Focus on Families. From the phone of Peggy Nordgren. Inside this issue. Volume 16, No. 1

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1 Volume 16, No. 1 February/March 2016 Focus on Families Inside this issue Credit Reports... p. 2 Physical Activity 10 Tips... p. 3 Celebrations 10 Tips... p. 4 Tax Credits... p. 5 Strong Bones Program... p. 6 Financial Coaching... Back Cover For more information about family living issues, visit our website: taylor.uwex.edu or contact Peggy Nordgren, Family Living Agent ext. 3 peggy.nordgren@ces.uwex.edu Editor: Peggy Nordgren Taylor County Family Living Agent From the phone of Peggy Nordgren Recently I received a couple of phone calls from people wondering why their food spoiled when they put leftovers in the garage or a cold room in the house to store it. Three concepts are important to understand when storing food safely: 1. Food must be stored at 40 F or below to be kept safely. For long term storage, it should be frozen at 0 or below. Otherwise, most Salmonella, a foodborne pathogen, as seen under a microscope. food will spoil. The question I asked the callers was how cold was your storage area? 2. A large pot of food should be divided into smaller containers to keep the food safe. This allows for faster cooling. Cold cannot penetrate a large container quickly enough to keep food from spoiling, even at 40 F. 3. Letting food cool off on the counter before refrigeration is neither safe nor necessary. Foodborne pathogens, the organisms that cause foodborne illnesses, thrive at room temperatures, so leftover food should be put in shallow containers and placed in the refrigerator immediately. For more information about food safety, visit foodsafety.wisc.edu Layout & Design: Cathy Mauer Program Assistant University of Wisconsin, U.S. Department of Agriculture and Wisconsin counties cooperating. An EEO/AA employer, University of Wisconsin- Extension provides equal opportunities in employment and programming, including Title IX and American with Disabilities (ADA) requirements. This document can be provided in an alternative format by calling UW-Extension, Taylor County at or 711 for Wisconsin Relay.

2 Want to see your free credit report? UW-Extension campaign makes it easy Check Your Free Credit Report Campaign: 2/2, 6/6, 10/10 registers hundreds The Federal Trade Commission reports that only one out of every three Wisconsin adults checks their free credit report each year making Wisconsin the sixth lowest of all the states for people checking their credit reports. The University of Wisconsin-Extension s Check Your Free Credit Report: 2/2, 6/6, 10/10 campaign wants to turn those numbers around by making it easier to remember to order your free credit report. Federal law gives everyone the right to request three free credit reports each year from AnnualCreditReport.com one from each of the three credit bureaus: Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion. There are three ways to order your free credit report: through the mail, by phone toll free; or at the official website AnnualCreditReport.com. Ordering a free credit report is relatively easy and takes most people less than five minutes, says Peggy Nordgren, UW-Extension Professor and Family Living Agent. What s not so easy is actually remembering to order your reports and keeping an eye on your credit worthiness throughout the year. Anyone can sign up to receive an reminder from UW-Extension three times a year on 2/2, 6/6, and 10/10 on the campaign s website at fyi.uwex.edu/creditreport. While you can order all three reports at the same time, Nordgren recommends that you view one report every four months so you can be sure the information is up-to-date and accurate year round. More than 500 individuals have already signed up for an reminder since the campaign started in According to a 2015 UW-Extension survey, four out of five people ordered their free credit report after receiving a reminder and reported that everything looked fine. Unfortunately, seven percent found an error and needed to contact a credit bureau or creditor to correct it. The UW-Extension survey also asked those receiving reminders about their knowledge of credit reports. While almost half reported they know how information gets on to their report, another forty percent said they know little to nothing about how long information stays on the report. Negative information, such as a late credit payment, will stay on your credit report for seven years and can lead to a lower credit score, says Nordgren. Some negative credit events, including certain bankruptcies and unpaid judgments, can stay on a credit report for more than ten years. It is completely up to each individual to look over his or her own credit report for old information that should be removed, common mistakes, or signs of identity theft, says Nordgren. Sometimes wrong information is a simple data entry error, and other times, it could be a sign of fraud. Better to discover an error yourself then to have your creditor, insurance company, or employer find it first. In addition to reminders, the UW-Extension 2/2, 6/6, 10/10 website, creditreport, provides information and website links for ordering, reading, and understanding credit reports. The campaign s website has additional information on how long different types of credit information can stay on a report and steps you can take to increase your credit score. For more information on credit reports and other information on managing finances, contact the Taylor County UW-Extension Office. Nordgren will provide individual teaching on how to manage family finances. Call February/March 2016 Focus on Families Taylor County UW-Extension 2

