Educational programs of Kentucky Cooperative Extension serve all people regardless of economic or social status and will not discriminate on the basis of race, color, ethnic origin, national origin, creed, religion, political belief, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, pregnancy, marital status, genetic information, age, veteran status, or physical or mental disability.

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'le. University of KentuckyCollege of Agriculture, Food and Environment Cooperative Extension Service

Summer Melt

The dog days of summer are here. The combination of the heat and efforts to keep kids occupied and fed may have you feeling like you are headed for a meltdown. Fortunately, we have several no-heat or low-heat ideas to help you keep cool (physically and mentally), keep your kids active, and feed your family. Keeping cool in the kitchen. Depending on the time and temperature required for baking or cooking, your oven could be a contributing source of heat in your house. Limit how many times a week you use the oven, and instead opt for the microwave, an outdoor grill, or quick stovetop methods. You may even save on your electric bill by using larger appliances less and putting less stress on your air conditioner.

- For recipes in which you need cooked vegetables, substitute with low- or no-sodium canned options instead. This will eliminate the need to dirty another pan or use an additional heat source for the recipe.

- Repurpose leftovers into new creations. This will reduce the amount of “new” cooking you will have to do. You can use leftover corn-on-the-cob easily in recipes like the Plate It Up! Kentucky Proud Cucumber, Corn, and Bean Salsa.

Involve kids in the creation process. Make snack and meal prep a family activity. You can involve children of all ages in developmentally appropriate ways. Children as young as 1 can watch and listen to what you are doing. Preschool-aged children can help with basic prep like washing fruit and vegetables or mixing ingredients. School-aged children can read the recipe to you or even take the lead prepping a dish. Have healthy appetizers on hand. Does it seem like children need to eat before dinner is ready? Avoid hangry meltdowns by serving fruit and vegetable appetizers while you finish prepping meals. When children are hungry, they may be less skeptical and more willing to eat these less familiar foods. Calling them appetizers or offering a dip will feel more special and fun. Frozen treats. Repurpose your favorite Plate It Up! Kentucky Proud recipes to make homemade frozen treats. You can freeze the Melon Berry Smoothie in Popsicle molds or ice cube trays with Popsicle sticks. You also can freeze your family’s favorite fruit. Just wash, freeze, and enjoy. Frozen grapes and blueberries are an easy, inexpensive way to make fruit fun for a hot day. Make your own ice cream. This activity is sure to cool you off; you might even need gloves! You need two resealable plastic bags – one small and one large. In the small bag, add 1 cup of whole milk or half-and-half, 1 tablespoon of sugar, and 1.5 teaspoons of vanilla extract. Seal the bag, making sure to get rid of excess air. Next, fill the large bag halfway with ice and add ¼ cup of salt – table or rock salt. Place the small bag inside the large bag, seal the large bag, and shake for about 6 minutes. Be sure to wipe off the small bag to remove any salt. You can eat straight from the bag or put it in a bowl and add your favorite toppings. References: McLeod, K. (2019, July 17). Ice cream in a bag. The Best Ideas for Kids. https://www.thebestideasforkids.com/ice-cream-in-a-bag/ https://fcs-hes.ca.uky.edu/piukp-recipes Sources: Courtney Luecking, Extension Specialist for Nutrition and Health, and Heather Norman-Burgdolf, Extension Specialist for Nutrition and Health

Copyright © 2020 for materials developed by University of Kentucky Cooperative Extension. This publication may be reproduced in portions or its entirety for educational or nonprofit purposes only. Permitted users shall give credit to the author(s) and include this copyright notice.

Keeping Cool on a Budget

When summertime heats up, it can be costly to keep things cool. The following are some tips for making the most of your energy dollar, so you can keep cool on a budget this summer. Quick fixes You can make several small-scale changes to save money on cooling your home.

• Ceiling fans create a wind-chill effect on your skin. Running them when you are in the room will allow you to raise the thermostat up to 4 degrees and keep the same comfort level. Turn fans off when you are not in the room to save energy.

