March 2020

Avoid Food Poisoning We’ve all heard that raw or undercooked meat and seafood can cause food poisoning. But beyond meat, there are a few problematic foods that might surprise you. Find out what they are — and how to steer clear of food poisoning. Raw cookie dough: It may be tempting to lick that spoon after mixing up cookie dough, but don’t do it! Raw cookie dough contains two problematic ingredients: raw flour and raw eggs. Wait just 15 minutes and you can enjoy a warm — and thoroughly cooked — treat instead. Eggs: Speaking of eggs, there is a chance to pick up salmonella if you eat them uncooked or undercooked. Bypass the sunny-side-up option and choose scrambled, hard boiled, or over-well eggs instead. Produce with thick skin: Bacteria may be hiding on the outside of that thick skin, which contaminates the inside of the fruit when a knife cuts through the produce. Before you cut into that ripe watermelon or mango, thoroughly wash the outside with a produce brush and clean water.

Word of the Month… Studies have shown your income and wealth are directly related to the size and depth of your vocabulary. Here is this month’s word, so you can impress your friends (and maybe even fatten your wallet!)…

Gig Economy (gig ee-kon-oh-mee) noun

B headquarters in Vermont gets three free pints of ice cream for every day they work. Work Perks Every employee at Ben & Jerry’s Quotes To Live By… “Spring is the time of the year when it is summer in the sun and winter in the shade.” –Charles Dickens “My way of joking is to tell the truth. That’s the funniest joke in the world.” –Muhammad Ali “The advantage of growing up with siblings is that you become very good at fractions.” –Robert Brault Meaning : a labor market made up of a sizeable number of short-term jobs and freelance work instead of long-term jobs Sample Sentence: She made her living in the gig economy by working on freelance writing contracts during the week and driving for a rideshare company on the weekends. How to Avoid Defaulting On Your Car Loan Struggling to pay back a car loan? Don’t fall behind on payments. Do this first:  Talk to the lender and discuss your options. Can they extend the length of the loan? Is there an option for a different interest rate? Look into a peer-to-peer lease on an exchange site like SwapALease.com or LeaseTrader.com . Sell your car or trade it in. You may be able to get a lower payment or use any equity you’ve built to find a cheaper car you can pay off sooner.  

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Homework Help For Teens When kids become teens, they will probably be balancing homework with a more active social life and new hobbies. While school subjects are important, it’s the skill sets teens learn along the way that will serve them throughout life. Skill: Organization. Help by: Making sure your teen has tools to keep his or her work in order, including a file box to store graded papers and notes. Also buy a paper planner so you can both get an overview of all obligations (school and beyond) several weeks out. Skill: Time management. Help by: Using that paper planner to help your teen plan everything in a busy schedule. Don’t save a major assignment until the last minute; use the calendar together to plot out smaller deadlines and goals. Skill: Asking for help. Help by: Encouraging your teen to ask for help when needed. If you’re unable to assist, suggest a check-in with a teacher during office hours or a visit to the school’s tutoring center. Be mindful not to do your teen’s homework, even if it doesn’t get done in time. Dealing with and learning to move forward from failure is a life skill, too!

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