Category Archives: Health

6 Changes I Saw When Exercise Helped Me With Alcohol Addiction

 

This post was contributed to Leisure Freak by freelance writer John. He shares his experience on this timely subject of alcohol addiction as many may be struggling with alcohol use during these trying times. 

Drinking alcohol, for many, has become a form of therapy for sadness and depression. This is because they find pleasure in it and it makes them feel better for a while. However, this only lasts for the moment, and long-term use of alcohol could worsen depression, often requiring dual diagnosis treatment, which is very difficult to cure. In addition to that, excessive alcohol intake has been linked to several medical complications, including the risk of heart failure and stroke, liver and kidney failure, and cancers of the mouth, throat, esophagus, liver, and breast. 

6 Changes I Saw When Exercise Helped Me With Alcohol Addiction

The Changes After Using Exercise To Control Alcohol Addiction

Considering all the side effects of excessive alcohol intake, it is advisable to cut down on daily intake. Alcohol intake could worsen dehydration in your body and interfere with how your body produces energy. It could also slow down the nerve that sends messages across your body. All of these factors could take a toll on your health and affect how you exercise.

However, exercise is one of the ways to offset some of these alcohol-associated risks while helping you maintain a healthy lifestyle. It is also an effective way to give up alcohol, as it replaces some of the affects you aim to get from drinking. 

Some people are not able to quit alcohol addiction on their own. For those people, alcohol addiction treatment centers provide the necessary solution to become clean. More often than not, alcohol addiction treatment requires the addict to enroll in inpatient alcohol treatment programs, which provide both medication assisted treatment, as well as counseling and proper life skills needed to quit alcohol for good.

I tried to stay away from alcohol rehab and to cure my addiction with more natural ways. In order to quit alcohol, I tried exercising often and here are some of the changes I noticed:

1- I Was Tired Earlier

Drinking alcohol has been linked to increased fatigue, as you would tend to sleep after drinking and wake up tired the following day. Apart from daily stress levels, regular alcohol intake could be the reason you get tired too often. I was tired earlier while I indulged in alcohol, but that changed when I started exercising. Exercising increases the heart rate and blood flow across the body, which releases endorphins that raise the energy levels up.

2- I Started to Fall Asleep Earlier

Exercise helps reduce stress and relieve anxiety which will increase the amount and quality of your sleep and cure insomnia. I didn’t have to rely on alcohol to fall asleep anymore while increasing my health risks. Exercising simply did the magic, and I could have a restful sleep while keeping a healthy lifestyle.

3- More Mood Swing to Less Mood Swing

Exercise helps to improve mental health, and you could record lesser episodes of mood swing. Alcohol intake is greatly associated with mood swings, which worsens while you are trying to break off from it. However, exercise could fix that by releasing chemicals like endorphins and serotonin which would improve your mood. 

4- I Started to Look Younger and Fresh

Exercise slows aging and could make you look younger and fresher than your age. Alcohol could make you grumpy, and it has been associated with skin aging. I was able to change that with regular exercise and now look younger. Exercise turns off the aging process in your chromosomes, which would cause your telomeres not to grow shorter as it should while you age. Longer telomeres make you look younger.

5- Sexual Empowerment

Alcohol has been associated with erectile dysfunction in men and reduced lubrication in women. That can change with exercise, as feel-good hormones known as endorphins are released, your cortisol levels are decreased, and your stress level also decreases. It could also help reduce depression and increase blood flow to your organs. All these factors could contribute to a great sex life.

6- Ahha, I Saved a Lot of Money

If you need a trick to help you save a huge amount of annual healthcare costs, exercise is the answer. The risks associated with alcohol could make you spend the rest of your life within the walls of a hospital with exorbitant medical bills. Exercising has improved my health since I started and I am beginning to notice changes. So, I would rather opt for what would save my life, improve my health and also help me save a lot of money.

Conclusion

You can be next. All you need to do is incorporate exercise into your routine and make it a part of you. However, it is not as easy as said, which is why alcohol treatment centers are there as another option, to guide you as you make the transition from being dependent on alcohol to embracing exercise as a lifestyle.

Author Bio: 

John is a freelance writer who loves to help people who are struggling with a drug or alcohol addiction, knowing firsthand what it’s like to deal with substance addiction, and has now been sober for 5 years. John is a frequent contribution to many addiction-related blogs and organizations such as the Addiction Treatment Division and Recovery Inn.

Planning for the Future While Living with a Disability

 

Thinking of your eventual mortality isn’t a happy ordeal, but it’s a necessary one to ensure your care and comfort later in life, as well as taking care of your loved ones after you’re gone. When you are living with a disability, it is even more important to make sure you are provided with the appropriate care. According to the Council for Disability Awareness, most Americans live paycheck to paycheck, meaning there is little or no money left for unexpected emergencies like an injury or illness. A recent report released by the National Disability Institute found that 12 to 19 percent of Americans with disabilities are far more likely to live in or near poverty than other Americans, and are more likely to say it’s “very difficult to cover monthly expenses.”

So, what can you do now to prepare for later? Have a plan.

Planning for the Future While Living with a Disability

Photo by Anthony Metcalfe on Unsplash

The importance of planning

Financial planning for your elder years and beyond may seem overwhelming and mundane, and you don’t really know where to start. The first step toward any planning approach is to identify and prioritize your goals. Have a vision of your family or loved ones in mind today and when you’re gone. What do you want for them? What do you want for yourself?

Invest in insurance

One of the greatest gifts you can give your loved ones is making your funeral arrangements in advance. This takes the stress off the shoulders of your grieving loved ones after you pass, and ensures your wishes are followed through. 

