HealthyLife Articles

Tag: rewards

  • Be Smart About Credit Card Offers

    FINANCIAL HEALTH

    Image of man getting mail from mailbox.

    Offers in the mail

    Credit card companies, auto loan companies and other lenders can get a list of names for their credit card offers. They get information from credit reporting agencies about people who have a minimum credit score. Then, they use that list to send out offers for a new card.

    Saying “no” to mail offers

    If you are receiving credit card offers in the mail and don’t want them, there are two things you can do.

    You can opt out of credit card offers for five years. Call 1-888-5-OPTOUT  (1-888-567-8688) or visitoptoutprescreen.com. To opt out forever, you must download and mail a signed paper form. You can get the form on the opt-out website.

    Beware – the opt-out feature only works for certain credit card offers, though. Companies may get your name if they have done business with you before. They may also get your name from other sources that aren’t connected to the credit reporting agencies, such as memberships or subscriptions.

    Why is my child getting a credit card offer?

    Sometimes, a person under 21 years of age gets a credit card offer in the mail. This may happen if the company purchased a list of names and didn’t know that the person was not an adult. But, credit card companies cannot intentionally send their offers to people under 21 years old without permission.

    Phone calls

    Like mail offers, credit card companies can get your name from credit agencies and call you with an offer. You can register your number with the National Do Not Call Registry to stop these calls. Visitwww.donotcall.govor call 1-888-382-1222 to put your phone number on the do not call list.

    What is a prescreened credit card offer?

    Credit card companies can find out if you have a certain credit score. Then, they can offer you a credit card based on that information. This is known as a prescreened offer because they already have some information about your credit. It is not a guarantee that you will get the card. You still have to apply for it and be approved.

    Source: Consumer Financial Protection Bureau

    © American Institute for Preventive Medicine

  • Reward Yourself For Weight Loss

    Weight Control

    When a behavior is followed by a reward, the behavior is more likely to be repeated. So the more you are rewarded for your weight-loss efforts, the more likely you’ll continue to succeed.

    But you don’t have to wait until you lose weight to reward yourself Rewards should begin the very first day of your diet. (Of course, food should not be a reward.)

    Here are just a few examples of the kinds of rewards that can help you to adhere to your weight-control plan.

    *  Buy yourself a bouquet of flowers.

    *  Call a friend long-distance.

    *  Give yourself some special “me” time.

    *  Try a new cologne.

    *  Get your car washed.

    *  Have a low-calorie picnic. (The picnic is the reward, not the food.)

    *  Treat yourself to a movie.

    *  Keep a diary of all the improvements you notice while dieting (more stamina, feeling attractive, fitting into smaller-size clothing).

    Page from A Year of Health Hints book by the American Institute for Preventive Medicine. www.HealthyLife.com. All rights reserved.

    © American Institute for Preventive Medicine

  • Keep Habits Rewarding

    Healthylife® Weigh

    Part 4

    Happy, young woman cooking dinner with grandmother.

    When you are rewarded for an action, you are more likely to repeat it. If you eat a piece of chocolate and enjoy the taste and how you feel afterwards, you are probably going to eat chocolate again.

    Managing your weight does not mean giving up rewarding feelings. If it did, it would be VERY hard for you to stick with it. People are wired to seek rewards and to stick to habits that give rewards. There are two types of rewards:

    Intrinsic Rewards

    *  Something intangible (you can’t touch it)

    *  Arise from within you

    *  Examples: a feeling or emotion, such as joy, pride, or satisfaction

    *  Feeling like you are living your values

    *  Are strong motivators

    Extrinsic Rewards

    *  Something tangible (you can touch it)

    *  Are physically received from someone else

    *  Examples: money, a trophy

    *  Get weaker over time

    Your habit change plan starts with two basic questions:

    1. What is the reward for my current habit?

    2. How can I still get the reward with a healthier habit? You may need to learn a new skill, such as time management. Or, you may need help from others.

    Example: My morning habit of rushing out the door with a cup of coffee-no breakfast-helps me be on time for work. Every time I am on time for work, I feel relieved and proud of myself. (Feeling relieved and proud is the reward for being on time for work.)

    Ideas to Keep Rewards: I could make a breakfast-to-go snack the night before and keep it next to my coffee maker. Or, I could wake up earlier to prepare a breakfast. Or, I could keep a breakfast snack at work to have once I get there.

    Plan to Keep Rewards:

    Pick a habit that is part of your everyday routine and that you want to change.

    *  Planning Step 1: What is the reward for this habit?

    *  Planning Step 2: How can I still get the reward with a healthier habit?

    Try this again for another habit.

    *  Planning Step 1: What is the reward for this habit?

    *  Planning Step 2: How can I still get the reward with a healthier habit?

    Use this tool often to change how you think about adopting healthy habits.

    © American Institute for Preventive Medicine