Guest Contributor: Emma Parkhurst, MS, CHES
USU Extension Assistant Professor

Did you know that couples who schedule “date nights” into their lives reduce the chance of divorce and increase marital happiness? Research shows that date nights provide an opportunity to communicate which can help strengthen understanding of one another; rekindle that ‘spark’ which can be helpful in sustaining that lovin’ feelin’ in the long run; and provide a way to relieve stress and give an opportunity to extend emotional support to one another. And to think we can reap all these benefits and more simply from date night? Count me in!
 
Another perk about date night? It doesn’t have to cost an arm and a leg to spend some fun quality time together. Even though Monopoly isn’t my favorite way to spend some time together, here are some of my favorite free or cheap date ideas:

Each year millions of Americans participate in National Make a Difference Day, a day set aside for volunteers to participate in big or small acts of community service.  While this day comes every year on the fourth Saturday of October, it doesn’t need to be the only day for volunteering your time.
Volunteering is beneficial for many reasons ranging from increased good health to emotional wellbeing.  Sandra Quadros Bowles, on her Money Wisdom blog, suggests that volunteering can also provide some significant financial benefits.

Guest Blogger: Tasha Killian, USU Extension Assistant Professor

​I love decorating! There is something exciting to me about making your place your own through décor. Buying new pieces, creating different styles, and finding things that fit into what you want in your space is a lot of fun, but can also end up costing a lot. If you are like me and you don’t have a lot of extra cash to purchase some of the items you’d like, it can be a challenge to find things to fit your style and your budget. Luckily, there is a solution, so you do not have to live with bare walls! That solution is doing it yourself. 

Guest Contributor: Callie Ward, USU Extension Assistant Professor

​We are so lucky to have five National Parks in Utah! Some states don’t even have one! Our National Parks include Zions, Capital Reef, Canyonlands, Arches, and my personal favorite, Bryce Canyon. These parks offer millions of acres of historic structures, cultural artifacts, towering hoodoos, and endless skies. Our federal public lands and waters (we can’t forget about Lake Powell aka Glen Canyon National Recreation Area) belong to all Americans and are waiting for you to explore them! 

GUEST CONTRIBUTOR: CHRISTINA PAY

We may all be feeling the need for a summer vacation or getaway right now. If you can’t get away for a camping trip, you can do the next closest thing by looking out your own back door. Turning your backyard into your own personal camp ground is fun, easy and inexpensive.  Taste of Home magazine has the following tips for planning a mini-getaway for your backyard camping adventure.