Hi there,

We all love our furry little friends, but we don't love the costs that go hand-in-hand with them. Can you truly afford a pet now, or should you wait a bit longer? I put together a video detailing the expenses that you may encounter as a pet owner!

The 70th Annual Maine Potato Blossom Festival took place a few weeks ago, with the parade scheduled to close out over a week of festivities. Because I was once again driving the Green Machine in the parade, I had to prepare for a little bit of a road trip! Fort Fairfield was a six-hour drive from my home in Southern Maine. Although it wasn't a particularly long road trip, I still aimed to make the commute as budget-friendly as possible. If you’re looking to travel the state, or even the country this summer, I’ve put together some tips on taking a road trip for cheap!

It’s common to only be aware of hunger during the winter months, where the grueling weather opens your eyes to the situations others are in. However, hunger is very real all year long. There are people in need of help during the summer months, and that’s why Maine’s Credit Unions continue their efforts throughout the year. Having raised $7.2 million since 1990 and over $674,000 last year alone, we’ve proved that much like hunger and need, we don’t take a break. It’s difficult to take a summer vacation away from fundraising when 85,000 children in Maine are hungry, as they usually depend on the school lunch program for meals. I was fortunate enough to attend the 13th Annual ‘Share the Bread’ event last week, where Maine’s Credit Unions distributed over $20,000 to 33 hunger organizations throughout the state! Summer isn’t always sunshine and rainbows, and it’s so important that Maine’s Credit Unions have recognized that and gone to such great lengths to help those in need.

This month marks the launch of 2017’s Bucks for Books Contest! Calling all college students from Maine or those attending college in Maine – this is your chance to win a $500, $300 or $200 prize! How do you enter? Simply complete the coming form with your name and contact information – it’s that easy! As someone who graduated from college not too long ago, I went through the struggle of saving up for college textbooks. All the money I saved during the summer vanished as soon as I checked out at the college bookstore. Bucks for Books is a great and easy way to win up to $500 toward those pricey textbooks! And yes, we’re bringing back the Bonus Bucks Battle! Following Young & Free Maine on Instagram, posting a photo of yourself at your school and tagging #Bucks4BooksME gives you another chance at an additional $500 bonus prize! Stay tuned for more details coming soon – good luck!

In this It's a Money Thing video, Jen learns what to check for when buying a used car and tips to get the best deal.

Do you remember your most costly textbook? Let me know!

Take care,

Jake Holmes
Young & Free Maine Spokester