One common concern for people living with disabilities is getting insurance. Life insurance and disability insurance are particular concerns. Fortunately, having a disability doesn’t automatically prevent you from obtaining these types of coverage. In addition to regular life insurance, you may want to consider burial insurance, a type of funeral expense life insurance policy designed to cover the cost of your funeral (funeral costs average between $7,000 and $10,000) or cremation expenses when you die. 

After your death, burial life insurance pays the death benefit of your policy directly to your beneficiary, who can use the money in any manner, including for outstanding medical bills and legal costs. When deciding on how much coverage you will need, it’s important to take into consideration what kind of funeral and burial arrangements you want, and if you want any additional funds to cover any other debts you may have.

Build your financial accounts

People living with disabilities often accrue higher living expenses. For example, if you need to remodel your home for your disability, this work can cost tens of thousands. So, it is crucial for people with disabilities to have the skills that help them manage their finances so they can live fulfilling lives and ensure their loved ones aren’t stuck with a financial burden. Reducing debt, setting up an emergency fund, being properly insured, and investing in a retirement account are all ways to plan for your future. 

If you don’t know where to start with these important action items, you can talk to your bank’s financial advisor, which is usually free to clients. Knowledgeable with certain information and resources about the benefits and tools available to you, any financial planner can help families planning for the future get started on the right path toward financial security.

 

Being prepared and having an end-of-life plan that carries out your wishes for your care, your estate, and your funeral arrangements is an important task in anyone’s life. Living with a disability adds to the challenge, but it doesn’t make it impossible. Taking control and planning for your future now secures your comfort and care when it will matter the most. Of all the things you can do for the people you love, having your final arrangements made and ensuring costs are covered is one of the best things you can do for them and yourself. 

This informative post was contributed to Leisure Freak by Ed Carter –

Ed Carter has worked with clients of all ages, backgrounds and incomes. About 10 years into his career, he saw a need for financial planners who specialize in helping individuals and families living with disabilities.

The Common Post-Retirement Risk That Bit Me, Medical Scare  

When planning our retirement we have to consider many financial and non-financial aspects. But retirement planning must be flexible because there are a lot of unknowns when it comes to the future. Knowing that and experiencing it are two different things. A lesson I learned when recently bitten by a common post-retirement risk, having a major medical scare. Ten years into early retirement and now my plan and the way I think about retirement may go through major changes. 

The Common Post-Retirement Risk That Bit Me, Medical Scare  

Image Source

Medical Scare – Probably The Most Common Post-Retirement Risk

There are a few post-retirement risks that we can encounter. Unlike inflation or a recession that can impact our retirement finances, a health threat can dig deep into finances, lifestyle, and sometimes even our life expectancy. Although we do our best to avoid long-term harm from any post-retirement risk, sometimes our best isn’t enough. Especially a sudden and serious medical scare that can hit anyone at anytime. 

This is a cautionary tale about how little things can get overlooked and written off when something silently lurks but needs immediate attention before it’s too late. Something we should avoid for both financial and non-financial aspects of retirement. Sometimes a sequence of seemingly random little things are interconnected, turning into something large and dangerous to our lives and plans.

Making Health A Retirement Priority

I have made my health a priority in my early retirement. I hike, bike, weight train 3 days a week, and do cardio workouts on an elliptical 5 days a week. Basically with everything else I do I’m pretty active. I have never smoked, have my medical physical every year, bi-annual dental cleaning, and take my prescribed medications along with several vitamins and supplements. Moderation is used for alcohol, red meat, fatty foods, and sweets. Even so, I recognize now there are areas of improvement needed.

A Minor Injury, Just Like Hundreds Of Times Before 

It was more of an inconvenience or annoyance than an injury. While working on my car I slightly strained my knee by hyper-extending it. It was sore for a couple of days like any similar injury we casually write-off in life. The only thing remarkable about it was that my leg also felt tight. It eventually felt better other than a slight pain in my calf. It didn’t slow me down and it too passed after a couple of weeks. I was over it and never gave it another thought.

Ten Weeks Later Something Else Odd and Discounted

My wife and I were talking and walking through our Art Festival when I had to stop to catch my breath. It lasted all but 5 or 10 seconds and then everything was fine. The next day another few second episode while exercising on the elliptical. Odd, but I still just powered through it and went on with life. A few days later I wake up to that same leg injured many weeks before being swollen with pounding pain. I called my doctor’s office and it was recommended that I immediately visit the emergency room. 

Big Bad DVT and Right Lung PE

Once in the ER, blood work, ultrasound, and CT scan eventually found I was lucky to be walking the earth. My right lung was plugged up with clots from top to bottom and basically offline. I was living on one lung at 6,200 feet elevation’s oxygen levels. Fortunately my left lung was clot spared and up to the task. All of this because I hyper-extended my knee causing a bleed and clot many weeks before. Something I would have never considered happening to me.

Treatment and Surgery

Life has since revolved around heavy doses of blood thinner that included 25 days of miserable stomach injections every 12 hours. There was also a two day surgical procedure to clear the large clot in my leg and spending three days in the ICU. My retirement life at this time still revolves around blood thinner medication, compression socks, and avoiding any chance of getting scratched, cut, or bumping my head. The long-term treatment verdict is still out for a few months. There’s a 50/50 chance I will be on one of those expensive blood thinners for life. 

Will My Medical Scare Change My Retirement?

It certainly has opened my eyes to my mortality. I have had a lot to think about while taking it easy as directed to me the past 3 months. I was cursed in one way and blessed in many others. Cursed because the clot didn’t present itself as a clot for so long. Blessed because when it finally did I still had a chance. I also felt blessed to be retired and have the time to concentrate on recovery. 

