Tracy Lane. Tulsa County E 15th Street. Tulsa OK Phone: 918/ Fax: 918/

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1 Family and Consumer Sciences Food. Nutrition. Health Summer Berries The Heat is On Farmer s Market Salsa Oklahoma Seasonal Produce Family Economics Setting Reasonable Debt Limits Family Relationships Teens and their Peers Home and Community Education News Coe Ann s Greetings OHCE State Meeting Family Issues Committee Leadership Development and the Environment Breaking a Bad Habit, Now! Safe and Sustainable Lighting Free Fair Tracy Lane E 15th Street. Tulsa OK Phone: 918/ Fax: 918/ June 2012 COLLEGE SAVINGS OPTIONS AVAILABLE It s no secret that sending a child to college can be expensive; fortunately there are several options parents can consider when setting up college funds. Eileen St. Pierre, Oklahoma State University Cooperative Extension personal finance specialist, said 529 plans allow families to save the most. There are two basic types of 529 plans, savings plans and prepaid tuition plans. Oklahoma has a savings plan called the Oklahoma College Savings Plan (OCSP). Money set aside in OCSP accounts grow tax-free. In addition, there are no contribution limits or age restrictions, and as long as withdrawals are used for higher education expenses, the money is tax-free. Another bonus is that any family member can contribute to a plan, not just the parents. The OCSP plan offers families an easy and affordable way to help prepare for future education expenses. The account owner may designate anyone he or she chooses as the beneficiary, including him or herself. The first $10,000 a year deposited in an account can be deducted from each taxpayer s Oklahoma income. Earnings on the investments are exempt from state and federal taxes, even upon withdrawal, if used for qualified education expenses such as tuition, books, supplies, required fees and certain room and board charges. Accounts may be opened with as little as $100 and a person can contribute as little as $15 per investment per month. Check with your employer about automatic withdrawals. While there is no annual contribution limit, a lifetime limit of $300,000 per beneficiary applies. In addition, you can open accounts for different beneficiaries. If the initial beneficiary decides not to attend a post-secondary institution, the account owner can transfer funds to another beneficiary, as long as that person is a family member of the original beneficiary as defined by law. Prepaid tuition plans allow you to pay for your child s future college tuition, or a portion of it, at today s price; however, Oklahoma does not currently offer this type of 529 plan for public universities. Oklahoma Christian University, Southern Nazarene University and the University of Tulsa offer private plans. Financial advisors recommend to parents to keep college funds in their name, not their child s, for financial aid eligibility purposes. For both types of 529 plans, accounts are considered the asset of the parent or custodian. Another college investment option is a Coverdell Education Savings Account (ESA). ESAs are similar to Roth IRAs, but for education. They are considered the asset of the parent or custodian. Contributions of up to $2,000 a year in post-tax dollars may be made until the beneficiary turns 18. These accounts do not offer as many tax benefits as 529 plans. The money grows tax-free and the entire withdrawal is tax-free as long as the funds are used for education. Part of the withdrawal may be taxable if you claim the American Opportunity Credit or the Lifetime Learning Credit. ESA contribution limits may drop to $500 if Congress does not renew tax legislation set to expire at the end of Finally, parents can set up custodial accounts for their children, referred to as UGTMA accounts. These are savings accounts in your child s name that you control until the child turns 18, at which time the child gets complete access to the account. It cannot be transferred to another child. These accounts are taxable, with the first $850 of earnings each year being taxfree, and the next $850 taxed at your child s tax rate, usually 15 percent. Additional earnings are taxed at your rate. Withdrawals are subject to federal tax. Also, this type of account is considered the student s asset when determining eligibility for financial aid. SOURCE: Eileen St. Pierre, Oklahoma State University Cooperative Extension personal finance specialist

