Say No to Impulse Buys

Living in the era of technology has made impulse buying an absolute breeze. Online shopping and credit cards have lent themselves to numerous negligent purchases that continue to lead us to multiple financial missteps. Feeling poorly about a purchase, especially if it’s a large one, is never a good feeling. It has been said that shopping habits are connected to our emotions, so feelings of regret are not conducive to maintaining a healthy lifestyle. Learn how you can avoid making future purchases that will make you feel crummy by reading below.

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Need to get your spending in check? Real Simple[1] is here to help advise you on how to gain more control over your spending habits that will have your bank account thanking you.

Check in With Yourself Before Buying: Being aware of the feelings that surface around money is essential to making good financial decisions. Tessler strongly recommends doing a body check-in the next time you go to buy a sweater or a pair of jeans on a whim. “All the same emotions that come up in every other area of life come up around money as well, so it's really important to understand what is the emotion or set of emotions that come up for you,” she adds. Before you buy that couch, sweater, or sneakers, stop, pause, and notice what’s going on in your body—both physically and emotionally. Is your body relaxed or tense? Are your shoulders up to your ears or are they down? Is your breath shallow or deep? Are you excited or anxious? Mindfully observing if you feel anxious while making a purchase could be your cue not to buy the item.

Ask Yourself These 4 Questions Before Making a Purchase: Before buying, try a popular check-in technique used by support groups like A.A., called the HALT method. HALT has us ask ourselves: "Am I Hungry, Angry, Lonely, or Tired?" Tessler explains: “If we can stop and pause and just see what’s going on in our body ... we might stop ourselves from making an impulsive buy." By taking the time to get to know ourselves better, we begin to gather more information on when we’re most likely to splurge and what state provokes these actions. For example, if you learn you often overspend when you're stressed right after work, you can learn to avoid shopping at that time to prevent purchases you may later regret.

Set Your "Impulse Buy" Budget: If you're not currently using a money-tracking app or program, now is a good time to start. There are many free apps that make it easy to keep track of what you're spending and can even help you set up a budget. Set up a budget for "food," "housing," "healthcare," and other common expenses. If you want to be able to still make the occasional impulse purchase but just want to curb wild overspending, make "Impulse Shopping" its own section of your personal budget. Set up a notification and the app will let you know once you've hit your limit. This way, you'll still have the freedom to make some spontaneous decisions, but that spending will still be factored in to the big picture of your budget.

Take Some Time Off from Shopping: When shopping compulsions turn into a bad habit, you’ll need to break the cycle completely before you can shop again in a healthy way. “It takes 21 days to break a habit, so if you’ve gotten into the habit of splurging, then you need to avoid shopping for at least 21 days to learn new ways of being around shopping,” advises McCoy. She suggests staying away from shops you enjoy and online shopping and instead finding things to do that don’t require spending. Knowing ways to treat yourself that don’t involve buying something can be extremely empowering. “You deserve something, too, but make it a bubble bath with wonderful music rather than a cashmere sweater,” proposes McCoy. After you’ve broken the spending cycle, try switching to a more concrete form of payment—cash. “It just emotionally feels more powerful to see how much you are spending rather than swiping a card and signing a machine,” she explains.

Assess Your Needs: While keeping a list of the things you actually need is a great way to cut down on impulse buys, an even better tool is having a set of questions that you can ask yourself during small, medium, and large money decisions. “When I’m clothes shopping it can be anything from, ‘Do I really need this? Do I want this? Will I really enjoy this or get value out of this?’” says Tessler. If you don't answer "yes" to every question, you know it's time to move on. 

Watch Out for Retail Tricks: Being a mindful shopper also means being aware of retail tricks. “So many of the ‘deals’ are trappings,” warns McCoy, “Buy what you need now, not what you think you may need one day because it’s a good deal.” When people buy things on a whim, they’re not letting the logical part of their brain make the financial decision, but rather the reactive part. The next time you're debating whether to buy a dress or a necklace on sale, ignore the "deal" for a moment and ask yourself the questions outlined on tip #5 instead. If you don't answer "yes" to every question, it doesn't matter how much money you're theoretically saving, you don't need to buy it.

