Our April showers may be over, but the need for a Rainy Day fund follows us all year long. Many Americans get caught because they don’t have emergency money set aside for those unexpected events like job losses, car repairs, new furnaces, or emergency travel. Without an emergency fund, families are forced to borrow money, […]
Paper or Plastic? Think about the Environment when Shopping
On Christmas morning, like many of my fellow fathers, I spent probably half the morning trying to separate toys from their packaging. As I was cursing underneath my breath at the thought of undoing one more twisty tie I thought to myself what impact all of this packaging has on the environment. When products are […]
Digging Out of Student Loans
Higher education may be a great investment, but it isn’t cheap! Student loan debt is has now reached more than $1 trillion, according to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. In fact, the combined American debt for student loans is far greater than debt on credit cards or car loans. If you graduated college and were […]
To use or not to use: the organic dilemma
There is a higher cost associated with organic food purchases, and many people question whether the health benefits outweigh the additional expense. Organic foods are produced by farming practices that are monitored and controlled to decrease risk of food contamination and improve food quality. Three practices, called the ‘Big Three’ (genetic engineering, irradiation, and sewage […]
Smart Start, sharing money tips with preschoolers
If you filed your taxes early, do you have your refund spent already? Or if you waited until this week to put things in order would you like to keep better records so that next year is easier? Whatever your answer is we realize that financial education is an ongoing process. Each year we gain […]
Mindful Eating
I recently had the opportunity to join some colleagues in attending “Mindfulness in Motion: A Daily Stress Reduction Program” by Maryanna Klatt, PhD, RYT, Ohio State University. One of the eight sessions was a Mindful Eating Practice. Participants were invited to bring a food item to class and follow the steps of the instructor to […]