2 . 2 Farmer s Market Salsa 4 large ripe tomatoes 1/4 cup chopped onion 1/4 cup chopped cilantro 1 Tablespoon chopped fresh oregano 2 garlic cloves, minced 1 teaspoon minced jalapeño chile, or to taste 1 Tablespoon olive oil 2 teaspoons lime juice Salt or pepper to taste Cut the tomatoes into quarters and remove the seeds. Chop the tomatoes and place in a medium bowl. Add the remaining ingredients and mix well. Let stand, loosely covered, at room temperature for 10 to 15 minutes for the flavors to blend. Serve immediately or store in the refrigerator for later use. SOURCE: NEAFCS Living Well Cookbook SUMMER BERRIES Bursting with juicy, sun-kissed flavor, blueberries, blackberries, strawberries and raspberries are more than just a bright summer perk. They're also packed with vitamins and rich in fiber and antioxidants that help protect you against many chronic diseases. Sprinkle your favorite berries on yogurt, cereal and add to ice cream recipes, mix them into pancakes, muffins and smoothies, or add them to salads and summery salsas. Use these tips to enjoy the pick of the crop! Buying: Pick the plumpest and most fragrant berries. They should be firm, bright and fresh-looking, with no mold or bruised spots. Avoid packages with juice-stained bottoms from over-ripe berries. Storing: Berries are fragile and perishable. Before refrigerating, sort through and discard any crushed, moldy or mushy fruit. Store unwashed berries in their container for 1-2 days. Freezing: Arrange unwashed berries in a single layer on a plastic wrap-lined baking sheet. Once frozen, transfer to a freezer container or bag. Freeze for up to 1 year. Washing: Just before using, place berries, a few at a time, in a colander in the sink. Gently spray with sink sprayer. Spread out on paper towels; pat dry. Yield: 1 pint = 1-1/2 to 2 cups Using: If using frozen blueberries in cakes, pancakes, muffins, etc., do not thaw before adding to batter to prevent discoloration. THE HEAT IS ON Rising summer temperatures increase the risk of heat stress, especially for older citizens. Heat stress, which can lead to heat exhaustion, strokes and heart failure, is particularly dangerous for those over the age of 65 who have health problems involving the heart, lungs or kidneys. To help avoid heat related issues follow these tips: Stay indoors in the air conditioning. If you do not have air conditioning at home, visit a local library, senior center, or shopping center. Stay hydrated. Drink water throughout the day even if you don t feel thirsty. Eat small meals & eat more often. Large, heavy meals cause your body to increase internal heat to digest food. Wear light colored, loose fitting clothing. If you must go outdoors, wear a hat or carry an umbrella to help provide some shade. Avoid outdoor physical activity, particularly during the hottest part of the day. It s important to take the heat seriously. Dizziness, rapid heartbeat, chest pain, breathing problems or nausea are warning signs that you need to get immediate medical attention. For those who live next door to an older person, check on them periodically to make sure they are doing okay. Oklahoma Seasonal Produce June: Beets, blackberries, blueberries, broccoli, cauliflower, cucumber, green beans, greens, okra, onions, peaches, plums, strawberries, sweet corn July: Apples, beets, blackberries, blueberries, corn, cucumbers, green beans, okra, onions, peaches, peppers, plums, summer squash, sweet corn, tomatoes, watermelon August: Beets, cantaloupes, corn, cucumbers, peaches, pears, peppers, summer squash, tomatoes, watermelon TIP: Fresh vegetables and dip make a quick and nutritious snack or appetizer before a meal, or they go great with sandwiches or on a picnic.

