VISTA LIVING GUIDE Thank you for your commitment to a year of service to help alleviate poverty in America and specifically Minnesota. While starting as a VISTA you received a lot of information on policies and procedures, capacity building, and poverty in the United States. All very helpful tools in getting you started with service, but how will you support yourself during this year? This document is to support your life as a VISTA: how to make the most out of your living allowance, what free resources or discounts are available to you, what is there to do around Minnesota on a VISTA stipend, and much more! I ndex BUDGETING 2 HOUSING 3 USEFUL TIPS 3 RECOMMENDED AFFORDABLE HOUSING 3 TRANSPORTATION 4 WINTER TRANSIT 5 FOOD ASSISTANCE 6 EATING AFFORDABLY 7 HEALTH AND WELLNESS 8 GENERAL HEALTH 8 MENTAL HEALTH 8 PET WELLNESS 8 SAVINGS AND DEALS 9 ENTERTAINMENT 1​0 ATHLETICS, PARKS AND RECREATIONS 1​0 MALLS AND SHOPPING CENTERS 1​0 MUSEUMS 1​0 PUBLIC LIBRARIES 1​1 THEATERS 1​1 OTHER ENTERTAINMENT 12 THRIFT STORES 1​2 FINDING THRIFTY THINGS TO DO 13 PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT 1​4 VISTA CAMPUS 1​4 ONLINE COURSES 1​4 NEWSLETTERS 1​4 FUNDRAISING & GRANT WRITING 1​6 OTHER RESOURCES 1​6 This is not a comprehensive list. If you know of something that is not on this list or needs editing, please inform your Minnesota VISTA Leader via email or this ​Google Form​. All information you can provide will be added to the Guide. BUDGETING Explore some free resources for budgeting tools, tips, and assistance: ● VISTA Campus: “Managing Your Living Allowance” ○ Everyday savings ○ Budgeting ○ Financial literacy ● Prepare + Prosper​ provides free tax prep to low- and moderate-income individuals ● The Simple Dollar​ is a resource to learn real-life money management ● Ramsey County Financial Assistance Services ● LSS Financial Counseling​ offers a variety of financial health, debt counseling, and budgeting services ● FamilyMeans Financial Solutions​ offers free budget and debt counseling ● Budgeting apps: ○ Mint ○ PocketGuard ○ Wally ○ You Need a Budget​ (free trial) Return to Index 2 HOUSING If you’re serving in the Twin Cities, each year a ​Google Sheet​ is created to connect AmeriCorps members to potential housemates. There is a Facebook group​ ​for both Twin Cities Metro​ and ​Northland AmeriCorps (Duluth) members​. Multiple housing resources exist to help you find a safe, enjoyable, and affordable place to live. Here are some useful steps to consult and complete before you find a place: USEFUL TIPS ● Identify your Price Range ○ Identify your expenses and living allowance to prepare a monthly budget using the​ ​Budget Calculator​ at VISTA Campus. ○ If possible, your rent should be less than 50% of your monthly income. ○ Consider living with roommates for price reduction if you need/want to ● Find the Right Neighborhood For You ○ Read up on the ins-and-outs of moving to the Twin Cities at​ ​Live MSP ○ Explore different neighborhoods on​ ​Nextdoor​, the neighborhood social media platform ○ Determine your commute to work with​ ​MetroTransit’s Trip Planner ○ Learn what’s in your area:​ ​Walk Score ● Search for a Place to Live ○ Things to Know When Touring a New Apartment: Tips & Checklist ○ 31 Apartment Hunting Tips Everyone Needs To Know ○ Apartment Search Engines: ■ Apartment Guide ■ PadMapper ■ Rent ■ Zillow ■ Nextdoor ■ Queer Housing Resource​ (Minneapolis/St. Paul) RECOMMENDED AFFORDABLE HOUSING Please note that some of these options are faith-based locations ● Twin Cities Houses of Hospitality​ is an intentional community in Minneapolis/St. Paul, rooted in Christian hospitality, that engages young adults (age 21-30) around connections between a life of faith, service, justice, and vocation. ● Urban Homeworks​ focuses the combined resources of public, private and faith sectors to transform vacant, condemned, or underutilized properties and vacant lots into quality, attainable places to live for low to moderate income households. ● Project for Pride in Living​ has affordable housing options and support services across the Twin Cities ● US Department of Housing & Urban Development Resources ● HousingLink​ works to provide information to expand affordable rental choices Return to Index 3 TRANSPORTATION Every VISTA program provides different transportation support. Please check with your VISTA Leader or VISTA Program Manager around reimbursement/support. Here are some general resources that may be useful: ● Metro Transit​ can be used to plan with routes and schedules, stops and stations, and find information on passes. Try ​the app​! ● Here’s a video about how​ to take your bike on the bus (with bike racks on front) or inside the light rail ● Ridesharing ○ HourCar ○ Rideshare through MetroTransit ● Scooter Rentals ○ Lime ○ Spin ○ Lyft