Healthy Living
Healthy Step
4 superfast ways to improve your health
take measure
An extra couple of inches around the waist could indicate poor heart health -
even if you're not overweight. Excess belly fat puts you at increased risk of
heart disease, diabetes and cancer. Women should try to keep their waist size
below 35 inches and men below 40 inches for optimum heart health, according to
the National Institutes of Health.
DRINK UP
If you're headed to the mountains this summer, be sure to drink extra water. As
you climb in altitude, your kidneys signal your body to produce more
oxygen-carrying red blood cells. To make room for those blood cells, your body
dumps fluid from your blood that is released as urine, increasing your chances
of dangerous dehydration.
ADD A FRUIT
Eating five fruits and vegetables a day has nearly as much health
benefit as not smoking, according to a long-term British study. On average,
people who didn't smoke, at their fruits and vegetables, exercised and limited
alcohol lived 14 years longer than those who didn't. This summer, try adding
just one extra fruit or vegetable to your diet each day. Choose locally grown
produce and you'll also be helping the environment by avoiding transportation.
GIVE THANKS
The simple act of being grateful can improve your mental
health, numerous studies have found. One way to be grateful this month is to
show your appreciation to a healthcare worker. My includes national celebrations
for nurses, hospital workers, doctors and emergency medical providers. Write a
quick thank-you note to your doctor, drop off a bouquet of daisies at your local
hospital or take a basket of fruit to your closest fire station.
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Healthy Finances
20 moves to simplify your finances
SPENDING
Use Cash When you're paying for things like
groceries, gas and other routine items, there's nothing easier. You can't
overdraft it, and you won't have to worry about fees and interest. Once it's
spent, that's it. Done.
Organize with envelopes I've said it before, but i say it
again: This is quite possibly the most effective money management technique. Get
a stack of envelopes and labels, one for each of the ways you'll be spending
your cash ("food", "gas" and so on). Place the amount you're going to spend for
the week in each envelope and stash them in a safe place. There - you've got a
spending plan.
Use a gift card Most retailers, even supermarkets and gas
stations, offer gift cards these days. Let's say you intend to spend $400 for
groceries this month. Buy a card in that amount from your supermarket and use it
as you would a debit or credit card during the month. If you stick with it,
you're guaranteed to stay on budget.
Track your charges, too Whenever you use a credit or debit
card, take 30 seconds to record that transaction in the same way you record the
checks you write. (That money's spent, right?) Enter it in red ink. Later, when
your bank statement or Visa bill arrives, you'll be able to quickly double-check
the red entries.
Put kids on a budget For most families, kids plus money equals
a big black hole. Bring sanity to the situation by determining a set amount for
each child per month and making a cash envelope with that child's name on it.
It's up to you whether you or the child manages that money. When it's gone, no
more spending until the next fill-up.
Get tech-y The secret to living within your means is to keep
track of your spending. At wesabe.com, geezeo.com or
mint.com you can get a clear picture of your finances and create a budget.
These sites are free, but you do need to enter your personal financial
information.
Mvelopes.com, a similar site, offers more privacy and beefed-up features for a
monthly fee. Or try software like You Need a Budget (youneedabudget.com)
or Quicken (quicken.com), which allows you to download your information
to your hard drive ($40 to $60).
BANKING
Use direct deposit If you haven't already, arrange with your employer
to have your paycheck deposited directly into your bank account. No more lost of
misplaced paychecks, and the money reaches your account even if you can't get to
the bank. The real payoff: Many banks and credit unions offer free or lower-cost
checking for customers with direct deposit.
Get overdraft protection If you overspend your account, your
bank or credit union can choose whether or not they want to way the amount. If
you haven't arranged for overdraft protection and they decide to cover your
mistake (called "courtesy overdraft"), you'll pay $30 or more for each item they
cover plus a daily fee - say, $5 for every day your account is overdrawn. If the
bank chooses not to cover the amount, they'll charge you $30 of more, plus the
merchant will most likely charge you an additional $25.
