Smart Saving

“Never spend your money before you have it.” – Thomas Jefferson

Welcome to the October 2020 edition of TotalWellbeing, your guide to the 8 dimensions of wellbeing. This month we will be looking at smart saving and ways to manage your money. This is an important topic to pretty much everyone and with current economic uncertainty, it is as crucial as ever to save money and plan for the unexpected. Check out the resources below for savings options, pros and cons of various ways to save, and 10 money resolutions you can make right now to help secure your financial wellbeing.

Also, October is National Substance Abuse Awareness Month. A recent study from Mental Health American showed that while the number of adults and youths struggling with substance abuse and addiction has dropped, still nearly 8% of Americans have some sort of substance abuse issue. That is still over 26 million people that are struggling. If you know someone that is dealing with substance abuse, you are in need of resources yourself, or would just like to talk to an expert about concerns or resources that may be available, please call MINES today.

As a quick reminder, your online portal, PersonalAdvantage, also has helpful resources and tips and resources on financial issues as well as substance abuse. Please log on today for articles, self-help tools, health assessments, and more.

To your total wellbeing,

The MINES Team

Safe Money: Weighing Savings Options in a Low-Interest Rate Environment

Keeping money in an account whose interest rate hovers below 1% may not hold much appeal in a world where return on investment is king and memories of much higher rates linger. But even amid the current prolonged period of exceedingly low-interest rates, there are compelling reasons for consumers to keep cash in a vehicle such as a savings account, money market account, or certificate of deposit (CD).

Which savings environment is right for you? Here is a look at some of the options:

Online high-yield savings account. Today the savings accounts with the highest rates — sometimes 1% or perhaps a tick above — are often found online. “Online savings accounts end up being the best solution in many cases,” says O’Kurley. However, be aware that these accounts come with moving parts. Some carry attractive initial rates that quickly revert to less attractive lower rates. Others couple a relatively high-interest rate with a higher minimum balance. Given these distinctions, it pays to spend some time comparison-shopping, with www.bankrate.com a good place to start.

Savings account from a brick-and-mortar bank. People who prefer to do their banking offline, person-to-person, may prefer to open a savings account at a local bank. They’ll likely earn a lower interest rate as a result.

Certificate of deposit. Gone are the days when interest rates for short-term three-month or six-month CDs consistently and substantially exceeded those of traditional savings accounts. These days, securing a higher interest rate with a CD often means committing to keeping money in the account longer-term — for one, three, or even five years. Thus CDs limit flexibility, as the extra return they provide can be quickly erased by penalties for early withdrawal. The trade-off — sacrificing accessibility to that cash simply to earn a little extra money in interest — often isn’t worth it, O’Kurley says. “CDs are what they have always been: FDIC-insured accounts you get from a brick-and-mortar bank. But you’ll give up liquidity to get one.” Parking money in a CD for several years also comes with interest rate risk. Should interest rates rise, a lower rate would still apply to the money inside the CD, precluding the CD owner from earning a higher rate on that money. People who are willing to live with that risk while sacrificing a measure of liquidity with a CD can comparison-shop at www.bankrate.com.

Checking account. While most checking accounts are FDIC-insured and some pay interest, not only do their interest rates rarely match those of savings accounts (particularly online savings accounts), they also may come with a range of restrictions and requirements, including minimum initial deposits, transactions fees, and other costs that can add up quickly. For those reasons, checking accounts typically are better suited to house money you intend to spend, not save.

Money market account. As with CDs, money market accounts no longer hold much of an interest rate edge over savings accounts, which is why O’Kurley says he rarely recommends them to clients. While they could regain that edge when interest rates bounce higher, there’s no telling when that may happen. Still, because most money market accounts are FDIC-insured, as modest as their interest rates are, they remain a viable, if lower-yielding, option for stowing “safe money.”

Read the full article here.

If you or someone you know would like more advice or coaching around financial matters including budgeting, saving, and debt management, remember that Your Employee Assistance Program is here to help. In addition to free and confidential counseling, you have access to financial coaching and resources as well. Call us at 1-800-873-7138 to get connected right away. Also, PersonalAdvantage has a ton of great resources and FREE webinars.

