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Wellness Newsletter

Period 3 ends April 1M arch

2019

IM PORTANT NEWS!Open enrollment will be

M ay 13 - M ay 28

M eeting locations and dates TBD. Stay tuned for more information!

Participate in the Save Well Challenge!

Register today to receive access to money- saving resources. Track how and how much money you save during this 4- week challenge to earn 25

points toward your 200 wellness point goal!

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Mar ch 2019

Creat ing A Spending Plan And

Tak ing Cont rol

What exactly does it mean to establish a budget? Your budget is your spending plan and keeping a budget means that you are tracking where your money goes. You have the power to reduce financial stress by setting rules for how you will spend your money and then tracking yourself against these rules. Being able to align your thoughts and behaviors around money is equally important because you can set realistic expectations based on the goals you plan to achieve and what you desire most. Do you use a tool that keeps track of your spending every month? If not, now is the time to start! There are plenty of budgeting tools to choose from, including Mint.com or Youneedabudget.com, or even just a spreadsheet that you keep. Remember, the best budgeting tool is the one YOU use!

The Foundation for Financial Wellness suggests the Be, Do, Have process to help people align their thoughts and behaviors around money:

- Be. Have the right attitudes/beliefs about money. ?I am in power about money.?

- Do. Use money saving techniques like budgeting. ?I can build a plan now.?- Have. Align your behaviors with thoughts and take control. ?I will have money

later.?

Make Saving A Pr ior it yAligning our thoughts and behaviors around money helps with prioritizing. ?A Bucket for Every Dollar? provides another way of thinking about finances to see which items we ?have to have,? the items we ?want to have,? those that are ?near term,? and items to plan for the ?future.?

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March 2019

Saving money is just as important as paying your rent/mortgage or putting gas in your car. Many may feel they are unable to save because of the amount of bills they have to pay; however, by treating savings like a bill, you'll be able to save money in no time! Here are some tips to increase your savings:

- Create additional income by offering a service, selling a product, or starting a passion project.

- Spend less by reducing unnecessary spending. Try going out one less night for dinner or resist that clothing shopping spree.

- Do both. It may seem intimidating at first but give it a try!

It is equally important to create an emergency fund/cash reserve. This fund provides a cushion for those unexpected situations and planning ahead of time can avoid potential stress. Here's how to get started:

1. Calculate your monthly needs.2. Multiply your needs per month by 3.3. Protect your fund! Make sure you have easy access to the funds, avoid any

penalties if you need to withdraw funds, and secure your fund in a place where you can earn interest.

Creat ing A Spending Plan And Tak ing Cont rol Cont inued

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March 2019

Reducing Debt"Wherever we are today is based on the decisions we made in the past. Wherever we want to be in the future depends on the decisions we make today." - Oddette Davis

Did you know? On average, individuals within the United States have 3.7 credit cards and those with credit card debt owe about $5,600, which adds up to about $13 trillion in consumer-related debt! How do we tackle all the debt we have looming over us? Create a debt elimination plan! This plan will help individuals improve their financial wellness.

There are two approaches that you can take to eliminate debt:

1. High interest first. Start off by listing all your debt including the balance and interest rate of each. Then, begin making minimum payments on the lower interest rate debts while putting a majority of your payments on the highest interest rate debt. Once the highest interest rate debt has been paid off, begin to apply that payment to the next highest interest rate debt and continue this process until your debt is eliminated.

2. Smallest to largest (also known as the Snowball Method). Organize your debts from smallest to largest. Then, pay the most on the smallest balance while making the minimum payment on the remaining debts. Once the smallest debt

is paid in full, snowball the payment amount to the next lowest debt and continue to make minimum payments on the remaining debt. Continue this process until your debt is eliminated.

Creat ing A Spending Plan And Tak ing Cont rol Cont inued

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February 2019

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February 2019

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March 2019

EAP Café Ser ies Webinars Business Health Services has introduced improvements to their Café series webinars to allow for more opportunities to access and participate. Visit the "Café Series Info" page in the top right corner of your MyBHS portal or click on the links below for information on upcoming webinars and how to access.

This m ont h's feat ured webinar :

How to Access2019 Café Series Calendar

Next m ont h's feat ured webinar :

MarchResilience in TImes of ChangePresented by: Dr. Delvina Miremadi-Baldino Change is an inevitable part of life. Sometimes it hits us unexpectedly and other times it comes as a consequence of a decision we made. Either way, change can be scary if we aren?t prepared to be flexible and resilient in the face of it. Especially in the workplace, organizational change can impact individual employee?s performance and productivity.

Thankfully, based on decades of research, we know that it isn?t the change itself, but how we perceive it. And there are specific internal and external resources that can be taught to help individuals not only effectively adapt to change but also thrive through it. Resilient people are optimistic, purposeful, growth oriented, engaged and connected. In this webinar, participants will: explore the impact of change on individuals and organizations, define the concept of resilience and how it?s essential to cope with change, and learn the skills necessary to foster resilience and make healthy transitions.

Apr ilClear Your Clutter: A Comprehensive GuidePresented by: Ellen WilkinsonIs your kitchen table covered in unopened mail? Is your bedroom floor covered in clothing? Is your basement a total disaster? Living with clutter is exhausting. Learning how to approach clearing the clutter can feel daunting. This webinar will offer specific, strategic ways to approach clearing it and staying organized! We'll go

room-by-room to help you have an organized and restful home.

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February 2019

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March 2019

Ingredient s

- 6 Medium eggs, hard boiled and peeled- 1/2 large avocado- 1-2 tsp lime juice (optional, but will keep

from browning)- 2 tbsp cilantro, minced - 2 tbsp red onion, minced - 1/4 tsp garlic salt- pinch of salt- 2 tsp olive oil

Direct ions

1. Halve the eggs length- wise and remove the yolks to a bowl. Discard 4 yolk halves. Arrange the egg white halves on a platter and set aside.

2. Add avocado to bowl of egg yolks and mash with a fork until desired consistency.

3. Add in onion, garlic salt, salt, and olive oil; stir to combine.

4. Spoon or pipe the mixture into the yolk halves, about 2-3 teaspoons per egg half.

5. Refrigerate until ready to serve, within 2-3 hours.

Yield: 12 deviled eggs

Source: PreventionRD

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Avocado Deviled Eggs