The other day outside a local grocery store, I saw a man walking down the sidewalk who had just finished shopping. I could tell this was the case by the many filled plastic bags he had lining his arms. They were weighing down his hands and really pulling at his shoulders. I surmised he must live nearby and had done the earth-friendly thing by walking. I was a little impressed but I also cringed–his shoulders looked painfully hyperextended. This is a great time of year to get some exercise while saving money on gas, which is outrageously expensive right now. Side note, if you DO need to walk or bike somewhere, I advise you not to do it in the heat. Pick a time of day where it’s not only safe (not dark) but the temperature is moderate.   If you are not able to walk to the store, you can combine trips in your car. Every little thing counts. Do what you can.

Utah celebrates a holiday that other states do not–Pioneer Day, July 24. We commemorate the day the Mormon Pioneers arrived in the Salt Lake Valley. If you are fortunate enough to work for a state government agency or Utah-based company, you get the day off. If you work for a federal institution, well, it’s business as usual. Sorry, guys. When I worked for the school district, I had summers off. Man, they always went lots faster than one might think they would. I once had a boss tell me, “Once Pioneer Day gets here, summer is OVER!” What’s my point? Yeah, I’m getting there. We’re more than halfway through the summer, and it’s time to start looking down the barrel at the school year which comes with its own list of expenses. Now is the time to tweak that budget for back-to-school stuff and extra-curricular events, if necessary. Get on it.

I would like almost nothing more right now than to be in the Bahamas, sitting in a beach chair next to the water, reading a good book. That, to me, is the best mix of true relaxation and wholesome entertainment or enlightenment. But because I’m not there, I will settle for listening to an audiobook (or educational podcast) while I work. Hey, reading (and getting educated in general) can change your life! How do I know? Because it’s happened to me. Back in the day, every weekday afternoon I would listen to a radio talk show whose host was a therapist that shall remain nameless. She gave advice to callers who were brave (or senseless, depending on how you looked at it) enough to ask her for some. She was blunt; she never sugar coated anything. I would never call her.  Anyway, eventually that program was replaced with another, and that is where I “met” the man who would give me the knowledge to change my financial life for the better–Dave Ramsey. Listening to his program (and su...

As part of the Discovery Family Coalition, we work with many agencies whose purposes are to help families in a myriad of areas. One of those areas is finances (that I get to chat with you about every week–yay!). And right now, families need all the financial help they can get, mine included. One of our fellow coalition partners, the Utah Department of Health & Human Services Child & Family Services, also does what it can to get help, including financial help, to families who need it. I happen to be on an email list, and this week I got an email with this information: “The Connect toCollect(C2C) program is focused on increasing low-income Utahans' receipt of the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) by educating individuals about this federal program and linking them to high quality, free tax preparation." What is the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC)? It's a tax credit that  helps low- to moderate-income workers and families get a tax break. If you qualify, you can us...