1 00:00:03,000 --> 00:00:09,320 Speaker 1: Welcome to Before Breakfast, a production of iHeartRadio. Good Morning. 2 00:00:10,800 --> 00:00:16,840 Speaker 1: This is Laura. Welcome to the Before Breakfast podcast. Today's 3 00:00:16,840 --> 00:00:20,200 Speaker 1: tip is to make a plan for the upcoming year 4 00:00:21,000 --> 00:00:24,319 Speaker 1: for anything in your life that is use it or 5 00:00:24,400 --> 00:00:28,360 Speaker 1: lose it. You don't want to be doing things frantically 6 00:00:28,400 --> 00:00:31,720 Speaker 1: next December, when with a little thought you could have 7 00:00:31,720 --> 00:00:36,360 Speaker 1: spread those things out and enjoyed using your benefits all 8 00:00:36,560 --> 00:00:42,000 Speaker 1: year long. So I find it fascinating that eye doctors 9 00:00:42,159 --> 00:00:46,239 Speaker 1: are completely swamped the last week of December. Now, on 10 00:00:46,240 --> 00:00:48,560 Speaker 1: some level that is because a lot of people are 11 00:00:48,760 --> 00:00:51,400 Speaker 1: off of work or off school, and so it is 12 00:00:51,400 --> 00:00:54,720 Speaker 1: a convenient time to go see an eye doctor. But 13 00:00:54,840 --> 00:00:58,080 Speaker 1: in other cases it's because people have certain health benefits 14 00:00:58,480 --> 00:01:00,920 Speaker 1: that need to be spent the end of the year. 15 00:01:02,320 --> 00:01:05,200 Speaker 1: The end of the year is not exactly a surprise. 16 00:01:06,200 --> 00:01:10,399 Speaker 1: It happens December thirty first every year, but still people 17 00:01:10,480 --> 00:01:13,680 Speaker 1: don't think about it. There they are trying to get 18 00:01:13,680 --> 00:01:16,560 Speaker 1: an appointment or waiting a long time as a walk 19 00:01:16,600 --> 00:01:21,920 Speaker 1: in which might not have happened in say October. It 20 00:01:22,000 --> 00:01:25,600 Speaker 1: is the same with charitable giving. I know people feel 21 00:01:25,640 --> 00:01:27,959 Speaker 1: generous with the holidays, but there is also a lot 22 00:01:27,959 --> 00:01:31,399 Speaker 1: of rush to get deductions for the year before December 23 00:01:31,440 --> 00:01:37,479 Speaker 1: thirty first, Then there are vacation days. Some places roll 24 00:01:37,560 --> 00:01:40,040 Speaker 1: these over, but some don't. You get a certain amount 25 00:01:40,120 --> 00:01:43,440 Speaker 1: each year, which means that people are either trying to 26 00:01:43,440 --> 00:01:46,920 Speaker 1: take days off in December when everyone else is too, 27 00:01:47,120 --> 00:01:50,560 Speaker 1: or they risk losing some of their time off. Not good. 28 00:01:51,840 --> 00:01:54,120 Speaker 1: I know not everyone has use it or lose its 29 00:01:54,160 --> 00:01:57,280 Speaker 1: resources in their lives. But if you do fall into 30 00:01:57,280 --> 00:02:01,520 Speaker 1: this category, take a few minutes now to think about 31 00:02:01,520 --> 00:02:05,360 Speaker 1: the upcoming year. What resources do you need to use 32 00:02:05,720 --> 00:02:09,080 Speaker 1: by the end of the year. When can you use those? 33 00:02:10,720 --> 00:02:13,160 Speaker 1: If you get a certain amount of paid time off, 34 00:02:14,120 --> 00:02:16,400 Speaker 1: you might go ahead and book an extra day or 35 00:02:16,480 --> 00:02:20,120 Speaker 1: two somewhere, even if you don't have a planned vacation. 36 00:02:21,520 --> 00:02:23,919 Speaker 1: That way, you'll be more likely to take these days 37 00:02:24,840 --> 00:02:28,400 Speaker 1: and maybe build in a little decompression time into your life. 38 00:02:29,720 --> 00:02:33,239 Speaker 1: In many cases, you can ultimately decide not to take 39 00:02:33,240 --> 00:02:35,760 Speaker 1: a vacation at that time if work is really busy, 40 00:02:36,440 --> 00:02:37,960 Speaker 1: or if you wind up needing to use a lot 41 00:02:38,000 --> 00:02:40,639 Speaker 1: of PTO because a family member gets sick or something 42 00:02:40,680 --> 00:02:44,520 Speaker 1: like that. But by thinking ahead you can spread out 43 00:02:44,600 --> 00:02:50,280 Speaker 1: the fun. If you support some smaller nonprofits, there might 44 00:02:50,320 --> 00:02:53,919 Speaker 1: be a real benefit to giving a donation in say July, 45 00:02:54,880 --> 00:02:57,160 Speaker 1: when they might be facing more of a cash crunch 46 00:02:57,960 --> 00:03:02,360 Speaker 1: versus December may be a bit more flush thanks to 47 00:03:02,440 --> 00:03:06,880 Speaker 1: other people's last minute donations. And if you get benefits 48 00:03:06,880 --> 00:03:10,639 Speaker 1: for regular checkups like dentists or I doctor visits, go 49 00:03:10,680 --> 00:03:14,120 Speaker 1: ahead and schedule those now. No need to wait until 50 00:03:14,160 --> 00:03:17,520 Speaker 1: next December. I mean, unless you aren't allowed to book 51 00:03:17,720 --> 00:03:19,720 Speaker 1: less than three hundred and sixty five days since your 52 00:03:19,800 --> 00:03:22,800 Speaker 1: last one and you just squeezed one in. But even 53 00:03:22,840 --> 00:03:25,919 Speaker 1: if you do have that restriction, you could book now 54 00:03:26,560 --> 00:03:29,799 Speaker 1: for next December and a lot of places and then 55 00:03:29,880 --> 00:03:33,360 Speaker 1: not have to worry about not getting an appointment because 56 00:03:33,400 --> 00:03:37,440 Speaker 1: the place is slammed. This episode is airing at the 57 00:03:37,600 --> 00:03:40,400 Speaker 1: end of one year, but there is another year coming, 58 00:03:41,000 --> 00:03:44,000 Speaker 1: and there will be another one after that too. There 59 00:03:44,040 --> 00:03:46,120 Speaker 1: is no need to be surprised by the end of 60 00:03:46,160 --> 00:03:49,440 Speaker 1: the year. Make a plan for any use it or 61 00:03:49,480 --> 00:03:52,800 Speaker 1: lose it benefits, and you will be way ahead of 62 00:03:52,800 --> 00:03:58,920 Speaker 1: the game in the meantime. This is Laura. Thanks for listening. 63 00:04:00,120 --> 00:04:09,960 Speaker 1: Here's to making the most of our time. Thanks for 64 00:04:10,040 --> 00:04:14,800 Speaker 1: listening to before Breakfast. If you've got questions, ideas, or feedback, 65 00:04:15,120 --> 00:04:24,440 Speaker 1: you can reach me at Laura at Laura vandercam dot com. 66 00:04:24,560 --> 00:04:28,640 Speaker 1: Before Breakfast is a production of iHeartMedia. For more podcasts 67 00:04:28,640 --> 00:04:33,240 Speaker 1: from iHeartMedia, please visit the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or 68 00:04:33,279 --> 00:04:35,120 Speaker 1: wherever you listen to your favorite shows.