GUEST CONTRIBUTOR: KRISTILYN WILKINSON, USU ADJUNCT INSTRUCTOR

​Happy National Selfie Day! Yes, this is a real thing, and yes, we want to celebrate it!  A quick google search will let you know that on this day you should take a selfie and post it on social media to celebrate you. Doesn’t celebrating you give you the perfect excuse to treat yourself? Yes, yes it does! But treat yourself to what? “Treat yourself” is a common phrase we hear in society today, and it is usually associated with the idea that you spend some time treating yourself to life’s little luxuries. You know the ones I’m talking about, a pedicure, a night out with the girls (before Covid-19), etc. Of course, the next question that naturally follows is where do I get the money to treat myself on these little luxuries?

GUEST BLOGGER: ELIZABETH VANCE

​I don’t imagine many couples get excited to talk about finances. In fact, we’ve all heard that financial disagreements are often a large contributing factor to conflicts in marriage. Whether it’s easy for you or not, financial conversations are a must in healthy relationships! Hopefully these few tips can make the process less daunting and more rewarding!

GUEST BLOGGER: EMMA PARKHURST

​One of my favorite things about summer is that it’s officially yard sale season. There’s nothing quite like organizing and tossing long forgotten items to make one wonder, “why do I have so much stuff”, or “why did I even buy this in the first place??” Applying principles of mindfulness to spending can help to avoid these common thoughts, and as an added bonus, can help us feel goodabout purchases. But first, what is mindfulness? 

GUEST BLOGGER: ELIZABETH  DAVIS

Money is a necessary part of each of our lives. A great deal of time and energy goes to earning it, budgeting it, stressing over it, spending it, and hopefully some time managing it.  One day last fall I attended a conference about relationships and during the course of the conference met a lovely woman, Syble Solomon, who was promoting a Money Habitudes card game. This intrigued me so I asked to learn more.
We had an enjoyable conversation and I learned that each of us have our own money habits and attitudes that determine our money decisions.  The Money Habitudes card game is a simple activity that helps individuals determine what money means to them. Does it represent security, status, selflessness, spontaneity, planning, etc.? It was an enlightening activity that I enjoyed so much, I purchased several decks of her cards and took them to a family reunion for my siblings and their spouses to play.
It was interesting to observe the light bulbs that went on...

AMANDA CHRISTENSEN

Ever wonder what the “secrets” are behind happily married couples’ personal finance tactics? It’s no secret that while we do choose our spouse, we don’t choose each other’s personal financial background, habits, attitudes, money personalities, or ability/inability to balance a monthly budget. Financial harmony in marriage isn’t automatic. Head over to my friends at the Utah Marriage Matters blog to see my latest guest blog post about six, research-based, money management strategies used by couples in great marriages (Skogrand, Johnson, Horrocks, & DeFrain, 2010). As you read, consider which tip you could implement now!