s a scary word that females grow up hearing, then they watch their older relatives and friends experience it. The symptoms, from hot flashes to dry eyes, can be difficult to deal with at times, and some women may end up being so adversely affected that it changes how they live their everyday lives. This may include how women manage their finances. If you’re a woman going through menopause and are experiencing financial difficulties or concerned about symptoms impacting your ability to keep up, read on to know you aren’t alone.
Physical Symptoms and Medical Costs
From hot flashes and dizziness to dry eyes and mood swings, menopause can do a number on a woman’s physical health. Between Google searches for things like ‘dry eyes menopause,’ ‘inflammation,’ ‘eye drops,’ ‘hormone replacement therapy,’ ‘estrogen,’ and ‘hormone levels,’ the amount of time it takes just to keep up with the physical sickness that comes with normal hormone changes can seem endless.
Postmenopausal women know better than anybody that treating symptoms of dry eye, hot flashes, and more can all add up to big medical expenses. Whether you need medication for estrogen replacement or help with dry eye disease, the costs of going through menopause are likely to make a dent in your finances.
If you’re a menopausal woman who needs medications to help get through the symptoms, ask your pharmacist for coupons for prescription discounts. Call your insurance company to see if they offer generic equivalents or use theirs over the counter wallet plans to help.
Emotional Distress and Distractions
Putting on a happy face to get through daily functions is one thing. Trying to manage those medical expenses and work through changes with sex hormones and mood swings makes it even worse.
If you’d normally be worried about ideas for common home improvement projects but are instead struggling with mental health, it might be time to see a doctor. While this will lead to another medical expense and impact your finances, the proper treatment or hormone replacement therapy could make a big difference in your ability to function. If your moods are better controlled and your physical symptoms managed, tasks like paying taxes, finding discounts, and even making lump sum payments for a remodel won’t seem like as big of a deal.
Medical Expenses and Appointments
Before getting too worried about tax implications for insurance settlements or how you’ll manage your next form 1099-MISC, take a deep breath. With medical appointments and expenses adding up, it’s important to consider self-care. As your financial picture changes with menopause, so too should your priorities. Your credit score won’t matter much if you can’t function. Put hormone therapy and other medical needs before getting caught up in things like the cash value of your home. There will be plenty of time to make financial decisions later.
If it helps, take the time while going through medical expenses and appointment to-do lists to set up a separate folder or account for things you’ll do in the future. Maybe you’ll find new streams of passive income, do some real estate investing, or sell your house to buy an RV for traveling. Remind yourself that there’s life after menopause and focus now only on your current monthly payments versus making any big moves. You’ll be in a better position to make those decisions when you aren’t juggling the symptoms of menopause and its medications.
Solutions
If financial decisions and changes are stressing you out during menopause, there are always solutions. Don’t hesitate to get legal advice if you’re considering a big change like selling your home. Call a financial consultant or let someone else handle your federal income taxes, too. By delegating some financial ‘must-do’s,’ you’ll put yourself in a better position to get through this trying time easier. When in doubt, remind yourself of how far you’ve come. You’ve made it this far, and you’ll make it to the postmenopausal years, too!