1. Get (or recommit to following) a financial plan. If you have big goals, like buying a home or retiring on your own terms, having a financial plan puts you in a much better position to attain them.
2. Establish (or rededicate yourself to following) a household savings and spending plan. Having a firm grasp of what you take in and what you spend each month is key to controlling your own financial destiny.
3. Save (or save more) for retirement. The numbers are daunting: members of Generations X and Y likely will need a nest egg of $2 million to $3 million to live comfortably during retirement.
4. Save (or save more) for a child’s education. With college tuition costs continuing to skyrocket, it’s never too early for parents (and grandparents) to create (or increase their funding of) a college savings plan, such as a tax-favored 529 plan.
5. Establish (or add to) an emergency fund. Prepare yourself for life’s unexpected twists — job loss, a health crisis — with a savings account in which you set aside funds to cover the financial burden of unforeseen events.
6. Get insurance to better protect assets and loved ones. A relatively modest investment in an insurance policy can afford you and your loved ones much-needed protection in the case of disability, death and other circumstances that can financially decimate a family.
7. Rely less on credit cards in order to reduce debt. A high level of debt can wreak havoc on a person’s finances.
8. Make (or update) beneficiary designations. You want the money you’ve put into assets such as life insurance policies, retirement accounts and annuity contracts to land in the right hands when you die.
9. Talk to a tax adviser about ways to lessen the tax burden. One hour spent with an accountant or tax expert can yield significant savings on your tax tab.
10. Take stock of your investment portfolio. A diversified investment portfolio is a must for protecting your nest egg.

Read More

Remember, your Employee Assistance Program is here to help you reach financial goals. This includes financial counseling, self-help tools and calculators, and free 30-minute consults on financial matters. If you need additional information, or to access services, please call MINES and Associates at 1-800-873-7138 today.

Question of the Month

Think of any reoccurring expenses that may be putting a strain on your finances. Perhaps subscriptions you no longer use, or streaming services that can be consolidated. What can you do to reduce or eliminate these expenses from your financial routine?

This Month’s Focus

Free Webinar:

Saving for the Future

MINESblog:

New to TW? Check out our past Blogs!

Are There Potentially Positive Outcomes from COVID-19?

Back to School During the Pandemic

Important Links

COVID19 Resource Page

Visit our BLOG

MINES and Associates

Current Training Catalog

Balanced Living Magazine

LinkedIn

MINES Archives

Contact Us

Email MINES

Money Matters & COVID19 Resources

“Happiness is not in the mere possession of money; it lies in the joy of achievement, in the thrill of creative effort.”

― Franklin D. Roosevelt

Welcome to the May 2020 edition of TotalWellbeing, your guide to the 8 dimensions of wellbeing. This month we will again be looking at information and resources around COVID19 as well as financial wellbeing. The restrictions around COVID19 mean many of us are either working remote, not working at all, or are working under drastically different circumstances than we were before. Below we explore working from home with kids and a few things you can do to reduce stress around financial pressure. For more, please head over to our blog or our COVID19 Resource page where we will be constantly updating our Coronavirus related resources. Make sure to download the Coronavirus Fear and Anxiety workbook here (pdf download), provided to us by The Wellness Society. Its full of helpful tips and exercises around managing stress and setting up routines during stay at home orders and isolation.

As a quick reminder, please remember that you can use your EAP sessions for financial counseling and also get one free 30-miunute telephone consult with financial professionals per legal matter. Your online portal, PersonalAdvantage, also has live updates and helpful resources around current events which right now is focused on the Coronavirus. These resources include helpful information, current CDC news and recommendations, helpful and free webinars, and more.

Remember you can always catch past issues of TotalWellbeing on our newsletters page. This newsletter is aimed at providing helpful information about various aspects of your wellbeing and then connecting it all back to important and relevant parts of everyday life. If you have any thoughts, questions, or content you would like to see covered here please get in contact with us. You can email us directly by clicking here.

To your total wellbeing,

The MINES Team

Working from Home with Kids

As a response to the growing crisis and the many shelter-in-place orders, most employers have switched to remote work arrangements for their staff. In addition, most schools are closed and instituting remote learning requirements. While these measures are necessary for the health and safety of the community, it can make for some challenging work arrangements. Below are some tips to help you get some work done while your kids are at home with you.

