Author: Walter Franks

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TAKE ACTION

OCTOBER 2021

How to practice forgiveness

Learning to forgive yourself and others can have profound emotional and physical benefits. But forgiveness doesn’t always come easily. Here’s how you can cultivate this life skill in your relationships.

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4 ways to forgive yourself and others

Forgiveness doesn’t happen all at once. The hurt is real and can’t be wished away. However, there are steps you can take to process your feelings and gradually get more comfortable with forgiving.

1. Don’t bury those negative emotions

Let yourself feel the hurt, anger and sadness caused by the other person. Then let those feelings go. Picture them as balloons being popped one by one. Take care of yourself — eat healthy, exercise each day, limit alcohol, do things you enjoy. Talk with a friend you trust about how you feel. And be patient: with yourself and other people.

2. Change your focus

Try going for a walk or doing some mindful breathing exercises. Meditation, yoga or another gentle movement practice can also help. You don’t need to take a lot of time out of your day to refocus. One or two 15-minute walks each day can help clear your mind. The important thing is to swap a fun or positive activity for negative emotions you may be having, even if only for a short time.

3. Think about the relationship

Is the offending person a close friend, family member or co-worker? Are they important to you? Remind yourself what you appreciate and value about them. Perhaps it’s a childhood friend who really “gets you.” Someone with whom you enjoy doing things. A family member you see often and need to stay on good terms with.

Also keep in mind that while one relationship may not mean as much to you as another, forgiving the other person is a way to further your own well-being.

4. Talk

Be honest and vulnerable. Say how you feel. Are you angry? Disappointed? Confused? Sad? All of the above? Tell the offending person you want to forgive them and why it’s important to you. Doing this can make you feel more in control — and less controlled.

 

The following resource is available to you through your Costco benefits. It can help you take steps to forgive others and be more in control of your emotional well-being. This resource is confidential and available to you at no cost.

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Learn the basics

LEARN THE BASICS

OCTOBER 2021

Saving for retirement made easy

Retirement may be years away, but the sooner you start planning for it, the better. By taking advantage of your Costco Retirement Plan now, you can help make sure you enjoy a worry-free retirement in the future.

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Get to know the Costco Retirement Plan

What does your retirement look like? Your plans for the future may include more travel, more time with family or more time to do the things you enjoy without worrying so much about money. It’s all possible with the right planning — and saving.

A more secure retirement depends on what you do today. Your Costco benefits are here to help, with the Retirement Plan,* administered by T. Rowe Price.

Here are the basics:

You’re eligible to participate in the plan once you’ve completed 90 days of service with Costco. You can start making contributions, and receiving Costco’s matching contributions, on the first pay date after the first day of the following month.

Here’s an example: If your 90th day of employment is July 15, you can start contributing on the first pay date after August 1.

You make contributions. With the Retirement Plan, you save part of your paycheck through automatic payroll deductions. When you enroll, you’ll choose a percentage of your pay to contribute. You’ll also choose whether you want to make pretax or after-tax (Roth) contributions, or a combination of the two.

If you don’t make an election within 30 days of the first of the month you’re eligible to participate in the plan, deductions will automatically be taken from your paycheck. You’ll be enrolled to contribute 3 percent of your compensation pretax.

Costco makes contributions. Costco matches your contributions in an amount that’s set each year. This amount is a percentage of your own contribution amount for the year, up to a maximum amount.

Your account grows. When you enroll, you choose how you’d like to invest your account funds. T. Rowe Price offers a variety of mutual funds and information on how to make the right choice(s) for you.

To get started, log in at Costcobenefits.com and select Financial Wellbeing > Retirement Plan Details. Or call T. Rowe Price at 800-922-9945. You’ll set a percentage of your pay to contribute and choose investments to grow your retirement nest egg.

*For Mainland and Hawaii employees, the plan is called the Costco 401(k) Retirement Plan. For employees in Puerto Rico, it’s called the Costco Puerto Rico Retirement Plan.

 

The following resources are available to help you be more in control of your financial well-being. These resources are confidential and available to you at no cost through your Costco benefits.

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Take Action

TAKE ACTION

OCTOBER 2021

Make the most of your money

Being smart about your money can help you have enough for everyday expenses while saving for future goals. Here are some practical suggestions to get you started.

