Month: December 2022

Financial Abuse is a Serious Concern

Financial abuseFinancial abuse robs victims of their money, assets, security, and peace of mind. In some cases, it leaves them destitute, dependant, and heavily in debt. Some victims need to take out personal loans or signature loans just to have everyday cash that their abusers do not let them have. Unfortunately, financial abuse can also be hard to spot. It leaves no bruises and many victims are too embarrassed or afraid to seek help. Loved ones, however, may be able to see some signs of this abuse:

1) A victim may seem embarrassed, depressed, angry, withdrawn, or upset for no apparent reason. Like all abuse, financial abuse leaves emotional scars and this can sometimes be visible to a close friend or relative.

2) A victim’s financial situation may suddenly change. A victim, left with no money and assets, will change spending habits. They may not have money for simple purchases, may move out of their home to a smaller location, or may suddenly show signs of neglect or financial distress.

3) A victim may suddenly seem under undue influence of someone else. A perpetrator will usually exert a lot of control over a victim. A victim may defer to a perpetrator on all decisions and a perpetrator may suddenly be making all legal and financial decisions in a relationship.…

Reducing Exercise Costs

reducing exercise costsStaying in shape is important for our overall health and for stress reduction. Regular physical exercise can also help us control long-term health costs. Taking care of our bodies now tends to mean that we spend less on preventable diseases down the road. However, many people associate working out with money. Fancy gym memberships make it seem like the only way to stay in shape is with a long-term membership. Infomercials on TV suggest that you need to spend plenty of cash to buy the latest equipment. Some customers end up believing these marketing messages and run up credit card bills or take out signature loans to pay for exercise equipment and health club memberships. There are less expensive ways to exercise, though:

Rent exercise tapes from the library for free or look up online exercise videos. These are free and make more sense than buying DVDs because you get to switch up your routine more often.

If you’re in good physical shape and are looking for a challenge, find a charity marathon that offers training. It’s a great way to get in shape while doing some good, and you’ll even often get personalized training before the big event.

Look in the newspaper for walking and hiking clubs. It’s a great way to get in shape for free while seeing a whole new part of your town or city.

Use everyday objects as exercise equipment. Use canned foods or bags of sugar as weights. The back of a couch offers support while you do lunges. You don’t need much of the equipment you see advertised.…