3 3 SETTING REASONABLE DEBT LIMITS Using credit is a major part of managing personal or family finances for most people; but unfortunately credit and the resulting debt may allow people to spend beyond their means. Knowing how much debt you can afford without negative consequences by setting a Personal Credit Limit (PCL) is one way to manage credit use. HOW MUCH DEBT CAN I AFFORD? The amount of affordable debt differs for each individual and family. Look at your situation and develop a personal credit limit (PCL) to help manage your credit use. Your PCL is the total amount of debt you are comfortable having at any one time. Think in terms of both the overall total amount of debt and the total monthly amount needed for debt payments. If you have a family situation, be sure everyone agrees to the PCL and is willing to live with it. Ask yourself the following questions to help you develop a PCL: What special living expenses do I have? Special expenses include care for a disabled household member, high medical expenses, the need to travel a distance for a job, college education, a commitment to charity or religious contributions, or interests such as music, sports, crafts or carpentry. How much cash and unused credit do I have available for emergencies? Financial planners often recommend a figure equal to 3-6 months of living expenses as an emergency fund. Do not add any more credit obligations if an amount of less than three months living expenses is available. Once three months of living expenses is available, continue adding to your cash stash and paying off credit until the equivalent of six months living expenses is available. What percent of take-home pay is already committed to debt repayment? Experts advise keeping debt payments under 15 percent of after-tax income. To find out what your percentage is, total the amount you are obligated to pay each month on all loans, credit cards and other credit payments. Do not include your first mortgage payment. Divide the total of all debt payments by the amount of your after-tax income. The resulting figure needs to be below.15 or 15% of your after-tax income. How stable are my income sources? How likely will each source of income last for the next year? For the next five years? Is someone who is employed thinking about quitting the job or retiring in the near future? HOW WILL I KNOW IF I AM HEADING FOR CREDIT TROUBLE? Early warning signals of potential credit trouble include: Paying only the minimum on credit card bills. Relying heavily on overtime or a second job. Finding it harder and harder to save. Paying bills late. Losing track of the total amount owed for all debts. Taking out a consolidation loan. Struggling to make ends meet every month. Forgetting that credit is really debt. Having a nonexistent or inadequate emergency fund. Defaulting on bills, including rent. Anticipating a pay raise already committed to paying debts. Using the overdraft loan feature of your checking or debit account. Any one of the above situations is a potential problem. Stop using credit. Live with bare bones budget and use all extra money to pay more than the minimum payments on credit bills. Seek help from a legitimate financial counselor who can teach you how to negotiate with creditors. WHAT WILL HAPPEN IF I CANNOT PAY MY BILLS? If payments cannot be made, the most important thing to do is to contact any creditor before a bill is due. Ask for a lower payment amount, an extension on a due date, or a reduction of interest and late fees. If you choose to ignore your creditors, a number of things may happen. Depending on a creditor s policies, action may be taken if you are even a few days late. Or late payment notices may not be sent until the bill is at least 30 days late. After 60 days late, another request for payment will generally be sent. Beyond 60 days, creditors usually will turn debt over to an attorney or collection agency or to their own collection unit, with an additional fee. Court action may happen if the debt has not been collected for an even longer time period. If the court rules in favor of the creditor (called a judgment), expect to have your wages garnished or certain assets frozen or taken by the creditor, including money in a check or savings account. Personal property may also be seized and sold. Creditors can legally repossess any property collateral for a loan. DO NOT ignore any lawsuit. If you fail to file an answer to the suit and do not appear in court, the creditor wins the suit by default. Carefully monitor your financial situation. Knowing and accepting responsibility for your debt situation is a step toward future financial stability. SOURCE: Lincoln Extension, University of Nebraska

4 4 TEENS and their PEERS Friends are everything to teens. There is no doubt that friends are very important to teens. Teens often describe their best friends as the ones who understand exactly how I feel. Teen s friendships change as they mature. From a wider circle of friends in middle school or junior high, teens move on to fewer but closer friendships as they get older. Peers, cliques, and crowds. Understanding a few terms can help parents appreciate their teen s social world a little bit better. The peer group is made up of a larger group of friends and acquaintances of roughly the same age who share similar experiences. The peer group is needed by teens for support in figuring out talents and interests, social skills, independence from adults, problem solving, and emotional support. Within the peer group, a teen might belong to a clique or smaller, closer group of friends with common interests who hang out together regularly on the weekends. Parents might think cliques negatively, but they can be the place where teens go to check out what to say or do, who to hang out with, or what to wear. Cliques provide even more emotional and social support for the teen than the larger group of peers. A third group in the social structure are crowds which are made up of teens with specific interests and abilities; for example, brains for those with academic success. Today s crowds are also determined by current pop culture and will vary