Saturday Health & Wellness

“Don’t Let Your Benefits Sit There: Using Your FSA in Real Life”

I had a moment this week.

One of those…

“Wait a minute…” moments.

I remembered I had an FSA card through work.

And instead of letting it sit there like most people do…

I actually tried to use it.

And it went through 😁

What I was able to get

Not random stuff.

Things that actually support what I’m going through right now:

Yoga ball chair

Shower chair

Pilates 9” ball

All for my physical therapy and what I need to do at home.

That part felt good.

Like… I’m setting myself up, not just getting through the day.

But here’s the part that made me pause

I tried to get my protein shakes…

Didn’t go through 🙁

And that’s when I realized:

Everything “health-related” isn’t considered medically eligible.

So let’s talk about what an FSA really is

An FSA (Flexible Spending Account) lets you use pre-tax money from your paycheck for qualified health expenses.

Which means:

You’re already setting money aside…

but a lot of people don’t fully use it.

And here’s the kicker:

If you don’t use it… you can lose it.

What you can use it for (real-life version)

Copays,

prescriptions

Pain relief (heating pads, braces, supports)

First aid supplies

Women’s health products

Vision and dental

Health devices (thermometers, BP monitors)

Mobility & recovery items (like what I just bought)

What surprised me

Some things require a doctor’s note (LMN):

ergonomic chairs

supplements

certain wellness tools

And some things are just a hard no:

regular food

protein shakes

general hygiene items

Even if they feel like health.

What I want you to take from this

If your job offers an FSA…

Don’t just sign up and forget about it.

And if you already have one?

Go look at it.

Because you might be sitting on money that could support:

your body

your healing

your comfort at home

What I learned this week

Taking care of yourself isn’t always about doing more…

Sometimes it’s about using what’s already available to you.

Closing Thought

This week I didn’t just go to physical therapy…

I brought the support home with me.

And that feels different.

More intentional.

More prepared.

More aligned with what my body actually needs.

Have you ever used your FSA for something that really helped you?

Or have you been letting it sit there like I was?

— Lady Flava 🌻