Things will and have changed in my retirement lifestyle and potentially even some financial aspects 

At this time long-term treatment decisions are still months away as we await evaluation of my healing. If it’s determined that I need to stay on one of those new safer and effective blood thinners for life then my retirement budget will need to be addressed. It will need to cover a new expense of over $400 a month until deductibles are met for the medication once the manufacturer $10 co-pay coupon I got expires.  

I will also have to rethink some of my lifestyle activities if on the medication. I have taken many minor bumps and falls while mountain biking. That could cause serious problems if on blood thinning medication. Possibly limit biking to my slow lane beach cruiser bike. All the things I do that I have found it impossible to never bruise myself or bleed because of a cut or scrape to my hands or arms will have to be rethought. Including working on my car, major landscape, and house maintenance or improvements. That will bring another adjustment to my budget to cover paying for work done that I used to do myself. Much earlier than my previous old age budget plan.

Things that will definitely change

More than ever I see that we kid ourselves into thinking we can control everything. Life is finite, my retirement freedom is valuable, and I want it to last with quality as long as possible. It was a real bummer when this all happened. There’s a slight feeling of loss because I really loved the early retirement lifestyle I’ve created. But having to make changes and even sacrifices is part of countering any post-retirement risk that we encounter. I think I have moved past lamenting any loss, kicking myself for ignoring little things that grew into a giant threat, and I’m now looking toward my future. 

I’m not as tough as I used to think I was 

When something doesn’t feel right I can’t just power through it. I’ll need to change the way I approach my health and do a lot better about seeing my Doctor. I shouldn’t ignore any kind of lingering pain or odd events like a quick bout of shortness of breath.

I will definitely limit time sitting or standing still for too long. 

I’ve always limited extended sitting because of back pain. But now I will get up even more. Standing still waiting in long lines will also end. I also have a new appreciation for limiting anything that I don’t want around me or don’t want to waste time with. The top of the list are rude, pushy, and bullying people. I also have an even lower tolerance towards traffic, unwanted obligation, and manipulation. Life is too short to put up with crap.

Other lifestyle and health change on tap that have been put off or half-assed

I am really motivated to hit my long made weight loss goals. I hope this will also reduce the chances of a repeat DVT. Since this all started I am 40% towards my overall goal. Without exercise it’s all been about portion control and food choices. Once I can start doing more physically I should be able to hit my target. 

I’ll also pay better attention to my hydration. Something that slips past me when I am busy or playing hard. I think I will find many other little adjustments that will add up to big health benefits. 

It’s Easier To Miss Signs Of A Post-Retirement Risk Than We Think

Mixed signals and overlooked or discounted negative events can lead us to miss threats to our retirement and life. Occasional budget overruns, a poor investment return, cloudy economic signs, and issues associated with our health can sneak up on us. 

Optimism and confidence are welcome attributes but not when we let it blind us. I can’t help but remember how we all took a big hit with the market collapse in 2008-2009 and the recession. That is how it felt when the post-retirement risk of a health crisis hit me. There were mixed signals and overconfidence that had me power through it on my own when I should have had professional assistance to possibly catch what was coming my way. 

It’s a reminder that even with the best of plans and proactive retirement sustainability countermeasures, things can happen and throw everything into question. There are no guarantees, so we should do everything we can to enjoy what we have and to keep it.

Small Changes You Could Make To Your Health, This Year

Whether busy in the working world or in retirement, it can be hard to maintain a healthy lifestyle. You might try a diet for a few weeks before slipping into old ways, or you might try to quit drinking so much but you end up falling off the wagon when you go to a bar with your friends. Healthy living can seem like a chore, but it shouldn’t. With gradual steps in the right direction, you can start to form habits that’ll become part of your daily routine. Staying healthy shouldn’t be time-consuming. It should simply be a part of your existing schedule. Here are some small changes you could make to your wellbeing.

Small Changes You Could Make To Your Health, This Year

Picture Source

Exercise every day.

First of all, you should aim to exercise every day. It’s a small change that could make a massive difference to your physical and mental wellbeing. Rather than fretting about strenuous sessions at the gym once or twice every week, you could achieve better results by simply doing 10 to 20 minutes of exercise on a daily basis. Run around your local park, do some push ups in your living room, grab a chair and do some triceps dips, or simply go on a walk with your family and friends. Staying physically active can help to not only keep your waistline trim but also keep you mentally healthy. Exercise releases endorphins in the brain, and that boosts your mood. Establishing a routine exercise activity and incrementally pushing yourself a little more as time goes will generate positive health results.

Reduce your unhealthy habits.

Everybody has unhealthy habits. For some people, it might be that they snack on junk food when they’re bored. For other people, it might be that they drink a little too much wine on a frequent basis. Whatever the unhealthy habit, you should aim to improve your attitude towards excessive consumption of things that are bad for you. Being healthy isn’t just about exercising or eating well; it’s about avoiding the things that are unhealthy for you.

If this seems an impossible task to get onboard with, some people have found success with hypnotism. If you’re struggling to kick a habit such as smoking then you might even want to look into nicotine patches, gum,  or getting a cheap e-juice as an alternative that is a bit healthier for you. Sometimes, weaning yourself off bad habits is easier than going cold turkey. Aside from the health benefits that can come from quitting bad habits, most come at great financial cost. Think about all the things that you could better use your money towards.

CBD Flexoffer

 

Work on your mental health.

Remember, your mental health is just as important as your physical health. One important change you could make to your health this year is to look after your mind. Your mental wellbeing can be improved in many small ways. For starters, you should talk to your family and friends as often as possible. Sharing your feelings, whether that means laughing or crying, is crucial to your mental health.

You might also want to start making smarter financial decisions. For many adults, the root cause of their high stress levels is money. Whether you’re having problems with your finances or not, you probably worry about money a lot. You might find that it helps your mental health to start being more organized with your finances. An organized budget leads to an organized mind. The point is that you need to think about aspects of your lifestyle which could be improved in order to improve your mental wellbeing.