• Create a schedule – Creating and keeping to a schedule is key to success. Have kids get up and get dressed at the same time as when they were in school or daycare. Schedule time throughout the day for kids to be engaged in other activities. Try to get the majority of your work done during the time your kids are engaged or have downtime.
• Communication is key – when you have kids at home it is important to communicate, even over-communicate, especially about schedules and tasks. Let co-workers and clients know they may hear kids in the background on your conference call. Let your employer know what your schedule is with your kids so they are aware when you may be more, or less, responsive.
• Set Boundaries – If you have toddlers or older kids you will have to set some boundaries with your kids. Let your kids know that sometimes during the day you will need to be on “do not disturb” and what that means for them. If you have a home office with a door, consider putting a sign on the door to indicate when kids are not allowed to disturb you. For young kids, you could use picture signs like stop and go, red and green lights, or thumbs up or down.
• Be Flexible – You may want to consider being more flexible with things like screen time, working hours, and school hours. It may be necessary to let your kids have more screen time so you can be on a conference call or video meeting. Maybe you’ll need to work some after dinner or after the kids go to bed. These adjustments are okay.
• Take breaks – Be sure to schedule breaks in your routine for you and the kids to be together. Especially for small kids, they may not understand why you are not spending all day with them. Allowing for some together time will help.
• Plan Activities – Plan activities throughout the day that don’t require your full-time supervision. The below age-appropriate ideas allow you to focus for a while on work tasks while the kids are engaged in them.
• For babies – naps, swings, bouncy chairs, and videos like Baby Einstein videos.
• Toddlers to school-age – educational shows or online games and apps.
• Older kids – school platforms, reading, non-violent videogames that encourage social connectivity, like Minecraft.
• Prioritize Tasks – Prioritize those items that are the most important to complete and schedule the above activities for when you have those vital tasks to accomplish.
• Use what help you have – If your partner is also working from home now consider alternating shifts with the kids. Or, are there others in the household who can help like older kids, or a roommate, perhaps? If you’re a single parent is there a trusted neighbor who could help? Or, consider setting up a virtual playdate where grandma or a favorite uncle could “play” with the kids while you take that important call.
• Set Realistic Expectations – Surviving may be more important than thriving for the time being. Things are not normal right now, don’t pretend that they are. Be honest with yourself and others about what can realistically get done during the day.
• Understanding and Empathy – Understand that these are challenging times and we are still trying to figure everything out, but we are all in this together. Approach this current challenge with empathy both with your colleagues as well as yourself.

Check out our blog or our COVID19 Resource page for more resources and more helpful information pertaining to working remote, dealing with isolation, managing stress and anxiety, downloadable workbooks and more.

Remember that Your Employee Assistance Program is here to help you and your family members manage the anxiety from health concerns such as the Coronavirus. Please call us at 1-800-873-7138 to get connected right away. Also, PersonalAdvantage has a ton of great resources and FREE webinars.

Money worries are among the most common sources of personal and family stress, according to Consumer Federation of America (CFA). Living with too much of any kind of pressure on a daily basis can take an emotional and physical toll, contributing to sleepless nights, backaches or headaches or, over time, even life-threatening diseases, such as high blood pressure or heart disease. Whether your credit card balances are soaring, or you and your partner are arguing constantly over nickels and dimes, there are things you can do to relieve financial stress.

Take a breather

• Focus on what you have, not on how much you’re lacking. List all your possessions, including material things, your health and your relationships.
• Eliminate clutter in your life. Tossing out what you don’t need and organizing the rest also can tidy up your emotions. So can meditating or sharing your feelings with a nonjudgmental person.
• Take care of yourself physically. Exercise is one of the best stress reducers. Eat a balanced, healthy diet.

Talk it out

If conflicts with your significant other over money matters are a primary source of stress, talk it over honestly and openly. Write down your short- and long-term financial goals to learn where the two of you can focus your discussions. Put your relationship first, while nurturing each other’s needs. Compromise, if necessary.

Act

Exercise, positive thoughts and conversation may help in the short term, but if you aren’t fixing the cause of your money worries, the stress will bounce right back into your life. You need to take action if the money coming in is less than the money going out; if you’re able to make only minimum payments on your credit cards; or you’re relying on plastic for essentials, such as food or rent.

