Family and Consumer Sciences

Live Smart Ohio

Ohio State University Extension

Misty Harmon

Graduations, Money, More Graduations, and More Money

This year, the month of May is filled with several graduations and graduation parties for my family. My son graduates from a 2-year college program as well as from high school. My nephew graduates from a 4-year college, and my niece graduates from high school. With all of these milestones and celebrations comes gifts for […]

WRITTEN BY: Misty Harmon, Family and Consumer Sciences Educator, Ohio State University Extension, Perry County, harmon.417@osu.edu

REVIEWED BY: Joseph Maiorano, Family and Consumer Sciences Educator, Ohio State University Extension, Harrison County, maiorano.2@osu.edu

PHOTO CREDITS:

  • https://pixabay.com/en/money-donation-donate-profit-give-652560/

SOURCES:

  • Harmon, M. (2018). Mindful Parenting: Enjoy Every Moment. Live Smart Ohio. Available at http://livesmartohio.osu.edu/mind-and-body/harmon-416osu-edu/mindful-parenting-enjoy-every-moment/
  • Long, H. (2015). What I wish I knew about money on graduation day. CNN Money. Available at http://money.cnn.com/2015/05/26/investing/graduation-2015-what-i-wish-i-knew/index.html?section=money_latest
  • ProCon.org. (2016). Is College Education Worth It? Available at https://college-education.procon.org/
  • National Endowment for Financial Education. (2018). Avoid Graduation Money Mistakes. Smart About Money. Available at https://www.smartaboutmoney.org/Topics/Education-and-Career/Graduation/Avoid-Graduation-Money-Mistakes
  • HOMEROOM. (2016). 8 Things High School Grads Need to Do Before Leaving for College. The U.S. Department of Education. Available at https://blog.ed.gov/2016/07/8-things-hs-grads-need-to-do-before-college/
  • Harmon, M. (2018). How Are You Spending Your Tax Refund? Live Smart Ohio. Available at http://livesmartohio.osu.edu/money/harmon-416osu-edu/how-are-you-spending-your-tax-refund/

Mindful Parenting: Enjoy Every Moment

“Congratulations Graduates!!” In two short months, I will hear this exact phrase as my younger son Owen walks across the stage for his high school graduation. It seems like yesterday that Owen’s older brother Brandon walked across that same stage. As hard as it was for me to realize how it would affect me that […]

WRITTEN BY: Misty Harmon, Family and Consumer Sciences Educator, Ohio State University Extension, Perry County, harmon.417@osu.edu

REVIEWED BY: Joseph Maiorano, Family and Consumer Sciences Educator, Ohio State University Extension, Harrison County, maiorano.2@osu.edu

PHOTO CREDITS:

  • https://pixabay.com/en/graduation-teen-high-school-student-995042/
  • Shawn Walker, Owen senior picture

SOURCES:

  • https://www.extension.iastate.edu/article/prepare-empty-nest
  • https://ohioline.osu.edu/factsheet/hyg-5243-0
  • http://livesmartohio.osu.edu/money/harmon-416osu-edu/got-money-for-college/

REFERENCES:

  • Radar, Malisa & Sternweis, Laura. (July 3, 2017). Prepare for an Empty Nest. Iowa State University Extension and Outreach.
  • Powers-Barker, Patrice. (May 10. 2016). Introduction to Mindfulness. Ohioline, Ohio State University Extension.
  • Harmon, Misty. (November 15, 2017). Got Money?....For College. Family and Consumer Sciences Live Smart Ohio, Ohio State University Extension.

How are you “spending” your tax refund?

I know not everyone is happy about the tax changes for 2018, but most people will benefit, at least a little, from the changes. With the changes to the tax code, some of you may be getting a slightly larger than usual refund for the 2018 year. Whether your refund increases or not, there are […]

WRITTEN BY: Misty Harmon, Family and Consumer Sciences Educator, Ohio State University Extension, Perry County, harmon.417@osu.edu

REVIEWED BY: Joseph Maiorano, Family and Consumer Sciences Educator, Ohio State University Extension, Harrison County, maiorano.2@osu.edu

PHOTO CREDITS:

  • https://pixabay.com/en/laptop-online-digital-taxes-flag-2151350/

SOURCES:

  • https://www.debt.org/blog/spend-tax-refund/
  • https://www.consumerreports.org/taxes/smart-ways-to-spend-your-tax-refund/
  • https://cfaes.osu.edu/sites/cfaes_main/files/site-library/site-documents/News/FF_taxrefund.pdf
  • http://www.getrichslowly.org/2012/02/02/how-to-spend-a-tax-refund/
  • http://livesmartohio.osu.edu/money/maiorano-2osu-edu/whats-out-of-your-wallet/

REFERENCES:

  • Pilnick, Katherine. (February 21, 2013). 10 Smart Ways to Spend Your Refund, debt.org
  • Fried, Carla. (April 24, 2017). Smart Ways to Spend Your Tax Refund, consumereports.org
  • Filipic, Martha. (February 2016). Use your tax refund to pay off debt and save, Family Fundamentals
  • Aberle, Lisa. (February 2, 2012). How to Spend a Tax Refund, getrichslowly.org
  • Maiorano, Joseph. (January 12, 2018). What’s Out of Your Wallet?, livesmartohio.osu.edu

Got Money?….for College

With one son in college, one in his senior year of high school and a daughter in 8th grade, the topics of college and money come up a lot in my house. From a young age, we have always been very open about finances with the kids. We have discussed various financial issues and concepts […]

WRITTEN BY: Misty Harmon, Extension Educator, Family and Consumer Sciences, Ohio State University Extension, Perry County

REVIEWED BY: Shannon Carter, Extension Educator, Family and Consumer Sciences, Ohio State University Extension, Fairfield County

