Water project would restrict property owners land use

If Nestlé’s water extraction project goes forward, surrounding homeowners and businesses will fall under new restrictions, onerous procedures or outright prohibitions for things like septic tanks, propane storage and agricultural operations.The uses affected will create limits in an area larger than 500 acres — almost 400 football fields. That area includes downtown Kunkletown and a concentration of residential properties.“If you put a production [...]

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National Geographic map celebration planned

Events are set next month to celebrate an unprecedented regional, three-state collaboration to promote “geotourism” along the Delaware River, from Easton to Hancock, N.Y.The “Scenic, Wild Delaware River” Geotourism Stewardship Council is promoting tourist activities for the middle and upper Delaware River region that sustain or enhance the geographic character of a place. This includes the area’s environment, culture, aesthetics, heritage and well- [...]

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United Way changes with the times

Declining fundraising led the United Way of Monroe County to redefine its role in the community. Now, working under a new model, it can more effectively leverage its expertise with the various resources in the county.The organization’s 2015 Campaign raised just under $800,000 this year. While substantial, that number has been falling from a peak of $1.2 million about six years ago, according to United Way of Monroe County President and CEO Michael Albert.“There [...]

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10 Books About Money to Get the New College Grad

Spring brings plenty of reasons to celebrate – after all, it’s all about new beginnings, and the warmer weather brings weddings and parties galore. And with school coming to an end, it’s a time when both high school and college graduates can celebrate their accomplishments and look forward to what’s to come.

For college graduates specifically, this is can be one of the most exciting times in their lives. Now that they have earned a degree, they can move onto the next phase of living– a time that commonly includes building a career and even buying a house or starting a family.

10 Personal Finance Books Perfect for the College Graduate

If you’re struggling to find the perfect gift for the college graduate in your life – or even a high school graduate preparing for their first job — a personal finance book is always a good bet. Not only can a solid personal finance book introduce new grads to a range of economic concepts they’ll soon face, but it can help them prepare for the financial realities of their new adult world.

The following books should be considered must-haves for all of the college graduates in your life:

‘Hustle Away Debt: Eliminate Your Debt by Making More Money‘ by David Carlson

David Carlson takes a novel approach to helping people with their debt. To get out of debt faster, suggests Carlson, individuals should strive to make more money – either with a part-time job or with a “side hustle.” Through stories and examples, David shows young people how to harness their own power and talents to find a side hustle that is both profitable and rewarding.

Students drowning in student loan debt or any other type of debt could benefit from the lessons shared in “Hustle Away Debt,” but even people without any debt can learn new and exciting ways to boost their incomes. While many young people waste more time complaining about their student loan debt than really doing anything about it, Carlson helps people take control of their financial lives.

• Related: How to Make Money

‘The Broke and Beautiful Life: Small Town Budget, Big City Dreams‘ by Stefanie O’Connell

Millennial money expert Stefanie O’Connell shares how she pursued her big city dreams on a budget and how others can do the same in her new book. With a fun twist on personal finance concepts, Stefanie is able to offer practical advice that almost any young person could relate to.

Anyone hoping to pursue their dreams without sacrificing their financial future should read this book, say fans, who find her advice both “practical and relatable.”

• Related: 10 Ways Millennials Are Able to Save Money (Even in Big Cities)

‘Confessions of a Credit Junkie‘ by Beverly Harzog

Young adults who hope to buy a house or borrow money to start a business would be wise to keep a watchful eye on their credit scores. But, what does your “credit score” actually mean? And what power do you have over your score anyway?

Harzog answers these questions and more in her book “Confessions of a Credit Junkie.” Through the use of powerful personal stories and truthful anecdotes, Harzog explains the whole point of your credit score, how you can improve it with responsible credit use, and how you can ruin your credit, too – not that you want to do that.

