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Show Beaver Press - September 10, 2009 - Pago 4 &Xx> Specialist:^ Off To School With A Smart Start ^ Visits Beaver How can I cut my spending? On Thursday September 3, Answer by: Dean Miner of the 2009 the bikers and escorts of Utah State University Extension the Honor run made .a stop in financial education committee Beaver. This is a coast-to-coast In today's economy, cut- ride that started in Washington backs have become a.way qf D.C. ends in Southern life. Consider these tips to make California. The ride is to raise your dollar stretch. . donations for a Fisher House. • Pay down credit card debt. The Fisher House program is a Interest rates for the safest unique private-public partnerInvestments such as money ship that supports America's milmarkets and certificates of itary in their time of heed. The deposit are currently hovering program recognizes the special near 1 percent. At the same sacrifices of our men and time, rates on credit cards have women in uniform, as well as Jumped to 25 percent or more. the hardships of military service, An extra $100 toward a credit <by meeting a humanitarian need card payment saves you more beyond that normally7 provided than $2 each month. The same by both the Departments of amount in a money market Defense and Veterans Affairs. account earns 12 cents a month. It makes sense to put the money on the credit card, and, there is absolutely no risk involved. • Track your spending. Make sure your"money Is going where you want it to go. Look over your checking, credit card and other records each month to monitor your spending. If you still have money that seems to disappear, The' average person falls use a small notebook for a few asleep in seven minutes. weeks to literally track every dime you spend. A couple of fountain drinks a day can turn out to be more than $3 a day or $700 a year that is flushed away. • Use the step-down approach to help get your spending under control. It is often counter-productive to drastically change or eliminate spending patterns al! at once. Instead, modify your spending a slep at a time until you reach your goal. For example, if'movie night each week is important to your family, try the dollar shows or rent 2 movie once or twice a month io maintain the experience but to save on costs. Or, if a haircut costs $15 each time you go to the barber, consider alternatives. Go less often or go to a barber college to save money. 'J~r' FifsfA Send your kids off to school with a nourishing breakfast. (NAPS)—School days generally mean busy days. And one of the first things neglected is often healthy eating...especially in the morning. Studies show children who eat breakfast perform better in school. How can parents give kids the' fuel they need on a tight schedule? The National Frozen & Refrigerated Foods Association says frozen and refrigerated foods -can provide a convenient and nutritional way to please parents and kids. , Try these great options for breakfast: • Frozen waffles popped in the toaster can be an out-the-door option. • Use yogurts, juices, frozen strawberries and nonfat milk to blend a smoothie your child-can sip on the way to the bus stop. • Top a toasted bagel with peanut butter for a protein-packed breakfast to keep your kid's stomach full until lunchtime. Visit www. Easy Home Meals, com to find more great recipes and important information on frozen and refrigerated foods. Try thi.> tasty recipe with convenient egg .substitutes to kick off (bo morning: Spinach and Cheese Omelet a A cups egg spbstitute *: 1 teaspoon water ':\ % teaspoon salt ;• % teaspoon freshly ground1. pepper % cup loosely packed [, spinach \ 1 plum tomato, chopped : 2 tablespoons shredded : nonfat chetldai* cheese \ Vegetabi'.: cooking spray Whisk eggs, water, salt and pepper together iri a medium bowl. Toss spinach, tomato and cheddar together in a small bowl. Lightly coat omelet pan or small skillet with cooking spray, heat over medium heat 1 minute. Pour egg mixture into pan, cook about 2 minutes or until omelet is set. Lift edge to* let uncooked portion of egg flow underneath. Spread filling over half of omelet; foltl opposite half of omelet over filling. Slide oiaelet onto a serving plate. Serve with frozen fruit. Serves 1. ' Fish can get seasick. '1 mm • Establish a short-term emergency fund for your household. Plan to set aside money each month* until you-'have $500 to $1,000 In an easy-to-access account. The interest you might earn on the account is almost meaningless- But if money from the account keeps you from adding a $600 auto repair bill to your credit card balance, the savings can be significant. • Plan gift giving well in advance. For birthdays, Christmas or anniversaries, you can save substantial amounts of money by taking advantage of sales throughout the year. • Weatherproof your home. Keeping warm air from escaping . through cracks and holes during , the winter and cool air from doing the same during the summer can save money. Visit your local hardware store to get materials and advice if needed. Simple caulking and weather stripping can reduce energy costs by more than 10 percent. L'*&- These tips and more can be found at www.utahsaves.org. Utah Saves is a statewide campaign designed to improve household money management. I / ^& T A fingernail or toeneit takes about six monthu to grow from base to tip. .A,-. 1 for Ml your Printing &&eds, CornsflfeIfte T i l IBe (Beaver (Press We Specialize in (Business forms Cards flyers -. . Posters • Mil Types of Advertising '•'•'• Checkout our low 7 . everyday prices Before , you top^elsewhere. •THE SIGURD T O RED BUTTS PROJECT IS A N BNVESTMENT IN OUR FUTURE." It has been more than two decades since major transmission, lines were built in.pur region. Mote are needed not only to meet current energy demands, but also to provide the power our children and grandchildren wjll need in the not too distant future. The Sigurd to Red Butte project will provide those critical transmission lines that will power our lives and will stimulate "jobs and new communities. So it's much more than a power tine, it's a lifeline for today and to the'Tiitiire. To learn more abpul the Sigurd t o Red $ u t t e project, visit us at rockymountaJhpower.net/transrtiissfon. •• 1 >y; 1 ".V\:\V '.--'• ' < M ', '! / .' , . ' / ' • / , \-! ;, • v i ^ ^ ROCKY MOUNTAIN ' • : ' Let's turn the answers on. |