according to groups within the school population. A teen might be in a clique of close friends, but still belong to one or more crowds because of interests and abilities. Teens may go to all three groups - peers, cliques, and crowds - to meet different needs. What parents can do. It is important for parents to support their teen s friendships and interactions with peers. By doing so, parents will increase the likelihood of keeping a healthy but growing relationship with their teen. This can be hard because as children approach the teen years, teens will want to spend more time with peers. Sometimes parents might feel hurt at the change in their relationship with their child who once chose to spend time with them. Despite this, some of the ways parents can be supportive include: Know your teen s friends. Form your opinions only after getting to know your teen s friends. Make your home a welcoming place for your teen and their friends. Offer to include friends as part of family gatherings. For younger teens, you might offer to drive them and their friends. Concerned about your teen s choice of friends? Sometimes parents may be concerned about the reputation of their teen s friends or choices the friends have made. Teens seek out those with similar interests and those who do things they think they might want to do. If you are concerned, parents need to keep a close eye on their teen s activities. Tips for parents include: Don t encourage friendships you don t approve of; but also don t openly criticize your teen s friends. Your teen will resent this. Be clear about the family s bottom line - those non-negotiable rules that involve your teen s health and safety. Reserve rules for those issues most important to you and your family. Keep working on the relationship with your teen. As your child grows up, your relationship will need to change. Be open to that, and look forward to the opportunities to grow together. TIPS FOR PARENTS: Even when it seems to become more difficult to raise an early adolescent - when arguments increase about clothes, friends, music, etc. - parents need to remember a few simple facts. Your child may not admit it, but you are the most important person in his or her life Your ability to keep your "cool" and sense of humor will go a long may to reduce the stress in your relationship with your teen Your child's annoying or frustrating behaviors are normal and will pass because underneath the spiked hair, baggy pants or unusual jewelry is an individual who will blossom into a mature, caring adult Your home can be child's "safe place" where he or she feels comfortable, calm, accepted and free to express his or her opinions Your child will grow up quickly. Make the most of the teen stage by recognizing that your child will never be this age again! SOURCE: Extension Service, University of Minnesota

5 Coe Ann s Greetings The Free Fair is just around the corner and I am sure you are trying to finish up items to get ready for the Fair. I can t wait for the Zany Fashion Style Show during our Membership Tea. A fun time will be had by all! You also need to be gathering up your homemade items for the Promotional Sales area, and clean out those closets for the Silent Auction. Remember, one person s clutter is another person s treasure! The OHCE State Meeting is July The theme for this year is 77 years in 77 Counties. If you are planning to attend, please let me know so we can go over as a group. We will make a cake pop basket for the Ambassador s Silent Auction. I will take pictures of the finished basket so everyone can see what we created. September 15 th and 16 th is the Master Gardener s Fall Garden Festival and we will be participating again this year. The Fall Garden Festival committee this year is the group Treasurers; we will have a planning meeting sometime this month to talk about items that we can make for the Festival. Put your thinking caps on and come up with some neat ideas and pass them on to your group Treasurer so she can bring them to the meeting to share. This is a wonderful way to promote OHCE and make some money for our group. I will see all of you at the Fair. Dear OHCE members, Thank you for celebrating the Distinguished Educator Award with me. Your leadership, involvement, and commitment to OHCE and the OSU Extension Service helps families, communities, and educators, including me! I appreciate all that you do and your focus on the future. Thank you again for making a difference for me and for all that you serve. Sincerely Charlotte Richert WHAT S HAPPENING JUNE Display Case - Casa La Mia 6 County Fair Superintendent s Meeting 10:00 am 20 Sewing Day 10:00 am 29 OHCE-TC Scholarship Applications Due 29 OHCE State Meeting registration due JULY Display Case - Southside Neighbors 4 Extension Office closed for July 4th th Annual State Conference in Oklahoma City Free Fair, Exchange Center, Expo Square NOTE: All events are held at the OSU Extension office unless noted. STATE OHCE MEETING July 8-10, 2012 Plan now to attend the 77th Annual OHCE State Meeting at the Magnuson Hotel and Convention Center in Oklahoma City. Conference registration is due by June 29 and the room reservation deadline is June 15. The registration form is in the state OHCE newsletter, along with the scheduled events. Hope to see you there! CONGRATULATIONS TRACY At the OEAFCS Awards Program, Tracy Lane was presented a $500 Norma Brumbaugh scholarship award. Begun in 1958, the scholarship is funded through contributions from counties for county extension educators for professional improvement. Tracy used this scholarship to attend the Public Issues Leadership Development Conference in Washington, DC in April. FAMILY ISSUES COMMITTEE Clara Perkins, Chairman Don t forget our next SEWING DAY coming up June 20th at 10:00 am. Lunch will be Oklahoma Home and Community Education (OHCE), consists of eight groups that meet in and around Tulsa. The groups meet once a month, some afternoon or evening. Some meet in members homes, others meet at libraries, churches or community centers. To start or join a group in your neighborhood or community, call the OSU Extension office at for more information.