PHOTO CREDITS:

  • Pixabay. Found at: https://pixabay.com/en/puzzle-money-business-finance-2500328/

SOURCES:

  • Flay, B. (2017). How to Pay for Your Children's Education. Debt.org. Found at: https://www.debt.org/students/parents-pay/
  • Ramsey, Dave. College Funding and Your Retirement. Found at: https://www.daveramsey.com/blog/college-funding-and-your-retirement
  • Federal Student Aid, The U. S. Department of Education. Found at: https://fafsa.ed.gov/
  • Johnson, Mia. 2017, October 2. 12 Myths about the FAFSA Form and Applying for Financial Aid. Home Room, The Official Blog of the U.S. Department of Education. Found at: https://blog.ed.gov/2017/10/12-myths-fafsa-form-applying-financial-aid/?utm_content=&utm_medium=email&utm_name=&utm_source=govdelivery&utm_term
  • Press Office. The U.S. Department of Education. 2017, October 3. 2018-19 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) Opened Oct. 1st. Found at: https://www.ed.gov/news/press-releases/2018-19-free-application-federal-student-aid-fafsa%C2%AE-opened-oct-1
  • National Center for Education Statistics. College Navigator. Found at: https://nces.ed.gov/collegenavigator/
  • Wang, M. 2012, October 4. No Income? No Problem! How the Gov't is Saddling Parents with College Loans They Can't Afford. ProPublica. Found at: https://www.propublica.org/article/how-the-govt-is-saddling-parents-with-college-loans-they-cant-afford
  • Flay, B. (2017). Students and Debt. Debt.org. Found at: https://www.debt.org/students/
  • Open Education Database. Found at: http://oedb.org/advice/hacking-financial-aid-33-ways-to-get-money-for-college/
  • Federal Student Aid, The U. S. Department of Education. Found at: https://studentaid.ed.gov/sa/prepare-for-college/choosing-schools/consider/costs
  • Next Gen Personal Finance and McKinney. Found at: https://www.timeforpayback.com/
  • Martin, A. & Lehren, A. W. 2012, May 12. Degrees of Debt: A Generation Hobbled by the Soaring Cost of College. The New York Times. Retrieved from: http://www.nytimes.com/2012/05/13/business/student-loans-weighing-down-a-generation-with-heavy-debt.html?pagewanted=all
  • Edvisors Financial Aid Newsletter. Found at: https://www.edvisors.com/plan-for-college/advice-for-parents/mistakes-that-affect-aid-eligibility/

REFERENCES:

  • Flay, B. (2017). How to Pay for Your Children's Education. Debt.org. Found at: https://www.debt.org/students/parents-pay/
  • Ramsey, Dave. College Funding and Your Retirement. Found at: https://www.daveramsey.com/blog/college-funding-and-your-retirement

Thank you

When I was a kid, my mom would remind me to say “Thank you” when someone gave me a gift or did something for me. Now, as a mother, I remind my own kids to say “Thank you” for those same reasons. For some people it is simple and easy to show gratitude and appreciation, […]

WRITTEN BY: Misty Harmon, Family and Consumer Sciences Educator, Ohio State University Extension, Perry County, harmon.417@osu.edu

REVIEWED BY: Jami Dellifield, Family and Consumer Sciences Educator, Ohio State University Extension, Hardin County, dellifield.2@osu.edu

PHOTO CREDITS:

  • https://pixabay.com/en/thankful-thanks-grateful-thank-you-1081614/

SOURCES:

  • http://ucdmc.ucdavis.edu/welcome/features/2015-2016/11/20151125_gratitude.html
  • http://www.apa.org/news/press/releases/2012/08/health-benefits.aspx
  • http://news.uga.edu/releases/print/research-links-gratitude-positive-marital-outcomes-1015/
  • https://greatergood.berkeley.edu/article/item/tips_for_keeping_a_gratitude_journal/
  • https://greatergood.berkeley.edu/article/item/ten_ways_to_become_more_grateful1/

No Time for Exercise?

For 22 years I worked as an exercise physiologist, so I heard this time and time again (pun intended). I was always perplexed. How could someone not have time for one of the most important aspects of overall well-being? This probably seems like an obvious conclusion from someone whose job title included the word exercise, […]

WRITTEN BY: Misty Harmon, Family and Consumer Sciences Educator, Ohio State University Extension, Perry County, harmon.417@osu.edu

REVIEWED BY: Tammy Jones, Family and Consumer Sciences Educator, Ohio State University Extension, Pike County, jones.5640@osu.edu

SOURCES:

  • http://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamainternalmedicine/fullarticle/2212268
  • https://www.cancer.org/healthy/eat-healthy-get-active/get-active/fitting-infitness.html
  • http://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(12)61031-9/fulltext
  • https://www.heart.org/HEARTORG/HealthyLiving/PhysicalActivity/GettingActive/5-Steps-to-Loving-Exercise-Or-At-Least-Not-Hating-It_UCM_445812_Article.jsp

REFERENCES:

  • American Heart Association, Why Should I Be Physically Active? 2015. (Fact Sheet)
  • American Cancer Society, Fitting in Fitness. 2014. (Website)
  • JAMA Internal Medicine, Effect of Moderate to Vigorous Physical Activity on All-Cause Mortality in Middle-aged and Older Australians. 2015. (Journal Article)
  • American Journal of Epidemiology, Too Much Sitting, Too Little Exercise May Accelerate Biological Aging. 2017. (Journal Article)
  • JAMA Internal Medicine, Using Physical Activity to Gain the Most Public Health Bang for the Buck. June 2015. (Journal Article)
  • The Lancet, Effect of physical activity on major non=communicable diseases worldwide: an analysis of burden of disease and life expectancy. July 2012. (Journal Article)

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