GUEST BLOGGER: ANDREA SCHMUTZ, USU EXTENSION ASSISTANT PROFESSOR

​“Look what I found! Can you make something with it?”  When my kids were growing up, this was a common greeting as they walked in the door from school. Sometimes they had found a real treasure that held great potential for upcycling. The gold star days were when they opened up their lunch boxes and pulled out multiple empty juice pouches (i.e. CapriSun) they had collected from their friends. We would wash them out and plot all of the many projects we could make with the “trash”.
 
From the time they were young, I tried to instill in my children their role in protecting the earth and being good stewards of the resources around them. Before they were old enough to understand things like “carbon footprint”, I focused on helping them understand simple concepts like waste and trash. What I didn’t realize at the time was that I was also teaching them some simple money management skills while fostering creativity that would pay off when the budget was tight.
 
Have you ever stopped and thought about the connection between being a steward of the earth and a guardian of your budget? When we breathe new life into a discarded object, we save money and we help save the earth one small step at a time. Here are four common household materials that can be upcycled into useful projects or gifts:

GUEST BLOGGER: KATHY RIGGS, USU EXTENSION PROFESSOR

​When was the last time you evaluated your finances? Are you making ends meet? Are you able to make your housing and utility payments each month and on time? Are you adding to a savings account regularly?
 
Hopefully you are able to answer “yes” to each of those questions. However, many of us are able to pay off regular debts yet struggle to save for that “rainy day” or even retirement. Here are three suggestions for giving your savings account a bit of a push from America Saves.

Welcome to Financial Literacy Month 2020! Woot Woot! The Utah Money Moms team is excited to bring you personal finance content that can help you stay on track with financial goals, make smart money decisions and enjoy financial freedom.  Here's what's coming your way this month: 

1. GIVEAWAY: We'll announce an exciting give-a-way opportunity towards the end of the month.
2. BLOG POSTS: We're curating content every Monday and Thursday to keep you up to date on current COVID-19 financial issues as well as topics like teaching your kids about money. 
3. FB/IG LIVE: Every Friday we'll go live from our virtual classroom to share best-practices, tips and hacks to make managing your personal finances as stream lined as possible.

To start off, let's revisit the topic of financial health, what it means, and why it's critical for financial freedom. Check out What is Financial Health to get started, then see Your Financial Wellness Wheel and download the free printable. Finally, check out Financial Fitness: How to Take Action. 
Can't wait to hear your suggestions for financial health! Join us on the Utah Money Moms Facebook page to share!

This free printable resource is intended to provide educators with FREE curriculum, activities, and resources that meet national content standards for use in your digital classroom. This is not meant to be an all-inclusive list of resources and Utah Money Moms/Utah State University Extension does not endorse any of the products.
Resources originally complied by Carrie Johnson, Ph.D., AFC®; Extension Specialist NDSU Extension. Adapted by Amanda Christensen, AFC®; Extension Associate Professor. 

Like physical fitness, financial fitness is a lifestyle choice. Consistent actions that build positive money management habits lead to financial wellness. Below are eight financial management categories. Listed in each category are action items to increase and improve financial fitness in that area. Choose at least one of the suggestions below to take a step toward improving your personal financial fitness.
Example: If I want to improve my credit score, I may choose to work on one of the credit tasks like accessing my free credit report.
CALL TO ACTION: Write down your choice and set a deadline to complete your task within two-weeks. Share your success with someone close to you, work as a team with your spouse if applicable.