• Other ways to use fans include using a fan in a window to blow hot air out of your home. Keep windows near the fan closed, and open windows on the far side of your house from the fan. If you have a whole-house fan, run it in the early morning or night, then turn it off and shut the windows during the day.

• Use window treatments to regulate your home’s temperature. Close blinds and curtains receiving direct sunlight to reduce heat gain. Get your natural light by opening the coverings over the windows that don’t get direct sunlight. The type of material, fit, and reflective quality may all impact effectiveness.

• Switch your light bulbs. LED light bulbs use less energy and last longer – and they also produce less heat. Incandescent bulbs turn 90% of the energy they use into heat, according to the Department of Energy.

• Keep the kitchen and laundry cool by running the dishwasher and laundry at night. Consider air drying your dishes or clothes rather than using heat.

• Prepare foods that don’t need the oven. Grill outside or use countertop appliances such as a microwave.

• If you are running an air conditioner, maintain it for best operation. Clean or replace filters, vacuum air intake vents, and ensure that furniture or other items are not blocking registers.

The big picture If you want a bigger impact on your overall budget, a more costly project now might reap savings long term.

• Installing a programmable thermostat allows you to change your temperature automatically when you are away or asleep. If you adjust it up 10 degrees for eight hours a day, the Department of Energy estimates you may save as much as 10% per

2

year on heating and cooling. Find out more at www.energy.gov/energysaver/thermostats.

• Seal your home against air leaks to keep hot air out and cool air in. Use caulk orweatherstripping around windows and doors to seal any cracks.

• Proper home insulation lowers heating and cooling costs by reducing heat flow.• Strategic placement of trees and shrubs can reduce your energy costs. Landscaping

can affect shade, windbreaks, water conservation, and more.• When replacing appliances and electronics, consider purchasing energy efficient

models.

References: Casey, A. (2017, July 24). Stay cool and save money all summer long. Energy Saver. Retrieved June 23, 2020, from https://www.energy.gov/energysaver/articles/stay-cool-and-save-money-all-summer-long

U.S. Department of Energy. (n.d.) Spring and summer energy-saving tips. Energy Saver. Retrieved June 23, 2020, from https://www.energy.gov/energysaver/spring-and-summer-energy-saving-tips

Source: Kelly May, Senior Extension Associate for Family Finance and Resource Management

Copyright © 2020 for materials developed by University of Kentucky Cooperative Extension. This publication may be reproduced in portions or its entirety for educational or nonprofit purposes only. Permitted users shall give credit to the author(s) and include this copyright notice.

Educational programs of Kentucky Cooperative Extension serve all people regardless of economic or social status and will not discriminate on the basis of race, color, ethnic origin, national origin, creed, religion, political belief, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, pregnancy, marital status, genetic information, age, veteran status, or physical or mental disability.

Shrink the Sizzle ~ Keep the Cash

WORD SEARCH

Looking for some no-heat or low heat ideas to help you and your family beat the heat and

save money? Find the 26 words in the puzzle below to find out how to make the most of

your energy dollar and stay cool on a budget this summer.

APPETIZERS APPLIANCES BLINDS CANNED CAULK EFFICIENT ENERGY FANS FREEZE GRILL HOMEMADE INSULATION LANDSCAPING LED LIGHTING MAINTAIN MICROWAVE NATURAL POPSICLES PROGRAMMABLE REPLACE REPURPOSE SEAL SMOOTHIE STOVETOP SUMMER

Puzzle created by Ruth Cremeans, Administrative Support Associate, School of Human Environmental Sciences.

P O P S I C L E S Y F A L S G W B J A K

O C U X Z X I V P P P S H M U L L Q S L

P M I O C E D A M E M O H G I I P D I U

W G N I P A C S D N A L J N G I E K T A

Y K S Q N Z A W V N I S D H T L N S Z C

I S U M M E R T I M E S T O T Q A R Y Y

B T L Q W X J Y O J L I S F X M T E Q L

Z Z A Q X D A Q S H N L E N I B U Z T B

Q Z T O F E O B S G T I I C A A R I Z C

Q N I A T N I A M S H D S R A F A T X O

I P O Y F N S F K T T E S M G A L E M E

A D N A D A M L O T C O F T F D T P I K

A Q Y P T C K O S N D Q V N S A B P C R

P R O G R A M M A B L E T E J R Q A R D

N E S S O S B I D S Z U A I T V P F O F

X P S P T X L O R E B L D C A O Y B W F

T L U D W P A Z E U I W X I R K P V A F

O A J X P M T R Y Z Q I G F U G A Z V W

P C F A I C F E N E R G Y F J X E Z E W

F E V Z J R E P U R P O S E L S I H I D

ANSWER KEY:

