Author: Chandra DeRamus
Major Program: Financial Education - General
Success Story | December 2021Chandra DeRamus“Preparing Families for Holiday Spending thru the Use of Technology & Videos” During the year, families are very interested in spending time with loved one for the holiday to make memories that will last a lifetime. In the wake of the covid-19 pandemic, some families are still finding it hard to develop a way to spend time with each other and make it more affordable to celebrate and enjoy their holiday meals. In Hardin County
Author: Deborah Shepherd
Small Appliance WorkshopNew, trendy small appliances seem to be coming out on the market at a rapid rate. These are often marketed to consumers to save time, money and energy. These products are often purchased without being fully researched and the consumer is left with a new machine that they do not know how to properly use. This contributes to money invested in a product that is not being used and space that is now being occupied by bulky boxes. In an effort to educate consumers about ne
Author: Kelly May
The Scam Red Flags and Avoiding Fraud lesson was the first to be released in a series of three fraud lessons intended for use by homemaker clubs as well as Family and Consumer Science agents. The lesson is starting to see some use, and early evaluation reports show it has met with success.Federal sources of fraud reporting show that fraud can happen to anyone. According to July 2020 data from the Federal Trade Commission’s Consumer Sentinel Network, fraud is more often reported by those ag
Author: Nichole Huff
According to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), identity theft and imposter scams accounted for the largest categories of fraud reports in Kentucky and across the United States during 2021. Credit card fraud was among the highest categories of identity theft reported nationwide. The FTC received 26,065 fraud reports in Kentucky during 2021, resulting in an estimated $31.3 million dollars loss for Kentuckians. To address these issues, a three-week webinar series on retirement planning was h
Research suggests that more than 50% of Americans think estate planning is important, but only 33% have a will. For the nearly 70% of Americans without a written will, many indicate they do not believe they have enough assets to leave behind anything of worth. Even when formal estate plans are in place for titled property such as houses, land, or insurance policies, often overlooked are all the non-titled property that make up the bulk of a person’s estate. From clutter in the closets to c
The COVID-19 pandemic disrupted work-life balance across the country. The Bureau of Labor Statics reported that the percentage of Americans working from home increased from 22% in 2019 to 42% in 2020. Additionally, research estimates the average workday is up from 8 hours to 9.2 hours due to changes in work environments brought about by pandemic-related demands. Some two years later, employees continue to work remote, hybrid, and/or extended schedules. The result? Employee burnout and “the
Author: Tiffany Bolinger
Finances can be a major life stressor that effects personal and family health and well-being. Consider the added financial stressors because of a global pandemic and it is easy to see how tensions are reaching new heights. Money Sense for Women (MSFW) is a free financial forum, offered through a partnership between the Christian County Cooperative Extension Service and other community entities. After taking 2020 off, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the 14th Annual MSFW Forum was held in August wit
Author: Rachel Hance
4-H aims to engage youth through hands-on experiences in order to build life skills. The 4-H It’s Your Reality (Reality Store) Curriculum focuses on engaging teens in real life budgeting scenarios. Each student is given an occupation with a salary, determine if they have a spouse, their spouse’s career, and how many children they have. In the orientation, they learn about the importance of taxes and how to deduct those from their household income. Students then have the
Author: Leslie Workman
Productivity allows us to make progress on and complete necessary tasks. However, due to timeconstraints, competing responsibilities, stressors, and personal tendencies such as procrastination,we often are not as productive as we would like to be. To enhance productivity skills within the localcommunity and assist individuals in learning strategies to maximize their time and output, especiallyin the workplace, the University of Kentucky Cooperative Extension Service developed the TimeWell Spent:
According to an article published by the National Association of Students Financial Aid Administrators (NASFAA), most incoming college students struggle to answer basic financial literacy questions. For young adults entering college or the workforce, having basic financial literacy is vital to their future financial success.In 2020, Money Sense for Graduates was developed as a collaborative effort between the Christian County Family & Consumer Sciences agent, a planning committee, and local
Author: Natalie Taul
Financial education programs often highlight financial literacy skills such as budgeting and managing credit card debt; however, these skills do not tap into the emotional and practical issues that cause people to react irrationally with money. Financial decisions are most often motivated by emotional need as opposed to logical knowledge. To address this concern, the Grayson County Cooperative Extension Service utilized the Money Habitudes program to emphasize the importance of developing a heal
Author: Linda Brown-Price
A three-week series on learning the basics of computers, beginning September 16,23, and 30th from 6-7:30 taught by the Kenton County Kentucky State Area Agent for Family Consumer Sciences. Collaboration with the Kentucky State 4-H Tech Changemakers grant along with High School Senior Tech Changemakers, Maggie assisted with instruction. Topics covered included email, utilizing Open Office to practice word processing (letters, cards Lists, etc.) basic Windows op
An estate planning online seminar for farmers in Kenton County on January 27, 2022, in conjunction with the Kenton County Agriculture Agent and a local estate planning attorney was conducted. Response was small but the mother and daughter were able to ask pertinent questions and began to make financial decisions based on their circumstances. They gained knowledge needed to obtain assistance from a financial planner.Family-owned farms and ranches are often “asset-rich and cash-p
Financial education programs often highlight financial literacy skills such as budgeting and managing credit card debt; however, these skills do not tap into the emotional and practical issues that cause people to react irrationally with money. Financial decisions are most often motivated by emotional need as opposed to logical knowledge. To address this concern, the Christian County Cooperative Extension Service utilized the Money Habitudes program to emphasize the importance of developing a he
Author: Diane Mason
According to Tufts University Health and Nutrition Letter, increasing the preparation of meals cooked at home can help reduce an individual’s sodium intake. Many of the new kitchen appliances on the market can aid in ease of meal preparation and also provide a nutritional boost. Web MD shares that by most measures, air frying is healthier than frying in oil, as it can cut calories by up to 80% and contain less fat. Penn State Cooperative Extension shares that meals made at home in a slow c
Author: Kayla Watts
The holidays are often an exciting time of the year. However, holiday expenses, planning holiday meals, and ever-changing family dynamics can make the season stressful. To assist individuals in understanding and responding to holiday stress, the Quicksand Area (Breathitt, Lee, Wolfe, Knott, Letcher, Leslie, and Perry counties) Family and Consumer Science Agents hosted the Holiday Road Show: Family Traditions Across the Life Span program. Emphasis was placed on ma
Author: Jill Harris
Using materials developed by UK Family & Consumer Sciences Extension during the COVID-19 pandemic, the Todd County Extension Agent for FCS taught Use Less, Spend Less, Stress Less to Extension Homemaker members in 9 counties in the Pennyrile Area. The goal of the program was to encourage homemakers to become more mindful consumers and stretch their resources, finances, and relationships. Extension Homemakers were given a Use Less, Spend Wise Challenge and asked to complete 16 ac
Author: Crystal Osborne
Holidays are often an exciting time of the year. However, holiday expenses, planning holiday meals, and ever-changing families can make the holidays stressful. Learning how to maintain family traditions can be challenging, so the Quicksand Area Family and Consumer Sciences Agents decided to host the Holiday Road Show: Family Tradition Across the Life Course program for the Homemakers. Emphasis was placed on maintaining family traditions and lowering financial stress. Each agent demonstrate
