February 28, 2017 • Page 2 shop online at www.missourivalleyshopper.com The Hidden Honeymoon Dave Says By Daris Howard Fighting Fear Dear Dave, After listening to your show, I want to try to get control of my finances, but I’m afraid to open up the bills. I make about $60,000 a year, but it’s a real Dear Dave, struggle just to keep my head above My mom is 73 years old, and she’s dealing with depression and water financially. My checking account a few other mental issues. Is it too late for her to get long-term is always overdrawn, and I don’t know care insurance? where to start in catching up. Can you Julie help? Dear Julie, Gail It wouldn’t be a big problem if she were healthy. But given her age, and the other struggles you mentioned, I’d check with a good insurance broker to see what’s out there for her. Dear Gail, Trust me, I know it can be scary. But In the insurance world they call this “making a market.” Will they Dave the easiest way to attack this thing is by tak- be able to find a company that will write her in that situation? I ing one slow, sure step at a time. Try not to can’t give you an accurate answer off the top of my head, because let worry consume you in the process, ei- this is a difficult thing. It would probably depend on things like the extent of her depression, how long it’s been manifested, and ther. First, sit down, take a deep breath, and open all the unopened what it has done in her life. bills. Throw away any duplicates, and keep only the most recent That’s one of the reasons I’m advising you to see an insurance statements and notices. The unknown is always scarier than the broker. A broker doesn’t represent just one company; they repreknown, so facing the bills and cutting that stack in half right off sent several companies. They can shop around in a given situation, and find someone to write something you might not get writthe bat will help reduce a lot of your initial anxiety. Next, let’s start a debt snowball. List all the debts you owe, from ten otherwise. They can also shop around for the best possible smallest to largest, making one column for the payoff balance, price, and you get the efficiencies of the marketplace working for one column for the amount you need to get current on that debt, you. and one column for the single payment amount when you get cur- God bless you both, Julie. rent. Total each column — the payoff balance, the amount to get — Dave current, and the single payment. I promise it won’t be as bad as you think. Finally, make a monthly budget. Prioritize your needs, starting * Dave Ramsey is America’s trusted voice on money and busiwith food, utilities, house payments and transportation. When it ness, and CEO of Ramsey Solutions. He has authored seven bestcomes to your debts, pay as much as you can on the smallest one selling books, including The Total Money Makeover. The Dave Ramsey Show is heard by more than 12 million listeners each while making minimum payments on all the others. You can do this, Gail. If you’ll follow my plan, I think you’ll see week on 575 radio stations and multiple digital platforms. Folimprovement in several areas of your life and you’ll feel good low Dave on Twitter at @DaveRamsey and on the web at daveramsey.com. about the progress you’re making, too! — Dave Use an Insurance Broker RAMSEY Entertainment & Dining Saturday, March 4th Specials! Shrimp ................................................................. $12.95 Prime Rib of Pork ..................................... $16.95 Ribeye................................................................... $18.95 Served With Potato, Vegetable, Soup, Salad & Dessert Bar Serving 5:00pm-9:00pm Reservations Appreciated Ron’s605-935-6076 OR 605-770-7881 Service Tripp, SD Open To The Public Pancakeast Breakf Pancakes, Eggs, Bacon, Sausage, Biscuits & Gravy, French Toast 7.00 All You Can Eat $ Children 6-10 $4.00 • 5 & Under Free Sunday, March 5th • 8 - 12:30 VFW Post 791 209 Cedar, Yankton • 665-3562 St. John’s Parish Annual Friday, March 3 Snow Date: March 10 Serving 5-9 p.m. at St. John’s Parish Center, Fordyce, NE Menu: Fried Pollock, Potato Salad, Coleslaw, Baked Beans, Bun and Refreshments To Go Orders Start Adults: $10 At 4:30 p.m. Kids 6-12 yr: $5 Kids 5 and under: Free 402-357-2322 St. John’s Mission trip group will be selling servings of homemade delicious desserts to raise money for the 2017 mission trip. Sponsored by Menford Electric Fordyce, NE • 402-357-2113 Job Hunting? The Help Wanted section can help. There’s something for everyone in the Shopper! Place your ad now: 605-665-5884 CA$H DAY$ March 1st to 10th Tire Rep will be on hand in Lesterville from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Lunch will be served in Lesterville, March 9th from 11 a.m. - 1:30 p.m. Bonus Cash Day Specials Discounts on Ag Tires $7 off oil changes $30 off set of 4 passenger or light truck tires 50 cents off Package Cenex oil 10% off boxes of Grease “All sales must be cash & paid before sale ends” Tabor Lumber Cooperative 104 Main St • Lesterville 605-364-7522 137 N. Lidice • Tabor 605-463-2251 My son married a beautiful, sweet young lady this week. It was a wonderful time, and we enjoyed meeting his bride’s wonderful family. When my youngest daughter’s friend, Dixie, learned of