Rein In the Holiday Shopping Spree: “The holidays are like a microcosm of your larger money story and it gets really exacerbated because this is when there’s a lot of expectations around family and gift-giving," explains Tessler. "For some people, gift-giving is their love language, for others it’s not,” she says. Rather than let your emotions run the show, set up a budget for how much you'd like to spend on each person or each gift even before you set foot in the store or start scrolling online. It's easier to stick to a dollar amount when you have one set in mind beforehand. There's a lot of social pressure to overspend during the holiday season, but coming into it with a clear budget in mind will help.

Halt your feverish spending and use your hard earn dollars where they can benefit you long-term, like with Life Alert Protection. Buying one of their high-tech, yet simple to use emergency medical alert devices can be a complete game changer. Imagine no longer needing senior care and being able to reinstate your independence with security and confidence. With LifeAlert’s emergency pendant, you can do just that! Simply slip the pendant around your neck or wrist and when faced with a life threatening emergency, push the button on your pendant and summon an emergency medical response fast. Splurging on personal protection is spending your dollars wisely. So get Life Alert Protection today! For a free Life Alert brochure call 1-800-513-2934.

Works Cited:

1.       Christiansen, Marla. “7 Smart Strategies to Avoid Impulse Buys That You’ll Regret Later.” Real Simple. 19 November 2018. <https://www.realsimple.com/work-life/money/spending/how-to-avoid-impulse-buys >.

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Keto Don’ts

Although the keto diet became very popular in 2018, it isn’t a fad diet but actually one of the oldest (if not the most natural) eating lifestyles known to humankind.  And, thankfully, it’s now gaining even more popularity in 2019. The keto diet is not as restrictive as one would think. Once you eat healthy fats, its easy to stay on track as your cravings and hungry pains fad away.

Ideally, a keto follower would have to remove starchy vegetables, limit fruits and avoid grains. The idea is that nixing these foods will kick you into ketosis, which is the metabolic state that triggers your body to burn fat instead of carbs, potentially accelerating your weight loss[1]. With carbs in just about everything, it can be easy to make mistakes on this super diet, but, not to worry, the most common mistakes or accidents are being revealed below so you can avoid them and stay on track!

Speaking of accidents, are you currently living independently with no form of personal protection? If you answered yes, you could be making a huge mistake! Should you encounter a home invasion, a home fire or even a serious fall, how would you protect yourself? If you are looking for a better and safer way to maintain your independence, it is time to get Life Alert Protection. While wearing their emergency pendant you can summon help fast with just one touch of a button, 24/7. Plus, because the pendant is so lightweight and waterproof, you can wear it discreetly under any clothing, in the shower and even while you step on the scale. Don’t make a mistake when it comes to your personal protection, choose the best at-home safety worldwide with Life Alert!

Everyday Health1 wants to help you reach your keto goals, which is why they have listed the common pitfalls of this challenging diet below. Read on so you can approach your new diet and goals as safely as possible!

1. Cutting Your Carbs and Increasing Your Fat Too Much Too Quickly

One day you’re eating cereal, sandwiches, and pasta, and the next you decide to hop on keto and eat only 20 grams (g) of carbohydrates a day, which is often the recommended amount to start with. (A medium apple has 25 g of carbs, for reference.) That may be a drastic change for your body. Consider easing in. “Prior to starting a keto diet, individuals may benefit from tapering down their carbohydrate intake, instead of reducing carbs cold turkey,” says Lara Clevenger, a ketogenic dietitian-nutritionist.

2. Not Drinking Enough Water on Keto

For all the focus on what you’re eating, don’t forget about what you’re sipping. Dehydration is an increased possibility on keto. “The drastic decrease in carbohydrate intake on the ketogenic diet can cause shifts in your fluid and electrolyte balance. Carbs are stored along with water in the body, so as these stores are depleted, that water is lost along with them,” says Alyssa Tucci, RDN, nutrition manager at Virtual Health Partners in New York City. She also says that the body flushes out the buildup of ketones in urine, which also depletes water and sodium from the body. All that to say: Drink up. Tucci recommends waking up to a large glass of water and sipping regularly throughout the day to reach a goal of consuming half of your body weight in ounces of water daily.

