Family and Consumer Sciences

Live Smart Ohio

Ohio State University Extension

money management

FCS February

When we think of February, a few celebrations come to mind: American Heart Month, Black History Month, Groundhog Day, Super Bowl Sunday, Valentine’s Day, and President’s Day. Family and Consumer Sciences (FCS) Educator Day probably isn’t something you’ve heard about, but it takes place this year on February 15th and highlights the field of study […]

WRITTEN BY: Caitlin Mathews-Smith, OSU Extension, Guernsey County, Family and Consumer Sciences

REVIEWED BY: Amy Meehan, Healthy People Program Specialist, State Office, Family and Consumer Sciences

Bad Credit, No Credit, What’s the Catch?

There are a couple of area car dealerships that advertise “Guaranteed Financing. Bad Credit! No Credit! No Problem! Guaranteed on the spot financing available.”  As the father of a teenage driver, I became curious to find out if this might be an option. What’s the catch? I also wondered would this option help build credit […]

WRITTEN BY: Ken Stewart, Extension Educator,Family and Consumer Sciences, Ohio State University Extension, Monroe County

REVIEWED BY: Lisa Barlage, Extension Educator, Family and Consumer Sciences, Ohio State University Extension, Ross County

PHOTO CREDITS:

  • Dan Gold-N7RiDzfF2iw-unsplash

SOURCES:

  • Credit Karma, Buy-here, pay-here financing: What you need to know (2022) Kim Porter
  • Lending Tree.com, Why you should skip the 'Buy Here Pay Here' Car Lots (2022)
  • Bank Rate What You Should Know About 0% APR Car Deals, Michelle Black

REFERENCES:

  • Consumer Financila Protection Bureau, https://www.consumerfinance.gov/consumer-tools/educator-tools/buying-a-car/#anchor_start.

Financial Consumers

Do you remember studying the food chain long ago? Plants capture energy from the sun to produce their own food, and are therefore called “producers.” The animals that eat those plants, or other animals, are labeled  “consumers.” When we think of humans as consumers, we may immediately think about our consumption of food and drink. […]

WRITTEN BY: Emily Marrison, Extension Educator, Family and Consumer Sciences, Ohio State University Extension, Coshocton County

REVIEWED BY: Courtney Woelfl, Program Specialist, Healthy Finances, Family and Consumer Sciences, Ohio State University Extension

PHOTO CREDITS:

  • https://unsplash.com/photos/bmj1Vl77ZWM
  • https://unsplash.com/photos/NpTbVOkkom8

SOURCES:

  • Egan, J. What’s the most important factor of your credit score? Experian. August 29, 2021. https://www.experian.com/blogs/ask-experian/what-factor-has-the-biggest-impact-on-credit-score/
  • What is a debt-to-income ratio? Why is the 43% debt-to-income ratio important? Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. November 15, 2019. https://www.consumerfinance.gov/ask-cfpb/what-is-a-debt-to-income-ratio-why-is-the-43-debt-to-income-ratio-important-en-1791/#:~:text=Your%20debt%2Dto%2Dincome%20ratio,money%20you%20plan%20to%20borrow

REFERENCES:

  • Mortgages key terms. Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. Retrieved October 18, 2021. https://www.consumerfinance.gov/consumer-tools/mortgages/answers/key-terms/?_gl=1*17g9u5n*_ga*MTg0NTk3MTQyNy4xNjMwNDMwODA4*_ga_DBYJL30CHS*MTYzNDU4NzgxMi40LjEuMTYzNDU4ODI0OS4w

Stocking Up for When You’re Stuck at Home – Part 2: How $180 in groceries fed 2 people for 20 days ($1.50/meal)

Three weeks ago, I wrote about stocking up for staying at home. I had gone shopping on March 13, after being away for over a week. Because many grocery shelves were bare, I had to make some substitutions and compromises and to shop at three different stores in Columbus to get items that would provide […]

WRITTEN BY: Carol Smathers, MS, MPH, Associate Professor and Extension Field Specialist in Youth Wellness and Nutrition

REVIEWED BY: Roseanne Scammahorn, PhD, Extension Educator, Family & Consumer Sciences, Ohio State University Extension, Darke County and Susan Zies, M.Ed., Extension Educator, Family and Consumer Sciences, Wood County