Remember, your Employee Assistance Program is here to help you and your household members manage the stress that can come with financial strain. You can access free 30-minute financial consults, as well as use your EAP sessions for financial counseling. If you need additional information, or to access services, please call MINES and Associates at 1-800-873-7138 today.

Question of the Month

What adjustments have you found most difficult during the COVID19 restrictions? How have you made these adjustments easier and are there things you could teach others to help them adjust? Likewise, what tips could you take from others to make things easier for your household?

This Month’s Focus

Free Webinar:

Identity Theft: What Can You Do About It?

MINESblog:

New to TW? Check out our past Blogs!

COVID-19: Homeschooling the Village

COVID-19: Domestic Violence during the COVID-19 Pandemic

COVID-19: Suddenly Managing Remotely!

Important Links

COVID19 Resource Page

Visit our BLOG

MINES and Associates

Current Training Catalog

Balanced Living Magazine

LinkedIn

MINES Archives

Contact Us

Email MINES

Healthy Holidays & Financial Wellbeing

Welcome to the October 2019 edition of TotalWellbeing, your guide to the 8 dimensions of wellbeing. This month we would like to begin again by reminding everyone that you can now access your counseling services with MINES through an online text and messaging platform! It’s counseling whenever, wherever! Call us anytime for more info or to get set up!

This month we will look at keeping the holidays as stress-free as possible and how to support your financial wellbeing. The holidays can be a tough time for a variety of reasons. To ensure a successful holiday season that’s not too rough on your finances, or your wellbeing, make sure to set realistic expectations, and don’t overextend yourself or schedule too many events. Know that it is perfectly okay to say “no” to plans if you already have too much going on and don’t feel obligated to buy too many gifts. The more you plan in advance and the better limits you set in terms of time and spending money, the more in control you will feel and the less stressed you will be. For more information on financial wellbeing check out these helpful articles, free webinars, and the information below.

Remember you can always catch past issues of TotalWellbeing on our newsletters page. This newsletter is aimed at providing helpful information about various aspects of your wellbeing and then connecting it all back to important and relevant parts of everyday life. If you have any thoughts, questions, or content you would like to see covered here please get in contact with us. You can email us directly by clicking here.

To your total wellbeing,

The MINES Team

Ways to Keep the Holidays Stress-Free

While this article covers a full 12 strategies to keep the stress levels low this fall, let’s take a moment to look at some of the key points across several of the holiday season’s primary activities; eating, shopping, and partying.

1. Shop smart – Give yourself plenty of time to complete your holiday shopping. Shop with an itemized list of what you’ll buy for each person and a ballpark figure of what you’ll spend.
2. Eat smart – Don’t feel obligated to eat everything on your plate or to have dessert. And think twice before going back for seconds. If you overeat, get right back into your normal routine the next day.
3. Party smart – Keep parties simple by having a buffet instead of a formal sit-down dinner. Serve uncomplicated dishes (made with six ingredients or less) that you’ve made before.

Remember that you and your household members have financial benefits, including financial coaching and free 30-minute consults for financial matters, available through the EAP. Please call us at 1-800-873-7138 to get connected right away. Also, PersonalAdvantage has a ton of great resources and FREE webinars this month to help you focus on your wellbeing while also being productive at work and home.

Question of the Month

What is your number one source of holiday stress? What are some ways the tips from this newsletter may help you limit the stress this year?

Quote of the Month

“A wise person should have money in their head, but not in their heart.” ― Jonathan Swift

Community and Global Perspective

Most every country and culture in the world has a set of holidays, traditions, and rituals. Many of these holidays can bring with them an overwhelming number of events, social interaction, and obligations. No matter where you are during the holidays there are some things that you can do to keep peace of mind and keep your cool! Make a daily to-do list. Start each day by planning what you want to do and setting priorities. Even if you don’t get everything done, the process is important. Maximize your physical health. Being “all that you can be” increases your confidence and sense of control. A healthful diet, regular physical activity and enough sleep all help you feel up to daily challenges. Speak respectfully to everyone. Simple courtesies set the stage for constructive interactions. Consider how others will respond to what you’re about to say. If it’s likely to cause hurt or anger, find a more positive way to make your point. There are many more things you can do to help, but practice just these first principles and you will be well on your way to a peaceful holiday season.