How Multi-Purpose Skincare Can Help Contribute To An Early Retirement

In the last three months alone, 1.35 million Americans spent $500 or more on skincare products. As we age, we tend to spend even more on products that promise to keep our skin looking vibrant and youthful. Those trying to cut back on costs or budget for an early retirement know the importance of considering every angle to increase savings, but being frugal with skincare products doesn’t have to mean sacrificing overall skin health. For those looking to enjoy an early retirement, here are some cost-effective strategies to maximize your skin’s appearance while keeping your wallet happy.

 

How Multi-Purpose Skincare Can Help Contribute To An Early Retirement

Photo Source

Apple cider vinegar for internal and external benefits

When you think of apple cider vinegar, chances are a salad pops into your mind. While apple cider vinegar is commonly used as part of a dressing for some leafy greens, it also boasts many internal health benefits, such as aiding the digestive process. If you already have a bottle of this vinegar in your home, you can easily incorporate it into your skincare routine as a topical treatment for skin health. Simply dilute the apple cider vinegar with equal parts water and use it as a cost-effective toner. Once it dries, just rinse, pat your face dry and enjoy your glowing skin!

 

How Multi-Purpose Skincare Can Help Contribute To Saving For An Early Retirement

Photo Source

Coconut oil in cooking and as a moisturizer

While coconut oil can be more expensive than sunflower or canola oil, its multi-purpose qualities make it a better bargain in the long run. As a medium-chain saturated fat, coconut oil is actually the ideal type of oil for cooking in high heat as it does not oxidize, making it healthier overall. It is also an ingredient in many delicious dessert recipes, making it a 2-for-1 in terms of use. However, the benefits of coconut oil don’t end there. It can be used as an effective face and body moisturizer and also offers a modest SPF of 4. One container of coconut oil can be efficiently used in delicious savory and sweet recipes, and as a replacement for unnecessary and expensive moisturizers with its natural skin benefits.

 

Enjoy coffee and exfoliate with the grounds

Many skincare products include caffeine for its numerous benefits on the skin, especially as a result of its anti-aging properties. But you can simply reuse your coffee grounds once your coffee is made to energize and exfoliate your skin–from head to toe! Once you’ve made your morning coffee, simply let the grounds cool off and put them aside in a container. Mix in some coconut oil and apply generously to your body and face after a shower, letting it sit for a few minutes. Rinse it off and enjoy skin that is not only smooth and free of dead skin cells, but also soft and moisturized. An added bonus is that caffeine also combats cellulite, making this scrub all the more useful.

 

As we plan for our future and the not-so-distant prospect of retirement, it is important to take a hard look at our spending habits if we truly want to save money. As skincare alone accounts for so much of our hard-earned income, using natural products that are multi-purpose not only prioritizes our savings but also our skin.

 

This article is a contribution to Leisure Freak from freelance writer Jackie Edwards. Thanks Jackie for these money-saving natural skincare tips!
Now working as a full-time freelance writer, Jackie Edwards is also a busy mum of two small children. In any free time she has (which isn’t much) she likes to volunteer and do charity work and take the family greyhound Bertie for long walks.

Retiring With An FSA Healthcare Account? Leverage The FSA Loophole BEFORE You Retire!

If you are going to finally ditch the rat race and will be retiring with an FSA at your job, then you have some things to get right before your retirement date. Failing to do so means losing everything in your FSA account. Do it right and not only can you use up all you have contributed but even more than you have paid into it for the year.

An FSA (Flexible Spending Account) is a fairly common employment healthcare benefit that many companies offer their employees. Most people are familiar with the FSA “use it or lose it” rules that apply to your account at the end of every year. It is why some employees decide not to participate in this nifty tax-free health benefit. But if you have an FSA now and are planning to retire this year, or haven’t used an FSA but do plan on retiring after the first of next year, then you may want to keep reading. You can leverage your FSA to the fullest in the year you retire and even get more money for qualified FSA medical costs than you paid into your FSA.

Retiring With An FSA Healthcare Account? Leverage The FSA Loophole BEFORE You Retire!Image Source

Don’t Lose Money When Retiring With An FSA. Be Smart And Leverage It To The Max

How The FSA Works

You set aside money through your employer pre-tax. It’s to be used on qualified medical expenses that your health insurance doesn’t cover. Employer benefit enrollment activity usually heats up in October thru November. That is when you commit to wanting an FSA and how much money up to the federal FSA limits you want to commit to it for the next year. For 2020 that limit amount is $2750 (updateFor 2023 that limit amount is $3050). The employer then takes an equal amount out of each of your paychecks throughout the year. For example, if you decided to contribute $2750 to your FSA for the year, then having a biweekly paycheck schedule means $105.76 will be deducted before taxes from each check.

You are allowed to spend FSA funds in advance of your contributed money, right up to your committed FSA contribution amount for that year. For example, if in March you incur FSA qualified medical expenses for $2000 but only have 3 months ($635) of payroll FSA contributions so far, you can still use your FSA funds to pay the full $2000.

This FSA money is normally only good to use until the end of year (small extension may apply) and any unused money reverts back to the employer. That’s the “use it or lose it” part of the FSA. However, the FSA is handcuffed to your employment. When you retire you are quitting your job and the FSA ends on your last day, not the end of the year. Any unused funds in your FSA reverts back to your employer on the day you skip out the door for the last time. So don’t do that!  Get smart and plan ahead.

