The Cost Of: Winter illness

For savings, the chief retail analyst at Circana suggests buying things like tissues in bulk.

Tara Joyce

Feb 24, 2025, 12:20 PM

Updated 4 hr ago

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This winter has wiped many people out. Local families have been sick stricken with everything from the flu to norovirus and RSV. These colder months have weighed not only on our immune system, but between the cost of medication and treatment, it has also weighed on our wallet.
To achieve a healthy home the chief retail analyst at Circana says sanitizers must be a staple. Between sprays and wipes, Marshal Cohen estimates the weekly cost there at around $10.
After a sick stretch, you may be looking to breathe new life into your home and new filters can help with that.
“Changing those is relatively inexpensive. You can do it yourself between $7 and $10 for a filter,” said Cohen.
Air purifiers can also do some of that cleansing work for you and according to Cohen, the on average $59 investment will pay off in the long run.
The unfortunate reality is once we make it through one sick season, so begins another. Allergy season.
“Allergy medications on average run at about $12 a box,” said Cohen. “Once the season starts to kick in, you're going to be buying about two boxes or three boxes. So again, take advantage of a lot of the drug chains are offering two offers coming up at the end of February.”
For savings, Coehn suggests buying things like tissues in bulk. Still the cheapest way to combat the winter blues, is to maintain a sunny mentality.