July 30, 2013 • Page 2 shop online at www.missourivalleyshopper.com Dave Says Getting The Guilt Trip BY DAVE RAMSEY Dear Dave, My parents have always had financial problems, and they recently lost their home. They have a place to live, but since that time my father has been asking me for money. He calls me over to Dave talk about this when my mother isn’t there and my husband isn’t home. He’s even asked for half of a $150,000 inheritance I received from my grandparents. He’s really making me feel guilty, and I’m not sure what to do. — Elena Dear Elena, Your brain knows what to do, but your heart is having a hard time doing it. Your father is a manipulator, and we’re not going to let that pattern continue. There’s nothing wrong with doing a few, short-term things to help them get back on their feet. But in return, you should expect them to change the behaviors that have put them in this situation. Also, there should be no more private meetings with your father. If he wants to talk, make sure he understands it will be with your husband and mother present. To this point all of his schemes have been on the side, and this needs to be brought out into the open and stopped. You love your parents. That, along with your dad’s behavior, is what’s making this so difficult. But participating in this sort of thing isn’t going to help them. You take away a person’s dignity when you subsidize them permanently. You also change their status and their ability to stand on their own two feet. Any help you give needs to be short-term in nature-a gift. You and your husband should be in agreement on exactly what you’re going to do, and it should be on your terms. Don’t get involved in giving them money every month for the rest of their lives just because they had you. That’s not how this works. There’s an ongoing sense of entitlement here that needs to be nipped in the bud! — Dave RAMSEY WANTS AREN’T EMERGENCIES Dear Dave, My husband and I are trying to improve our financial situation by following your plan. We were wondering where home improvements fall in the Baby Steps. — Emily Dear Emily, Unless you’re talking about an emergency situation, home improvements would fall into the category of wants, not needs. If you’d like new carpet, nicer windows or an updated kitchen, these things need to wait until after you’ve completed the first three Baby Steps. Let’s review. Baby Step 1 means saving up $1,000 in the bank for a starter emergency fund. Baby Step 2 is paying off all debts except for your home. The third Baby Step is going back to your emergency fund and building it up so you have an amount equal to three to six months of expenses in case something goes wrong. Once you’ve gotten to this point, you’ll be able to save and do some other things, including a few home improvements! — Dave ——— Dave Ramsey is America’s trusted voice on money and business. He’s authored four New York Times best-selling books. The Dave Ramsey Show is heard by more than 6 million listeners each week on more than 500 radio stations. Follow Dave on Twitter at @DaveRamsey and on the web at daveramsey.com. Bert was mumbling to himself as he adjusted cracker packets around his morning coffee at the Mule Barn. “Something wrong, Bert?” “Not if you have some Old Fool pills for me, Doc.” “Uh-oh. What happened?” “Well, I’d been telling the Johnson kid some stories of the old days when I was guiding hunters, and I happened to mention I could sight in a rifle with only two shots.” “You can do that?” “Yes. So can anyone, if they have a cardboard box. So anyway, here I was giving the kid my spiel about sighting in a rifle with two shots and he said he’d like to see a demonstration.” “Sounds fair enough.” “Well, yeah, and I didn’t mind. I figure we owe it to the next generation …” here We give your classified ad increased exposure because when you place an ad in our shopper, we automatically post it on the world wide web via our on-line classifieds! Best of all, you still pay the same low price! So whatever it is you’re selling, it makes “cents” to sell it with us and reach more potential buyers— in print and on-line! Call Classifieds 665-5884 Call One & two bedroom apartments. Scotland Apartments, 821 Main St. Scotland, SD 57059. Laundry. Rental assistance available to those who qualify. For appointments or applications please call 605-624-5218 or visit www.oakleafpm.com. Boston 3rd • Yankton • to Boots Shoes 665-9092 312 W. dead on.” “That makes sense,” Dud said. “So what went