Retiring With An FSA And Spending More Than You Contributed- The FSA Loophole

Retiring right means you probably have an idea of when you want to retire. This is an advantage because it gives you time to strategize your medical treatments and other FSA qualified spending before your magical date. The way the FSA loophole works in your favor is that even though you may retire before the end of year, you can spend up to your yearly committed FSA amount in advance and not have to pay back the amounts spent above what you have contributed. The earlier in the year you retire the more you can benefit. (Update 2022: In rare cases, FSA plan documents specify that any remaining contributions can be taken from your last paycheck when you leave your job. Check with your employer regarding their FSA rules)

For example, retire in June and spend up to your committed full year FSA amount before you leave. By June you have only contributed half of your yearly FSA commitment but you can spend the entire year’s amount. Meaning you just doubled your money. The rules that allow your employer to keep any unspent FSA funds every year also means your employer has to eat any departing employee’s FSA deficit when they retire.

Don’t feel bad that you are stiffing your employer. A lot of employees don’t manage their FSA funds very well and lose their remaining balance. Unused FSA funds total in the hundreds of millions of dollars each year. Your company will be using these kinds of yearly forfeited funds that they get to keep to cover your taking advantage of the FSA loophole. Believe me, no company executive will get their bonus trimmed because of this.   

Pre-retirement FSA Spending Strategy

Take advantage of the time you have before your retirement date. It is best to start this long before announcing your retirement. There are lots of ways to use your full FSA funds. Even if you are healthy and without pending health issues to take care of. Basically, all the things you might try to spend your FSA money on before the end-of-year deadline qualifies for this FSA pre-retirement strategic health spending.

  • Get up to date on your medical checkups. There are always things in wellness checkups that will cause costs that insurance doesn’t cover.
  • Get your eyes checked or at least get those new glasses and/or contact lenses you will be needing. Get as many as you think you might need.
  • Go to the dentist. We all know how much implants, crowns and bridges cost. Dental Insurance usually just takes the sting out of the bill. Non-cosmetic dental work is covered under FSA. Now would be the time to take care of all dental issues that you have put off.
  • Back problems? Fasciitis or Tendinitis? If you want to visit a Chiropractor to help heal your back, now would be the time to try it. Acupuncture is also something that may help hard to heal issues. Qualified medical issues are covered under FSA, a prescription or letter of medical necessity may be required.
  • Orthotics are a qualified medical expense. It never hurts to get another set of inserts. Think about your upcoming time on your feet doing retirement activities.
  • Replace, update, or expand your first aid kit. An adventurer level first aid kit can be expensive but worth every penny in an emergency situation. Most anything you would normally store in your medicine cabinet can be bought with your FSA funds. Stock up on bandages, a good thermometer, blood pressure monitor, heating pads, etc.  

Remember, anything that qualifies for FSA spending while an employee before the end-of-year deadline will qualify for your pre-retirement FSA spending strategy. Choose merchants that can process your FSA card. One online merchant to look at is the FSA Store.

If you are retiring with an FSA, then plan ahead and leverage it to your utmost advantage.

Don’t leave anything on the table. In fact, take it to the limit. Depending on your planned retirement date, double or triple your money. If you haven’t been using your employer’s offered FSA health benefit thus far and will be retiring after the next enrollment period, consider starting an FSA and set yourself up before you retire.

Retiring or not, always check for all qualifying FSA expenses that you may need. Utilize your FSA funds before your “use it or lose it” deadline. Whether that is end-of-year or your last and happiest day on the job.

Update 11/5/20: For those retiring and signing up for their employer Cobra insurance coverage. Your FSA may also be extended past your employment date with Cobra. Do your research to see if this will apply to you.

4 Simple Tips for Protecting Seniors from Indoor Air Pollution

Did you know that your efforts to keep cold or hot air out of your house are trapping air pollutants in? Houses these days are constructed so tightly that they lack the natural ventilation of yesteryear. The cleaning products, building products, pet dander, mold spores, dust mites, and other pollutants can have harsh effects on seniors with compromised immune systems. Fortunately, here are some steps you can take to protect yourself.

Protecting Seniors from Indoor Air Pollution

Photo by Daniele Levis Pelusi on Unsplash

Protecting Seniors from Indoor Air Pollution

Monitor and Test

Install carbon monoxide detectors and test your home for radon. Radon is a byproduct of decaying uranium that is naturally found in some soil. It is invisible and odorless. However, it can lead to serious illness if it finds its way into your home. Test kits are fairly affordable so you can conduct the test yourself. Many of the tests involve you sampling the air in your house. You then send the sample to a laboratory to get the results. There are several ways to block the entry of radon into your home.

Similarly, carbon monoxide can also cause you harm, and you cannot see or smell it. CO is a combustion byproduct, and it comes from gas-fired water heaters, space-heating equipment, fireplaces, kerosene heaters, and several other in-home sources. Make sure the areas where this equipment operates are well-ventilated.

Choose Products that Don’t Pollute

Fumes that can be harmful to seniors are produced by building products, solvents, cleaning products, adhesives, and some plants. Therefore, you should choose low-VOC (volatile organic compound) or low emitting products.

The evaporation point for some chemical compounds is room temperature. This causes fumes. Most of the time, VOCs are harmless. Other times, they can produce headaches, dizziness, and irritation of the throat, nose, and eyes. Serious diseases may develop after long-term exposure.

Change Your Air Conditioner and Furnace Filters

The equipment inside forced-air HVAC systems is protected from household dust by filters. You must regularly change these filters to reduce air pollution in the home. Do it at the beginning of the heating seasons, and if a central air conditioner is part of the system, change the filter at the start of the cooling season as well.

Bacteria, mold spores, and some allergens are not removed by standard filters. You will require a high-efficiency filter to take these air pollutants out of the system. The rating of the filter will tell you how efficient it is. The minimum efficiency reporting value (MERV) is rated on a scale of one to twenty by the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating & Air-Conditioning Engineers.

