This Week In Your Wallet: Don’t Panic
Another day, another bout of volatility in the markets. That shouldn’t come as a surprise to any of you at this point. So, consider this your friendly reminder not to panic. Your short term funds, of course, don’t belong in stocks. But those that are earmarked for your long-term goals have the runway to withstand the ups and downs. And buying (perhaps through your monthly retirement plan contribution) when the market dips like this is a nice way to stock up on shares.
Protect Your Identity
According to the Identity Theft Resource Center, there were more than 630 data breaches in the U.S. through August 31 of this year, which puts us on track to beat the 780 breaches recorded in 2015. And our friend Bill Hardekopf of LowCards.com tipped me off to the fact that another study notes 1 in 3 Americans have been hacked in the past year. Whether you’ve been breached, hacked or neither, it’s time to take this threat seriously.
If you’re an employee whose company has been hit with a data breach, start by using any and all identity theft services the company offers. Then, call one of the three credit reporting companies (Equifax, Experian or TransUnion) and report you’re a victim of identity theft. Ask them to place a fraud alert on your credit file, confirm the company will contact the other two companies and mark your calendar so you can decide whether or not to renew the alert in 90 days. Here’s more on what to do. If you’ve been hacked, you can also ask for a fraud alert. But also pull your own credit reports (you can do this for free at AnnualCreditReport.com) to make sure that no one is taking out credit using your personal information. Then monitor your report again every few months.
A $2,500 Reason To Exercise
Okay, so maybe you fell off the New Year’s Resolution wagon a long time ago when it comes to fitness goals. If so, new research shows there might be a $2,500 a year reason to hop back on. A study published in the Journal of the American Heart Association shows even 30 minutes of walking five days a week is enough to reduce annual medical costs by that amount. What kinds of medical costs? The New York Times cites a study suggesting heart disease, stroke, Type 2 diabetes, breast cancer and colon cancer are more common among people who don’t exercise. So pick up your walking shoes — or your weights, or whatever you like to use — and turn on some tunes. (Let me know if you have a favorite workout song. I’m looking to add to my playlist.)
When To Book Holiday Travel
Heading home for the holidays? Make your calls and mark your calendars, because the best time to book is coming up. If you’re flying to one of the top 20 markets, you could save 14 percent by booking six weeks out, according to an analysis cited by CNBC. That means by October 3 for Thanksgiving travel and November 7 for Christmas. If a smaller airport is one of your points of travel, Thanksgiving travel prices were lowest last week, so grab your laptop and get to it! As for Christmas fares, you could save 15 percent by booking the week of October 12.
Have a great week,
Jean
