July 12th, 2010
This summer has been incredibly hot and the heat wave has put temperatures above 90 degrees on a regular basis. In this kind of weather, staying cool is very important. High temperatures can cause cramping, heat exhaustion, excessive sweating, headaches, redness, sunburn and other serious conditions. So, here are some simple tips to stay safe this summer and feel great too!
- Drink lots of water! This seems like a no-brainer but it’s the easiest step that many forget to do. Fact: it is possible to lose up to a pint of liquid each day just by exhaling. Remember that caffeine should be avoided as much as possible during hot days.
- Wear loose fitting and light colored clothing.
- Stay inside as much as possible where it’s nice and cool (air-conditioned or basements). Among some of the places where people can find relief from the sun outside of home are grocery stores, malls, movie theatres, and libraries.
- Do outdoor activities early in the morning or evening.
- Wear sunscreen, hats and sunglasses.
- Eat lots of fruits to cool you down. Watermelon, cantaloupe, apples, bananas, strawberries are great for hot weather and delicious too!
Links for more info:
The Abington JournalClarks Summit EMA offers hot weather advice
Tips on staying cool in a heatwave
Tips to Stay Cool During a Heat Wave
Tags: health, hot, summer, weather
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May 10th, 2010
By Faz
Wedding season is just around the corner and gift shopping can be stressful, especially if you’re working with a tight budget.
You want to purchase something that is both thoughtful and useful for the special couple and here are some great gift ideas!
- Pillows and bed sheets seem boring as a gift but buying a luxurious set of pillows or bed set or both can make the perfect gift. Giving the newlyweds that comfort of a getaway hotel and the feel of their honeymoon can make all the difference. Slip in a note with your gift that says: Here’s to all your dreams coming true.
- Presenting them with items for date nights is a nice message telling them to keep the spark alive and take time out of their busy lives to still go on dates. Some gifts for a date nights can include a basket of movie tickets, popcorn, a romantic comedy, gift certificates for a nice dinner, a bottle of wine and candles etc.
- Wine! Give the lovely bride and groom a bottle of wine for now and if your budget allows it, talk to the wine store owner and purchase a wine that would be great to drink in 10 years. Write a note that reads: Happy 10th Anniversary! Drink me in 2020!
- Spice up your wedding gift. This gift of gourmet and specialty spices would be great for a couple who loves to cook. Even if they don’t, this would give them a boost to spend time together in the kitchen and see what they come up with.
- Many brides want to put together a scrapbook full of her special day but after the big day, life gets in the way. So, give her the gift of memory. Put together pictures of the wedding and when the couple was dating along with the wedding invitation, save the date, menu and leave extra pages for the couple to add to.
Check out these links for more tips and ideas:
Do you have any gift ideas for a tight budget? Share your thoughts in a comment!
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April 14th, 2010
Hope everyone had a wonderful Easter! Now that April is upon us and Earth Day is soon arriving, I thought a ‘go green’ blog entry would be appropriate. Here are some tips for you to live a greener lifestyle.
- Save energy: wash clothes in cold water whenever possible. Use a drying rack or clothesline to save the energy otherwise used by the dryer.
- Save water: take shorter showers and install low-flow showerheads. This can help reduce water and energy costs in the long run.
- Less gas: try to walk or bike instead of taking the car out for every little thing. This cuts back on money and improves your cardiovascular health.
- Eat healthy: buy locally raised fruits, veggies and dairy products whenever you can. Buying from local farmers keeps money in the local economy. So, shop at your nearby farmer’s market.
- Say no to bottled water: Instead of buying bottled water that adds large amounts of container waste, use a reusable water bottle.
There are so many ways that you can help protect our earth and restore it for future generations to come. Start small and make a difference. Here are some links that will give you plenty more tips to be more environmentally conscious and go green!
http://www.worldwatch.org/resources/go_green_save_green
http://www.treehugger.com/gogreen.php
http://www.gogreeninitiative.org/content/WhyGoGreen/
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March 2nd, 2010
Posted By: Faz
If you read my previous blog from the Money Rules series, you’re already aware that my finances were out of hand. Since then I have been trying to manage my money better. It has been tough so far but I have made some progress. My bank account has had a steady balance, I’ve moved on from Ramen noodles to pizza and I have been able to pay most of my bills on my own without having to call my mother.
This is improvement, but I’m still trying to make more than the minimum payment on my credit card bill, make higher payments on my student loans and save some money for a rainy day. It’s tough to get back on track after falling behind; however, baby steps will do it.
At the time of my first blog, I was hesitant to read any sort of bank statement or loan letter I got in the mail until my mom sat me down and made me open them right there in front of her. It was painful for me to see how much of my paycheck was going towards a bill rather than towards something pretty that I can hang in my closet.
Now that I sort of have things going on the right track I always go online and check my balances and see how much my bills are so I know not to spend too much money unnecessarily. It feels good to be in control and not to live in complete anxiety over money. However, I have a long way to go before I feel fully satisfied about my financial situation but baby steps is the way to go for now.
Rule 2: Take Baby Steps. Acquiring full financial independence and freedom right away after a streak of money issues and debt is near impossible. However, taking little steps to recover from the hit is a more realistic way to reach financial stability…eventually.
