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Consider Buying These 15 Products If You Spend Lots of Time Outdoors

By U.S. News & World Report

You want spend every free moment outdoors, but the sun and critters, such as ticks, mosquitoes and biting flies, have you running for the house. Defense against the sun’s harmful ultraviolet rays is essential to preserve the health of your skin, but you also need to ward off bugs. Not only are their bites and stings a nuisance, but some, such as those from ticks and mosquitoes, can carry potentially debilitating diseases such as Lyme disease and the West Nile virus.

Read on for 15 products that will protect you from the more harmful aspects of the great outdoors.

[See: Do’s and Don’ts of Shopping for Skin Care Products.]

Bugs

Alba Botanica Anti-Bug Spray
$12.79

This DEET-free, biodegradable bug spray is made with natural ingredients, including citronella, rosemary and lemongrass, and has been clinically tested to be effective against mosquitoes and ticks.

Natrapel Tick & Insect Repellent
$6.99

If you plan to spend extended time in an area with a heavy tick population, bring out the big guns. This powerful formulation will repel ticks for up to 12 hours and contains 20 percent picaridin, which is known to be more effective than DEET and is recommended by the Centers for Disease Control for repelling ticks.

Fairy Tales Hair Care Bug Bandit
$13.95

Kids can be particular. If your child can’t bear the smell of other repellents, give this one a shot. Thanks to a combination of natural ingredients, such as lemon, eucalyptus and soybean oils, it has a unique smell. And it promises to ward off everything from biting flies and mosquitoes to ticks and even fleas, which can be plentiful in the summer.

Para’Kito Roll-on Gel
$19.50

For an alternative to a cloud of spray repellent, this gel roll-on can be applied sparingly, yet it masks your scent to mosquitoes, making it difficult for them to find you. The concentrated formula comes with its own lanyard for easy portability.

[See: 12 Shopping Tricks to Keep You Under Budget.]

Sun

Ocean Potion Sunscreens
$1.99 and up

Ocean Potion’s budget-friendly and effective sun protection products for kids and adults include lotions and sprays with a sun protection factor, or SPF, as high as 70. The formulations are easy to apply, feel comfortable on the skin and cost between $1.99 and $8.99. Many of the products have earned the Skin Cancer Foundation’s seal of recommendation for “safe and effective sun protection.”

AMG Naturally Nature’s Sun Secret
$22

If you’re looking for completely chemical-free protection from the sun, this baby- and reef-safe lotion contains ingredients, such as raspberry seed oil and tamanu oil, which provide natural sun protection and leave no white residue, unlike products that contain zinc oxide or titanium oxide.

Oh My Balm Burn Notice
$18

If you do spend too much unprotected time in the sun, this handmade sunburn treatment contains shea butter, apricot kernel oil and vitamin E to soothe the skin and promote healing.

Devices

Bulbhead ZappLight
$19.99

This combination LED and blue ultraviolet lightbulb lures flying insects and zaps them on a metal grid. It’s good indoors or outdoors, and you can use it as a combination light source and zapper or just as a zapper.

DynaTrap
$119 and up

This device traps bugs using a UV fluorescent bulb, a titanium dioxide-coated surface that generates carbon dioxide and a vacuum fan. If enjoying your backyard or porch has become impossible due to flying insects, this can dramatically improve your experience.

BugBand Insect Repellent Portable Diffuser
$19.95, including three cartridges

For portable relief for the beach or campsite, bring this lightweight diffuser along. Batteries power the fan, which distributes the contents of the geraniol (a pleasant-smelling bug repellent) cartridge. Each cartridge keeps bugs away for up to 120 hours and across 300 square feet.

[See: 11 Expenses Destroying Your Budget.]

Apparel and Physical Protection

ExOfficio BugsAway Sandfly Pants $80
Exofficio Women’s BugsAway Impervia Leggings $85

Wearing long sleeves and long pants can help keep the bugs away from your skin. For even more protection on your next hike, try these bug repellent pants and leggings from Westmarine.com, which repel bugs for up to 70 washes.

Neso Tents
$94.99 and up

No matter how diligent you are about applying and reapplying sunscreen, and no matter how water-resistant the products are, the risk of sun exposure during a long, sunny day is high. This lightweight beach tent comes in a shoulder bag, is easy to set up and provides a UPF of 50+ (UPF is the protection factor for fabric) to greatly reduce sun exposure as you lounge in the sand.

Roxy Bliss Long Sleeve Rash Guards
$45

For long days filled with sun and water activities, a rash guard will provide a level of protection that sunscreen products cannot. These flattering women’s rash guards have a zipper at the neck and are available in two patterns. For men, try Shedo Lane Men’s Long Sleeve Sun Protection Shirts. They are available in four colors for $32.

Vyve Capri Splashpants
$64

For women planning to snorkel, paddleboard or go from water to beach volleyball and back again, Splashpants will protect your lower half (unlike your bikini bottoms). They function well at the beach or the pool and have a compression feature that helps prevent heat-induced bloating.

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Consider Buying These 15 Products If You Spend Lots of Time Outdoors originally appeared on usnews.com

Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
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