Zeroing In
We rarely consider our finances when we think about living healthy and well. But participants in the Common Cents Financial Wellness challenge will begin to see the impact of effective money management on the way they feel... both physically and emotionally.
Recent studies have shown that poor financial management can lead to stress manifesting itself in:
- Frustration
- Fear and panic
- Depression
- Anger
- Anxiety
There is a strong link between those feelings and chronic conditions that have a negative impact on our physical health including high blood pressure, fatigue, disturbed sleep and more. Not real appealing, huh?
The good news is, no matter where you start, with the right tools you can work your way toward a better financial future. Is it the daily latte? Or maybe it’s lunch at a different restaurant each day. Whatever it is, it’s time to put strategies in place to make daily savings a priority. As you begin the Common Cents Financial Wellness challenge pay extra close attention to where you are spending your money and look for quick ways to save a few cents here and a few dollars there. There is a good chance you’ll be surprised at how much you can save in a day, week and month by making a few simple changes!
Do you have all of your materials ready? Make sure you download and save or print the
Participant Packet,
Challenge Ledger,
Daily Savings Tracker and each of the worksheets. The first worksheet to complete in this challenge is the
Budget worksheet. This worksheet will help you identify where your money comes from and where it goes.
For more help with finance basics, try attending one of the upcoming Financial Wellness 101 workshops. See the schedule on the
Wellness Workshops webpage. Remember, if you ever need any help during this challenge you can refer back to the Common Cents Financial Wellness Challenge webpage or email
Employee Wellness.
Looking Ahead
Have you begun planning for retirement? If not, there is no better time than now. Reach out to Employee Benefits to learn more about what retirement plans Pima County offers. It is also a great time to ask friends and family about who they trust to assist them with financial planning. If you are already on the road to saving for retirement, use the Common Cents Financial Wellness challenge as a reminder to give your financial planner a call to get an update on how your portfolio is performing and to ensure you are still on track with your financial goals.
This week’s worksheet is
Retirement Planning. It will help you identify whether you are saving enough for retirement. For more information on the County’s retirement plans visit the
Arizona State Retirement System (ASRS) website or the
Public Safety Personnel Retirement System (PSPRS) website. Plan on retiring soon? These tips may guide you.
Is Your Identity Safe?
Even with the most diligent financial plans in place, we can face a major setback if our identity gets stolen. Our social security number, credit card account information, or bank account data in the wrong hands could result in disaster.
It’s a good idea to familiarize yourself with the many avenues thieves use to obtain personal information and then take steps to minimize your risks. Strategies as simple as shredding appropriate documents before disposing of them and storing all important documents in a safe, secure location can reduce your risk of becoming a victim of identity theft. Check out the
Federal Trade Commission website for more information on how to prevent identity theft and what to do if you become a victim.
The
Assets Inventory worksheet will help you identify what you have in assets and investments. Updating your inventory for these items regularly will allow you to have something to refer to in case identity thieves ever get into and mess with your various assets and investments accounts.
Pima County offers a Legal and Financial Planning benefit through UltimateAdvisor®, administered by ARAG® Group. To assess your legal and financial risk, complete the
ARAG Legal Risk Assessment Worksheet. For more information on this benefit, visit the
Employee Benefits webpage.
Way to Go!
As we enter the final week of the Common Cents Financial Wellness Challenge, you are to be commended for putting financial health in the forefront. The last worksheet to complete is the
Baseline and Long-View Plan worksheet.
As you close out the challenge give some thought to how you felt before you started the challenge and how you feel now. Do you have a better handle on your finances? Do you feel better physically? Emotionally? What is it going to take to keep your progress going?
Signing up for the challenge was a big step in the right direction... your goal now should be to keep it going!
Don’t forget to turn in your Challenge Ledger by the deadline, January 12, 2018 to earn your Healthy Lifestyle Activity Points (HLAPs) and be entered into the Grand Prize Drawing.
Health Savings Accounts (HSA)
How an HSA Works
Flexibly Spending Accounts (FSA)
Helpful videos from ASIFlex
Pima County Benefits
Pima County Benefits at a Glance