January 5, 2016 • Page 2 shop online at www.missourivalleyshopper.com Dave Says You Can Catch Up Later By Dave Ramsey Dear Dave, I work in IT, and I recently learned that I’ll be losing my $88,000 a year job at the end of February. We’re debt-free, except for our home, and we have a full emergency fund in place. The problem is we just cash-flowed one daughter’s wedding, and we’ll be paying for another daughter’s college soon. I’ll receive a severance package of around $30,000 to $40,000, but we’re wondering if I should stop contributing to my 401(k) and stockpile cash until another job comes along. —Steve Dear Steve, You’ve done a great job handling your money, so going a couple of months without contributing to your 401(k) isn’t going to mean the difference between retiring with dignity and eating Alpo in your golden years. In this case, I would temporarily stop funding the 401(k). You’re in a high-demand line of work, so I think you’ll probably land something soon and maybe even get a raise in the process. The main thing is to be intentional. Go ahead and start networking and lining up interviews now. Try to land something as soon as possible so that you can start at the end of February or the first of March. At that point, you could look at the severance package as a signing bonus. Dave Ramsey There’s not much lost between now and then with what you’d actually gain from what you put into your 401(k). There would be going forward, for sure, but I think you’ll be able to make that up pretty quickly. —Dave no new years debt next time? Dear Dave, We’ve always just assumed that we would use credit cards for Christmas, and accepted the fact that there would be a mountain of debt to pay off in January and February. Can you tell us how to make it through the Christmas season next year without accumulating debt? —Carol Dear Carol, Giving is a wonderful thing if your intentions—and your finances—are in the right place. But don’t let yourself get trapped in the shopping bonanza just because everyone else is doing it. It’s all too easy to try to justify overspending in the weeks ahead just because it’s a gift. It’s pretty simple. Look at your budget, and see what you can afford to pay cash for during the holiday season. Once you and your spouse agree on this amount, make a list, check it twice and stick to it! Include the names and amounts you are going to spend on each person or charity. It’s just common sense, but it’s easy to find something in the mall you “just have to buy.” That’s where problems start. Giving is not meant to be stressful on your finances. Give with the right intentions, and give with a financial plan in mind that does not include debt. Another thing to remember is Christmas always falls on December 25th. Don’t wait until Thanksgiving to realize it’s right around the corner. You could even get a real jump on things, and set a little bit aside each month toward Christmas starting right now! —Dave Dave Ramsey is America’s trusted voice on money and business, and CEO of Ramsey Solutions. He has authored five New York Times best-selling books. The Dave Ramsey Show is heard by more than 11 million listeners each week on more than 550 radio stations and digital outlets. Dave’s latest project, EveryDollar, provides a free online budget tool. Follow Dave on Twitter at @ DaveRamsey and on the web at daveramsey.com. Is Your Life in Balance? Healthy Habits to Try in 2016 (StatePoint) Is your life in balance? The new year is a great time to take stock of your routine and make improvements where necessary. Here are some thoughtful habits to consider incorporating into your day in the coming year. Write Everything Down • Handwritten notes and to-do lists will reinforce your memory of the tasks you need to conquer. They also give you the option to look at what you need to do for the day and prioritize the list. Consider a personal planner, such as those from the popular AT-A-GLANCE collection, which includes a variety of styles that reflect your personality and organizational needs. Find Time to Decompress • If you’re a morning person, get out of bed 30 minutes earlier than normal to wake up with your favorite coffee or tea and think about what you need to accomplish for the day. • Documenting your day not only keeps you organized, but also provides you with an opportunity to look back and reflect on your life’s accomplishments, memories and milestones from the year. • More of a night owl? Spend at least 30 minutes before going to sleep to unplug from technology and relax with a new book you’ve had on your list to read. • Schedule time for exercise to reduce stress and maintain a healthy lifestyle. Planning workouts ahead of time will make you more likely to stick to them. Balanced Diet, Balanced Life • Maintaining a healthy, balanced diet will help you feel great, and can increase your focus, energy levels and Insulated & Waterproof Boot SALE! FREE Socks Available in Safety & Non-Safety Toe Boston Shoes to Boots 312 W. 3rd • Yankton • 665-9092 Maid Service “Yankton’s Clean Team” Housecleaning weekly, bi-weekly, bi-monthly, monthly, spring/fall