Issue link: http://educator.cta.org/i/619098
Save Big on Groceries and Gas Make your dollars go further: • T H I N K S T R AT E G I C A L LY. Take stock of what you have, and what you intend to cook and eat that week. Make a shopping list. Go online to check grocers' weekly sales. Google the store name with "coupon" and down- load coupons you can use. • G O M O B I L E . Many stores have mobile apps that provide instant access to the store's weekly ad and in-store coupons. Some let you create a shopping list, search for sale items, and comparison-shop. • J O I N T H E C LU B . When you're a member, grocers such as Safeway and Vons can track your shopping history and offer you special savings on prod- ucts you buy. • G E T G AS R E WA R D S . Some grocers such as Safeway and Vons offer gas rewards that make filling up much less expensive. See bit.ly/1Rd5seW for more tips. Get on Track Be your best self in the new year Fitness trackers — wristbands and other wearables that monitor daily activity — are all the rage. Tech advances and design improvements mean they're becoming easier to use, and the increasing selection will let you find one at your price point. Quick & Painless Checkup You may have just started your career, or are planning to retire soon. Whatever your situation, you'll want to take NEA Member Benefits' 5 Minute Retirement Checkup, an online calculator based on answers to a few questions that tells you where you stand right now — and if applicable, what you need to do to achieve a comfortable retirement. It's a great way to get a handle on your personal finances. Go to bit.ly/1NhcHMR. W H Y YO U N E E D O N E Trackers can motivate you to meet your daily and overall goals — whether it be to lose weight, sleep better or get fit. W H AT TO LO O K F O R Figure out what you want the tracker to do. Most monitor the number of steps taken, calories burnt and sleep patterns, and can be used as a watch. Additional features can include: • Stair-counting, heart rate, perspira- tion levels, GPS capabilities, vibration aer periods of inactivity, and active guid- ance and encouragement to help you maximize your workout. • Extended battery life, water resis- tance, attractiveness (some can be worn as jewelry). • Phone and social media notifications. • Companion app — usually on your smartphone — that is easy to use and clearly displays your collected data. B E S T WAYS TO U S E I T • Set realistic goals. Most trackers are preset with a goal of 10,000 steps per day. Use yours for a few days to calculate your average before setting your own goal. Do the same thing with sleep and calorie-burning goals. • Calibrate your stride. Fitbit suggests counting your steps as you walk for at least 20 paces along a track or spot where you know the exact distance; divide total distance in feet by the num- ber of steps for your stride length. Do the same for your running pace. Set both numbers in your tracker. • Sync it with other apps, such as the food/activity tracking app MyFitnessPal. 14 cta.org YOUR WHOLE LIFE Tips and trends for a smarter, healthier you