Overdraft protection links the account either to your savings account, a line of
credit or a credit card to cover any overcharges you make. You'll pay a fee of
around $5 to transfer money from your savings to cover the problem. If you use
an overdraft line of credit you'll also pay interest, but it will be a lot less
than the bank's courtesy coverage.
If you prefer to put your own overdraft plan into place, keep a secret $100 or
more in your account and exclude it from your current balance. If you make a
careless error in the future, you'll be covered.
Hover online You already check your e-mail, Facebook and other
sites at least once a day. Why not add your bank account to the routine? Once
you register at your bank's site, you'll be able to get current account
information.
BILL PAYING
Make a calendar Add bill due dates to your everyday calendar. That way
if a bill doesn't show up in the mail for some reason, you'll still know exactly
when it needs to be paid.
Change your due dates Take another look at your calendar: do
you want those dates spread out evenly, or would it be better for them to
coincide? You decide, then see if your creditors will change them accordingly -
most credit card companies are happy to comply. (Be aware that if you carry a
balance on your card, pushing the due date back a few days will result in a
one-time adjustment to your next bill, because finance charges will continue to
accrue.)
Sign up for auto-bill pay Many people already do this with
their insurance premiums, utilities, mortgage and even student loans. they sign
a document agreeing to have a payment deducted from their checking accounts.
This does not preclude the need to manage, check and verify that the amounts
deducted are correct, but it is a good way to make sure your bills are paid on
time. You'll also avoid paying postage, and you may get a lower interest rate on
your student loan or mortgage (they could knock off .25% if you agree to set up
automatic payment).
Pay online This isn't automatic - here you're the one
making the payment. Instead of using a paper check, go online to your bank
account and pay bills electronically. The money will be immediately deducted
from your available balance. It's neat and efficient.
PLASTIC
Slim down your wallet You know it can be detrimental to your credit
score to close credit card accounts, but that doesn't mean you have to carry all
that plastic! Figure out which card you really need to keep with you, then stash
the rest in a safe, secure place. Enjoy the simplicity of using just one card.
Manage store discount cards Many retailers have some kind of
frequent-buyer club card, which is great...but boy, can they weigh down your
wallet or key ring. KeyRingThing.com offers a clever way to consolidate up to
six of your loyalty cards into one for free. There's a quick demo video on the
site that explains how this works. You'll be impressed.
Log on daily As with your bank accounts, you need online access
to each of your credit card accounts. Then check them every day. This may take a
few minutes, but that's the level of care you need to stay well below your
credit limit and to catch any irregularities - like mystery fees, purchases you
didn't make - before they become a problem later on.
PLANNING
Prep for taxes If you dread doing taxes, take away your fear with a
handy set of file folders or a single accordion file. Hang on to the receipts
you collect during the day (jot a note on the ones that might be deductible),
then slip them into the appropriate slots. If you make this a habit, all you'll
need is about 15 minutes to pull the information together to file your taxes
next year.
Make a will If you haven't already done this, stop putting it
off! At the very least, you need a will and Health Care Power of Attorney
(sometimes referred to as a Health Care Proxy), which authorizes a person you
name to make health care decisions for you if it becomes necessary. And if you
have minor children, you need to name a guardian. It's a simple process that
will pay back with peace of mind.
To learn more, check out legalzoom.com and nolo.com, or make
an appointment with an attorney who specializes in end-of-life issues.
Scan to CD Could you put your hands on all your important
papers? Even if you know where they are, chances are your insurance policies,
birth certificates and tax records are scattered about. Make life easier by
taking time to scan all of your documents into your computer, then store them on
CDs. Keep a copy for yourself and send one to a trusted friend or relative.
A few tech notes first: Be sure to use a desktop, not a laptop - the last thing
you want is for your laptop to get lost or stolen with all of your personal info
on it! And when it comes time to replace your computer, erase everything first.