Special Days In October You Need To Know About

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It is the second day of October, so here I am, writing another blog post. No, I have not published daily posts before, but I am shaking things up this month! That is because I decided to participate in Blogtober this year.  

What is Blogtober you ask? It is a writing challenge that requires bloggers to create new, original content every day for the 31 days of October. You can read more about Blogtober and why I decided to participate here: Blogtober – An Event That Will Make You Smile.

Blogtober is not the only special event in October, however. Of course, there’s Halloween, which seems to be growing in popularity every year. Sales of Halloween decorations are right up there with Christmas decorations. Read on to discover other special days in October, including 4 days dedicated to money and another whole week devoted to retirement security!

What Are Some of the Special Days in October?

October leads us into the final quarter of the year. It is important to spend a little time this month to take care of your finances. If you have a Flexible Spending Account (FSA) for medical expenses, make sure you are on track to spend all the money before the end of the year.

Although some employers will carry over up to $500 in unspent funds to the next year, your FSA funds are use it or lose it money. Make sure to check your FSA balance in October and spend it on qualified expenses before the end of the year.

Show Me The Money!

Surprisingly, October has a lot of events related to money and financial literacy. My daughter is going to get a happy surprise on October 6^th! Were you aware of any of the following money holidays?

6^th of October – National Transfer Money to Your Daughter Day

12^th of October – National Savings Day

13^th of October – National Transfer Money to Your Son Day

17^th of October – National Pay Back a Friend Day

Finally, there is a whole week devoted to retirement savings. According to the Transamerica Center for Retirement Studies, we are far behind in saving what we need for retirement. The average baby boomer has only saved $152,000 for retirement. Gen X and Millennials have saved $66,000 and $23,000, on average, but they have time on their side.

National Retirement Security Week is October 18^th – 24^th. Take some time during this week to evaluate if you are on track for a comfortable retirement. Calculate your net worth, play around with free interactive retirement calculators online, and make sure beneficiaries are updated on your retirement accounts.

Other Special Days in October

There are a multitude of causes and events commemorated or celebrated during the month of October. You will find pumpkin taking center stage, but there are more foods in the October spotlight. Some October food themes even seem to be in competition with each other.

Food Themes for October

October is also celebrated as Pork Month and Seafood Month, yet it is also Vegetarian Awareness Month! How ironic is that?

I am not a vegetarian, but for the month of October I will be! I am starting a 4-week, plant-based Keto eating program. It is a good way to kick off each new season, and I have done it four times in the past year.

Although I did not stick to a purely vegetarian diet when doing the program in the past, Keto Gone Gone Green & other courses from Pure Joy Planet helped me to lose 30 pounds! By committing to the vegetarian aspect of the program this October, I hope to lose another ten pounds.

October is also Pizza Month, and I love pizza! Luckily for me, I have learned to make a killer keto pizza! Low-carb, plant-based pizza is one of my favorite recipes from the Keto Gone Green Program.

October Health & Fitness Challenges

Dental Hygiene Month kicks off in October. It is a good idea to get in to see your dentist for your final dental exams and cleanings before the end of the year. Do not wait until December, when your dentist is likely to be booked up. If you have dental benefits, don’t leave those benefits on the table – use them!

Improving my physical health has become more important to me as I get closer to retirement. Although I have been focused on catching up retirement savings, I also want to make sure I will be healthy and fit. Otherwise how will I accomplish all the fun things I want to do in retirement?

Fitness challenges like a 30-day plank contest, a step challenge, or a weight loss bet are great to do in October. Getting in shape at the beginning of Fall, before Thanksgiving and Christmas roll around can help. By establishing healthy habits in October, it will be easier to keep the holiday weight off. That is why I committed to do a daily ab workout, organized by The Ray Challenge.

Special Days in October for Supporting Others

Mental health is another important component of overall health, but the emotional turmoil we face in our lives is rarely shared with others. This makes it hard to work through and resolve issues. We all need love and support, free from judgment.

It saddened me to see some of the negative comments directed toward Chrissy Teigen and John Legend following their recent miscarriage. People questioned why the famous couple shared their sorrow and private photos on social media. The thing is, many people don’t realize how common miscarriage is. Keeping it quiet instills a sense of shame.

Ironically, October is National Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Month. In addition, October 15^th is highlighted as a special day of remembrance, the National Pregnancy and Infant Loss Remembrance Day. Although up to 20% of pregnancies can end in miscarriage, most people remain unaware of the financial and emotional toll this loss places on women and their families.

Early pregnancy losses are common, that knowledge does not help someone going through one. I speak from my own experience, having gone through multiple miscarriages. In addition, the emotional toll can be long-term. One in six women continue to experience symptoms of post-traumatic stress after a miscarriage.

Although everyone grieves in different ways, there needs to be space to talk about it. It is time to end the stigma around mental and emotional health. Please read this article from the Seleni Institute for ways you can help your loved one or friend after a pregnancy loss.

Summary

Special days in October allow us to bring awareness to important issues, remind us to take necessary action steps for our future, and help us to have fun. There are many more days and events that I did not even mention. I will highlight some of them in future posts.

For example, Fire Prevention Week is observed beginning on October 4^th this year. Wildfire Prevention Month is held in May, but I am currently surrounded by wildfires in Northern California, so I have a lot to say about this. Expect to read about it in an upcoming post. Spending time to create a plan and setting aside money to prepare for emergencies will pay off if you ever find yourself in a crisis.

I hope you enjoyed the special days in October that I shared. Which ones were your favorites? Let me know in the comments!