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6 STRONG BONES PROGRAM IMPROVE YOUR PHYSICAL & MENTAL HEALTH: Flexibility Improve Arthritis Symptoms Strength Reduce Falls Better Sleep Improve Bone Density Improve Mood More Energy AN EVIDENCE-BASED STRENGTH TRAINING PROGRAM FOR ALL AGES, 18-90, MEN & WOMEN ~ Special emphasis on 40 years of age and older ~ Each class will include progressive strength training, flexibility, and balance activities CLASS SCHEDULES Classes start the week of March 28 and run for 9 weeks. Multipurpose Room at the Fairgrounds-Medford Mon & Wed: 8:30-9:30 a.m. or 4:15-5:15 p.m. Tues & Thurs: 5:15-6:15p.m. Goodrich Town Hall Mon & Wed: 9-10 a.m. (Register for the above locations: UW-Extension Office, ) Gilman County Building Tues & Thurs: 9-10 a.m. (Register: Sue Breneman, ) Rib Lake Senior Center Tues & Thurs: 8:30-9:30 am and 4:30-5:30 p.m. (Register: Arlene Judnic, ) For more information, contact Peggy Nordgren, UW-Extension Funding through the Security Health Plan Contributable Charities Program. Taylor County Health Department "An EEO/AA employer, University of Wisconsin Extension provides equal opportunities in employment and programming, including Title IX and ADA requirements. Please make requests for reasonable accommodations to ensure equal access to educational programs as early as possible preceding the scheduled program, service or activity." Telephone: February/March 2016 Focus on Families Taylor County UW-Extension 6

7 PART A: REPEAT PARTICIPANT REGISTRATION INFORMATION FOR THE STRONG BONES PROGRAM FROM TUFTS UNIVERSITY Name: Address: Phone Number: address, if available: Date of Birth: Age: Program Site/Time: Medford, Multipurpose Building, Fairgrounds MW 8:30 a.m. MW 4:15 p.m. TTh 5:15 p.m. Goodrich Town Hall MW 9:00 a.m. Rib Lake Senior Site TTh 8:30 a.m. Gilman County Building TTh 9:00 a.m. TTh 4:30 p.m. Start Date: Week of March 28, 2016 End Date: Week of May 23, 2016 In case of emergency, please call: Name: Relationship: Phone Number: Has there been any change in your health since the end of your previous StrongWomen, Strong Bones program that instructors should know about? Are you currently 70 years old or older? Yes No Make $15.00 check payable to: Taylor County Health Dept. Mail to: Strong Women Strong Bones Program Taylor County UW-Extension 925 Donald St Room 103 Medford WI OFFICE USE ONLY Payment Information: Rec d Date Ck # Cash Amount $ Questions? Call Peggy Nordgren December 2015 University of Wisconsin, U. S. Department of Agriculture and Wisconsin counties cooperating. UW- Extension provides equal opportunities in employment and programming including Title IX and ADA. February/March 2016 Focus on Families Taylor County UW-Extension 7

8 Taylor County UW-Extension County USDA Service Center 925 Donald Street Room 103 Medford WI Postage & Fees Paid Non-Profit Medford, WI Permit No. 196 CURRENT RESIDENT OR If you no longer want to receive this newsletter, please let us know ext. 9 INDIVIDUAL FINANCIAL COACHING Peggy Nordgren Taylor County UW-Extension Family Living Agent For anyone who would like help organizing their finances. Track your spending Set spending goals Develop a spending plan Increase your savings Manage debt Organize your financial records Call Peggy Nordgren, , to schedule an appointment. There is no fee for this service. Issued in furtherance of Cooperative Extension work, Acts of May 8 and June 30, 1914, in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Rick Klemme, Cooperative Extension, University of Wisconsin-Extension.