cleaning, new home construction cleaning, move-in/move-out cleaning Housecleaning makes a great gift for Christmas, Valentine’s Day, Mother’s Day, anniversaries, new moms, elderly, illness, and holiday cleaning. Unused gift cards? Exchange those gift cards for our services! Serving Yankton, Vermillion and Hartington for 26 years. Please call Sherry at 605-665-5266 and get your house on the schedule or www.welovetocleanyankton.com productivity. • Plan out your meals ahead of time before going shopping by marking them in a calendar. This will give you more time during the week to cook and prepare meals, without having to make frequent trips to the store or feel tempted to grab takeout. You’ll be more likely to stick with the habit if you love the calendar you use, so consider something easy on the eyes, such as an AT-AGLANCE fashion planner. • Cooking your own fresh meals can help keep your bank account balanced, and is often much healthier than food from a restaurant. And spending time in the kitchen is also a stress reliever for some people. Make a fresh start -- the beginning of a new year is the perfect time to make positive changes to how you schedule and organize your time. If RON’S AUTO you read this you know... GLASS advertising pays! We Supply & Install • Auto • Home • Commercial Call the Missouri Valley Shopper at 665-5884 or stop by to place your ad today! 319 Walnut St. • Yankton MV Shopper 650-665-9841 MV Shopper Schuurmans Farm Supply M I S S O U R I VA L L E Y Annette George, owner of the Soup ‘R Market, picked up the list of her New Year’s resolutions: 1. Replace cracked glass on the meat cooler. 2. Walk two miles each morning before work. 3. Lose 15 pounds by summer. 4. Take a class in Spanish. She thought about the kind of person she’d be at this time next year with all those things done, and it made her smile. Then she looked out the window at the snow and crossed off number two. “Each morning” was just too … too, inflexible. It’s always best, she thought to make promises you can keep. Annette tapped her teeth with the pencil. The Spanish class was in the city, and with gas prices being what they are … well, she could always pick up a Spanish grammar book at the Read Me Now bookstore. Number 4 reluctantly had a line drawn through it. You know, that glass has been cracked on the meat cooler for six years now, and it has never caused any kind of health threat. So the line up the glass causes a slight distortion as a shopper looks at a pork chop. So what? And have you seen what they get to replace that glass? The pencil drew again, slowly but deliberately. This left number three: lose 15 pounds by summer. This is one she will not scratch off. She remembers sitting by the swimming hole on Lewis Creek last summer watching the kids swimming. Next summer, she’ll swim with them. She will lose those 15 pounds. How? Well, by … eating better. Sure. Maybe one of those chocolate milkshake supplements each morning. Well, better not say each morning, but … whenever, you know. And walking. How much? Who knows? But walking. Yes. Walking. Losing 15 pounds. By summer. She smiled and decided to celebrate with a candy bar. Only one, of course. Life is good. SD Ag in the Classroom Looking for Vegetable Seed Donations PIERRE, S.D. - If you have vegetable seed packets laying around that you won’t use, South Dakota’s Ag in the Classroom program would like to have them. The seed packets can be opened or new. Any kind of vegetable-peas, corn, radish, carrot, squash, pumpkin, tomatoes, etc.-are needed. AITC will use the seeds in Ag Week kits with the book “Who Grew My Soup” by Tom Darbyshire. Seed donations can be mailed to: SD Ag in the Classroom, PO Box 402, Miller, SD 57362. Seeds are needed by Jan. 15, 2016. For donations received before end of year, the value of the seeds can be used as a tax deduction. For more information about South Dakota Ag in the Classroom go to www.agclassroom.org/sd or call executive director Ann Price at 605-853-6040. Agriculture is a major contributor to South Dakota’s economy, generating $25.6 billion in annual economic activity and employing over 115,000 South Dakotans. The South Dakota Department of Agriculture’s mission is to promote, protect, preserve and improve this industry for today and tomorrow. Visit us online at http://sdda.sd.gov or find us on Facebook and Twitter. nSDDA Dining, Entertainment, and Celebrations! COUPON - Offer expires 01/31/16 OPEN 11 AM - 10PM 600 OFF $ Family Meal 8 Pc. Chicken, 2 Lg. Sides, 4 Biscuits www.ronsautoglass.com M I S S O U R I VA L L E Y WINTER IS HERE! 2504 Fox Run Pkwy. Yankton, SD MV Shopper CLASSIFIEDS M I SSOU RI VALLEY Do you have a garage, shop, calving facility, working chute or other uses (indoor & outdoor) for a portable radiant heater? This is the heater for you! VAL-6 DIESEL RADIANT HEATERS NOW IN STOCK! 2015 Hustler SuperZ 35 HP Kawasaki 60” VX4 Deck, Air Seat See us at the Dakota Farm Show! Ph. (605) 589-3909 or Cell (605) 464-1113 5 miles West of Tyndall on Hwys. 50 & 37 www.schuurmansfarmsupply.com IN PRINT & ONLINE To place your ad call... 605.665.5884