Guest Contributor: Andrea Schmutz, Assistant Professor, USU Extension

If you grew a garden this year, you might be at the point where you look at the plants loaded with produce and ask, “What do I do with all of this?” As Maria (Julie Andrews) in the Sound of Music said, “Let’s start at the very beginning, a very good place to start. When you read, you begin with ABC…” So, taking Maria’s advice, and in honor of school starting, here are the ABCs of garden glut busting. 

Guest Contributor: Christina Pay, USU Extension Assistant Professor

​There are three shopping events each year in Utah that savvy shoppers look forward to with anticipation. These are known as case lot sales. Generally occurring in January, March and September, buying pantry items at case lot prices can save you money while helping you stock up on items you use on a regular basis.  However, don’t be fooled. Without a plan you may end up spending more money than saving it, so follow the tips below to help you make your own plan to find the best case lot bargains.

Guest Contributor: Andrea Schmutz, USU Extension Assistant Professor

Amid the current COVID craziness, there are a few things that remain certain: summer is winding down, our kids continue to grow up, and they’re probably going to need some new clothes for school. As the start of school rapidly approaches, are you asking yourself, “Do I really have to spend a lot of money on clothes when they are just going to outgrow them before they wear them out?” Guess what? You don’t! Here are five simple ways to clothe your kids without breaking the budget:

Principal and interest payments on federally-held student loans are automatically suspended through December 31, 2020.

The CARES Act suspended principal and interest payments on federally-held student loans through September 30, 2020, and an Executive Order directed the Department of Education to extend the suspension until December 31, 2020. The Department of Education extended other student loan benefits in the CARES Act until December 31, 2020.

What you need to know:

• Interest and monthly payments on federally-held loans are suspended through December 31, 2020.
• You do not need to contact your student loan servicer or take any action on your federally-held student loans.
• Make sure your servicer has up-to-date contact information and check your mail or email so you can receive any updates or information about your loans.
• Suspended payments through December 31, 2020, will count towards any student loan forgiveness program, as long as all other requirements of the loan forgiveness program are met.

From March 13 through December 31, 2020, the interest rate is set to 0% and payments are suspended for student loans owned by the federal government. If you made a payment toward your federally-held student loans after March 13, you can request a refund from your student loan servicer. 

PRO TIP: If you are financially able to make payments or continue making regular payments on your student loans, any payments you make after March 13th will be applied directly to principal. This will help you pay off your loans faster. 

Source: Consumerfinance.gov