Month: November 2024

Take the pledge

Post author By Asha Bhakta
Post date November 21, 2024

TAKE THE PLEDGE

JANUARY 2025

Support for the Costco Family

What’s most important to Costco as a company? The health and wellness of our employees and their families. That’s why we provide benefits to help with almost any challenge. But with all the benefits available to you and your family, it can feel like a lot to learn.

We’re here to help! Take the 2025 We’re in This Together (WITT) pledge, along with your spouse or domestic partner, to sign up for emails and texts from Costco Benefits. It’s the best way to discover, understand and use your benefits to feel better.

After you pledge, you’ll have an opportunity to tell us what you value about your benefits in a short survey.

Looking for more? Find other articles below

What do you need help with?

Your Costco benefits offer support for your physical, emotional, financial and, new this year, social well-being. When you’re physically, emotionally and financially healthy, you’ll experience the positive impact on your social well-being.

To see some of the ways your Costco benefits can help you feel better, choose a well-being pillar from the drop-down list below.

To find website links, phone numbers, costs (no cost or low cost), age requirements and whether enrollment in a Costco medical plan is required for each listed benefit, turn to your 2025 Benefits Guide, your one-stop shop for all things benefits.

Physical well-being

Do you…	Try…
…need help finding a primary care physician (PCP)?	The PCP listed on your Aetna ID card. You can change it at any time.
…have trouble sleeping?	Sleepio, the online sleep improvement program
…have foot, back or knee pain?	FitMyFoot for custom foot insoles without a prescription
…want to join a gym?	LifeMart for employee discounts on gym memberships and virtual fitness
…have gut or digestive issues?	Cylinder* for virtual digestive care and a free gut microbiome test
…want to lose weight?	WeightWatchers, now with even lower monthly rates for Costco employees and their family members Omada for Prevention & Weight Health for a free smart scale to support your weight loss goals A Live Healthy Team** registered dietitian who can help you develop a meal and nutrition plan

Emotional well-being

Do you…	Try…
…need to find the right therapist for you and your famiy?	Resources for Living offers multiple options for finding a therapist, including the new Alma search tool with unlimited free 15-minute consultations. Access six free counseling sessions per person, per issue, per year.
…want to work on a specific personal goal?	Resources for Living’s well-being coaches to help you achieve almost any goal
…need support for a child with autism?	An Aetna Autism Advocate, who can answer questions and connect you to providers and resources Call 866-724-0604 (TTY: 711) option 5**
…need psychiatry or medication management?	Talkiatry or Telemynd for virtual psychiatry for kids, teens and adults

Financial well-being

Do you…	Try…
…need some help with your taxes?	Resources for Living and get a 25% discount on tax preparation services
…want to buy Costco stock?	Employee Stock Purchase Plan so you can invest in Costco stock
…want to prepare for retirement?	Logging in to the T. Rowe Price Costco Retirement Plan to explore retirement planning and investment options
…want to learn how to manage your money or buy a house or car?	SmartDollar for budgeting tools and free one-on-one financial coaching
…want to save money on gyms, fitness or childcare?	LifeMart for employee discounts on gym memberships, virtual fitness and childcare***

For more details on some of the benefits above, see the resources below.

*Not available in Puerto Rico.
**Available to mainland employees only.
***Childcare discounts not available in Puerto Rico.

Tags Benefits, Budgeting, Exercise and fitness, Retirement, Sleep, Therapy

Articles

Explore more

Post author By Asha Bhakta
Post date November 21, 2024

EXPLORE MORE

JANUARY 2025

How wonder can help you reach your goals

Do you imagine a life where you feel more energized, more confident and more connected? Experiencing wonder — for example, watching a beautiful sunset — can help jumpstart an improvement in your emotional well-being so you can move toward these or other personal goals.

Finding wonder in your everyday life is a skill you can develop. The first step is to be mindful and present to the world around you. Need help learning how? Turn to Resources for Living (RFL). You can access free mindfulness digital tools or take advantage of a new benefit, free and confidential well-being coaching.

Looking for more? Find other articles below

How wonder works

Research finds that experiencing wonder, or awe, a few times a week can calm down the nervous system and decrease negative thinking. It can also trigger the release of oxytocin, the “love hormone” that promotes trust and bonding.¹ People who experience awe reported feeling greater life satisfaction and improved well-being.²

Four ways to tap into wonder

Try these activities to bring the positive effects of wonder into your life.

Take an “awe walk.”

Pick someplace you’ve never been or imagine you’re walking in a familiar place for the first time. Turn off your phone, take a few deep breaths and tune into your senses. You may find what you notice — the perfect snowflake, a bird’s melodic chirping — gives you a sense of peace and connection.

Look for moments of kindness.

Pay attention to the people around you. Catch them doing good, such as giving up their seat on a bus. Reading or watching videos about inspiring people can also trigger awe.

Listen to music that moves you.

You know the songs — the ones that send shivers down your spine or give you goosebumps. This music can take you out of yourself and lessen stress and negative emotions.

Be open to what’s possible.