wrong?” Bert said, “Well, we loaded up everything we needed: chair, table, box, bread wrappers full of sand, target, everything. Then we drove out to the gravel pit and set it all up, just right. Took quite a while. Finally we were ready, so I went over and unzipped my rifle case and pulled out my shotgun.” “So how many of those Old Fool pills do you need, Bert?” “All you can spare me, Doc. All you can spare.” ———Brought to you by Utas, maker of the 15-shot ultimate tactical shotgun. Now it’s also the ultimate biggame gun. www.utasusa.com your put classified ad www.missourivalleyshopper.com Available for Men & Women “Come on, Bert,” Dud said, “what happened?” “Well, you know you get a solid bench rest and aim at the target and fire one shot, right? So then you get a cardboard box and notch it and use rocks or sand to anchor it solidly so you can immobilize your rifle and you set it up so the rifle can’t move and it is showing the exact same sight picture you used for the first shot.” “I didn’t know about this,” Doc said. “Simple, really. So you’re looking at the bulls-eye the way you did on the first shot, and without moving the rifle itself, you adjust the sights until they’re pointed at the bullet hole in the target. That’s it. You then remove the cardboard box, sight at the bulls-eye and shoot again. It should be 605.665.5884 today! 319 Walnut • Yankton, SD Fax: 605.665.0288 Equal Housing Opportunity Read & Recycle! On behalf of children with life threatening illnesses we would like to thank Vermillion and its surrounding communities. The seventh annual Make A Wish dinner, auction and dance was a huge success! Through the efforts of everyone involved children from our area with life threatening illnesses can be granted a wish! Graduate to gracious living... Walnut Village s s s Thank you! r y Tr a i l e r S ale Co u n t ig kota B uth Da on, So • Ya n kt ...a refined choice for your golden years.. Senior Apartments Authorized Wilson Trailer Gooseneck Dealer DEAN RYKEN GREG RYKEN 605-760-9816 bigcountrytrailersales.com The perfect blend of privacy and community 24 hour staff for your safety and security To all of the businesses that provided auction items -- THANK YOU! To all of the people who bought auction items and tickets -- THANK YOU! To all of the volunteers that assisted in making the night a success -THANK YOU! To the Go Figure Band -- THANK YOU! To KVHT for their support -- THANK YOU! To the Old Lumber Company for hosting -THANK YOU! Sincerely, Gary Madsen, Rick Steenholdt, Neal Bendesky, Lucky Huber, Jim & Dena Brady and Bruce & Kelly Fischbach Many other features included such as church services, activities and exercise class. Elevator and gathering/party rooms available. Additional ala carte services such as respite care, garage, and heated/AC workshop available. Independent Apartments: •Breakfast and lunch •Kitchen with custom cabinets and appliances •1 or 2 bedroom apartments available Assisted Living: •Assistance with personal tasks •3 meals daily plus snacks •Medication management YHS Historic District ...a refined choice for your golden years... 613 Walnut, Yankton, SD • WalnutVillageCare.com • 605-664-4220 COUNTRY FORD Schuurmans Farm Supply Dept. $ 95 $ 95 Service 39 $ 95 $ 95 29 USA MADE IN STOCK NOW Twine: 4,000 PGI x 440 Strength or less or less Synthetic Blend Oil Change • Tire Rotation & Pressure Check • Brake Inspection Fluid Top-Off • Battery Test • Filter Check • Belts & Hoses Check Retail purchases only. Up to five quarts of Motorcraft® Synthetic Blend oil and Motorcraft oil filter. Taxes, diesel vehicles and disposal fees extra. Hybrid battery test 605-589-3362 Toll Free at 1-888-877-5035 8/31/13. Open Located 1 Mile West Monday-Friday 8-6 of Tyndall, SD on Highway 50 Saturday 8-3 YOUR HOMETOWN LOCALLY OWNED DEALERSHIP! Newest in all Cordless Technology HAY TARP SALE -$10 Mail-in Rebate excluded. See participating dealership for vehicle exclusions and details. Expires Norfolk, NE 1105 13th St., Ste. 210 (Hwy 81 exit off I-275) 402-371-8567 Core Power CGT-400 Trimmer Cordless Electric Power Heavy Duty $280 For Big Squares 14’ x 54’, 25’ x 54’, 33’ x 54’ All Tie Downs Included BALE FORKS Big Round or Big Square For Skid Loaders, Tractor Loaders or 3-Point Oregon Power NOW CS350 400 Chainsaw with self-sharpening chain $375 CAT FORKLIFT • 8,000 LB. • All TERRAIN PRICED TO SELL! 5 miles West of Tyndall on Hwy. 50 Corner of Hwys. 50 and 37 www.schuurmansfarmsupply.com Ph. (605) 589-3909 or Cell (605)464-1113