Saving for a last-minute summer getaway
As your friends are off on vacation, you may be wondering how you can afford a last-minute summer getaway, too. If you start saving today and make minimal adjustments to your lifestyle, you can afford a getaway by Labor Day.
Step 1- Figure out your goal & save automatically. If you save $5 a day from now until Labor Day, you can save $300 towards your weekend getaway. Double-that and you’ll have over $600 towards your vacation. By joining America Saves, you can utilize the America Saves My Savings Tracker for free to record deposits and monitor your progress towards your vacation. Have a portion of your paycheck transferred automatically from your checking to savings account.
Step 2 – Find ways to cut back for even more savings. Saving $5 or $10 daily seems like a difficult task, but it’s easy when you examine where your money is currently going. Without a budget and savings plan, we all have a tendency to overspend. Here are quick ways to add more to your savings:
- Bring your lunch, snacks, and beverages from home. Avoiding to-go lunches and vending machines can easily save you $5-10 each day.
- Institute a “no spend” day or take a moratorium on buying non-essentials like books or the latest fashions.
- Sell gently used clothing, electronics, and other items through local consignment stores, online, or by hosting a garage sale. It’s a great way to de-clutter and add to your savings.
- Cancel cable and other non-essential subscription services for the summer. Check out your local library for free books and DVDs.
Step 3 – Save even more on your Labor Day getaway. One of the benefits of last-minute travel is the potential to score good deals. Check out a guidebook for your vacation destination for low-budget recommendations for food, activities, and accommodations. For further savings:
- Bring your own meals, snacks and drinks for the car ride rather than relying on fast food. Eat at low-budget restaurants whenever possible.
- Choose a place to stay that has a kitchen, so you don’t have to go out to eat as often.
- Check out online travel websites to book discounted flights and hotel rooms.
- Ask for discounts! If you’re a student or in the military, discounts are available pretty much anywhere. Many hotels also offer discounts to AAA members or government employees.
Source: America Saves “Kick Start Your Savings” campaign
“Knowledge for Life” provided by the Finney County Extension Office and K-State Research and Extension.
Subscribe to the comments for this postRaw milk responsible for illness outbreak
While the repeated message from food safety experts is to avoid drinking raw milk, many consumers continue to choose unpasteurized milk with the notion that it is more “healthy.” Now, unpasteurized milk has been identified as the cause of illness again, this time in Colorado.
Lab tests performed by the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment have confirmed that raw milk from Longmont’s Billy Goat Dairy is responsible for an outbreak of bacterial illnesses in Boulder County.
Samples of the dairy’s unpasteurized milk tested positive for the strains of Campylobacter and E. coli that have now sickened 30 people, including two children who are hospitalized.
On June 29, the Boulder County Department of Public Health ordered the dairy to stop distributing milk to the 43 households that participate in the farm’s “goat-sharing program” until the dairy addressed a list of the department’s concerns, which include how quickly the milk is cooled after milking and how equipment is sanitized.
But even after the dairy complies with all the county’s requests, Boulder County Public Health cannot guarantee the safety of drinking raw milk, according to Chana Goussetis, department spokeswoman.
“Our main message, over and over, is that no matter what, there’s no way to ensure that unpasteurized milk is safe,” she said.
“Knowledge for Life” provided by the Finney County Extension Office and K-State Research and Extension.
A minty-fresh garden herb!
Mint is used throughout the world to flavor everything from lamb to candy. It’s also a great garnish and breath freshener. Spearmint is the variety you’re most likely to encounter in markets, and it’s the best choice for savory dishes. Peppermint has a stronger flavor and is best suited to dessert recipes. Used dried mint only in a pinch–it’s not nearly as flavorful as fresh.
Mint is a rapidly-growing perennial herb with many varieties that grow up to 3 feet tall and are quite invasive. It is best planted in containers or where roots are confined due to its aggressive growth habits. Mint spreads quickly in open garden areas and will out-compete most garden plants.
Fresh leaves may be harvested throughout the growing season once the plants reach 3 to 4 inches tall. Use a sharp knife or scissors to remove leaves and stems. The youngest, most tender leaves and stems are the most flavorful. Cut the stems to within 1 inch of the soil, picking late in the morning on dry and sunny days. Fresh mint may be stored up to a week in water in the refrigerator.
If allowed to bloom, the oil content in the leaves decreases and is less flavorful. Pinch the blossoms back as they show or simply cut back the plants to within 1 inch of the soil two to three times a year. It is very difficult to over-prune a mint plant. Before winter, cut each plant back to the ground to discourage pests and diseases.
Fresh Mint Syrup- Use fresh garden mint to make this delicious treat!