If your college grad has student loans up the wazoo, this book also offers strategies for using credit to get out of debt. Those not in debt can use the book to learn how to avoid it in the first place. Since all young people will deal with their credit at some point in their lives, “Confessions of a Credit Junkie” can serve as a valuable tool.

• Related: How Bad Credit Can Cost You Your Dream Job

‘I’ve Graduated, Now What: 4 Steps to Take After College to Find a Job and Start a Life You’ll Love‘ by LaTisha Styles

Graduating from college can seem like a huge feat on its own, but what’s next is enough to send any young person into a tailspin. After graduation is in the rearview mirror, it’s time to find a job, get your financial life on track, and use the lessons you’ve learned to create a life that is both rewarding and enjoyable.

LaTisha Styles uses her expertise on millennial money issues to create a roadmap for new graduates. Readers will learn how to create a rockin’ resume, leverage it to find their first entry-level job, and get their money straight once those first paychecks start rolling in.

Graduating college is the end of one journey, but the beginning of a new one. This book answers the lingering question, what’s next?

‘Your Money or Your Life: 9 Steps to Transforming Your Relationship with Money and Achieving Financial Independence‘ by Vicki Robin, Joe Dominguez, and Monique Tilford

“Your Money or Your Life” forces readers to ask profound questions about their work and how it affects their lives. Drawing on the connection between the time you spend at work and your life force, authors Robin, Dominguez, and Tilford explain how proper money management is the key to getting what you really want – and buying your freedom.

While the text can be slightly outdated, this book shares personal stories that can make any young person think about their role at work, and even the whole purpose of living. With the right tools and attitude about money, say the authors, anyone can create the future they desire. Is it your money or your life? At the end of the day, you decide what you want most.

• Related: 10 Books That Changed My Life, No. 10: ‘Your Money or Your Life’

‘Step by Step Investing: A Beginner’s Guide to the Best Investments in Stocks and Bonds‘ by Joseph Hogue

Young people interested in investing should start by learning the basics, and that’s exactly what they’ll be exposed to in “Step by Step Investing.” By poring through this resource, new college graduates can learn investing basics that can help them choose their investing style, discover how to avoid big mistakes that can cost a ton of money, and decide how to pick the right investments for their specific needs and goals.

Since time (and with it, the power of compound interest) is one of the biggest assets every young person has on his or her side, now is the time for any college graduate to learn about investing. While there’s plenty to learn, this book will give anyone a running start.

• Related: The Secret to Getting a College Kid to Start Investing

‘31 Days to Drastically Reduce Your Expenses: Less Stress. More Savings‘ by Kalyn Brooke

Every new college graduates needs to face the realities of their budget constraints. With entry-level wages, and perhaps student loan debt to deal with, it’s crucial to prioritize spending and learn to live on less.

This book offers actionable tips that can help you cut down on your living expenses without sacrificing life’s small pleasures. From mortgage payments to car insurance and groceries, 31 days offers tips to reduce your outlay and pocket the difference.

• Related: How to Save Money: 100 Great Tips to Get You Started

‘How Much Money Do I Need to Retire?‘ by Todd Tresidder

Young people with plenty of time until retirement could benefit from a cursory education on what “modern retirement” will require. While some calculators show you need millions of dollars for a comfortable retirement, they fail to mention the many concepts, like passive income, that can make retirement a more feasible concept for today’s youth.

Through encouragement and personal stories, Tresidder shows how that average person can leverage complicated and not-so-complicated investments to retire – and even retire early.

While retirement might be decades away for the average young person right out of school, it can be achieved much sooner if they get in the game quickly. This book shows them how.

• Related: The Number That Matters Most

‘Make Money Your Honey: A Spirited Entrepreneur’s Guide to Having a Love Affair with Work and Money‘ by Amanda Abella

With the world transitioning toward a digital economy and a nomadic workforce, new college graduates drawn to entrepreneurship could benefit from the knowledge of someone who’s been there. Life coach Amanda Abella offers a wide range of tips on how young entrepreneurs can leverage their skill sets to find their dream careers, then balance their love of work with their pursuit of cash.