Get out of your comfort zone. Seek opportunities for growth and change. Then be awed by what you can accomplish.

A great way to make this happen is to work with an RFL well-being coach. You can have as many free and confidential sessions as you’d like to help you meet whatever goal you want to achieve.

Use your sessions to:

Take on a new challenge, such as running your first 10K or half-marathon
Develop empowering habits, such as effective time management
Build relationships skills, such as improving communication and social skills

Get started by visiting RFL.com/Costco or calling 833-721-2320 (TTY: 711).

Take time to smell the roses and reach for the stars. And remember, your Costco benefits are there to back you up.

¹The New York Times. How a bit of awe can improve your health.
²The Washington Post. Why it is awesome that your brain can experience awe.

Sources:
The New York Times. This kind of walk is much more than a workout.
Sage Journals. Awe as a pathway to mental and physical health.

Tags Behavioral health, emotional-well-being

Articles

Learn more

Post author By Asha Bhakta
Post date November 21, 2024

LEARN MORE

JANUARY 2025

What is your “why”?

Life involves making choices about what you do and how you do it. This affects the work you do, how you relate to others and your plans for the future. That’s why it’s important to know your “why” — the motivation, cause or belief that drives you toward your goals.

Looking for more? Find other articles below

Why your why matters

Studies have shown that when you discover your why, you can improve all aspects of your well-being. You may feel more physically, emotionally and financially healthy, resulting in better relationships and stronger social well-being. In fact, people with a clear why, or sense of purpose, tend to exercise more¹, sleep better, have less stress and report greater relationship satisfaction².

Not only can your why help improve your life, it can also improve the lives of others. Your why keeps you going when things get tough. It can help you be a more supportive coworker, a more caring provider for your family and a more engaged citizen in your community. Your why touches every corner of your life and, by extension, every person in it.

Finding your why

It’s often easier to identify your why with some help. Get guidance and support with six free counseling sessions from Resources for Living (RFL). Call RFL and work with a Care Partner to find a therapist that fits your needs, or use the new Alma online search tool to explore an expanded network of therapists. Browse the availability of therapists accepting new patients and filter by your preferences, including in-person or virtual, language or ethnicity, specialties and more. You can also use Alma to schedule as many free 15-minute consultations as you need to find the therapist that’s right for you.

3 steps to your why

Whether working with a therapist or on your own, these suggestions may help you get closer to defining your why.

Ask yourself questions to find your why.

Here are some examples to get you started:

What are your passions or core values?
Who do you want to help most in life?
What impact do you want to leave on the world?
What problem do you want to solve for?

Be kind to yourself.

Don’t judge your answers, no matter what. The kinder you are to yourself, the more honest you can be about what matters to you.

Write it down.

As you hone your why, write a short, simple statement that sums it up. It can be larger in scope or smaller and more focused. Feel free to write as many statements as you need to until one feels right. You can use this format to help you focus on what’s important:
“To ____ so that ____”

Here are some examples to get you started:

To prioritize my family so that they can be healthy, happy and comfortable
To seek new experiences so that I make the most of every moment
To pursue my art so that I bring beauty and inspiration to others
To serve my community so that I can make a difference in people’s lives
To stay positive so that I can be a source of hope for others

You might find that your why becomes clear right away, or you might not. Discovering and living out your why is a life-long pursuit and it can change along the way. But knowing your why is worth the effort in its positive effect on your health, happiness and sense of belonging.

¹Psychology Today. How creating a sense of purpose can impact your mental health.
²National Library of Medicine. Correlated change in sense of purpose and romantic relationship quality.

Sources:
Psychology Today. Ten powerful benefits of living with purpose.
LinkedIn. Knowing your why is the secret to success.
Masterclass. What is your why? 7 tips to finding your purpose.

Tags Relationships, social-well-being, Therapy

Articles

Take action

Post author By Asha Bhakta
Post date November 21, 2024

TAKE ACTION

JANUARY 2025

Video: Start budgeting for free

Do you want to create a budget, but think it’s just too complicated? How about if you could create one in just three steps? Simplify your monthly budgeting with the EveryDollar budget app from SmartDollar^® — Costco employees can access the premium version for no cost.

With EveryDollar premium, you’ll get the help you need to:

Avoid overspending with Paycheck Planning
See a complete picture of your financial plan with the Financial Roadmap
Connect your bank and import transactions automatically
Learn from the pros with unlimited free group coaching

Watch the short video below and create an account at SmartDollar.com/enroll/Costco to download your free EveryDollar app.

Looking for more? Find other articles below

Show transcript

Hey guys. Welcome to EveryDollar. My name is Rachel Cruze, and I am a Ramsey personality and I’ve been teaching people how to budget for years. To be honest, I used to hate it. Yes, seriously. But I knew it was important and now it’s like second nature. So, listen, no matter how you feel about budgeting right now, don’t worry. We’re going to walk through this together.

Before we start, open up your online bank account or grab your bank statements. This will help you figure out all the numbers you need to fill in as we go. And open up EveryDollar on your phone or computer (you can pause this video until you get all that ready). Okay, let’s dive in and set up your first budget in three steps.

