Guest Contributor: Andrea Schmutz USU Extension Assistant Professor ![]() Knowing that most everyone appreciates a little more green in their wallet, especially as we head into holiday season, I’d like to share my most recent epiphany. I was reading about “America Recycles Day”, where each year, on or near November 15, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recognizes the importance and impact of recycling to our nation’s economy and environment. The EPA’s website, epa.gov, provides fantastic information about greener living, recycling and reducing waste. As I perused an infographic on the website titled “Think Green Before You Shop”, I suddenly realized that the three R’s of environmental sustainability: reduce, reuse, and recycle, could also be called the three R’s of budget sustainability.
0 Comments
Guest Contributor: Christina Pay USU Extension Assistant Professor ![]() Needs vs wants. Who hasn’t fought that budgeting battle? Tough as the struggle may be, it is a fight that can be won. The reasoning is pretty simple, right? A need is something that is essential for you to be able to live and work. Needs include housing, transportation and food. Wants, on the other hand, are expenses that help you live life more comfortably. Wants include entertainment, travel, and toys. It seems straightforward enough, but what about those gray areas where needs and wants overlap? On occasion, our wants may seem so powerful that we can’t imagine living without them. Consider an item such as housing. Shelter is a need; however, it may become a want if you’re paying more for rent or a mortgage in order to live in a larger home or upscale area. And clothing? That, too, is a need, but if you buy expensive brands or are buying clothing just because it’s on sale, it can quickly fall into the want category. There are several strategies to help you win the needs vs wants battle. With so much that feels beyond our control, chaotic or hectic right now, it’s nice to revisit personal finance best-practices, which are completely within our control! The PowerPay Money Master Online Course is a video-based course with worksheets and further resources designed to help participants take a deeper dive into the topics they need most. This structure allows people to really tailor their course experience to their individual needs.
Come join the fun and strengthen your path to financial freedom with real-life money smarts and expert financial management tips designed to help you take control of your financial future. Can't wait to see you there! -Excerpts from Utah State University Today article by Julene Reese GUEST CONTRIBUTOR: MELANIE DABB, USU EXTENSION ASSISTANT PROFESSOR ![]() Receiving a windfall of cash (money that you were not planning on or expecting) can be really exciting! The temptation is probably to go on a spending spree. But, taking the time to explore other alternatives may just turn that windfall into an opportunity to build your wealth or get ahead. If you don’t need your unexpected cash influx to pay your bills, here are two important questions to ask yourself: GUEST BLOGGER: EMMA PARKHURST, CHES, USU EXTENSION ASSISTANT PROFESSOR ![]() I consider myself to be a frugal consumer, although this hasn’t always been the case. When I was younger, I thought I was frugal...but the honest truth? I was obsessed with making cheap purchases. I would try to make the least expensive purchase no matter what the item was, which typically meant purchasing lower quality items. As a result, I would have to replace these cheaper products more often, which meant spending more money in the long-run. Yikes! I finally had enough of the cycle when I realized I would spend less over time by purchasing a more expensive and higher quality item that would last longer. Who else can relate? If this experience sounds familiar to you, here are some tips to get out of this cheap-purchase cycle that helped me make smarter purchases: |
amandaBlog editor and Accredited Financial Counselor sharing real-life money smarts that can help you stay on track with financial goals while still enjoying life! AS SEEN ONawards1st Place National Award in Social Media Education from the National Extension Association of Family and Consumer Sciences
Gold Award in Blog Site category at the 7th annual Education Digital Marketing Awards.
Silver Award in New Media category at the 34th annual Educational Advertising Awards.
Platinum Award in Digital Media, Web Design category at the International Marketing and Communication Awards.
Follow the fun on InstagramCategories
All
|