GUEST CONTRIBUTOR: KATHY RIGGS, USU EXTENSION PROFESSOR

GUEST CONTRIBUTOR: ELIZABETH DAVIS, USU EXTENSION ASSITANT PROFESSOR

​One of the greatest assets that we have is our own health. When we are healthy it is easy to take it for granted and assume that we will always have the energy, strength, and ability to do the things that are important to us. Eating well, exercising and getting enough sleep are all an important part of taking care of our bodies. Unfortunately, sometimes we let the “cost” of being healthy get in the way. For example, I have heard from many people that they can’t afford to eat healthy. In order to preserve our health, it is important to recognize that we can successfully eat healthy even on a tight grocery budget.  Here are a few simple tips from nutrition Blogger Brittney Johnson to help you decrease your spending and increase your family’s health and longevity.

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 CONTRIBUTOR: CHRISTINA PAY, USU EXTENSION ASSISTANT PROFESSOR

“Summertime and the livin is easy” or so say the words of an old song.  The living might be easy but not necessarily cheap.  That said, summertime is full of long sunny days filled with plenty of opportunities for getting outside to make memories with our loved ones.  Looking back on the years I spent raising my children, it went incredibly fast.  However, I’m grateful for the memory making moments we spent together, especially during the summer months.

Summertime can certainly be stressful for families. Day trips and adventures can be expensive. However, there are ways to keep the kids busy and have fun, too, without it costing too much.  

GUEST CONTRIBUTOR: EMMA PARKHURST, CHES, USU EXTENSION ASSISTANT PROFESSOR

Do you know where all of your money is going each month? There have been times in my life where I think to myself that I should have more money remaining after paying my monthly fixed expenses (like mortgage and student loans). Whenever this occurred, I knew it was time to go over my expenses and review my budget. In other words, time to do a little digging and trim unnecessary costs! Have you ever had a similar thought? To celebrate National Weed Your Garden Day in a different way this year, here’s a fun challenge: think of unidentified costs as weeds, and your budget as the garden. Time to get weeding! Here are three tips to get started: