March 15, 2016 • Page 10 shop online at www.missourivalleyshopper.com Tips to Save Money on Paying Debt (StatePoint) Over extending oneself on high-interest rate revolving debt purchases is not uncommon. Indeed, U.S. households who use credit cards have an average of $15,799 in credit card debt, according to the nonprofit Consolidated Credit Counseling. pay off high-interest rate revolving debt, maintaining one monthly payment at a potentially lower interest rate. Additionally, some personal loans are offered with no origination or prepayment fees, which can help save money in the near- and long-term. “If you’re not strategic about the way you make repayments, you could end up spending more paying down your debt, and at rates that may increase over time,” says Stephanie Cutler, vice president of Wells Fargo`s Personal Lines and Loans. Personal loans from Wells Fargo, for example, require no collateral to qualify and credit decisions can be made quickly. The bank can even pay off creditors directly, giving customers an opportunity to begin paying down debt on better terms right away. With loan amounts from $3,000 to $100,000, customers can customize the loan based on the amount needed, and loan terms up to five years. If your high-interest rate revolving debt seems overwhelming or stressful, Cutler says to consider the following: Consolidate Debt Juggling multiple highinterest rate debts can be costly and confusing. With a personal loan, which often comes with a lower interest rate than what credit cards offer, consumers can take funds from the loan and “Rolling your debt into a single loan won’t immediately reduce your debt, but it does offer a single predictable monthly payment,” says Cutler. “Plus, having just one bill can make tracking and payments easier.” With what you may potentially save on monthly interest payments over time, you can increase your cash flow, savings, or pay down more of the loan’s principal balance to see your debt shrink even faster. (Incidentally, personal loans are also a way to finance a major purchase, unexpected expenses like home or automotive repairs, or even medical expenses.) To calculate how a personal loan may save you money, visit wellsfargo.com BULL SALES RCR POLLED HEREFORDS Looking for the best deal in town? Check the REG POLLED HEREFORD BULLS AND PUREBRED F1 BLACK BALDY BULLS FOR SALE BY PRIVATE TREATY. RCR POLLED HEREFORDS JAMES & BONNIE SIMMERMON AND SONS 38372 291ST STREET • LAKE ANDES, SD 57356 PHONE 605-487-7406 • CELL 605-481-1936 RAISING POLLED HEREFORDS SINCE 1978 MV Shopper 319 Walnut St. Yankton, SD 57078 MV Shopper M I S S O U R I VA L L E Y Selling 25 Head of Red & Black Yearling Purebred Limousin Annual Bulls NEW SALE FORMAT M I S S O U R I VA L L E Y 605-665-5884 “Where Class Meats Carcass” Bull Sale Private Treaty First Come, First Serve Beginning March 20 at the farm aPayment: ½ down on day of sale, remainder due upon delivery aVolume discount available aAll bulls will be homo polled & black tested Many half brothers to 2016 Div. II & Peoples’ Choice Champion Pen will sell! Adam, Michelle, Greyson & Palmer Nielson aPerformance & ultrasound data available View videos and pictures of entire offering at www.romnlimousin.com Robert ‘Cookie’ & Mary Nielson 605.203.0733 • 605.203.0732 605.203.0903 • 605.203.0904 Arlington, SD 57212 romnlimo@msn.com ROM’N Limousin & Club Calves co Rom’nLimousin 3-2-16 CLASSIFIEDS! Canaday Selling by Private Treaty Two-Year Olds & Yearling Polled Hereford Bulls for Sale Avg Yearling Wt. 1260 lbs. “This is the BEST set we have ever had!” METTLER POLLED HEREFORDS & ANGUS 28225 431st Ave. Menno, SD 57045 Brian: 605-951-3007 or Ron: 650-359-9035 co 38th Annual “Pride in Performance” Sale FRIDAY, APRIL 2016 • 1:00 p.m. Friday, april 1,1, 2016 • 1:00 p.m. Stockman’s Auction Market • Yankton, S.D. (1 mile east on Highway 50) Stockman’s Auction Market • Yankton,S.D. (1 mile east on Highway 50) F-1 to purebredsall Percentages OTHER SIRES F-1 to purebreds all Percentages OTHER SIRES Simmental, SimAngus, Angus Simmental, SimAngus, Angus rEprESENTEd: REPRESENTED: GCC-7 GCC-7 2 U66 5 2 U66 5 SO S AAR-TEN-X S SOnLN! AAR-TEN-X E Sll L Power Design SEis a! ar Power Design Hea 4-4-str Bruns He is lvingStase ea ca Bruns calving ea!se bull! SElliNg 33 loTS oF BullS: bull! SELLING29 are All Black 35 LOTS OF BULLS: 1 BlackAll