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Category: September 2022

Tips To Save Money On Your Energy Bill

Posted on by djbechard

As rising costs continue to hit Americans’ pocketbooks, some common-sense measures can help homeowners save on their energy bill.  A good place to start is knowing what your costs are, and also monitoring how much you use those household items that are major energy draws, including:

  • Air conditioner
  • Stove and oven
  • Incandescent lights
  • Televisions
  • Furnace (during the winter)

The geographical location of the home also has an impact on the energy bill. In a rural area, your house will be isolated, which allows it to be more affected by the environment. In an urban area you are more protected and, if you live in an apartment, you can benefit from the floor above or beneath you.

Tips to help save energy and money include:

  • Keep items that draw electricity turned off as long as possible.
  • Use automatic settings to turn appliances on and off.
  • Install LED lights instead of incandescent.
  • Turn the lights off when not using them.
  • Use fans to circulate cool air.
  • Install and use a programmable thermostat.
  • Install insulation or weather-stripping around doors and windows.

By: Brenda Langdon

Back to School Food Safety

Posted on by djbechard

Today’s lunch bags are made with a high tech material that kids can use to keep their food cold so they can have a safe lunch when they’re ready to eat it.

The insulated versions will keep food cool for about four hours depending on the bag, though packing the bag with ice packs or frozen foods is important in determining how cold the food will be.

It’s best to have at least two frozen packs in the bag.  Ice packs come in many different sizes so they easily fit the lunch bag you use. Or you can freeze juice boxes beforehand, place them in the bag, and they’ll be mostly thawed out when you’re ready to use them.

Place the frozen pack or juice box directly next to the item that needs to be kept cold – such as a meat sandwich with cheese. Chips and most whole fruit don’t require refrigeration while some vegetables may need to be kept cool. Ask the school if they have a refrigerator for lunch bags to help keep food cold.

Parents should plan their children’s menu when shopping each week and prepare as much of the lunch the night before as possible. Getting kids involved with choosing foods will make them more likely to eat them. Rinse fresh fruit and vegetables with water and prepare any fruits and vegetables so they are ready to eat.

To encourage food safety, put a note in their lunch bag to remind children to wash their hands before eating – 20 seconds with warm, soapy water – and pack disposable wipes in the lunch bag as an extra food safety step.

By: Brenda Langdon

Suicide Prevention Month

Posted on by djbechard

September is Suicide Prevention Month.  Research shows that the majority of those who attempt suicide give some warning signs – verbal, written or behavioral.  These warning signs are often sent during the weeks preceding an attempt.

Suicide is the most complex and difficult to understand of all human behavior.  Yet, suicidal people are just like you and me. They have problems; we have problems.  The difference is that, for the moment, we feel we can handle our problems rather than feeling overwhelmed by them.

What can we do to prevent youth suicide?

If I am a teen, I can . . .

  • Encourage my friends that getting help for life’s ups and downs is the ok thing to do.
  • Share stories about times getting help has worked.
  • Break the stigma by encouraging discussion of mental wellness.

If I am a parent I can . . .

  • Be willing to listen without judgement.
  • Be the one to help your child seek mental and physical health care when needed.
  • Store my firearms and prescription/over the counter medications safely at home to reduce the likelihood they will be used in a suicide crisis.

If I am a community member I can . . .

  • Be willing to listen without judgement.
  • Make resources for safe storage or disposal of means for suicide available (trigger locks, prescription take back initiatives).
  • Practice good self-care: share coping mechanisms with those around you, tell stories of seeking help and gaining recovery.

If I am a school employee I can . . .

  • Be willing to listen without judgement.
  • Promote the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline (1-800-273-8255) in consistent ways throughout the school year such as printing the number on student ID cards.
  • Social emotional learning initiatives that focus on building social skills especially problem-solving skills are effective upstream efforts to reduce suicide and other risky behaviors in students.

By: Brenda Langdon

Family and Community Wellness Extension Agent – Now Hiring

Posted on by djbechard

Lead dynamic individual, family, and community wellness Extension programs in Post Rock District! K-State Research and Extension is hiring an Extension Agent to serve Post Rock District! Family and Community Wellness Extension Agent will have a primary office in Lincoln, KS with other offices in Beloit, Mankato, Osborne, & Smith Center. See www.ksre.ksu.edu/jobs for responsibilities, qualifications, and application procedure. Application deadline: 9/14/22. K-State Research and Extension is an EOE of individuals with disabilities and protected veterans. Background check required.

Family and Community Wellness Extension Agent Position Description
Application procedure and details: www.ksre.ksu.edu/jobs

Are You on Track to Retire?

Posted on by djbechard

Most Americans aren’t saving enough for retirement. According to the National Institute on Retirement Security, more than 75% of Americans have retirement savings that fall short of what are considered “conservative” savings targets. Further, 21% aren’t saving/investing at all.

How much money you need to save/invest depends largely on your goals, health, and lifestyle.  Financial experts recommend that you save 15% of your income every year starting at age 25 . That would put you in a good position to retire by the age of 67.  Keep in mind that you will be earning interest on your contributions.

Don’t be discouraged if you cannot afford to set aside a full 15% of  income for retirement. Remember investing any amount for retirement positions you to benefit from compounding interest as soon as possible. Time is your most powerful ally for retirement savings. Enrolling with your employer’s retirement plan is one of the best ways to start saving for retirement. If your employer offers a match, take advantage of that! You can slowly increase your contributions so you can get the full match to maximize your savings, because that’s free money!

If your employer does not offer retirement savings options then you can open your own Individual Retirement Account (IRA) with your bank/credit union or other low-cost provider. Even if you feel like you’re behind with your retirement savings, there are always ways to catch up and save a bit more.

By: Brenda Langdon