Dealing with a Cold on a Budget

If you have luck similar to mine you probably seem to find yourself sick with a cold right around the time you are short on cash. There you are sniffling away debating on if you should start counting out your change to go buy some cold medicine. The good news is you don't have to. You can get by just as well with things you most likely have around the house. In this article we will discuss simple things you can do or make to make yourself feel better. You might still be stuck in bed all day but at least your throat won't be hurting quite as much.

Symptom one: Stuffy Nose
Everyone hates a stuffy nose. It sounds like the least disturbing symptom but as soon as you lay down to get some rest it will soon become the most bothersome. Most people are used to breathing out of their nose primarily so when the nose becomes clogged we have to start breathing primarily out of our mouths. Sounds easy enough but by doing this we now have dry, chapped, cracking lips. Who needs another ailment when you are already sick right? The simplest way to "unstuff" your nose is blowing it into a tissue or some toilet paper. However, this doesn't always do the trick. When you find yourself still stuffed up after multiple blows it may be time to head to the bathroom. Turn the shower on hot and let it run. Close the bathroom door and let the room get steamy. You can do whatever you wish while waiting for it to get steamed up in there. If you have the energy now would be a good time to clean the room up a bit. You could also read a book or just enjoy the alone time. If you can't make it onto the shower another steam option is to fill a bowl with boiling water, put your face over the bowl, and cover your head with a towel to trap the steam in your face.

Symptom two: Sore Throat
Throat feel like you have been walking through the dessert for a couple days straight with no water? I know the feeling and this symptom of a cold is my least favorite. On a good note the remedies for this one is my favorite because they happen to be yummy. My first choice and what seems to work best is hot tea. Add some honey to it and you will be feeling the effects instantly. As soon as the warmth touches your throat it will start to feel ten times better. The added honey also helps greatly by coating your throat so it doesn't start hurting right away once you have finished off the cup of tea. If you find you are out of tea you can also try the cold route. Popsicles work well and if you don't have any on hand you can make them quite easily. Just like we did as children just add some juice to an ice cube tray, throw in some toothpicks and freeze. An added bonus with using juice is all the vitamins you get from it.

Symptom three: Exhaustion
You just feel downright tired. Suddenly sleeping 18 hours a day doesn't seem so questionable. Your body is now craving rest to recuperate. The easy solution is simply to stay in bed. Watch some television, read that book you never had time to read, knit that scarf you said you'd make for grandma, there are plenty of things you could do. For some of us this won't be hard at all to manage, but for the rest of us staying in bed isn't an option. We have kids to take care of and things to do. If you can, even just staying in will help. Try not to go run those errands today. Going out will only make you even more tired. Instead try to keep things quiet and easy. Only do the things you absolutely have to do. If no one is coming over let the house get messy. It might be twice as much work to clean tomorrow but at least you will feel better doing it. Let the kids eat simply today. Things they can prepare themselves or with little help are best. Finger foods seem to work great. If you are lucky you can pop in a movie for them and catch some rest on the sofa. You can also do small things with them that don't require you to move much. Read a book, have pajama day, or color together. Kids will like the idea that it's okay to stay in their pajamas and watch TV all day, trust me.

Hopefully these tips will help you get back to feeling like yourself again. Just take care and drink plenty of fluids as they say.