Tag Archives: incentives

What Do You Think of Health Insurance Incentives?

Some insurance companies will offer a discount on the cost of your health insurance premium if you have been taking good care of yourself. Recently, employers who offer group health insurance to their employees have also started offering incentives that will lower the cost of the premiums for employees who participate in wellness programs. Are incentives a way of rewarding good behavior, or a way of punishing those who do not comply? What do you think? There are plenty of things that a person can do to improve his or her health. I think we can all agree that exercise … Continue reading →

Don’t Overdo the Incentives

I’ve written before about whether or not to offer rewards for referrals or extra “bonuses” for purchases and services. I know that we are all looking for ways to attract clients and customers and offering “extras” can be a great way to do that. But, there is a danger of overdoing incentives and taking the focus OFF the product or service our business is actually providing. As a rule, the incentive should not be the main or only reason for making a purchase or becoming a customer. When I sat down to write this blog, I was thinking of when … Continue reading →

Charts, Points, Stickers, Stars and Prizes

We have never had much luck with charts around our house. I know that some parents swear by them–and by the whole “rewards and positive feedback” way of motivating children. I guess they work for some families and kids for everything from completing homework, to brushing teeth, to getting out the door on time. But, charts and stickers and stars just never seemed to do the trick in our family… I have to be completely honest, I’m sure part of the problem was my inability to manage them. With three kids, work, and all the marvelous realities and exciting activities … Continue reading →

Prizes for Reading

While standing in line to check out at the library last week, I overheard a little boy say to his mother, “Mom, why don’t they give grown-ups prizes for reading?” Her response was very intelligent. “They give prizes to children to help you learn to like to read,” she told him. “By the time you grow up, hopefully you like to read and so you don’t need prizes anymore.” I remember enrolling in the summer reading programs at our library when I was a child. The more books you read, the bigger the prize you got. I loved to read … Continue reading →

Encouraging Your Children to Read

Some children take naturally to books, enjoying them from the first moment they learn how to read. Other children hate doing it and can’t be persuaded to pick up a book, even with threats or promises of reward. How can you encourage your child to read? 1. Make sure they know how. It’s not unusual, in a classroom of 25-30 children, for one to slip through the cracks. Take a few moments and have your child read to you. See if they are having difficulty or if they do it well. If they don’t know more than five words on … Continue reading →

Buying A Home? Let’s Talk Incentives

Times are tough for home sellers. Recent reports show that the market hasn’t been this flooded since the early 90’s. The situation has forced realtors to get creative—many have had to come up with new ideas that benefit both buyers and sellers. Location, location, location… sure that’s still the number one consideration of people looking to relocate, but what is now helping to close a deal even faster are the added incentives being offered to potential home buyers. For example, while you may love the location of a home and its huge closets, how much quicker would you put in … Continue reading →

Calling a Truce in the War of the Wives

Recently the National Organization for Women began to push an agenda that asked the compelling question: How can society better support mothers and caregivers so that they can choose to work either outside or inside the home – whether it’s full or part time – without additional guilt, financial strife or other barriers? Traditionally, many stay-at-home wives and mothers have felt denigrated by the organization that should have been supporting them. After all, the right to work, the right to make choices are just that – the right of the individual wife, mother and couple. Many women choose to work … Continue reading →