When I attended Washington State University in Pullman, Washington, during the 1960s, I took a class in consumer economics. It changed my life. I had gotten the idea from my dad about the importance of spending wisely, now here was a field of study and maybe a career in helping people make smart money choices. Read more →

How’s your Presidents’ Day going? I got lucky and my daughter is visiting from Madrid. We’ve been checking out the sights in Seattle and getting together with her friends. If you need some ideas for activities for the holiday, consider the following: (1) Read biographies of Washington and Lincoln. (2) Ask five friends who their favorite president is and why. Read more →

It was almost comical when – on Dr. Phil’s program trashing cancel culture that included support for antivaxxers – at the end of the program, Dr. Phil and his wife suggested that people “talk to each other” in a divided America. America isn’t divided. It's the far right is trying to take over and make everyone live according to its fundamentalist “values.” Read more →

Memorial Day is a day to honor Americans who have died in service to their country. Many people attend a memorial day event, visit a cemetery where a loved one is buried, or spend time remembering a service member. In addition, for others, it’s the unofficial beginning of summer. So, it brings barbecues, picnics, swimming, and other outdoor activities. Read more →

Earth Day is a good reminder of what to do every day and throughout the year for the health of the planet. I spend a lot of time on it. I know many people do, too. The theme for this year’s Earth Day is Invest in Our Planet. Three-quarters of Americans say that they’re particularly concerned with helping the environment as they go about their daily lives. Read more →

Sixty-three percent of Americans identify themselves as Christians, and 43 percent plan to attend church on Easter Sunday, which celebrates the resurrection of Jesus. Easter is a big donation day for U.S. churches, as it usually has the year’s highest attendance rates. It’s also a significant money-maker for candy companies. Read more →

The theme for International Women’s Day this year is “DigitALL: Innovation and Technology for Gender Equality,” because 37 percent of women don’t use the internet and 259 million fewer woman have access to the internet than men. If women aren’t able to access the Internet, they’re unable to develop digital skills, which diminishes their opportunities to pursue STEM careers. Read more →

As always, there’s a lot to consider oncMartin Luther King Jr. Day. I’m so glad that King Day was finally established. After a 15-year battle, legislation was signed in 1983 creating a federal holiday marking King’s birthday. The federal holiday was first observed in 1986, making 2023 the 37th anniversary of the King federal holiday. Read more →

Christmas is a great time of year. There’s so much joy to share for the yearly celebration with family and friends. Americans plan to spend $832.84 per person on gifts and other holiday items this year, according to a survey conducted for the National Retail Federation. That’s a 6 to 8 percent increase over last year. Read more →

The purpose of Memorial Day to honor those who have died in service to their country. In addition to somber remembrances, ceremonies, and parades, 59 percent of Americans plan to barbecue over Memorial Day weekend, while 15 percent will take a trip. Memorial Day sales also are popular. Read more →