In addition to showing how millennials can create the work-life balance they want and need, Abella offers actionable advice on building a business around your life’s passions.

If the college graduate in your life is destined to forge their own path, this book is a must-have.

‘The Millionaire Next Door‘ by Thomas J. Stanley, Ph.D. and William D. Danko, Ph.D.

The gift of youth can lead to a lifetime of wealth if you start investing early. At least, that’s what the authors of “The Millionaire Next Door” illustrate through various stories, equations, and examples.

Getting rich isn’t about scoring a huge inheritance, Stanley and Danko say, nor does it require being a CEO, a doctor, or a lawyer. With some personal restraint, a commitment to saving and investing, and some knowledge of financial basics, nearly anyone that earns an income could build a giant nest egg over time.

With plenty of years ahead of them, today’s college graduates would be wise to get started as early as they can. This book highlights both the how and the why of saving and investing, all while encouraging others to get excited about the future.

• Related: Portrait of a Millionaire

The Bottom Line

If you’re looking for the perfect gift for the graduate in your life, you can’t go wrong with a book that offers advice they’ll actually use. And since everyone has to deal with money in one way or another, a personal finance book is always a good bet.

Today’s graduates might have bright futures ahead of them, but their lives will become immeasurably easier if they learn basic financial concepts and money management skills sooner rather than later.

What is your favorite personal finance book? What are you getting the new college graduates in your life for their graduation gift?

The post 10 Books About Money to Get the New College Grad appeared first on The Simple Dollar.

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You Only Need 5 Tools in Your Kitchen, and Slap Chop Isn’t One of Them

Do you have a Slap Chop, edge brownie pan, asparagus peeler or pasta boat in your kitchen?

If you said yes to even one of them, I have some bad news for you. You might want to sit down for this.

You’ve wasted money — and kitchen space — on a unitasker.

(Or, if it’s gift, you’re somehow friends with someone who doesn’t compulsively watch Good Eats. Who are these people?)

As Seen on TV: A Waste of Money

What’s a unitasker, you may ask?

Well, it’s a single-use kitchen item that’s made only to do one thing, or whose use could easily be handled by another, more versatile kitchen item.

Take, for instance, the butter spreader. No, I’m not talking about a butter knife, obviously. This is totally different.

Or maybe you want to drop $30 on a quesadilla maker — because you don’t already own a frying pan and a knife.

See what I’m saying?

Kitchen Essentials and How to Use Them

Consider this: Instead of spending 20 bucks on a clunky Slap Chop, you could just… dice your veggies. With a knife and cutting board.

Even if you live in a box in San Francisco — literally — you probably have access to a stovetop and a pot.

So maybe you shouldn’t make your pasta in a plastic container you microwave for 14 minutes… no matter how non-porous and non-toxic they say that contraption is.

And that asparagus peeler? What’s so difficult about a normal vegetable peeler, again?

Although some one-use items might seem convenient or novel, they’re usually poorly made, so they don’t last long — if you remember to use them. (In my experience, they’re much more likely to accumulate in a junky pile in your pantry.)

Besides, all the foods those unitaskers help you make existed long before the products themselves… so you can clearly make them just as well without the additional expense!

To save money and space, you should stick with the basics you need to run an operational kitchen.

Here’s the bare bones list of kitchen equipment you need to make healthy, delicious, frugal meals — and even some hacks you might not know about to get the most use out of every piece of kitchenware you own.

1. Pots and Pans — Especially Cast Iron

For a traditional kitchen setup, you need at least one big pot and one smaller pot, and at least one flat pan for frying, sauteing and making delicious pancakes. (Imperative, am I right?)

But I’m gonna go out on a limb and say you should probably find yourself a cast iron pan, too. In fact, if you could only get one item on this list, I’d probably push you toward the cast iron.

