March 2008
Monthly Newsletter; Issue Number 3-08

Upcoming Programs Dining with Diabetes Wednesdays, April 16, 23 & 30; 5:30 - 7:30 p.m. Erie Center on Health & Aging, Erie, PA Cost: $10 Current Issues in Nutrition Satellite Nutrition Education: What Works Thurs., April 17; 10:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. Erie Co. Cooperative Extension, Erie, PA Cost: $6 registration; $12 registration & lunch Celebrate The Family-Erie! Friday, April 25; 8:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. Riverside Inn, Cambridge Springs, PA Cost: $23 per person ServSafe Certification Training Tuesdays, May 6, 13 and 20; 9:00 a.m. - 3:30 p.m. Admiral Room, Blasco Library, Erie, PA Cost: $165 per person ServSafe Re-Certification Training Wednesday, May 14; 8:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. Admiral Room, Blasco Library, Erie Cost: $115 per person Cooking for Crowds Thursday, May 15; 6:00 - 9:00 p.m. St. Lawrence Parish Center, Albion, PA Cost: $6 registration; $12 registration & manual

USING ONE CREDIT CARD

Using just one credit card can be a good idea, especially if you pay it off each month. But you probably will want to keep at least one other account active, in case you are
a victim of identity theft or have another problem with your primary card and have to close that account quickly.
When choosing your primary card, the most obvious thing to look for is the interest rate (the Annual Percen-tage Rate or APR), especially if you don't pay off your card every month. Interest rates vary widely and can make a big difference on how much you owe. Compare APRs to find the lowest rate.

Next, look at annual fees. Many cards charge $25, $50 or more each year just to keep the account active. Look for one with no annual fee.

Other credit terms to review include:

• Late fees. If you make a late payment, charges can add up quickly. Choose cards with lower fees. And beware -- being late on one card can increase interest rates on that account and on others, if the company follows a Universal Default policy. Under Universal Default, a company increases a consumers' interest rate when that consumer is late paying other creditors' bills, even if not late with that creditor.
  
• Fee for exceeding your credit limit. Every card has a maximum you can charge. If you get near that limit, even occasionally, look at the fee associated with going over it.
  
• Cash advance fee. If you ever use this service, consider the cost.
  
• Grace period. This is the time between the billing date and the date when interest begins accruing. Most cards have a grace period that allows you to pay off the debt each month and never pay any interest. The longer
  the grace period, the better.
  
• Method of computing finance charges. If you don't pay the card off every month, you'll get charged interest on what you owe. But different cards have different ways of computing that figure. Cards that charge interest on the "Adjusted Balance" are the best bet -- your payment will be subtracted from the balance before your finance charge is figured for next month. The least favorable method for consumers is called "Double Cycle Billing," in which interest is charged on the average daily balance, plus any new charges you make during the month. With this method, you lose your grace period on new charges.

Finally, many credit cards offer rewards or points that can translate into significant benefits. Depending on your circumstances, these additional benefits may or may not be worthwhile. All other things being equal, you'll probably want to choose the card with the most generous terms discussed above.

For more information on comparing credit card terms, see the Federal Trade Commission's Web page at http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/conline/pubs/credit/ choose.htm.
Source: Family Fundamentals, Ohio State University Extension and the Ohio Agricultural Research and Development Center.

HOW LONG CAN YOU KEEP HARD-BOILED EGGS?

You can generally count on hard-boiled eggs to last a week in the refrigerator. Even with its natural (but easily cracked) calcium-carbonate container, a hard-cooked egg is a perishable food, so it shouldn't be kept at room temperature for more than two hours.

Interestingly, hard-boiled eggs don't keep nearly as long as raw eggs, which can last three to five weeks in the refrigerator. There's a good reason for that. When a hen lays an egg, it puts a naturally protective coating on the outside of the shell. The bad news is, during the washing and sanitizing process before packaging, eggs lose that coating. But the good news is: processors replace it with a tasteless, natural mineral oil coating. But there's another piece of bad news: that coating is removed when you hard-boil the egg. So, even if the egg's shell remains uncracked, it still is slightly porous and, without the coating, is more exposed to the elements.

You'll know a spoiled egg when you crack open the shell. Whether raw or cooked, a spoiled egg will have an unpleasant odor. No question about it: throw it out.

On the other hand, don't worry if you see a green ring around the yolk. According to the USDA's Food Safety and Inspection Service, that usually means the egg was overcooked and allowed sulfur and iron compounds in the egg to react on the yolk's surface. Sometimes the green color is traced to a high level of iron in the water used to boil the eggs. Though unappetizing, eggs with a green color are safe.

Fresher hard-cooked eggs may be harder to peel. According to the Egg Safety Center, an organization supported by the egg industry, fresh eggs have a smaller air cell, which is located at the large end of the shell between the shell membranes. The older the egg, the bigger the air cell, and the easier the egg is to peel.

To find out how old your eggs are, take a look at your egg carton. Each carton with the USDA grade mark carries a "Julian date," usually on the short end of the carton, indicating the day the carton was packed. The Julian date is a three-digit code representing the day of the year, with 001 meaning Jan. 1 and 365 meaning Dec. 31. The larger the number, the later in the year the egg was packed.

For more information on egg safety, see the USDA fact sheet, "Focus on Shell Eggs," at http://www.fsis.usda. gov/Fact_Sheets/Focus_On_Shell_Eggs, or the Egg Safety Center's Web site at http://www.eggsafety.org.
Source: Adapted from Chow Line, Ohio State University Extension and the Ohio Agricultural Research and Development Center.

Sincerely,

 

Janice M. Ronan	Holly K. Hedstrom
Extension Educator - Family Living/4-H	County Extension Director
Lynn B. Clint		tlv
Extension Educator - Family and Consumer Sciences		3/5/08

Penn State encourages persons with disabilities to participate in its programs and activities. If you anticipate needing any type of accommodation or have questions about the physical access provided, please contact Janice M. Ronan or Holly K. Hedstrom at 814-825-0900 in advance of your participation or visit.

This publication is available in alternative media on request.

The Pennsylvania State University is committed to the policy that all persons shall have equal access to programs, facilities, admission, and employment without regard to personal characteristics not related to ability, performance, or qualifications as determined by University policy or by state or federal authorities. It is the policy of the University to maintain an academic and work environment free of discrimination, including harassment. The Pennsylvania State University prohibits discrimination and harassment against any person because of age, ancestry, color, disability or handicap, national origin, race, religious creed, sex, sexual orientation, or veteran status. Discrimination or harassment against faculty, staff, or students will not be tolerated at The Pennsylvania State University. Direct all inquiries regarding the nondiscrimination policy to the Affirmative Action Director, The Pennsylvania State University,
201 Willard Building, University Park, PA 16802-2801,
Tel 814-865-4700/V, 814-863-1150/TTY.