Use Natural Ventilation

You can clear the air by opening doors and windows. Of course, if it is extremely cold or hot outside, you should avoid this alternative. But, at some pollution sources, you can spot ventilate. Make sure your dryer vent and bathroom and kitchen exhaust fans are working correctly. They remove moisture that could cause mold. Also, use and store solvents, adhesives, paints, and other building products in well-ventilated areas to dissipate the harmful fumes they leave behind.

By taking these simple steps, you can avoid the dangers that indoor air pollution poses for older adults.

 

This Article is a contribution to Leisure Freak from the talented freelance writer Jackie Edwards.

Now working as a full-time freelance writer, Jackie Edwards is also a busy mum of two small children. In any free time she has (which isn’t much) she likes to volunteer and do charity work and take the family greyhound Bertie for long walks.

Early Retirement Lifestyle Focused Goals

When it comes to my goals for the New Year they are more Early Retirement Lifestyle Focused Goals than financial. I have read a lot of impressive goals on many personal finance sites. They have motivated me to also begin my process to set and write down my goals for this New Year.

Being that I am early retired and living from my portfolio I have no real financial targets other than staying on budget.

IF I decide to take on a paying gig within my interest and my passions then my goal is simply to save 100% of the income it produces. At this time I have no such targeted opportunity in mind. I may not start any this year so I can’t set as a goal a targeted number to be saved.

You may be wondering, what are these Early Retirement Lifestyle Focused Goals? They are goals to help me live a more fulfilling life. Early Retirement Lifestyle Focused Goals are worthy goals for anyone retired or still on their financial independence journey.

Early Retirement Lifestyle Focused Goals 

Always Be Motivated

Nothing is more motivational than having something to look forward to. Having a goal or adventure in front of me that is something that I am interested in, passionate about, or just plain excites me can’t do anything but keep me motivated.

Early Retirement Lifestyle Focused GoalsI could rename my bucket list and change it to my motivation list. It is having these listed experiences and adventures or my always being open to an unknown adventure that keeps me remembering that my life is something more than my day-to-day life, routines, and habits. Part of this Early Retirement Lifestyle Focused Goal is working my way down my list and when appropriate adding to it or removing something that no longer interest me. It also includes taking action to make them happen. Even if it takes long-term action to get there. It is still motivating to see progress.

So what is on this list? It has the answers to the all-important question: What do I want to experience and accomplish before I die.

Early Retirement Lifestyle Focused Goals # 1- Be a Motivated Person. Motivation leaves no room for boredom, discouragement, or dread in my early retirement lifestyle.

See the Silver Lining

This is a very challenging goal. Life is full of ups and downs. My goal is to always look for the good in any bad situation. It is all about keeping a better perspective and maintaining a positive attitude. The idea is to see the Silver Lining so I can find the meaning in my mistakes, failures, and losses so I can learn from them. Then make adjustments and move on without stewing in negativity about anything bad that has happened.

Early Retirement Lifestyle Focused Goals # 2- Seek Silver Lining Freedom. Finding the good in bad situations means I can successfully move forward instead of being chained to the past.

Count My Blessings

By focusing on all the good things that I have in my life and what I want to accomplish I can live feeling content. That is certainly a better way to live than the alternative. Focusing on my losses, failures, or what I don’t have would only cause negative feelings and a negative attitude. Taking stock of all that I have and being truly thankful is a goal that ensures a happier life.

Early Retirement Lifestyle Focused Goals # 3- Recognize that I am Blessed. Understanding that I am fortunate and have an abundant life means negativity and envy can find no home within me.

Feed and Grow Personal Relationships

My family and friends are the cornerstone to my well-being. Some relationships come easy and others require work to stay connected. One reason I have this as a goal is that these relationships are counted as part of my blessings. Also by giving myself to others outside of any other goals or my happiness makes ME a better person.

Early Retirement Lifestyle Focused Goals # 4- Treat Family and Friends as Priceless. Selflessly giving and connecting to other human beings that I love and care about is the only path to a full, loving, and rewarding life.

Make My Health a Priority

My health is what it is. It could always be better and it sure can be worse. It is up to me to do all I can to be as healthy as I can. I want to live a long time and enjoy my early retirement freedom. My goal is to pay myself first through daily exercise and staying active. I always feel better mentally and physically after exercise. Other health goals are to always seek ways to improve my diet and stay current with medical and dental checkups. My exercise goal is a way to delay aging into a rocking chair. This lifestyle goal is to stay vital and active for as long as I can.

Early Retirement Lifestyle Focused Goals # 5- Protect My Valuable Health. By staying healthy I might be able to keep putting distance and time between me and my becoming a sick old man waiting for the Grim Reaper.

 Take Calculated Risks

Staying comfortable is the easy way but a less rewarding way to live. But my taking calculated risks that takes me out of my comfort zone is necessary for me to create what I want from life. That is to live life as an adventure and let my passions and natural curiosity guide me. My goal is to reach beyond what I know which is a big part of the early retirement lifestyle I want to create. I want to constantly learn and experience new things.

Early Retirement Lifestyle Focused Goals # 6- Embrace Strategic Risk. Live life to the fullest and avoid regretting later in my life the risks I didn’t take.

In Closing

You may be thinking these are goals that I should always have. Not something to just list for the New Year. That is absolutely correct. I believe taking the time to list out goals whether they are common-sense or raising the bar on our accountability is important. It is all about choices. We choose to better ourselves, our finances, our happiness, our career, etc. Listing our chosen goals is the first step. We then get to put action towards them and measure how well we have done. We then can identify areas we need to work harder at. My Early Retirement Lifestyle Focused Goals are all about living the best life I can. Not only this year but the rest of my life.

Do you have any non-financial based goals for the New Year to make your life happier and more fulfilling?