This Month’s Focus

Funding College: 5 Steps Every Family Can Use to Build a Successful Plan

MINESblog:

New to TW? Check out our past Blogs!

Suicide Prevention in the Workplace

Important Links

Visit our BLOG

MINES and Associates

2019 Training Catalog

Balanced Living Magazine

LinkedIn

MINEs Archives

Contact Us

Email MINES

Tax Smarts and Financial Wellbeing

If you missed us last month, last year, or you are new to TotalWellbeing, you can catch up on our newsletters page. Remember, this newsletter is aimed at providing helpful information about various aspects of your wellbeing and then connecting it all back to important and relevant parts of everyday life. Just like last year, we will focus on looking at each facet of wellbeing from a small, personal, level and then look at how it connects to the bigger community level as we explore how our wellbeing is tied to the world around us in often surprising ways that you may not have thought about before.

To your total wellbeing,

The MINES Team

The Art of Financial Wellbeing

Tax time is a time of year where our financial wellbeing is put to the test and can often have negative effects on our other areas of wellbeing. On one side, if it turns out you owe money after you file this can create an urgent situation around paying your taxes. This is why it is important to plan for this time of year and talk to your employer as well as financial professionals to make sure your tax set up is ideal for your living situation and income. On the flip side, if you are getting money back it can be very tempting to spend this money and treat it as “extra” money even though it isn’t. Either way some financial planning and smart money choices can go a long way. To help with this don’t forget you can use your EAP sessions to access financial counseling as well as you have access to tons of articles and resources on our website though PersonalAdvantage.

If you would like to talk to a counselor or wellness coach about these topics, please call us at 1-800-873-7138 to get connected right away. Also, PersonalAdvantage has some great Tax tips and health resources, and FREE webinars this month to help you focus on your wellbeing while also being productive at work and home.

Question of the Month

What would be most helpful for you to know, and who do you know that can give you the information you need, to help you improve how you look at finances?

Quote of the Month

“In this world nothing can be said to be certain, except death and taxes.”

– Benjamin Franklin

Community and Global Perspective

Financial issues are definitely a personal topic for most people, and while this is true, it is also true that many aspects of our financial wellbeing are tied to the larger financial systems out there. None more so than the state, national, and global economies. This is important to recognize because, as individuals, there is very little we can do to sway the overall economy one way or the other. What we can control, however, is how we prepare ourselves for things like recessions, tax changes, stock market plunges and even natural disasters. This puts even more emphasis on why personal financial planning is important, especially when the economy is doing good and you have extra money to invest and save, to not just make decisions around your personal finances but to protect yourself from unforeseen and uncontrollable events. Again, contact MINES today if you would like to talk about resources available to you and your household member for financial planning and wellbeing.

This Month’s Focus

Check out this month’s webinar: Tax Savings Strategies

MINESblog:

What Police Officers Wish You Knew

New to TW? Check out our past Blogs!

Important Links

Visit our BLOG

MINES and Associates

2019 Training Catalog

Balanced Living Magazine

LinkedIn

MINEs Archives

Contact Us

Email MINES

Financial Wellbeing, Elder Care, and Community

Welcome to the September edition of TotalWellbeing, your guide to the 8 dimensions of wellbeing. This month we are going to take a look at your Financial wellbeing, as well as community support, and eldercare. Check out the segments below to see how your financial wellbeing is connected to your community and how the overall wellbeing of your community is tied to the support that community members put in. Community is a big pie, we all have to help cook it! If you missed us last month you can catch up on our newsletters page. As a reminder, this newsletter is aimed at providing helpful information about various aspects of your wellbeing and then connecting it all back to important and relevant parts of our everyday life. As we make it through the year we will continue to emphasize the concept of community and look at how our actions affect our community, country, and in some cases the rest of the world.

