Elizabeth Davis, USU Extension Assistant Professor

Initially, I intended to write about how to save money for special occasions like anniversaries and birthdays. But in light of what is happening right now, I'd like to focus on celebrating, especially during hard times. I've learned during the Covid-19 pandemic that despite the uncertainties that we are experiencing... life goes on. There continue to be weddings, anniversaries, births, and other special occasions. Valentine's day is right around the corner. So, how do we celebrate in times of financial uncertainty? Here are three tips to help you prepare to celebrate Valentine's day (or any special day) during economic uncertainty.  

Wishing you a happy and safe New Year holiday!

A very Merry Christmas to you and your loved ones from everyone on the Utah Money Moms Team! We're grateful you're here!

I subscribe to our local daily newspaper and right beneath the crossword puzzle (which I try to complete daily) is the long-time column known as “Dear Abby”. While many of the questions posted are related to dealing with human frailties and requests to receive advice of how to “fix” problems, occasionally there is a post that catches my eye.
Recently, there was a post by grandparents regarding their granddaughter sending a Christmas gift last year they referred to as “a gift of a lifetime” which they have enjoyed all year long. “What was the gift and how much did it cost?” might be going through your mind as it did mine. As I do not have permission to quote the message, I’ll summarize it as best I can:

The holidays are time of year when people get together, enjoy some good family time and of course, spend copious amounts of money. Last year, U.S. households spent an average of $1,536 during the season. If you’re feeling the pressure to spend in order to make your family or friends happy, I wanted to share a few ideas that might help take the pressure off.  During the last 9 months being pretty much confined at home I’ve learned that happiness and what brings me joy really has nothing to do with money. But that’s not the message that I was being bombarded with especially as a young adult fresh out of college...