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5 tips for smarter spending & saving

Maybe it’s tough to stretch that paycheck. An unexpected expense pops up. Or you’d love to plan a great vacation. Whatever’s going on in your financial life, there are steps you can take to spend and save wisely. Here are five tips you can use today:

1. Know what you spend

Here’s something to try: For two weeks, save all your receipts and track online purchases using your bank account (or just write them down). Put purchases into groups — food, entertainment, clothing, tech and other expenses. Don’t count essentials like rent/mortgage, utilities and insurance.

Look at your totals. What do you spend most of your money on? How can you spend less? For example, if you spend a lot on takeout and restaurant meals, consider cooking more meals at home and packing a lunch more often. Shop the sales and visit consignment stores for clothing. If you have a tech wish list, narrow it down to one special item you just can’t live without.

2. Budget for the kids (furry ones, too!)

Spending wisely means getting the kids involved. Learn to say “no” to extras that aren’t needed. If life is a whirlwind of after-school activities, choose the most important one and let the others go. Take advantage of free local fun like parks, libraries and playgrounds. Join a school carpool. Trade babysitting services with other parents.

Remember that your furry family members have expenses, including pet food, toys, equipment, annual checkups and the occasional unscheduled vet visit. Make sure your budget has room for your fur babies, too.

3. Save automatically

If your checking and savings accounts are with the same bank, set up an automatic transfer. Decide on an amount to move from checking to savings on a regular basis. Most online banking services let you choose weekly or monthly transfers.

It’s a painless way to save. And don’t worry that it’s not enough. Even a modest amount builds up over time, and it’s much better than not saving at all.

4. Think about trade-offs

Saving for something special? Change your daily spending habits to free up extra money. Let’s say you’re saving for a new cell phone and you buy one or more Starbucks tall lattes every day. Think about how many lattes would pay for the new cell (or at least contribute a good portion of the cost). Cut back on coffees for that new cell phone!

5. Cut health care costs

You can save on health care without sacrificing quality. Use in-network providers. Ask your doctor to prescribe generic drugs whenever possible. Visit an urgent care center or walk-in clinic (instead of the emergency room) for quick, convenient non-emergency care. Take advantage of preventive care, like routine exams and screenings, to stay healthy and catch problems early.

 

The following resource is available to help you be more in control of your financial well-being. This resource is confidential and available to you at no cost through your Costco benefits.

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Take Action

TAKE ACTION

OCTOBER 2021

Energize your day

Whether you’re reasonably fit, want to shed a few pounds, or struggling with a chronic illness, anyone can reap the physical and emotional health benefits of exercise. Take a moment to learn what exercise can do for you.

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Exercise: the good-for-you habit

Regular exercise does a body good — from shedding those extra pounds to preventing health problems now and later. Whether it’s a morning walk or run, an evening yoga class, or a game of hoops with friends, better health happens when you move your body. Do it every day, and it will become a habit — something you don’t even have to think about.

You can start slowly, with a daily walk. Keep it up, and before long, you’ll start noticing that you feel better (and even look better). Exercise, like any other habit, can become something you can’t do without. And with all the health benefits it has to offer, exercise can be a great thing to get hooked on.

See what regular exercise can do for your body and mind.

Build a new & better you

Putting exercise into each day supports your physical well-being in some very important ways.

Want to reach a healthier weight? Exercise burns calories, making it easier to lose weight and keep it off. Because it also lowers blood pressure and bad (LDL) cholesterol levels, exercise can also help you avoid health problems like heart disease and stroke.

Living with type 2 diabetes? By making movement part of your daily routine, you can better manage your condition and fend off complications. That’s because exercise can lower blood sugar levels and insulin resistance. Tip: Exercise one to three hours after eating. That’s when blood sugar is often higher. Test first though. If your reading is over 250, you may want to wait until it’s below 100 mg/dL.

Trying to shake off a bad day? Physical activity boosts brain chemicals that can help you feel happier, more relaxed and less anxious. It’s a natural stress-buster that has the added bonus of boosting your self-confidence.

Did you know? Exercise can also help prevent cancer because it reduces inflammation in the body, keeps weight under control and boosts the immune system. For people diagnosed with cancer, regular exercise can make treatment more effective by reducing anxiety, increasing strength and energy, and helping with pain.

Get going!

If you’ve been less than active, walking can ease you into an exercise habit. Talk to your doctor first, then get going! Shoot for 30 minutes of walking each day. Break it up into two 15-minute sessions if that works better. Over time, add time and speed.

Other ways to move include: running, biking, strength training, yoga, stretching, gardening — anything that uses your major muscles and ramps up your heart rate.

 

The following resources are available to help you on your physical well-being journey.