To your total wellbeing,

The MINES Team

Financial Wellbeing and Supporting Others in Your Community

The communities that we live in are only as good, as safe, and as supportive as the members of the community make them. Therefore, it is imperative that each member of a community strive to make a contribution in their own way. Whether it’s a neighborhood, a school, or even an entire city, every little part matters and adds to the greater whole in some way. As a member of your own communities, you should always be looking for opportunities to give back in meaningful ways. It can be something like working at a local homeless shelter or organizing a clothing drive. It can be something as simple as taking time out of your day to talk with or play a game with a lonely elderly neighbor. It can even be a financial act such as donating to a local charity or supporting l­­ocal businesses that you believe bring value to the people they serve. Providing support like this will help you make a bigger impact as well as enhance your own sense of community.

Financial wellbeing has a big connection to your surrounding community as well. The type of community in which you live affects the types of goods, services, and prices that are in the marketplace. Additionally, the ways in which you spend your money within the community affects how you live. For a community to thrive it is important that its members provide financial activity to keep it going. This includes the buying of goods and services, business investments, employees being paid, and even friends and family helping each other out with money problems from time to time.

Your financial wellbeing is made of many categories and it is just as important to give back to causes close to your heart as it is to make sure you are saving money for retirement.

If you would like to talk to a financial counselor about these topics, please call us at 1-800-873-7138 to get connected right away or you can use your coaching sessions to work on your financial goals. Also, PersonalAdvantage has some great planning tips and webinars this month to improve your knowledge around a wide variety of financial topics and elder care. For more be sure to check out our “Elder Communication” infographic.

Question of the Month

Do you have an estate plan set up for yourself? What about any aging loved ones?

Quote of the Month

“I alone cannot change the world, but I can cast a stone across the waters to create many ripples.”

– Mother Theresa

MINES Updates/Community World View

From the information above it is easy to see that financial wellbeing is one of the most scalable areas of wellbeing. From your personal bank account to the global economy, everything is connected. The more income you have the more you can buy, save, and invest. In turn this supports your community and affects the health of your local economy. From there the financial actions of your local businesses, service organizations, and bigger corporations make up the larger state and national economies. These along with the national economies from around the world make up the global market that is reflected in the stock market. The performance of these entities directly affects all of us in the form of pay rates, job markets, returns on investments and retirement plans, tax spending, and so on. This makes the old saying “every penny counts” take on a whole new perspective. So, the next time you are thinking of spending your hard-earned money, make sure you consider the down/upstream consequences on both a personal and community level.

This Month’s Focus

Check out this month’s webinar on Managing Toxic People

MINESblog Review:

The Importance of Walking and Talking

Break Free from Shoulda Woulda Coulda

Check out this Month’s Infographic

Important Links

Visit our BLOG

MINES and Associates

2018 Training Catalog

Balanced Living Magazine

LinkedIn

MINEs Archives

Contact Us

Email MINES

The Relationship Between Money Smarts and Financial Wellbeing

For 2018, we at MINES wanted to find a new way to promote the 8 areas of wellbeing. In order to do this, we decided to switch up our monthly communication into areas that you can copy and send out to your employees or give you suggestions around trainings that relate to this wellbeing topic. We also want to continue on from last year’s emphasis on the community and look at how what we do can affect those around us and that affects your community, your state, and even other countries.

To your total wellbeing,

The MINES Team

Financial Wellbeing- Engaging Your Money Smarts

This month as we look at financial wellbeing, we also want to consider how you can improve your Money Smarts and how your employer fits into this equation. Even if a raise isn’t in the cards for you, your employer may offer other ways for you to improve your financial wellbeing. Maybe you have access to a 401K or our online resource, Personal Advantage where you can work on your budget or take some webinar trainings. MINES also offers financial counseling if you have EAP services through us. This first month of the year is a great time to talk to your employer about where you want to go and ask them for advice about what benefits you have access to that you could do to improve your financial wellbeing. Personal Advantage has some great tools and webinars this month to improve your Money Smarts and Financial Wellbeing.

Question of the Month

How can you help improve your Money Smarts both at work and at home?

Quote of the Month

“Winter is a season of recovery and preparation.”

