PirateQ 
Troy Moon, Pensacola State College
It’s hard to cook for just one or two people when most recipes are tailored for families. But it can be done and inexpensively.
That’s why students are urged to enter the “Shoot Your Dinner Budget Cooking Photo Contest,” set for Monday-Thursday, April 12-15. Each day, students are asked to prepare a “budget-friendly meal ─ $10 or less for two people,” then take a picture of the meal and submit it.
The contest is part of Pensacola State College’s 2021 Money Matters Week, which features various speakers and topics to help students, faculty and staff – get the most out of their money. Topics include tips on car buying, credit and credit scores, home ownership and more. Most events are being held virtually on Zoom, though there is one in-person event.
Daily themes for the photo contest are:
● Monday: Vegan
● Tuesday: Crock-Pot
● Wednesday: Skillet or sheet pan
● Thursday: Dessert
Submit photos to PSC mathematics instructor Carla Williams at cwilliams@pensacolastate.edu. Photos must be submitted by 11:59 p.m. each day, and contest winners will be announced the following day. Winners receive prizes including cooking aprons.
Williams is the chairwoman of the Financial Literacy Committee, which organizes the Money Matters Week activities.
“Money Matters Week is designed to make students and faculty more aware of budgeting,” Williams explained. “We’ll show them that they can make their lives a little bit easier and a little less stressful by being more financially fit.”
Williams, who lives with her boyfriend, admitted that she is “pretty good” with budgeting, but needs to work on cooking.
“I don’t like to cook and hate the leftovers,” she said. “But if I throw away food, I feel guilty. So I need to learn to make smaller meals.”
Williams has done a bit of research on small, inexpensive meals since she started planning Money Matters Week.
“I didn’t know there were so many recipes for $5 and $10,” she said. “Are you kidding me? I always thought I was saving money by buying a $5 or $6 (fast-food) combo meal. But you can cook something a lot better and a lot healthier for the same price.”
Here is the schedule for PSC Money Matters Week:
12:30 p.m. Monday: “Setting Financial Goals to Make Big Purchases” with Sydney Allen of Pen Air Federal Credit Union.
5 p.m. Monday: “Identify Theft” with Jeff Vickers of Wells Fargo.
12:30 p.m. Tuesday: “Grocery Shopping on a Budget” with Laura Lee Nichols of Ever’man. The event will be held in the Student Center, Building 5, on the Pensacola campus. RSVP at kfields@pensacolastate.edu or call 850-484-2082.
5 p.m. Tuesday: “Getting Started with Investing” with Lesley Telatovich of Edward Jones.
12:30 p.m. Wednesday: “Car Buying” with Angei Morris of Central Credit Union.
5 p.m. Wednesday: “Credit, Credit Reports, Credit Scores” with Anna Davenport and Constance Carter of Navy Federal Credit Union.
12:30 p.m. Thursday: “Home Ownership/Mortgage” with Letha Figueroa with American Mortgage.
For more information on Money Matters Week activities and to register for Zoom sessions, go to moneymatters.pensacolastate.edu.