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February 12th, 2010
Some dread Valentine’s Day while others mark it on their calendars with a heart (awww). It’s traditional for the guy to do something special for his lady but it doesn’t always have to be this way. You can take turns
doing something special for the other or it can even be a joint effort. 
In this economy, going out to eat which is conventionally what many couples do on this special day can cost an arm and a leg. Not only is dinner a part of the celebration, but gifts including cards, stuffed animals, jewelry, candy and other items can add to this list of expenses. Hate to call it expenses but it is what it is regardless of how important she/he is to you or how meaningful your relationship may be.
Celebrating Valentine’s Day does not have to be costly. A gift from the heart can mean much more than your wallet, so here are some cheap, but romantic ideas to get you thinking!
- Make a card and write in it all the memories you shared together with pictures on it.
- Make your significant one his/her favorite meal.
- If you’re musical, write him/her a song or poem.
- Make a CD of his/her favorite songs or songs that has meant something during your relationship.
- Write coupons of free gifts you are willing to provide for that special someone. Ex: free back rub, cook a meal, wash your car, do the dishes, etc.
Tags: Gifts, Valentine's Day
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February 1st, 2010
Posted by: Faz
Recently out of college, working for a financial institution, living on my own and paying my rent/bills makes me what? Responsible? Financially independent? Hardly. Not in my case.
Currently, money management is something I struggle with and not keeping track of my balances has become a bit of a problem. I’m sure many of you out there can relate. Entering the ‘real world’, is not supposed to be easy and I’m finding it out the hard way.
Making mistakes is how we learn. Right? Maybe. Some of us make the same mistakes over and over again and learn nothing from the consequences (cough cough). Eventually when the cost is high enough, a lesson is learned and we try and make some changes for the better.
So far I have spent more than I have in my checking account, gone over my credit limit, failed to pay my bills on time and have been living off of Ramen noodles for quiet some time. Calling my parents every time my balance is low or non-existent is starting to get old. I’m learning that not only do I have to play the part of being an independent person; I have to act it as well.
Therefore, I decided to get a hold on myself and do something about my irresponsible spending and learn to budget my money. Key concept: spend less than what you make. Easy enough. Let’s give this a try, shall we?
I’ll keep you updated on how my wallet is doing in the near future. Stay tuned.
The following two websites have many helpful tips on money management and budgeting which can get you on the right track. Check ‘em out!
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October 27th, 2009
Scams come in all shapes and sizes, so being able to recognize key scamming tactics is important to keep your personal information safe.
Test your skills in detecting and avoiding scam with these trivia games:
(sound will play when you open the games)
Tags: Games, Scams
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October 2nd, 2009
Posted By: Amy
I’m a forgetful person, which is probably why I like to play it safe and make payments to my credit card every time I get a paycheck instead of waiting until my bill comes. So… imagine how happy I was when I got a late payment notice from my store credit card. Besides forgetting that I needed to pay the bill, I forgot that I even made the purchase. (I guess I’ll just admit it now – I don’t follow a budget. I know, I know…)
Anyway, I’ve made it all too easy to forget about my store credit card bill – I don’t use the card every month, I don’t receive a bill in the mail (I get mine by e-mail), and I don’t have any kind of reminders about it set up through any calendar or reminder service.
Now that I’ve officially made a late payment, I’m definitely more careful about not forgetting to make payments. I don’t really want to pay any more late fees or add more negative history to my credit report. I’ve come up with a few different ways to avoid forgetting a payment again:
- Pay off the purchase as soon as possible. Store credit card example: If I go shopping, I take my receipts out and pay the card off as soon as I get home. Regular credit card example: I make regular payments, so I don’t typically do this. However, if I make a large purchase, I will pay off that amount as soon as possible. (I do this so I’m not misled by how much money I actually have.)
- Set reminders. Typically, I’ll use my cell phone to set a reminder to go off at a time that I know I’ll be at home and can make a payment. For people who regularly check their calendar (computer or real), that’s an ideal place to put reminders. If you have online accounts, you can typically set up reminders and choose to receive them by e-mail or text message. E-mailing yourself will also work.
- Follow a budget. Okay, this takes more work to get started on than the first two options, but it has a lot more benefits. And I’ll acknowledge it – If I had been following a budget, I wouldn’t have missed the payment in the first place.
Looking back, these steps seem kind of obvious, but they weren’t something that I consciously thought about before. Hopefully my little blunder will help bring these simple tasks into the forefront so that you can be less forgetful!
If you have any tips for setting reminders or making on-time payments, please share them in a comment below!
Tags: account reminders, making payments
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October 1st, 2009
Welcome to mywhatnext.org! Created by LANCO Federal Credit Union, mywhatnext.org is the place where young adults can get the answers to what’s next in their life.
In plain language, myWhatNext explains…
Money: budgeting, paying bills, managing debt…
Life Events: paying for college, buying a car, renting an apartment…
Credit: credit scores, credit reports, identity theft
Banking: types of accounts, debit cards, loans…
If you have questions about what’s next, ask us! You can…
- Comment on myWhatNext’s blog posts (like this one!)
- Become a fan of myWhatNext on Facebook
- Follow myWhatNext on Twitter
- Leave myWhatNext a comment on YouTube
We look forward to sharing our experiences and insider info to make myWhatNext a valuable source of information.
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