BIKING ● Nice Ride ● Spokes​,​ Cycles for Change​, and​ ​Grease Rag​ offer free space, tools and workshops for repairing your bike ○ Cycles also sells used bikes for affordable prices, has volunteer opportunities and ​Learn to Ride​ classes for new riders ● Midtown Greenway​ is a protected, cross-city path ● Driver Etiquette​ to be aware of. Cyclists face many dangers when biking, so if you’re a driver learn more about what measures you should take when approaching or passing a cyclist ● Our Streets Minneapolis​ inspires people to bike and advocates for a city where everyone feels comfortable riding ● MapMyRide​ app will help calculate the length of your ride ● Check out Minneapolis Police Department’s ​Bike Auction​ to purchase a bicycle Return to Index 4 WINTER TRANSIT Winter travel can be intimidating, even for those of us who are familiar with Minnesota weather. Look over the following resources for tips and tricks to get through the winter: WINTER BIKING ● Winter Bicycle Maintenance and Cleaning​ keeping your bike clean is the key to ensuring your ride doesn’t fall apart ● Surviving the cold on two wheels: 10 tips to winter biking in Minnesota ● What do you wear in winter?​ Our Streets Minneapolis asked just that question WINTER DRIVING ● View these 9 Winter Car Maintenance Tips​ to prepare your car for winter before the snow hits ● How to Make a Winter Survival Kit​ will help you prepare for the snow and if you get stuck ● If you are living or serving in​ ​St. Paul​ or​ ​Minneapolis​ sign up for their Snow Emergency Alerts so you don’t get towed ○ Familiarize yourself with the Snow Emergency Parking rules in Minneapolis​ and ​St. Paul Return to Index 5 FOOD ASSISTANCE Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) helps Minnesotans with low incomes get the food they need for nutritious and well-balanced meals. The program provides support to help stretch your household food budget. SNAP is ​not​ intended to meet all of your household’s food needs — it is a supplement. The amount of benefits you might get is based on your income, expenses, and the number of people in your household. If approved for the program, you will get an Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) card which is like a debit card. Each month, your benefits will be credited to your EBT account. ● View the​ ​VISTA Handbook​ to understand the rules of the Food Stamps Program and how it applies to VISTAs. ​Please read the rules and regulations carefully ● To learn more about applying for and utilizing SNAP, visit the​ ​Minnesota Department of Human Resources ● Bridge to Benefits​ is a resource created by the Children's Defense Fund. It helps identify what a member may be eligible for ○ Individuals enter information about their income, household, and expenses. The website links to applications for public support (SNAP, energy assistance, child care assistance, etc.) that may be available Return to Index 6 EATING AFFORDABLY FARMERS’ MARKETS Farmers’ markets are a cheap and healthy way to stock up on fresh produce. Many farmers’ markets also have a Double Dollars program, in which SNAP recipients receive ​double​ the amount of “dollars” at the farmers’ market! ● St. Paul Farmers’ Market ● Minneapolis Farmers Market ● Minnesota Grown​ is a search engine for farmers’ markets across the state CO-OPS Co-ops are another option for getting healthy food. Prices are higher because of the local, organic, and fair trade goods, but it can be affordable to buy bulk. Many co-ops have needs-based memberships for SNAP program participants! ● Minnesota Co-op Directory List CHAIN STORES For everyday groceries and pantry essentials, chain stores usually offer the best price and selection ● Aldi Foods ● Cub Foods ● Trader Joe’s ● Econo Foods ● Target ● Mike’s Discount Foods OTHER RESOURCES ● Fare For All​ offers affordable groceries and packages of produce and meat for up to 40% off retail prices ● Imperfect Foods​ delivers imperfect produce, pantry items, and quality eggs and dairy. They offer up to a 30% discount compared to grocery store prices ● Good Grocer​ operates with community volunteers who operate the store and in turn receive a discount on groceries. They are relaunching at a new location soon ● Provision Community Restaurant​ is a give-as-you-can community cafe serving healthy, family-style meals INEXPENSIVE RECIPES ● Budget Bytes​ focuses on food that is quick and satisfying and breaks down each meal with the cost of individual ingredients and servings ● $5 Dinners​ offers recipes for meals costing approximately $5.00. The site also contains information on kitchen tips, coupons, and gardening ● BrokeAss Gourmet​ breaks down the price of each ingredient and highlights meals for less than $20.00. Great for potlucks and entertaining Return to Index 7 HEALTH AND