– Paul Theroux

MINES Updates/Community World View

Each country values money or uses money a little differently. This year will see the Tax Reform take effect. How does this tax reform affect your community or your state? It is an interesting concept to look at the larger picture and see how similar it is to other countries and how others around you and even outside the United States are looking at this financial reform here. Take the time to chat about it with those around you and learn their perspective. You never know what you will learn. And consider how does finding ways to change your money smarts help your community, and in return send out a ripple effect to your city, state, and nation to improve how we look at money at all levels?

This Month’s Focus

Check out this month’s webinar on Money Smarts

MINES blogs last month:

Theo Bear and 2017

Kids These Day…

Publication Update

Day of Persons with Disabilities 

Check out this Month’s Infographic

Important Links

Visit our BLOG

MINES and Associates

2018 Training Catalog

Balanced Living Magazine

LinkedIn

MINEs Archives

Contact Us

Email MINES

February 2017: Financial Wellbeing and Internet Safety

Get Involved!

Welcome to the February issue of TotalWellbeing! If you have been following TotalWellbeing you know that every month we focus on one of the 8 Dimensions of Wellbeing. This month we will review how internet safety can affect your financial wellbeing. These two topics intersect and influence each other on many levels and it is important to occasionally review where they may conflict and what you can do to protect yourself. For a closer look at this month’s topic and helpful resources please check out The Path and The Connection below.

Speaking of internet safety, did you know last Saturday was National Data Privacy Day? If you have been keeping an eye on MINESblog you may have seen our own ideas around data security and the importance of being diligent with your information written by MINES’ own security officer and CIO, Ryan Lucas.

As always, for more information please check out the links to the left or hit the share button to send us a message, and to be notified when we post more resources and articles make sure to subscribe to MINESblog. See you next month!

To your total wellbeing,

The MINES Team

The Path: How Internet Safety Influences Your Financial Wellbeing

Whether you do all your shopping online, are a nominal internet user, or are a parent, internet safety is important. Not only is it important to take note of when you give out your personal information, it is important to take time to reflect how you spend your money online. With less and less people balancing a checkbook, it has become much easier to lose track of where your money is going and to catch mistakes when they happen. Whether you allow things to be paid automatically online or you allow websites that save your credit card information, it has become easier to spend more money without realizing it. You also need to be careful about what websites you allow to have your information so that your information isn’t stolen, which can severely impact your financial wellbeing. If you are a parent, you need to be aware of how your child is spending their time online and how much information they are sharing. A teenager may not think it is a big deal to share that your family is leaving town but if the wrong person finds out, you may be robbed while you are gone.

There is good news! By using websites and Wifi networks that are secured, it is possible to have stronger and safer financial wellbeing. By having quick access to your financial statements, being able to autopay or receive instant reminders to pay your bills, you can feel more confident in your financial status and reduce stress when it comes to trying to keep track of your financial wellbeing. If you are confident in your internet safety and do everything you can to protect yourself, the financial freedom the internet provides you is exhilarating and freeing.

 Check out these resources to help you hone your internet safety skills.

Did you know the “S” in the URL stands for secure? Next time you are online, look at the URL (web address) to see if the site you are visiting is secured before you put your personal information in. You will know the URL is secured if the URL starts with “https://”. If the site you are visiting just says “http://” it is not a secured site and you should be careful about giving any personal information on there.

The Connection: Get Involved

Wellbeing does not simply start and stop at the individual. Our community is connected to each of our own individual wellbeing in a huge way. When we are well we can better function within our community.  We can help our fellow humans thrive, and in turn, when our community is prospering, it helps each of us reach our goals as individuals. So why not help our community so we can all thrive together? Each month we will strive to bring you resources that can help you enhance the wellbeing of those around you or get involved with important causes.

This month, think about helping out a third world entrepreneur start their business by providing capital for their business even if it is a small amount. Just remember to be careful anytime you give your financial information out over the internet. Check out this website and look for ways you can help in your community https://www.lendwithcare.org/.

Don’t forget that PersonalAdvantage, your online benefit through MINES, has tons of great resources for all the dimensions of wellbeing that we discuss here, along with some articles and assistance for Retirement Planning. If you haven’t checked it out yet, or want to see what resources they have for this month’s topic check out the link below. You’ll need your company login, so make sure to get that from your employer or email us and we’ll be happy to provide that to you.

Check Out PersonalAdvantage Here!