Boost your Immunity System with Exercise

Health should be a year round priority and did you know that you can Boost your Immunity System with Exercise? Exercise and staying active is a frugal way to stay our healthiest. Whether we are on the path to financial independence or already enjoying our early retirement we have too much we want to do and don’t want to be sick.

I happen to be writing this during the holidays because it is a time when we tend to live with added stress even though we know we should be enjoying our time. We tend to stray from our healthier diets and overextend ourselves with all kinds of social gatherings, shopping for gifts, worship, and celebrations.

Boost your Immunity System with ExerciseWe are in close proximity with many people and our immunity system may be tested and called upon many times. Right when we have absolutely no time to be sick.

Regular exercise is a way to keep our bodies and immunity system in top condition. To stay healthy we must keep our immunity system strong to protect and defend our body against illness and to help quicken our recovery if we do fall to illness.

Boost Your Immunity System with Exercise – How It Works

When we are in movement it also results in our body’s immune cells being more active. Faster circulating immune cells are able to overcome and kill any invading viruses and bacteria easier.

The extra immune cell energy boost that is gained from our movement through exercise lasts hours after the workout ends.

Did you know that research has found that people who exercise regularly have fewer colds and sick days from work than those who don’t?

  • Exercise makes us less vulnerable to illness by slowing our release of stress hormones. I know I come out of a workout less stressed than when I went into it.
  • Exercise also helps us fight infection by raising our body temperature. I know I am exercising when I feel the heat turn up.
  • Exercise causes us to sweat and increase our breathing. That in turn helps us flush out disease-causing bacteria from our bodies through our sweat and lungs. YUCK! Remember to wipe down the workout equipment after use.

You Can Boost your Immunity System with Exercise But Don’t Over Do It

There comes a point when exercise loses its health benefits. That happens when we go overboard and over exercise. Extreme exercise will stress our bodies too far and weaken our immunity system’s ability to fight off disease. This can occur with long and strenuous workouts of 90 minutes or more.

Boost your Immunity System with Exercise but don’t ignore other healthy actions.
Exercise is easily forgotten and for many people the first to thing to be sacrificed when we get busy. There are the other healthy habits that we need to also remember to keep as a priority to boost our immune system.

  • Go to bed and get enough sleep.
  • Manage and try to control your stress.
  • Concentrate on eating healthy.
  • Take your prescribed medication and any required vitamins/supplements that are part of your health routine.
  • Don’t drink your immune system into drunken oblivion and avoid all tobacco smoke.

There you have it.

Go ahead and make a plan to Boost your Immunity System with Exercise.

Do speak with your Doctor before significantly increasing your exercise or activity level.

If you can’t talk while exercising then you may be pushing too hard and over doing it. Those of us who may be a little out of shape will need to take it slower and work towards things. It can take far less than the 90 minutes mentioned above if we push ourselves beyond or fitness level too quickly. It can end up taking things too far. We don’t want to exercise ourselves into a compromised immunity system.

Do you find that when you exercise regularly you are sick less?

Do you see yourself letting exercise slip away from your healthy living routine when life gets hectic?

Workaholism Survives Financial Independence

I have news that may surprise those on the journey to financial independence and perhaps also to those already enjoying the fruits of reaching their freedom goals. Workaholism Survives Financial Independence and Early Retirement. Just because you reach the point where you no longer NEED to work doesn’t mean your Workaholism will be automatically cured. The key is first recognition and then taking action as soon as possible.

Some people will joke calling themselves a workaholic when putting in extra hours on a project. When temporarily putting their personal life on hold. The truth is that anyone suffering from the negative impacts of Workaholism have nothing to joke about.

Workaholism is defined as valuing work over anything else.

There is no balance where their life can place value on or allow them to enjoy relationships, hobbies, or leisure.

Workaholism can cause serious health issues and destroy their marriage and other relationships.
Workaholics will work even if it is all-consuming.

Living without happiness or pleasure because they have no other passions, interests, or activities they would consider doing instead.

Workaholism is like an addiction.

An addiction with nothing but negative outcomes. Where the workaholic may want to stop because they recognize the damage it is doing but can’t stop.

The FI Community Has Its Share of Workaholics

Those who are successfully on the path to financial independence certainly have an ambitious and driven type of personality. They work hard to generate income. They budget, eliminate debt, become super-savers, side hustlers for extra income, etc. Chances are there are at least some workaholic traits if not full-blown Workaholism going on within them. Whether realized or not.

I know I suffered from it during my first career. I find even now after financial independence, early retirement, an encore career, and a second early retirement that I am not going to ever be cured. I will always be a Recovering Workaholic.  I’m not kidding about that.

It shows up during any project I am working on. I can become all consumed and can’t stop myself until it hits me that I am ignoring what is going on around me. All of the important things in my life drop by the wayside. I usually see it happening and catch myself where I can then pace myself and enjoy the moments passing by with my wife and family.

I have to remind myself that just because I am doing what I want to do and am passionate about doing that it is all too easy to fall into the same Workaholic traps. This of course results in my neglecting everything else.

Workaholism Does Survive Financial Independence and Early Retirement

I can tell you that Workaholism Survives Financial Independence and Early Retirement. It’s not just for those who have to serve their jobs, climb the corporate ladder, and accumulate as much money as they can get. You bring it with you wherever you go and are.

My Workaholism actually started early in school where I ignored everything else in my effort to earn straight ‘A’s. It has been with me much of my life. Fortunately I can now recognize my slips and put a stop to it. For others it’s not so easy because their Workaholic addiction takes over and they don’t even realize it until their health, relationships, or attitude toward life fails.

Workaholism Survives Financial Independence so Know the Signs

The first step to avoiding or beginning to stop Workaholism is to know the signs and recognize whether you have the traits and habits that put you in danger.

