GUEST CONTRIBUTOR: KRISTILYN WILKINSON, USU ADJUNCT INSTRUCTOR

​Happy National Selfie Day! Yes, this is a real thing, and yes, we want to celebrate it!  A quick google search will let you know that on this day you should take a selfie and post it on social media to celebrate you. Doesn’t celebrating you give you the perfect excuse to treat yourself? Yes, yes it does! But treat yourself to what? “Treat yourself” is a common phrase we hear in society today, and it is usually associated with the idea that you spend some time treating yourself to life’s little luxuries. You know the ones I’m talking about, a pedicure, a night out with the girls (before Covid-19), etc. Of course, the next question that naturally follows is where do I get the money to treat myself on these little luxuries?

GUEST BLOGGER: ELIZABETH DAVIS, USU EXTENSION ASSISTANT PROFESSOR

As part of a parenting experiment, my parents instituted a monthly allowance. As an 8-year-old, I was thrilled to have some money of my own to use however I wanted. I enjoyed the feeling of freedom and endless possibility that came with those dollars. Unfortunately, due to being part of a large family and budgetary limits, it was a short-lived experiment. While actually receiving allowance in my childhood was a short-lived experience, I did learn a lesson that has been valuable to me throughout my adult life and here it is, “having some personal money is important.” ​

Now that we're a few weeks into the year, is your New Year's budget sticking? Here's an awesome tip that may help you keep that goal rolling through the whole year! Having a personal allowance helps you have the freedom to spend money on yourself but the control to not over do it. Have you established a personal allowed? If so, how has having a personal allowance helped you? 

GUEST BLOGGER: EMMA PARKHURST

In the age of self-care, “treat yourself” has become an increasingly popular mantra over the past couple of years. The general gist of the saying is that we should spend money to increase our own happiness. While it may feel good to reward ourselves and splurge on this or that, treating ourselves can quickly get out of hand if we are not aware of our spending habits. There can be a lot of stress that comes along with personal finances, so how can we practice good money habits but still treat ourselves? Consider these tips to help transform your relationship with money and self-care:

GUEST BLOGGER: ELIZABETH DAVIS

Back to school shopping can be wonderful quality time and an opportunity to make happy memories with our children. However, back to school shopping may also be a time of financial stress, feelings of insufficiency and occasionally whining (my kids and probably me too). I have both witnessed and experienced children whose desire to obtain an object is the impetus behind poor behavior.

​A few years ago, we made a change...