Something from Montana You Need in Your Wallet

Jane Wolery
Follow my blog at  www.31homeplace.blogspot.com

MSU Teton County Extension

PO Box 130 * 1 Main Ave S., Courthouse

Choteau, MT 59422

jwolery@montana.edu

406-466-2491 Office *  406-590-2492 Cell

www.msuextension.org/teton

I just reached into my wallet and ran across one of my favorite resources from MSU Extension.  You might think it was the cash from my paycheck, which I certainly do appreciate.  But, what I was referring to were the credit trackers that I use on my credit and debit cards.  The trackers are a register-style wrapper that help me keep track of my spending.  For any of you who use Rutgers Small Steps to Health and Wealth, you know that one of the most effective tools for behavior change is to track your current behavior.  In the Small Steps to Health and Wealth workbook, authors point to the five A’s of successful behavior change – awareness (tracking current behaviors), ability (being able to make a change), ambition (a strong desire to change), attitude (a positive state of mind about changing) and action (taking steps to actually change).

For me, the credit card registers have helped me reconsider a few purchases.  One evening, I was doing some on-line shopping and as I got ready to check out, I took out my credit card register.  Written in the register was a $200 expense that I had already incurred that month, but had ‘forgotten’ about until seeing it on the register.  If I had not been tracking my credit card expenses, I would have absent-mindedly overspent that month.  As it was, I emptied my shopping cart and decided to wait until another time when I knew I could pay for my purchases

without caring a credit card balance.

Awareness is the first step.  Many people are oblivious to their current behaviors.  Keeping written records can be an effective way to track patterns and work toward change. 

If you want to use the credit trackers for a class, or for your own wallet, you can find them at the MSU Extension store, or stop by our MSU Extension Distribution Center to pick them up while you are in Montana in September!

Go Bananas Teaching Financial Education! It's Not Monkey Business!

Jane Wolery

Follow my blog at  www.31homeplace.blogspot.com

MSU Teton County Extension

PO Box 130 * 1 Main Ave S., Courthouse

Choteau, MT 59422

jwolery@montana.edu

406-466-2491 Office *  406-590-2492 Cell

www.msuextension.org/teton




Last April (2015), I was able to attend a conference in Spokane hosted by University of Idaho and Northwest Farm Credit Services where they unveiled some of the financial education materials they have been developing.  Regardless of the job description, the reality is that I am a part-time FCS agent and a full-time 4-H agent, so you can imagine how April was poor timing for me to put any new educational materials into action.  With 4-H textile show, 4-H leadership retreat, Teton County 4-H Fair, Montana 4-H Congress, 4-H camp, 4-H interstate exchange and 4-H BioScience taking up much of my summer, I had to put the financial resources on the shelf, so to speak.  The materials are mostly digital, so there really isn’t a shelf.  Nonetheless, it took me until the January to get on the computer and start to use some of the materials.

Reading interactive Marlon the Monkey Borrows Bananas.

I started with Marlon the Monkey Borrows Bananas, an interactive digital story about credit.  I worked with Merrill McKamey from Northwest Farm Credit Services and Jamie Smith, librarian at the Choteau Library.  I read Marlon the Monkey for story hour for youth ages 2-5 and their parents/grandparents.  Jamie then had the students play a bean bag toss into a monkey mouth.  Merrill and I helped students make “monkey tails” as a treat and then they did some coloring.  The whole class was about an hour long, and at the end, I reminded the preschoolers about the Marlon the Monkey story and asked what they learned.  I was charmed when an adorable boy named Charlie
captured the message and said, “You shouldn’t buy things, if you don’t have the money.” 

Making Monkey Tails -- frozen bananas
on wooden treat stick, frosted in peanut butter
and dipped in chocolate.  Roll in granola
while chocolate is soft and enjoy.  

Merrill and Charlie make monkey faces
while making Monkey Tail treats at story hour.

Merrill and I thanked the parents and grandparents for attending and reminded them that money can be one of the biggest stresses in a relationship.  Money matters can really “monkey up” a relationship.  We mentioned that if they wanted a fun, interactive way to speak with their spouses/partners about money, they might use the materials that can be found here that are being developed by University of Idaho Extension and Northwest Farm Credit Services.