Budget step one. “Enter your income.” Income is any money you plan to get during that month. That means your normal paychecks and any extra money you have coming in through a side hustle, garage sales, freelance work or anything like that.

Here’s how to enter your income in EveryDollar. First, click “Add income.” Then second, label the income. So you can call this “Paycheck 1,” or use your employer’s name, whatever works for you. Third, click the planned amount and add how much that check will be if you’ve got an irregular income. Then, just put the lowest estimate of what you normally would make in the spots so you can adjust it later, if you need to. But for right now, just do that. Finally, repeat this process for any other money you have coming in and for your spouse, if you’re married. And that’s it. Nice work, you guys.

All right, let’s move on to the next step — budget step two, “List your expenses.” Now that you’ve planned for the money coming in, you can plan for the money going out.

So it’s time to list your expenses. The first budget category you’ll see is “Giving.” So we always recommend — no matter where you are financially — to give at least 10% of your income. Next, start covering your four walls. So, this is going to be food, utilities, shelter and transportation. When you look in EveryDollar, you’ll see these three budget categories. You’ll see “Housing,” “Transportation” and “Food.” Then under each of those, you can add budget line items by clicking “Add item” and naming the line. So, for example, under “Housing,” you can type “rent” or “mortgage” as a new budget line. Then type how much you’re going to pay each month for that planned amount. Then, you can look at your utility bills.

So, this is a great time to go back to your bank account or your statements and go down and you can add them one by one, things like electricity and water. Then under the food category, you’re going to see “Add item” so you can type “Groceries.” Now this category changes a lot, so just make a good estimate of what you think you’re going to need for the month ahead. And you keep going until you’ve covered your four walls.

Next, list other monthly expenses. So, we’re talking about clothing, insurance, debt, savings, entertainment, personal spending — all of that. So, in EveryDollar, you’re going to see these categories again. Under each of those, you can make budget line items for what you need.

Okay, it’s time for the last step.

Budget step three is “Subtract expenses from income.”

And guess what, you guys — EveryDollar does this step for you as you go. Oh yeah, it’s amazing. If you’ve got money left, [after] you’ve subtracted all your expenses, don’t just leave it there. You’ll end up just spending that amount of money on coffees or those one-click deals that you see. So, trust me, anything extra you have, let it go towards your money goals, like saving or paying off debts.

But what if you end up with a negative number? Yeah, not good, but that’s okay. So, what you have to do is cut your expenses until your income minus your expenses equals zero. I’ll give you a little hint. I would start with the restaurant or entertainment categories. Yeah, I know it kind of hurts. Pizza is my love language, but listen, you can cut some of that out to make sure that your budget equals zero. So, once you hit zero, then these words will pop up at the top of your screen, “It’s an EveryDollar budget.”

Oh, and when you see this, just celebrate. If I was with you, I’d give you a high five. But I’m not. That’s okay because honestly, this is a huge deal. You just set up your first budget. Now, it is important to track all of your expenses all month long and to make a new budget every single month. But we can talk about that later. Right now, I just want to congratulate you for setting up your first EveryDollar budget. This is the foundation of personal finance and such an important habit to get you big results with your money.

Source:
RamseySolutions.com. EveryDollar budget app: start budgeting for free.

Tags Budgeting, Financial planning, financial-well-being

Recipes

Healthy recipe

Post author By Asha Bhakta
Post date November 21, 2024

HEALTHY RECIPE

JANUARY 2025

High-protein sausage-egg breakfast bake

This breakfast casserole is loaded with veggies and protein, and it couldn’t be simpler to make. Keep it on hand for the week, reheating pieces as you need them for 2 to 2 ½ minutes in the microwave. (If you forget to thaw the frozen veggies ahead of time, you can microwave them for a couple of minutes to thaw. Be sure to pat them dry so they don’t release too much water into the casserole).

Ingredients: 7

Prep Time: 10 min | Total Time: 60 min

Serves: 6

Ingredients:

4 sprays cooking spray

15 large eggs

½ teaspoon table salt

¼ teaspoon black pepper

12 ounces cooked chicken sausage, sliced

14 ounces frozen pepper and onion blend, thawed

1 cup cherry tomatoes

Directions:

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 375°F. Coat an 11 x 7–inch baking dish with cooking spray.

Step 2

In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, salt and pepper until well combined. Stir in the sausage.

Step 3

Spread the peppers and onions onto a layer of paper towels or a kitchen towel. Gently pat dry. Stir the pepper mixture and tomatoes into the egg mixture.

Step 4

Pour the egg mixture into the prepared baking dish. Bake until set, 45 to 50 minutes. Cut into 6 equal pieces.

Nutrition

Source: WeightWatchers

Enjoy even lower monthly rates from WeightWatchers. Costco employees can join for as low as $9 per month, and spouses/domestic partners and dependents can join for as low as $14.50 each per month. Participants must be age 18 or older to join. Sign up at WW.com/Costco or call 866-204-2885.