6 6 Breaking a Bad Habit, Now! Mark Twain once said: Never put off til tomorrow what you can do the day after tomorrow. What is he referring to? Procrastination. The number one reason we procrastinate is fear of failure. We put off things because we are afraid we won t do them right. We are all occasionally guilty of it, so how do we attempt to kick this bad habit? 1. Bore yourself to death - Whenever you feel yourself being tempted to put off some unpleasant task, or you don t want to tackle another job, STOP AND DO NOTHING. Stare into space, twiddle your thumbs, clear your head of thoughts. After a few minutes you will more than likely get bored, and go back to whatever task you were working on. 2. Give yourself a reward - Whenever you see some unpleasant task or a really important project coming up, promise yourself a little bonus when the task is done. Buy yourself something fancy, have dinner at your favorite restaurant, or plan a celebration with colleagues. 3. If a carrot doesn t work, try a stick - Whenever you are tempted to put something off, ask yourself, what will happen if you never do it. Will you be fired? Will your boss be fired? Could the company go bankrupt? If the work you re responsible for completing is so very important, why on earth would you wait for even five minutes to get started when so many people are depending on you? Source: Jeffrey Mayer Free Fair OHCE member assigned Exhibitor Number yellow sheets are now available to be picked up at the Extension office. Remember, each member has been assigned an Exhibitor number for their entries at the Fair. Please do not use old Exhibitor sheets from last year for Member entries. Your assigned sheet already has your name and group name on it so they stand apart from other entries. If you want your entries to qualify for your Group, you must use your assigned number for entries. "A good leader inspires people to have confidence in the leader; a great leader inspires people to have confidence in themselves." ~Eleanor Roosevelt Safe and Sustainable Lighting Choosing lighting is an important decision. The Department of Energy reports that lighting accounts for 11% of home energy use. One way to save some on your energy use is to replace incandescent light bulbs with more energy efficient bulbs such as compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs), or light emitting diodes (LEDs) or newer models. When shopping for bulbs consider the following: Initial cost: How much will it cost when you first buy it? Lifespan: How often will you have to replace the bulb? Average lifespan is measured in hours. Energy use: How much energy does the bulb use? Power usage is measured in watts. The greater the wattage, the more power used. To make a sustainable choice consider these facts: With incandescent bulbs, only about 8% of the energy used creates visible light. The rest of the energy is wasted as heat! These bulbs have the lowest initial cost, the shortest lifetime and the highest energy usage. With CFLs, about 21% of the energy they use creates visible light. CFLs last about 10,000 hours, are in the medium cost range and have low energy usage. With LEDs, about 20-30% of the energy they use creates visible light. LEDs have the highest initial cost, can last about 20,000 hours and have very low energy usage. To make sure you are purchasing a quality product, choose blubs with the Energy Star logo and purchase bulbs from a reputable manufacturer. Source: Dr. Gina Peek, OSU Extension, Housing & Consumer Specialist Sincerely, Tracy R. Lane Family and Consumer Sciences Educator OSU Extension Service This newsletter is published by OSU Extension Service/ Family and Consumer Sciences Department. Information about Oklahoma Home and Community Education (OHCE) groups may be obtained by contacting Tulsa County Extension, 4116 East 15th St., Tulsa, OK Information given herein is for educational purposes only. Reference made to commercial products or trade names is with the understanding no discrimination is intended and no endorsement is implied. Oklahoma Cooperative Extension Service offers its programs regardless of race, color, national origin, gender, age, religion, disability, or status as a veteran and is an equal opportunity employer.