P O P S I C L E S Y F A L S G W B J A KO C U X Z X I V P P P S H M U L L Q S LP M I O C E D A M E M O H G I I P D I UW G N I P A C S D N A L J N G I E K T AY K S Q N Z A W V N I S D H T L N S Z CI S U M M E R T I M E S T O T Q A R Y YB T L Q W X J Y O J L I S F X M T E Q LZ Z A Q X D A Q S H N L E N I B U Z T BQ Z T O F E O B S G T I I C A A R I Z CQ N I A T N I A M S H D S R A F A T X OI P O Y F N S F K T T E S M G A L E M EA D N A D A M L O T C O F T F D T P I KA Q Y P T C K O S N D Q V N S A B P C RP R O G R A M M A B L E T E J R Q A R DN E S S O S B I D S Z U A I T V P F O FX P S P T X L O R E B L D C A O Y B W FT L U D W P A Z E U I W X I R K P V A FO A J X P M T R Y Z Q I G F U G A Z V WP C F A I C F E N E R G Y F J X E Z E WF E V Z J R E P U R P O S E L S I H I D

Melt Your Debt

Debts can pile up quickly. Sometimes making payments can feel like you are only chipping away at the tip of the iceberg. However, there are a couple of effective methods for paying down your debts over time. The first step in making a debt repayment plan is to take stock of all that you owe. While you are responsible for paying all the debts that you owe, it may help to prioritize the most important expenses. Prioritizing is setting an order of importance for dealing with items or tasks. If possible, adjust your budget to allow for extra money specifically for debt repayment. Paying a little extra each month will eventually free you from your debts long term. When paying extra, you could use two different strategies. With either method, you will choose one debt to focus on first. Continue making regular minimum payments on all your debts. While doing so, you will apply extra money toward the principal of the debt you choose to start with. Once you’ve paid off the first debt, you should work on the next debt on your priority list, applying extra money. With the first debt paid off, you will now have extra money to apply to the next payment. Starting the avalanche Choosing to pay on the highest-cost debt first may save you the most money in the long run. This is sometimes referred to the “avalanche method.” Look at the interest rates and total costs of your debts. Target the most expensive debt to pay down first. Since larger interest rates add up more quickly over time, paying extra will save you more money over the life of the loan. The earlier you start applying extra, the more money you may save. Picking a snowball fight While it may not save the most money, paying off the smallest debt first might provide the most satisfaction. Paying the lowest-cost debt is sometimes called the “snowball method.” Smaller debts get resolved faster using this method, and you find yourself with fewer payments to juggle each month. Target the lowest-cost debt to apply extra payments to first until you pay it off. Then apply that payment, plus any extra, to the next debt in line. No matter which method you use, be aware of any prepayment penalties. Some lenders charge fees for paying off debt early. If you’re not sure if there is a prepayment penalty, review your credit paperwork or contact the creditor. The size of the penalty may help you determine whether you should prioritize the debt higher or lower on your list. Pick your preferred method and get started. This is your chance to keep your cool and melt away your financial troubles. Source: Kelly May, Senior Extension Associate for Family Finance and Resource Management

Copyright © 2020 for materials developed by University of Kentucky Cooperative Extension. This publication may be reproduced in portions or its entirety for educational or nonprofit purposes only. Permitted users shall give credit to the author(s) and include this copyright notice.

Educational programs of Kentucky Cooperative Extension serve all people regardless of economic or social status and will not discriminate on the basis of race, color, ethnic origin, national origin, creed, religion, political belief, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, pregnancy, marital status, genetic information, age, veteran status, or physical or mental disability.