To figure out if you have workaholic tendencies, habits, or perhaps full-blown Workaholism, Workaholics Anonymous suggests you ask yourself these 20 questions.

Having only Three positive answers are considered an indicator that you may have a problem with Workaholism:
  1. Do you get more excited about your work than about family or anything else?
  2. Are there times when you can charge through your work and other times when you can’t?
  3. Do you take work with you to bed? On weekends? On vacation?
  4. Is work the activity you like to do best and talk about most?
  5. Do you work more than 40 hours a week?
  6. Do you turn your hobbies into money-making ventures?
  7. Do you take complete responsibility for the outcome of your work efforts?
  8. Have your family or friends given up expecting you on time?
  9. Do you take on extra work because you are concerned that it won’t otherwise get done?
  10. Do you underestimate how long a project will take and then rush to complete it?
  11. Do you believe that it is okay to work long hours if you love what you are doing?
  12. Do you get impatient with people who have other priorities besides work?
  13. Are you afraid that if you don’t work hard you will lose your job or be a failure?
  14. Is the future a constant worry for you even when things are going very well?
  15. Do you do things energetically and competitively, including play?
  16. Do you get irritated when people ask you to stop doing your work in order to do something else?
  17. Have your long hours hurt your family or other relationships?
  18. Do you think about your work while driving, falling asleep, or when others are talking?
  19. Do you work or read during meals?
  20. Do you believe that more money will solve the other problems in your life?
Workaholism isn’t a joke even though society may accept it and it is thrown around as a joke.

If you find you have a problem with Workaholism that you cannot control and it is negatively impacting your life, health, and relationships you can find help. It can be as easy as tuning-in to your problem and reaching out for more information at Workaholics Anonymous, a “fellowship of individuals who share their experience, strength, and hope with each other that they may solve their common problems and help others to recover from Workaholism”.

Workaholism Survives Financial Independence so Take Steps Early

You work hard to reach your financial goals and finally retire early from a life where you have to work. Your second act doesn’t have to carry your Workaholism of the past. Deal with it as soon as you can. If you haven’t dealt with your Workaholism while still in the Rat Race then don’t think it won’t appear in your early retirement. We leave the Rat Race with all the same drive and ambition that got us to Financial Independence and even though we may shift our focus from serving our corporate masters we can still fall into the same workaholic traps and suffer the same negative impacts. Basically without knowing it we create our own personal Rat Race under the rationalization that I am doing what I want to do.

Steps to Take:

Focus on what is truly important to you.

Obviously by reaching financial independence and retiring from a career-driven mindset we have redirected our focus away from our work and that is huge. Retiring to something is key. When I look at any opportunity that I have interest in or am passionate about doing in my “retire early and often” lifestyle or take on a project associated to my hobbies or home, I have to put aside my workaholic tendencies and stay on track.

Things that should have more importance than working or tackling a big project is Family, Friends, Health, and Leisure to have fun in life. List what is most important to you and swear to focus on dedicating some of your time to them. Even slowing down and being in the moment should be included because making time for all the others is wasted if your mind is always preoccupied with your work or project. Always remember that the things that are truly important can’t be bought and can be easily lost.

Set Limits on the number of projects or work you take on.

I have a lot of projects I WANT to start and someday finish. The trick is to finish tasks before starting another one. Incremental completion helps sooth the workaholic beast so that I don’t feel like I have to cram it all in during a short time-frame, thus robbing time from the important things. If something isn’t working-out then move on instead of wasting more of your valuable time on it. Remember that it is your time that you are spending and it’s too expensive to needlessly run through trying to please people.

Set time limits on projects or work.

Whether it’s which days a week and/or which hours in the day, limit your project or work time so that you always have time for the important stuff. Limit your time doing work and stick to it. Mindlessly throwing massive hours at your project or work only feeds Workaholism and starves the truly important things out of existence.

Assess the value of any project or work you take on.

Do a time-to-benefit analysis (your time vs how much and who [how many] benefit). What is the benefit of completing the work or a project? Are people waiting for you to finish? Is the deadline just one you laid on yourself? Always ask yourself this so you never get caught working on something for the sake of working on something. Workaholics tend to busy themselves with work just for work’s sake. Don’t be that person. If the benefit is low or none then don’t waste your time doing it and instead go hang-out with the family.

Purposely pace yourself.

The worst boss for a workaholic to work for is themselves. That is because they set tight deadlines for themselves with high expectations causing long hours trying to finish. Stop doing that. If you have other people pushing a deadline or requesting a lot of your time then do a real self-assessment and only accept what is reasonable. Then of course don’t let your Workaholism kick in and have you busting keister trying to beat it. Go into every project and work with purposeful time-management and pace yourself so you always make time for the truly important things.

Control your perfectionism.

Stop aiming for perfection in everything you do especially if it’s not necessary to meet your project or work’s purpose. Remember your Time carries a high value and there is always something better to do with it.

Strive to be productive and efficient.

Try to concentrate and get work done within short time-frames. This is so you can later allow yourself to celebrate your accomplishment by taking time to relax. Work smarter not longer.

Final Thought

Workaholism Survives Financial Independence and Early Retirement where our workaholic tendencies and habits manifest themselves in the projects or second-act careers we take on. Unfortunately they can cause the same negative impacts as when we are in a career striving for advancement and financial independence. Fortunately by recognizing our Workaholism we can take steps to control it.

You can still be a hard worker by working with efficiency and produce excellent quality work and not be a workaholic. It’s all about how you manage and prioritize your time and where you value spending it. Our time is finite and once it’s gone it’s gone. Take the Workaholics Anonymous 20 question self-survey and see if you have traits that need to be recognized as needing monitoring and possible elimination from your life.

Did you take the Workaholics Anonymous 20 question self-survey? How many questions you answer YES to?