3. Not Preparing Yourself for the Keto Flu

As your body transitions from a carbohydrate burner to a fat burner, you may experience what’s known as the “keto flu,” or flu-like symptoms (including muscle cramps, nausea, aches, and fatigue) during the first two weeks of the keto diet. (It doesn’t happen to everyone, FYI.) If you’re not prepared for this feeling, you may think something is drastically wrong and give up the diet completely. More than that, you can help yourself through the transition period of low energy by planning out your meals or meal prepping, says Clevenger. She also recommends eating foods rich in potassium, magnesium, and sodium, as well as hydrating to help ease keto flu symptoms.

4. Forgetting to Eat Foods Rich in Omega-3 Fatty Acids

While fat reigns supreme on the diet, don’t just turn to bacon, cheese, and cream. When choosing your fats, aim to include more anti-inflammatory omega-3s, particularly EPA and DHA, the type that are found in salmon, sardines, oysters, herring, and mussels, says Clevenger. (If seafood isn’t your thing, you can also take cod liver oil or krill oil.) Other healthy fats are a good choice, too; if you haven’t stocked up on avocado, olive oil, and seeds such as chia seeds and flaxseed, definitely do. They’re not only keto friendly — they also offer healthy polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fat that your body needs to perform at its best.

5. Not Salting Your Food Enough

With people consuming more sodium than ever in a diet rich in processed food, you’re probably not used to hearing the call to eat more salt. But on keto, it’s necessary. Not only does the clearance of ketones cause the body to lose sodium, but you may be getting much less table salt (which is comprised of 40 percent sodium and 60 percent chloride) now that you’ve kicked out the top source of salt in the standard American diet: packaged, processed foods, including bread, chips, crackers, and cookies. “Chances are if you’re following a ketogenic diet you will need to prepare most, if not all, of your own meals and snacks from scratch, so simply season with salt,” says Tucci.

6. Going It Alone and Not Clearing the Diet With Your Doc

Many followers of the keto diet try it because they’re hoping to use it therapeutically for a medical condition. If that’s you, talk to your doctor first and make sure they’re on board with your plan — especially if you’re also taking medication, says Clevenger. “Some medications may need to be adjusted by your healthcare practitioner as your signs and symptoms improve,” she says. Just one example is insulin, as a lower dose may be needed now that you’re severely limiting carbohydrates.

7. Not Paying Attention to Your Veggie Intake

Vegetables have carbohydrates. And that means that you have to watch how much you eat — even lettuce. If you're not careful or are eating them as a free-for-all, you could overconsume carbs, and thus get kicked out of ketosis. On the other hand, you may be skipping veggies altogether if counting every baby carrot is getting too complicated. But it’s important to get in vegetables (these contain fiber that prevent constipation, a potential side effect of keto) while minding portions and properly counting carbs. Go for nonstarchy options in a rainbow of colors for a variety of nutrients, says Tucci, like leafy greens, cucumber, tomato, broccoli, cauliflower, bell peppers, and asparagus.

8. Getting Caught Up in Carb-Counting and Forgetting That Food Quality Matters

When it seems as if the sole goal of keto is to drastically cut carbs, the rest can feel like an afterthought. “Reducing your carbohydrate intake is great, but focusing on higher-quality products when budget allows will help improve your health, too,” says Clevenger. That means choosing omega 3–rich foods, like wild salmon, grass-fed, local, or organic meats, and snacking on whole foods rather than processed keto-approved treats. It also means trying to follow a balanced diet as best you can by incorporating as many nutrient-rich fruits and veggies as you can. Many registered dietitians aren’t a fan of keto because it may lead to nutrient deficiencies. You can help avoid these by working with an RD yourself as you follow keto. Find one at EatRight.org.

Steer clear of the keto mistakes above and find great success with your new diet. For success with your personal protection, avoid making the mistake of going with just any fad emergency medical device,  choose the best by getting Life Alert Protection. With over 25 years in the safety industry, you can feel secure knowing that you are in the best hands. If you are an aging senior who is living independently and looking for a safer way to maintain your lifestyle, Life Alert’s emergency pendant can help you achieve that. Wear their pendant around your neck or wrist and in the event of a life threatening emergency, push the button on your pendant and summon an emergency medical response fast, 24/7. Don’t put your safety on a diet - beef it up with Life Alert Protection today! Call 1-800-513-2934 for a free Life Alert brochure.

