Andrea Schmutz, USU Extension Assistant Professor

Parenting, personal finance, and children. Do you tremble when you hear all three of those topics in the same conversation? It’s okay if your answer is “yes”, in fact you might be part of a large club who feels the same way. Think about it for a second and it makes sense: a) Parenting often receives the description of “hardest job in the world”; b) Personal finance regularly holds a top spot on “the most challenging topic to discuss with others” list; and c) Children make up a complicated audience requiring engaging, creative tactics to keep their attention.  What happens when you combine all three? You end up with the hardest job in the world trying to teach the most challenging topic to a complicated audience.

Carrie M. Durward, PhD, RD

Nobody would just throw money in the garbage, but that is essentially what we do every time we waste food. It is something we all do! Recent research showed that the average American consumer wastes about one pound of food every day! That adds up to over $1,300 per year on food that goes in the garbage. That’s a lot of money! Food waste may seem inevitable, but you can significantly reduce this amount by simply changing a few of your habits. To learn how you can stop wasting food and start saving money, visit USU Extension Food Waste Series.  You can also join us on Facebook at USU Extension Nutrition where we will be highlighting ways to reduce food waste all month. 

April is National Food Waste Awareness month, and USU Extension Nutrition has developed a series outlining best practices and research-based solutions to help you prevent food waste. This series will help you learn how to meal plan, grocery shop, preserve fruits and vegetables, and use up leftovers in your home. They’ve provided various resources to make saving money and decreasing food waste in your home a breeze!  


Carrie M. Durward, PhD, RD, is a USU Extension Nutrition Specialist and Associate Professor in the Department of Nutrition, Dietetics and Food Sciences.

References: Conrad, Z. (2020). Daily cost of consumer food wasted, inedible, and consumed in the United States, 2001–2016. Nutrition Journal,19(1).

Alicia Nelson Bell, Finance Intern
2021 USU Graduate

A 2020 report from Thriving Wallet states that around 90% of Americans reported experiencing money related stress in 2019 and 2020, which makes it the top contributor to stress in America. It may seem like a no brainer, but this money related stress that so many Americans are experiencing is having an impact on pretty much every aspect of our lives. This includes mental, emotional, and physical health as well as our relationships with our friends and family. It boils down to this: the more stressed we are about finances, the less likely we are to make smart money choices.

Guest Contributor: Christina Pay, USU Extension Assistant Professor

Most people will agree that the “dog days of summer” are usually slow, lazy, and hot.  This phrase took on a whole new meaning for me when I moved from Utah to the San Joaquin Valley of California. With temperatures in my new town ranging between 99⁰ – 114⁰ (F) each day, my heat tolerance was sorely tested. And, as temperatures rose, so did the power bill.  I couldn’t keep my head in the freezer all day (not practical) nor could I turn the air conditioner down to “arctic” (not economical). Instead, I learned a few tips along the way on how to stay cool without going into debt.

GUEST CONTRIBUTOR: ANDREA SCHMUTZ, USU EXTENSION ASSISTANT PROFESSOR

​I recently saw a quote on a sign that said, “Gardening: it’s cheaper than therapy and you get tomatoes.” I chuckled to myself and pondered the implied message. With spring in full force, it’s a perfect time to consider growing a garden and reaping the following SIX benefits: