Q: Depending on your financial situation, you may be able to manage your debt on your own. However, many people need assistance from a credit counselor. Most people wishing to declare personal bankruptcy may also be required to attend credit counseling sessions. It's important to know in advance (and plan accordingly) that you may need to pay money for counseling, which could further strain your finances. Some credit counselors charge large fees, including both one-time payments and monthly fees. One of the biggest factors in deciding to work with a credit counselor should be your monthly finances. If you have debt, you may be able to manage that debt if your monthly finances are sufficient. However, if you find yourself struggling to stay afloat each month, credit counseling can help you work out a budget and stick to it. If you're living from paycheck to paycheck, hiding bills from your significant other, or living in constant tension due to your finances, credit counseling may help you. The other big factor in deciding to work with a credit counselor is how much money you owe. You may not be too far into debt, in which case you might be able to manage your finances independently. However, if you're deeply in debt and struggling to manage your monthly expenses, credit counseling can help.  If you max out your credit card(s) each month, dip into your savings, or use cash advances or payday loans, you may want to consider credit counseling as an option. If debt collectors call you, you definitely need credit counseling.
A: Determine if you can manage your debt by yourself. Assess your monthly finances. Know how far in debt you are.

Q: Serving size refers to how much of an item you are intended to eat in a single meal. Every number listed beneath “total fat” is calculated based on the amount contained in a single serving. So if the saturated fat on a label is listed at 6 grams but the number of servings is listed as 3, it means that there are a total of 18 grams of saturated fat in the container. Serving sizes are paired with the metric amount for each serving. This is helpful if you're trying to figure out how healthy a serving will be compared to how filling it is probably going to be. Knowing the servings per container is essential to understanding the rest of the numbers on a food label. When a label lists percentages for fat, cholesterol, sodium, or protein, they're referring to the percentage in a single individual serving. So if a jar of salsa has 10% of your daily serving of sodium but there are 20 servings in the jar, then the entire jar contains 200% of your daily recommended sodium intake. Knowing how you're going to use a food item is going to inform how you interpret the daily values. For example, if you're going to use an entire can of pinto beans in a chili recipe, and you know that there are 4 servings in the can but you're feeding 2 people, multiply each daily value by 4 and then divide by 2 to figure out how much fat, sodium, or cholesterol each person is going to consume. Using the serving size to interpret daily values is important because most people don't measure out specific servings when eating; knowing how much fat or sodium is in an entire package is easier to conceptualize for a lot of people.
A: Find the serving size at the top of the label. Take the servings per container into account when reading daily values. Use the serving size and number of servings to calculate how to modify the daily values.

Q: Mix 2 tablespoons (30 mL) plain yogurt with 1 tablespoon (15 mL) honey together in a small bowl and apply it to your face in a thin layer. Let the mask dry for 10-15 minutes before rinsing the mixture off with warm water. Repeat a few times a week for the best results.  Both yogurt and honey are natural skin brighteners, as well as moisturizers, making them great natural ingredients for a glow-inducing face mask. Feel free to use any type of yogurt for your face mask: whether the yogurt comes from the milk of goats, sheep, or cows, it will still be packed with complexion-brightening B-vitamins, as well as skin-strengthening vitamin D and collagen-boosting vitamin A. Don’t want to make your own yogurt treatment? You can purchase yogurt-based face masks online or at your local beauty store. Papaya contains papain enzymes, which are natural acne fighters, exfoliators, and skin lighteners. Take advantage of this natural brightener by mashing a papaya into a fine and smooth paste. Apply it to your face and let it sit for about 20 minutes before washing the mask off with warm water. Repeat daily for a few weeks until you start to see results. If the mashed papaya is too thick or clumpy, try blending it with some olive oil or almond oil to improve the consistency. Many people struggle with dark circles under their eyes—especially after a poor night’s sleep. To naturally brighten this trouble area, place fresh cucumber slices directly onto the skin beneath your eyes. The cucumber will help bind collagen to ensure firm skin while also providing an anti inflammatory effect. Leave the slices on for 10-15 minutes and you should see results right away. For an extra cooling and puffiness-fighting effect, place cucumber slices in a refrigerator for a few minutes before using on your skin. Turmeric is a natural exfoliator that has been proven to reduce the appearance of hyperpigmentation, as well as fine lines and wrinkles. You can create a natural dark spot treatment by mixing turmeric with a small amount of water or moisturizer until it forms a paste. Apply to mixture to any dark spots and leave it on your skin for 30 minutes before rinsing off with warm water. Repeat daily and you should see results within a few weeks. Depending on your complexion, turmeric may stain your skin a yellowish color. Before applying it to your face, try testing the treatment on a concealed area to see how it reacts with your skin.
A: Nourish your skin with a yogurt and honey mask. Mash up a papaya for a lightening and exfoliating facial treatment. Place cucumber slices under your eyes to brighten dark circles. Try a turmeric treatment to brighten dark spots.

Q: Shallots will be ready to harvest at the end of June or the beginning of July (for fall plantings), or late July into August (for spring plantings. You'll know they're ready when the foliage turns yellow.  Pick a dry day and use a spade or fork to gently loosen the soil around the shallots and lift them to the surface. Be careful not to uproot them or damage the roots. Leave the shallots to sit exposed on top of the soil for one to two sunny days. When they're ready for harvest, they’ll be dried out and the dirt will come off easily. Uncovering the shallots will help them mature because exposing them to the sun will help them ripen. To remove the shallots from the soil, take a fork or spade and place it to the side of the shallot. Stick the spade into the soil under the shallot on a 45-degree angle. This will break the roots, and you'll be able to lift the shallot free. Shake each shallot to remove excess dirt from the bulbs. Freshly harvested shallots can be eaten immediately or stored for later use. Shallots can also be stored for several months, so you'll still have shallots over the winter. To store shallots:  Spread them out in a single layer and let them cure for one or two weeks in a warm and dry location. Cut off any remaining leaves from the tops of the bulbs, and transfer the shallots to a mesh bag and store them somewhere cool and dry. When stored like this, shallots may last up to six months. The shallot bulbs you grow can also be set aside and replanted, and from each bulb you'll get a brand new head all over again. From the shallots that you've set aside for storage, choose the healthiest, driest, and largest bulbs to replant in the fall or spring. Do not use wet or damaged bulbs for replanting.
A:
Uncover the shallots before harvesting. Harvest the shallots. Enjoy or store for later use. Save bulbs for replanting.