the wedding, she told my daughter a story about when her brother, Steven, was married. According to Dixie, they had a family tradition of trying to get the bride or groom to divulge where they were going on their honeymoon. This could be as straightforward of an approach as just asking, to a simple, indirect question, hoping that one of them might slip. In past generations, if one of them did let it slip, the family members were inclined to follow and play some prank on the bride and groom. Though the pranks had stopped long ago, the game of trying to find out where the couple planned to honeymoon continued, and it had even taken on a contest status. The person who found out would win a prize; that is, if someone could find out. Dixie said that her family members used every wile they could think of to get the couple to tell them where they were going, but Steven had warned his bride about this and neither of them slipped up all night. When the wedding and the reception were over, the couple left in their decorated car while everyone else stayed to clean up. The family finished cleaning late in the evening. It was the end of summer, with school starting in just over a week, so the family had planned to leave from the reception and go to the resort where they planned to spend their vacation. They drove half of the night, arriving at their destination at three o’clock in the morning. They were exhausted and ready for some relaxation. They pulled in, and Dixie’s dad went to register. After he climbed back into the car, they drove around to the side of the hotel and parked. That was when Dixie said, “Isn’t that Steven’s car?” Everyone looked where she was pointing, and sure enough, it was Steven’s car. The half washed off decorations of “Just Married” were a dead giveaway. The family came up with a new game. Their goal was to stay in the same resort for the week and never have Steven or his wife know they were there. As soon as they had moved their luggage into the hotel, Dixie’s father went out and moved the car to a parking lot across the street. And then the game began. The family held a council and decided the things they would have to do. When they went to eat, swim at the pool, or use any other amenities at the resort, they would post someone to keep watch. If they saw Steven or his new bride coming, they would quickly scamper out another way. They would trade off who was on watch so that everyone had a chance to enjoy everything. They kept this up all week and had a lot of fun. They were almost caught a couple of times, but as the week ended, everyone was sure they had not been discovered. When it came time to leave, they checked out early in the morning. Dixie’s dad went and retrieved the car from across the street. Everyone was outside waiting, and quickly threw all of the luggage into the van. They drove around the block and then repacked so they would have more room for the ride home. They all made a promise not to tell Steven or his wife about their little adventure. They had only been home a few days when Steven and his wife came over for dinner. “So, where did you end up going on your honeymoon?” Dixie’s dad casually asked. Steven laughed. “It’s our secret, and you’re never going to know.” The rest of the family laughed. Dixie said, “And the funny thing is that Steven still thinks we laughed because he was so elusive.” Highway Patrol to Host 3rd Annual Women’s Recruiting Seminars PIERRE, S.D. – South Dakota’s Highway Patrol is again hosting what has become a successful effort in recruiting more female troopers. Four Women’s Recruiting Seminars are scheduled statewide in the next few weeks. The seminars, now in their third year, are designed to provide more information for women who are interested in joining the Highway Patrol. Currently the Highway Patrol has six female troopers and six female recruits are going through training. Officials say the recruiting seminars have helped double the number of female troopers with the Patrol. “One of the Highway Patrol’s goals is to increase its number of female troopers,” says Col. Craig Price, the superintendent of the South Dakota Highway Patrol. “We have found that these seminars are helpful in identifying possible applicants. The seminars are working as we have hoped.” Each seminar lasts two hours, 6 p.m.-8 p.m. local time. Female troopers will be available to discuss topics such as the application process, training, what is it like to be a state trooper and the challenges that come with the position. Seminars are planned for: * Feb. 28, Rapid City, Highway Patrol office conference room; * March 14, Sioux Falls, Southeast Tech Health Science Center Room HC 227; * March 16, Aberdeen, Gold Room in Northern State University Student Center; and, * March 23, Pierre, Mickelson Law Enforcement Training Center Classroom E. “Being part of the South Dakota Highway Patrol is an honor, but also a responsibility because you are serving and protecting the public,” says Col. Price. “We want only the best; those people of honor, integrity and high moral and ethical character.” For more information on the Highway Patrol, and to register click onto: http://dps. sd.gov/enforcement/highway_patrol/ The Highway Patrol is part of the South Dakota Department of Public Safety.