If you are a full time employee there is a good chance your company offers a lot of benefits that you are not taking advantage of. When you apply your HR rep tells you about all of the wonderful programs, discounts and benefits you will have. They all sound great but once you start working it’s easy to forget and you end up missing out on what you could be using to your advantage.

Volunteer Leave:
If you like to volunteer you may be able to get paid time off to work at your charity. Volunteer leave is usually limited to one day a month but that is one day you can spend away from work helping the people that need your time the most.

Tuition and Training reimbursement:
If you have a tuition reimbursement plan and you are in school then I’m sure you are taking advantage of it. If not, shame on you.

But for everyone that is not in school there is still ways to benefit from this plan. Many employers will pay for you to go to training under the same benefit. Free training can help you to advance in your career.

Charitable Contribution Match:
If you give money to charities many companies will match your donations up to their matching limit.

Telecommuting:
Do you want to work from home one day a week? Ask your boss, you may be entitled to cut back on your commute.

Retirement Savings Plan Match:
It’s not just about the 401k match. You might be able to get a match on IRA contributions. There may also be bonuses for you if you contribute a certain percentage each year. Make sure you know all there is to know about your retirement savings plan.

Flex Work Schedule:
This benefit is becoming less available as companies scale back the work force and require current employees to work more hours. If you are fortunate, you may find that you can put in more hours each day and then take every other Friday off.

Child Care:
On site childcare is available at 1/3rd of the top 100 companies to work for. Imagine having your child in day care just a few feet away from where you work.

Tax Deductible Commuting Expenses:
If you work in a big city check with HR to see what they offer. You may find that you can pay for your parking or metro fees with pre tax dollars.

Dental Insurance:
If you have dental insurance, get your free dental checkup every six months. It’s easy to forget, but it’s worth your time.