Black 31 are White Face 3 All Red -WhiteAngus Bull 1 Black Red Face 29SMO407 3 All Red - Red Angus Bull Julian Canaday Breeding for calving ease, rate of gain Julian Canaday Bloomfield, NE 68718 Dual Focus Breeding for calving ease, rate of gain 54289 893 Rd. • 2421851 and quiet disposition for 40 years! Phone: 402-373-4482 54289 Rd. • Bloomfield, NE 68718 2421851 and quiet disposition for 40 years! r ca atalog FoFor ctalog contacct: conta t: Phone: 402-373-4482 Dual Focus to use their free Rate and Payment Calculator. More information about Personal Loans can be found at wellsfargo.com/personal-credit/ personal-loan. Track Spending While consolidating debt, don’t forget to adopt and maintain savvy spending habits. Be sure to keep track of where your money is and how you’re spending it. Use budgeting tools online to display deposits and spending by category. This information can help you spend smarter and increase what’s left at the end of each month to direct toward payments on your loan principal. “Even a little extra can go a long way to paying down debt sooner and less expensively,” says Cutler. “Consider setting up online automatic payments from your checking account to make the process simple and stress-free.” To pay down credit card debt, consider all your alternatives with your lender and your personal spending habits. Heartworm Testing: What Every Dog Owner Needs to Know (StatePoint) Your dog is your best friend, and you take good care of him, making sure he gets quality food and exercise, immunizations and heartworm medication. Why, then, does your veterinarian also insist on a yearly heartworm test? Chances are, your veterinarian is following the advice of the American Heartworm Society (AHS), whose mission it is to lead the veterinary profession and the public in the understanding of heartworm disease. “The AHS recommends annual testing for all dogs,” explains veterinary parasitologist and AHS board member Dr. Patricia Payne. “Heartworm is a devastating disease. It is preventable and can be treated in dogs, but early detection is essential.” Unprotected Dogs are at Risk Along with testing, the AHS recommends year-round administration of heartworm preventives. Unfortunately, says Dr. Payne, far too many dogs do not receive this measure of care. Almost two-thirds of dogs in the U.S. that are seen by veterinarians are given no preventives at all, according to studies conducted by heartworm medication manufacturers. Among those on prevention medication, far too many are only given medication in spring, summer and fall, when the mosquitoes that transmit heartworm larvae are active. Because weather is unpredictable and hardy mosquitoes can survive indoors as well as outdoors in protected areas, so-called “seasonal” usage creates ample opportunity for animals to unintentionally become infected. Mistakes Can Happen Another factor is human -- and animal -- error. “Pet owners who give heartworm medications year-round and on time are to be commended,” says Dr. Payne. “Even so, it is still possible for heartworm infection to occur. The following are three scenarios that make heartworm testing a necessity for all dogs: • Even the most diligent owner can forget a dose now and then. “If you have medication left when your veterinarian reminds you that it’s time to purchase more preventive, it’s a pretty clear sign that you missed a dose or two,” says Dr. Payne. • Not all pills are swallowed, and not all topical medications are properly applied. If your dog vomits or spits out a pill when you aren’t looking -- or if a topical medication isn’t absorbed completely -- a pet may be less protected than you think. • Heartworm resistance is rare but real. “Owners can rest assured that heartworm medications are highly effective, but a few cases of heartworm strains that are resistant to common preventives have been documented,” explains Dr. Payne, adding that the issue is being studied by the AHS. Test Annually The good news for owners is that heartworm testing is simple and inexpensive. “Your veterinarian can easily conduct this simple blood test during a dog’s annual or semiannual wellness visit,” assures Dr. Payne. “If your dog tests positive, treatment can begin. With a negative test result, an owner has the peace of mind of knowing that his or her pet has been protected for another year.”