PHOTO CREDITS:

  • Carol Smathers

SOURCES:

  • https://livesmartohio.osu.edu/food/smathers-14osu-edu/stocking-up-for-when-youre-stuck-at-home-healthy-food-for-less-than-2-meal/
  • http://cookingmatters.org/tips/10-tips-stock-your-pantry
  • https://www.choosemyplate.gov/ten-tips-make-better-food-choices
  • https://fns-prod.azureedge.net/sites/default/files/media/file/CostofFoodFeb2020.pdf
  • https://academic.oup.com/ajcn/article/76/6/1207/4689551
  • https://www.bbc.com/worklife/article/20200331-how-to-eat-a-healthy-diet-when-work-from-home-coronavirus
  • https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/voraciously/wp/2020/04/01/go-grocery-shopping-every-two-weeks-you-can-and-without-hoarding/
  • https://celebrateyourplate.org/tips/shopping

REFERENCES:

  • U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and U.S. Department of Agriculture. 2015 – 2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans. 8th Edition.

Ditch the Debt in 2020

The holiday decorations have been stowed away, we have sung Auld Lang Syne as we rang in a new year, and now it is time make our 2020 resolution. Rather than picking the same one as in years past, how about trying Debt Dumping? Setting a goal isn’t always easy, it takes commitment and dedication […]

WRITTEN BY: Dr. Roseanne Ellison Scammahorn, Extension Educator, Family & Consumer Sciences, Ohio State University Extension, Darke County, scammahorn.5@osu.edu

REVIEWED BY: Kellie Lemly, Extension Educator, Family & Consumer Sciences, Ohio State University Extension, Champaign County, lemly.2@osu.edu

SOURCES:

  • Setting Goals for the New Year (Ohio State University) - https://u.osu.edu/ohwomeninag/tag/smart-goals/
  • Manage You Money (Ohio State University) - https://fcs.osu.edu/programs/major-program-areas/healthy-finances/money-management/manage-your-money
  • Setting Goals for the Agricultural Business (Ohio State University)- https://cpb-us-w2.wpmucdn.com/u.osu.edu/dist/1/14976/files/2015/11/Goal-Setting-1akh1p7.pdf
  • Healthy, Wealthy, & Wise (Mississippi State University) - http://extension.msstate.edu/sites/default/files/publications/miscellaneous/m1473_0.pdf
  • Budget Apps (Mississippi State University)- https://www.bulldogbudgets.msstate.edu/budget/#budget-app

How to “buy” happiness and better health

My husband and I took my 15 year old daughter to see Hamilton a couple nights ago. Her birthday was January 29th, the same day that Hamilton opened in Columbus. She told me last summer that she would like to go to the show for her birthday. I informed her that I would try to […]

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

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

PHOTO CREDITS:

  • https://pixabay.com/en/african-african-american-american-3741972/
  • https://pixabay.com/en/couple-happy-old-grandfather-858694/

SOURCES:

  • Consumer Federation of America, (2018). 54 Ways to Save Money, America Saves. Retrieved from: https://americasaves.org/for-savers/make-a-plan-how-to-save-money/54-ways-to-save-money
  • Newman, K. (2016). Six Ways to Get More Happiness for Your Money. Greater Good Magazine. Found here: https://greatergood.berkeley.edu/article/item/six_ways_to_get_more_happiness_for_your_money
  • Santi, J. (2015). Nine Tips to Make Your Giving Feel Good. Greater Good Magazine. Retrieved from: https://greatergood.berkeley.edu/article/item/nine_tips_to_make_your_giving_feel_good
  • Wilblin, R. (2016). Everything you need to know about whether money makes you happy. 80,000 hours. Retrieved from: https://80000hours.org/articles/money-and-happiness/
  • University of Minnesota, (2016). How Can You Improve Your Relationship with Money? Taking Charge of Your Health and Wellbeing. Found here: https://www.takingcharge.csh.umn.edu/how-can-you-improve-your-relationship-money

REFERENCES:

  • Bea, S. (2016). Wanna Give? This Is Your Brain on a ‘Helper’s High’. Cleveland Clinic. Found here: https://health.clevelandclinic.org/why-giving-is-good-for-your-health/

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