Why, you ask? Well, if you have a cast iron pan, a spatula and a set of flatware, you can eat anywhere there’s heat.

Properly seasoned cast iron is naturally nonstick and easy to clean. No matter how gross it gets, you can always clean it up with a sliced potato, some coarse sea salt and olive oil — and reseasoning it is a pretty easy process, too, should you need to.

Heck, a friend’s father once found his old cast iron pan cracked in half in his storage unit. He welded it back together — and it was good as new!

They go from stovetop to oven with ease and get just the right sear on a piece of meat. You can use them a ton of different ways — as a pizza stone, an ice crusher, a panini press and more.

Since they’re old-school, you might be able to find one at a thrift store, yard sale or just forgotten in a friend’s garage. And even if you buy new, it’ll set you back less than that useless quesadilla maker.

2. Knives and Cutting Board

If you’re going to eat fresh foods, you’re going to have to cut them up yourself.

Don’t waste money on that great big block of cheap-o knives: They’ll just go dull in days and take up counter space.

Instead, invest in a few good blades that’ll last you a lifetime. You probably only need a few knives, anyway, depending on your eating habits.

The Huffington Post suggests three essential kitchen knives: a medium-sized chef’s knife, a paring knife and a long serrated knife for cutting bread.

You might be able to skip the paring knife if you’re willing to bite into your apples rather than slicing them, and I, for instance, don’t eat bread — so I get to skip buying a serrated knife.

Finally, keep your counters safe and sound with a good-quality cutting board. Yes, the wooden ones are safe to use for meat — just chop your veggies on the other side.

3. Cooking Utensils

Unless you have fingers of steel, you should probably invest in a pair of tongs, a spatula and a ladle so you can fish meat, veggies and soups out of the vessels you cooked them in.

But that pickle picker? Save your $5 and use a fork.

4. Ovenware

If you’re not much of a baker, you can skip the cake pan and pie tins — but at the very least, you’ll want a cookie sheet.

They’re great for all kinds of things: making your own oven-baked fries, freezing up leftover foods and even crisping up macaroni and cheese.

The basic piece of ovenware you’ll find in most kitchens, though, is the standard roasting pan. They can set you back a pretty penny when you buy them brand new.

But if you find one at a yard sale or Goodwill missing its rack, get it. Just float your next roast on a bed of root vegetables to keep it from sticking — and to imbue flavor into the meat.

5. Strainer

Although this tool isn’t as necessary as the ones I’ve listed above, you need it to make pasta, which is the OG of quick, cheap dinners.

Plus, if you get a fine-enough one or line it with cheesecloth, you can use it to make your own cold brew coffee, strain your own Greek yogurt and more.

More Kitchen Hacks

After acquiring these basics, you might want to add in some less-necessary (but still multi-taskable!) luxury items as needed: food processors, blenders and slow cookers can all be good investments. They’re so versatile!

If you eat rice often enough (or burn it as easily as I do) to spring for a rice cooker, make sure to get one with a steamer basket so you can top that rice with fresh veggies!

And you may need a rolling pin if you ever do plan on baking — but don’t forget, in a pinch, you can always use a wine bottle!

There is one unitasker exception this Penny Hoarder is prepared to allow: a coffee machine.

Even though it takes up a ton of kitchen space, it’s a critically important item… and it turns out you can cook everything from steamed veggies to grilled cheese on your Mr. Coffee, if you’re adventurous!

Your Turn: What useless multitaskers have you accumulated? What kitchen essentials have we missed?

Disclosure: This post includes affiliate links. We’re letting you know because it’s what Honest Abe would do. After all, he is on our favorite coin.

Jamie Cattanach (@jamiecattanach) is a staff writer at The Penny Hoarder. She also writes other stuff, like wine reviews and poems. For some reason her family loves buying her cake levelers, novelty muffin tins and weirdly shaped honey spoons. Stop it, guys.

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