Works Cited:

1.       Migala, Jessica. “8 Common Keto Mistakes That Beginners Make, and How to Avoid Them.” Everyday Health. 7 January 2019. <https://www.everydayhealth.com/ketogenic-diet/diet/common-keto-mistakes-you-may-make-avoid-them/>.

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Toss it for 2019

New Year, new you and old stuff! Wait…something doesn’t seem right…There is nothing like a fresh 365 days to get you in the mood to jumps start your spring cleaning. Purge the old so you can let in the new. Check out some tips below to learn how you can clear out the things that will help to declutter your New Year.

Clutter can be dangerous, not only on our minds, but our bodies too. A simple, unassuming pile of junk can be the catalyst to your next accident. If you fell, hurt yourself and were unable to reach for help, what would you do? If you are an aging senior who is living independently your personal protection is key when you are trying to declutter your life. While you toss out junk for 2019, toss on LifeAlert’s emergency pendant around your neck or wrist and immediately gain access to 24/7 personal protection. Should you encounter a life threatening emergency, push the button on your pendant and summon an help fast. Clean out the thought that you can’t live independently safely, because with Life Alert Protection, you can!

It’s time to ditch the clutter to help you start 2019 fresh! Women’s Health Magazine[1] is shedding light on the top items you need to toss out now to get started now. Read below and grab your trash bag.

SAD, TIRED PILLOWS

According to experts at Tempur-Pedic, pillows should be replaced after 1-2 years. If you've had the same one on your bed for a while now, it's probably time to invest in a new one. If you don't want to throw yours out, check in with your local animal shelter and see if they accept used pillows to put in their crates.

HALF-BURNED CANDLES

Everyone has a cabinet full of candles they liked for a while, then forgot about. It's time to make room for all those new holiday candles you've acquired in the last two months. If you're looking to upcycle the jars, you can carefully melt the wax down in the microwave and pour it into a jar you're okay with tossing.

OLD WINTER CLOTHES AND ACCESSORIES

There's a good chance you came across a bin full of clothing and accessories from past winters that have gone untouched for years. Now's the time to donate it all.

RANDOM FOOD IN THE PANTRY AND FRIDGE

Speaking of donating, if you have any boxed or canned food that you didn't end up using over the holidays, donate it to your local food pantry. And of course, check the back of the fridge for anything that's expired.

EXPIRED MEDICINE

After you've checked the fridge, head to your medicine cabinet and check the dates on every box and bottle. There's really no reason to hang onto medicine once it's expired.

EXTRA MUGS

We all know the reality of collecting random mugs through the years. Some came in matching sets but most are broken now, some were picked up on trips, and others were gifts from grandma that you simply couldn't part with. But in 2019, consider clearing some room in your cluttered cabinets by tossing the ones you really don't need. Tip: if it's cracked or permanently stained, it can go.

DINGY TOWELS

Did you know that you're supposed to wash your bathroom towels every two days? If not, they're covered in bacteria! Anyway, after so many uses and washes, your towels are probably worn out. Get rid of all those thinning, raggedy towels (you can recycle that as rags in your garage) and invest in a new set―there are tons of after Christmas sales happening right now that you can take advantage of.

RANDOM TAKEOUT MENUS

Last but definitely not least, get rid of all those crumpled takeout menus that are stuffed in your junk drawer or hung up on the side of the fridge. It's almost 2019, have you tried ordering online yet?!

It’s time to toss out the old, so you can let in the new! If you are looking for a new way to enhance your at-home safety, without compromising your independence, check out Life Alert Protection. Their sophisticated, yet simple to use, emergency pendant can summon you an emergency medical response fast with just one touch of a button. No matter if you encounter a home invasion, a home fire or even a serious fall, Life Alert’s dispatch team can send you the proper authorities fast 24/7. Start the New Year with a new, fresh outlook on your independent lifestyle with a little help from Life Alert! Call 1-800-513-2934 for a free Life Alert brochure.

Works Cited:

1.       Fiorentino, Alyssa. “8 Things You Should Get Rid Of Before 2018 Ends.” Women’s Health Magazine. 29 December 2018. <https://www.womenshealthmag.com/life/a25703029/how-to-get-rid-of-clutter-for-new-year/>.

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