The Live Long & Prosper Quiz
We combed the latest research and talked to health, financial, and wellness experts to uncover the most important things you can do to keep the spring in your step and a healthy balance in your bank account through the years. Start by taking the Live Long & Prosper Quiz to get a sense of how prepared you are now, then read on to see what the experts recommend for everyone—including themselves. (Yes = 1 point, No = 0 points.)
1) Do you claim your employer’s 401(k) match?
Americans miss out on an estimated $24 billion in unclaimed matches.
2) Do you eat beans three times a week or more?
When longevity researcher Dan Buettner was studying the earth’s longest-living people, located in so-called Blue Zones, he learned that the cornerstone of every Blue Zone diet is beans. Blue Zoners eat about four times as many beans as the average American. Beans are loaded with protein, iron, and zinc; they also contain fiber, folate, and potassium, and they’re low in fat. Buettner even includes them in his breakfast.
3) Have you applied for a new credit card recently?
Credit cards offer all sorts of benefits, from cash back to points to interest-free promotional periods, and they can mean money for you. Of course, you need to avoid interest charges and pay the full balance every month. But if your credit score is high (700+), taking out a new card every year or two to reap the newest reward isn’t going to significantly dent it.
4) Did you take a nice long vacation last year?
According to a 40-year study of European businessmen, participants who took fewer than three weeks of vacation annually were 37 percent more likely to die in a given year than those who didn’t skimp on taking time off.
5) Have you considered investing in exchangetraded funds (ETFS)?
Like mutual funds, ETFS invest in a range of stocks, bonds, and commodities, which helps spread the overall risk. But ETFS have much lower fees because they don’t have teams of managers making decisions about what to invest in, and they often cost you less in taxes.
6) Do you have a close group of friends?
It sounds simple, but several studies show that people with strong social relationships live longer and better. One landmark
study found that among people whose brains showed early markers for developing Alzheimer’s, those with close friends and family warded off cognitive decline longer than those who were less social. Another found that a solid friend network gives you the same longevity boost as quitting smoking.
7) Can you open jars with your hands?
Researchers have found that grip strength is a leading health indicator. Men with a grip strength of 57 pounds have a lower rate of death from heart disease, cancer, and lung disease. For women, the threshold is a grip strength of 35 pounds. (Test your grip strength by holding a bathroom scale on the sides and squeezing.)
8) Do you spend less than three hours per week on social media?
According to the book The Next Millionaire Next Door, millionaires spend an average of 2.5 hours per week on social media. The average for all Americans: 14 hours per week.
9) Do you plan to wait until you are 67 to draw Social Security benefits?
Waiting until 67, which is considered full retirement age, means your monthly check will be almost double what it would be if you started drawing at 62, the youngest age at which you can collect benefits. If you wait until age 70, your payments will be about 24 percent higher.
10) Do you think of yourself as young?
Mind over matter can be powerful. Studies tracking healthy, middle-aged people into old age found that those with a positive attitude about getting old were less likely to die over the course of the study. One possible reason: Their youthful outlook made them less likely to abandon physical activity and more likely to eat healthfully over the years.