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup chopped fresh mint leaves
Combine sugar and water in a saucepan. Heat to boiling and stir until sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat and add mint leaves. Let steep for at least 30 minutes. Strain out leaves and chill. Will keep several weeks in a sealed container in the refrigerator. Drizzle over cantaloupe or fresh fruit salad or stir into tea, lemonade or other beverages.
“Knowledge for Life” provided by the Finney County Extension Office and K-State Research and Extension.
Avoiding summer spending temptations
As the temperature heats up, so does the temptation to spend. Between vacations and nights out with friends, summer can be fraught with expenses. Saving money and enjoying your summer can be synonymous. Take advantage of the following savings tips to inexpensively enjoy your summer:
Temptation # 1 – What am I going to wear?
• Rather than purchase a new summer wardrobe, host a clothing swap with your friends, family, and neighbors. Everyone can get “new to them” accessories and clothing without having to spend a dime.
Temptation # 2 – What am I going to do for fun this summer?
• Don’t spend your savings to see the summer blockbusters. Consider hitting cheaper matinees or borrowing recent flicks for free from the library.
• Look for free festivals or outdoor concerts in your area. Check newspapers, bulletin boards, your local library and search engines (type “free events” and the name of your city). Don’t forget to take advantage of the fun at the Finney County Fair!
• Network shows are on vacation for the summer, so take a break from the TV! Cancel cable for the summer and add the savings to your bank account.
• Be a tourist in your own city. Check out local museums, boutiques and art galleries. Spend a day at the Zoo or the Big Pool in Garden City.
Temptation # 3 – Where are we going to eat?
• Host a BBQ or potluck rather than go out to eat. With each guest responsible for a side-dish and their own beverage, you can enjoy the weather and company without sacrificing your pocketbook.
Make sure to bank your savings! Track your progress towards a savings goal by becoming an American Saver. You can utilize the America Saves My Savings Tracker for free to record deposits and monitor your progress.
Source: America Saves “Kick Start Your Savings” campaign
“Knowledge for Life” provided by the Finney County Extension Office and K-State Research and Extension.
Old-fashioned canning methods are unsafe
An important announcement about home canning of green beans from the National Center for Home Food Preservation at the University of Georgia:
“People who are still canning green beans at home using the boiling water canner instead of a tested pressure canning process are risking food loss and even worse, possible death or serious poisoning. We are receiving phone calls from people canning dozens and dozens of jars of green beans in boiling water and then losing all that work and food due to spoilage. Beans canned this way looked fine coming out of the canner, but are now turning cloudy and jars are popping open, even sometimes with force. These beans are definitely spoiling from being underprocessed. But it could be worse: even if the jars still look good, it is possible that they contain botulism toxin from this unsafe canning practice.”
Jars of improperly canned vegetables and meats can contain the deadly botulism toxin without showing signs of spoilage such as being seen in the reports mentioned above. Those that do show signs of spoilage could also contain botulism toxin because they are showing other signs of underprocessing.
Battling botulism
Spores of Clostridium botulinum bacteria, as found naturally in soils, are very, very heat resistant. It takes the higher temperatures reached in pressure canning (240 degrees and above) to kill the spores. Even hours in the boiling water canner (at boiling temperatures of 212 degrees) will not kill them if they are inside your jars of beans. Left alive after canning, they will eventually germinate into actively growing bacterial cells that will produce a deadly human toxin. The bacteria are anaerobic, which means they thrive in the non-oxygen conditions inside closed jars of improperly canned low-acid foods (such as vegetables and meats) sitting at room temperature, so they must be killed during the pressure canning process for safe storage.
Current canning guidelines
You can find the USDA-recommended procedures for canning green beans at home here: http://www.uga.edu/nchfp/how/can_04/beans_snap_italian.html
The list of canning processes for other vegetables is found at this menu:
http://www.uga.edu/nchfp/how/can4_vegetable.html
and those for tomato and tomato products here:
http://www.uga.edu/nchfp/how/can3_tomato.html
You can read more about botulism and ensuring safe home canned foods here: http://www.uga.edu/nchfp/how/general/ensuring_safe_canned_foods.html
and principles about safe canning at home here: http://www.uga.edu/nchfp/how/general.html
Be safe with up-to-date home canning
Please be safe when canning foods for you and your family! Knowledge and recommendations change over time with new scientific developments. You must use up-to-date recommendations and methods and not just rely on practices of past generations.
For more food preservation information from K-State Research and Extension, see http://www.rrc.ksu.edu/DesktopDefault.aspx?tabid=18 or call me at the Finney County Extension Office, 620-272-3670.