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These programs will help you stretch those bills

Use the programs featured here to help you save money—and possibly even make a few bucks

Who doesn’t want to save a buck, especially during these tough economic times? Thankfully, Lehigh Valley Health Network is here to help. As a colleague, you can save some cash by participating in a few of these programs. Check them out:

—Sally Gilotti and Amy Satkofsky

FREE Community Exchange
Need home repairs but don’t want to hire a handyman? Interested in learning a new hobby but don’t want to pay for lessons? Consider Community Exchange in which you voluntarily exchange your skills and services for someone else’s. No cash required; only your time and talents. Contact Community Exchange by calling 610-402-CARE and begin making connections that will save you (and others) money.

Carpooling
If you drive 60 miles a day to work and your car gets 30 miles per gallon, how much does it cost to get to work? These days, it’s a lot, no matter how you calculate it. To cut that expense, try carpooling. We have a free online carpooling program in which colleagues can connect with each other. (Find it on the human resources Web site at lvh.com.) “We hope it eases what can be a big burden,” says Jonathan Davidson, who administers the program.

Discount Program
As a health network colleague you’re entitled to hundreds of dollars in discounts on dinner, doggie day care, home sales and more, negotiated for you by the recreation committee. All you need to do is flash your ID badge. One colleague recently saved thousands with a discount when she bought a car, says recreation committee member Donna Stout. For details, check out the human resources Web site at lvh.com.

Culture of Wellness
If you’re not spending every last cent of your Culture of Wellness dollars, there are colleagues who would gladly do it for you. Patient care services analyst Steph Pacelli loves getting paid to get fit; she spends her Culture of Wellness bucks on kickboxing, yoga and PUMP classes. She also gets regular massages, which are reimbursed at 50 percent. This year, you’ll have even more money to spend (see page 10).

Marketplace
You might wonder what Brian Kerecz’s garage looks like (or used to look like) if you follow his Marketplace postings: bikes, wet suit, biking shoes, car racks, kayak paddles and digital camera. Kerecz, a health care research associate, and his fiancé, Beth Rowe, R.N., purchased new bikes and a boiler for their home with the cash they made through Marketplace (found on e-mail’s bulletin board). “It’s much easier than holding a garage sale,” Kerecz says.

Recreation Committee Trips
It’s typically less expensive to travel as part of a group—just ask Nikki Maranki of ABC Family Pediatricians, who traveled to St. Lucia. Check out the trips offered by our recreation committee on e-mail’s LVH_LIST bulletin board and in CheckUp. The committee organizes vacations, shopping excursions and bus trips to concerts and sports events at discounted rates.

Sandwich/Coffee Card
Have you heard of the Latte FactorTM? Coined by David Bach, a financial guru who appears frequently on “Oprah,” it means little purchases (like a daily latte) can add up quickly. Enter the sandwich and coffee cards offered in our cafeterias. Buy six coffees, get one free. Buy 12 sandwiches, get one free. Sounds like “a latte” money you could save.

Educational Programs
When Denise Geroulo, R.N., tired of her job as a commercial artist, she looked for a career that would allow her to connect with people every day. She started at LVH–Cedar Crest as a technical partner and graduated from nursing school in May. The health network helped to pay her way through the SMILE (Scholarship Monies Invested in Lehigh Valley Health Network Employees) program, which offered 100 percent tuition reimbursement. “I just passed my boards, and I’m thrilled with what I do now,” she says. A tuition reimbursement of 85 percent is available for all colleagues (though some programs offer more). To learn more, contact career development at 610-402-3086 or log on to the human resources Web site at lvh.com.

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