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Balancing Your Family’s Finances

Posted on by mjsaxton@ksu.edu

Much of life carries some sort of risk, from natural disasters to vehicle accidents and global pandemics. Most risk also carries with it an impact on financial health.

When the consumer thinks about their finances and risk management, there are four ways to think about it.  Each involves taking stock in your own financial comfort level.

Avoid the risk – In some cases you may decide not to own items or participate in activities that could expose you to financial loss.

Retain the risk – It’s impossible to avoid all risks, so in some cases you may decide to cover any financial loss yourself. For example, if you own an older vehicle and decide not to maintain collision insurance, you retain the risk that you will have to pay to have the vehicle fixed if you are in an accident.

Reduce the risk – Taking steps to control or reduce the size or frequency of a financial loss is a way to reduce risk.  For example, by locking the doors of your house, you reduce the risk of theft in your home.

Transfer the risk – When you pay someone else to cover a financial loss you are transferring or sharing the risk. For example, buying insurance to cover losses.

Having at least some cash set aside for an emergency is good.  Depending on your situation that might be a relatively small amount or it might be more. Every dollar that you have in your emergency fund is a dollar that you don’t have to borrow from friends or family members or put on a credit card when something unexpected happens.

By: Brenda Langdon

Holiday Horticulture K-State Garden Hour

Posted on by mjsaxton@ksu.edu

On Wednesday, December 2, I will be hosting K-State Garden Hour talking about Holiday Plants. The webinar will be held over the noon hour, answering all your holiday plant questions. We will discuss popular plants such as poinsettias, amaryllis, and holiday cactus. Please join us for this fun and festive webinar. Use the link below to register!

https://ksu.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_KtRNpyt3Rcqk40QQOjeM-w

By: Cassie Homan

Crustless Pumpkin Pie

Posted on by mjsaxton@ksu.edu

Ingredients:

  • 4 eggs, cracked and shelled
  • 15 ounces canned pumpkin
  • 8 ounces evaporated skim milk
  • 1/3 cup sugar
  • 1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • ½ teaspoon salt

Instructions:

  1. Wash hands with soap and water for 20 seconds.
  2. Heat oven to 400° F. Spray a pie pan with nonstick cooking spray.
  3. Add the eggs to a mixing bowl and beat together.
  4. Add the remaining ingredients to the eggs and mix until smooth.
  5. Pour into the pie pan and bake for 15 minutes.
  6. Turn oven down to 325°F and bake for 30 minutes until pie is set.

*Pie is set when toothpick or knife comes out clean.

Nutrition Facts: Serving Size: 1/8 recipe.  Total Calories: 130g, Total Fat: 5g, Saturated Fat: 2g, Sodium: 210mg, Total Carbohydrate: 16g, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 13g, Protein: 6g.

Recipe Source: Eat Smart, Move More Virginia Cooperative Extension

By: Ashley Svaty

Winter Safety Tips

Posted on by mjsaxton@ksu.edu

As the temperature starts to fall and the winter months are ahead, here are some things to consider before getting on the road.

  • Check what the weather outlook is along your route.
  • Be sure to let someone know where you are going, what route you are taking and what time you’re planning to arrive.
  • You may not be able to get a cell signal should you become stranded, so it’s important to have that backup in place before you get on the road.
  • Get your car ready for the winter by checking the tread on the tires.
  • Top off fluids, switch your windshield fluid from bug removal to something more tolerant of cold temperatures.
  • Check your antifreeze levels so that you have enough for colder conditions.
  • Replace windshield wipers.
  • Build a winter weather emergency kit and put it in an easily accessible part of the car such as the backseat.

By: Brenda Langdon

Seasonal Affective Disorder

Posted on by mjsaxton@ksu.edu

What is seasonal affective disorder?

According to the National Institutes of Mental Health, people may start to feel “down” when the days begin to get shorter in the fall and winter and begin to feel better in the spring with longer daylight hours. In some cases, these mood changes can become more serious and affect how a person feels, thinks and handles daily activities. If you have noticed significant changes in your mood and behavior when the seasons change, you may be suffering from seasonal affective disorder (SAD), a type of depression.

What are signs and symptoms of SAD?

SAD is not considered a separate disorder but is a type of depression characterized by its recurrent seasonal pattern, with symptoms lasting 4 to 5 months. Not every person with seasonal affective disorder will experience all of the symptoms listed below:

  • Feeling depressed most of the day, nearly every day
  • Losing interest in activities you once enjoyed
  • Experiencing changes in appetite or weight
  • Feeling sluggish and agitated
  • Having low energy
  • Feeling hopeless and worthless
  • Having difficulty concentrating
  • Having frequent thoughts of death or suicide
  • Oversleeping (specific to winter-pattern SAD)
  • Overeating, particularly craving carbohydrates (specific to winter-pattern SAD)
  • Social withdrawal (specific to winter-pattern SAD)

What causes SAD?

According to the National Institute of Mental Health, scientists do not fully understand what causes SAD, but research indicates that people with SAD may have reduced activity of serotonin, which helps regulate mood. Research also suggests that sunlight controls levels of molecules that help maintain serotonin levels. For individuals with SAD, this regulation does not function properly, resulting in lower levels of serotonin in the winter. A deficit in Vitamin D may also play a role in Seasonal Affective Disorder because Vitamin D is believed to promote serotonin activity.

How is SAD treated?

Treatments available to help individuals with Seasonal Affective Disorder include: light therapy, vitamin D, psychotherapy and antidepressant medications. If several of the signs and symptoms listed above apply to you, it is important for you to see your doctor so you can feel better.

If you or someone you know is in immediate distress or is thinking about hurting themselves, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline toll free at 1-800-273-TALK (8255) or text the crisis text line (HELLO to 741741).

For more information, please visit the source of this article: https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/publications/seasonal-affective-disorder/index.shtml

By: Ashley Svaty

 

Bonding Through Board Games

Posted on by mjsaxton@ksu.edu

As you spend time with family in unique ways this holiday season, board games are a great way to focus on connecting and have some fun!

Spending time playing board games as a family tradition help develop the six traits of strong families. You can learn more about these traits through the University of Nebraska’s extension service – Family Treasures: Creating Strong Families.

  • Carving out time for each other.
  • Appreciation.
  • Communication.
  • Shared values.
  • Resiliency in times of crisis.
  • Commitment to each other.

To learn more about the value board games bring to the family, or to spark some ideas of games worth trying out, check out K-State Research and Extension’s bookstore:

By: Nora Rhoades

Choosing the Perfect Christmas Tree

Posted on by mjsaxton@ksu.edu

Fresh cut Christmas Trees are a perfect decoration for the holidays. If you are planning to purchase one remember these tips;

If selecting a cut tree, watch for these signs that the tree is too far gone.

  • Needles are a dull, grayish-green color
  • Needles fail to ooze pitch when broken apart and squeezed
  • Needles feel stiff and brittle
  • Needles pull easily off tree

Once you have your tree home, recut the trunk about one inch above the original cut. This will open up clogged, water-conducting tissues. Immediately place the trunk in warm water.

Locate the tree in as cool a spot as possible. Avoid areas near fireplaces, wood-burning stoves and heat ducts as the heat will result in excess water loss. Make sure the reservoir stays filled. If the reservoir loses enough water that the bottom of the trunk is exposed, the trunk will need to be recut. Adding aspirins, copper pennies, soda pop, sugar and bleach to the water reservoir have not been shown to prolong the life of a tree.

By: Cassie Homan