February 5, 2019 • Page 2 shop online at www.missourivalleyshopper.com The Snow Challenge Dave Says Let Her Take Care Of The Payments Dear Dave, My daughter is in college, and I’ve always warned her to stay away from credit cards. Recently, I learned she got a department store credit card despite my advice. She has stayed within her credit limit, but she has never made any of the payments. At this point, she owes about $3,500. She’s a good student, and I want to look at this as a young person’s mistake. Should I pay it off for her this one time? Joseph loans, car loans, mortgages, credit cards and even personal loans? What’s your annual income? How much do you have in savings? Once you both have that information, you can make a plan to attack your debt. That leads us to a very important question—do you want debt to be a part of your marriage? I hope the answer is no, but you need to have this discussion. If you’re determined to get out of debt and your spouse continues to pile up credit card debt, then you’re headed toward a lot of marital stress. Debt is a thief. It steals your money and your joy. The last thing you want to do is delay all of those dreams you have with your future spouse. Being debt free will allow you to turn your dreams into a reality. So, make a plan to get out of debt together, and don’t let it be an option ever again. Dave 2. Am I a spender or a saver? Dear Joseph, You probably know the answer to this question immediYou’re right, this is a typical young ately, right? Would you rather spend your time shopping at the person’s mistake. Like a lot of mistakes our kids make, it’s one mall or updating your budget in Excel? that’s bad and wonderful at the same time. It’s bad because, if The spender and the saver are total opposites, but it’s she had just listened to dear old dad, she would’ve avoided a true what they say—opposites attract. Often in marriage, one mess. It’s wonderful, though, because it gives you the opportu- person is a spender and one is a saver. And that’s okay! Just nity to provide her with a real world, teachable moment. because one likes to spend and one the other likes to save I understand you wanting to help her out “this one time.” doesn’t mean your marriage is doomed. You balance each It means you have a good heart, and that you care about your other out. daughter and love her. There’s a reality here, though, I hope The problems start when you go through life without you won’t overlook. It’s her debt, not yours. She knew what she understanding each other’s natural tendencies. You have to was doing when she signed up for that credit card. She knew start by embracing one another’s differences. There is no right what it meant, what was expected, and she is the one who or wrong here. The key is to communicate and make a plan for should have to make good on the repayment. The entire deal is your money together. Spenders shouldn’t let all of the budgetlegal and fair. ing fall to the saver and vice versa. You are one now! At this point, my advice is to put your arm around her, talk 3. Do I understand how a budget works? to her, and lovingly explain where she went wrong and why it If you don’t know how to make a budget, stop what you’re was a bad idea. You can even help her find a part-time job if she doing and learn how to create one. I know what you may be doesn’t have one right now, so she can pay off her debt and get thinking… “Budgets are the worst!” or “You can’t have fun out of this mess. But leave the payments to her. My guess is by when you’re on a budget!” Budgeting might seem restrictive the time she finishes working her tail off to pay this debt she but telling your money where to go instead of wondering where will have learned a lesson she’ll remember for the rest of her it went actually gives you permission to spend! It’s also a great life! way to deepen communication with your spouse because — Dave you’re planning for your future together. Your budget is your game plan. With a zero-based budget, you list your monthly income at the top of the page. Then list * Dave Ramsey is America’s trusted voice on money and business, and CEO of Ramsey Solutions. He has authored seven all your monthly expenses—gas, food, rent, debt payments and so on—below that. The income minus the outgo should equal best-selling books, including The Total Money Makeover. The zero. Every dollar should have a “name.” Give yourself grace. It Dave Ramsey Show is heard by more than 12 million listeners each week on 575 radio stations and multiple digital platforms. will take a few months to get used to budgeting, but you’ll get there! Follow Dave on Twitter at @DaveRamsey and on the web at 4. What are your financial fears? daveramsey.com. This might not be a fun question, but it’s an important one. Fear can make us do crazy things, especially when it comes to your money. Fear is what leads to people hiding purchases from their spouse or getting a secret credit card. Both of which are bad ideas, by the way! Maybe you’re afraid because you don’t have the security that comes with savings or maybe you’re scared because By Rachel Cruze you’re living paycheck to paycheck, like most Americans. WhatMarriage is one of the biggest decisions you’ll ever make, so ever they are, share them with your fiancé. Getting your fears the last thing you want to do is go in unprepared. out on the table will help you to get on the same page when it Money is the number one issue couples fight about. In fact, comes to your values and money. Ramsey Solutions released a study that shows money fights are 5. What are your dreams? the second leading cause of divorce, behind infidelity. So, makWhere do you picture yourself (and your spouse) years ing sure you’re on the same page about your finances with your from now? What type of lifestyle are living? You probably future spouse is extremely important. When you sit down and already know the answer, and these are things you should be talk with your partner about your finances, it builds a different sharing with each other, too. level of trust in your relationship. You’ll wind up growing closer Talking about money with your partner binds you on an to each other as a result. intimate level unlike anything else. You wind up sharing your Talking about money can be uncomfortable at first, but it’s hopes and dreams together, and who doesn’t want that? The so worth it! Before you say “I do,” here are a few questions you honeymoon doesn’t have to end when your wedding is over. should ask yourself as you get ready to have the money talk Dream together, and make a plan for your money together. with your future spouse. I promise, you’ll add a sense of peace in your marriage that 1. Where are you currently with your finances? could not exist with debt! Both of you should answer this question and get it out on the table. How much debt do you have—including student *As a #1 New York Times best-selling author, host of The Rachel Cruze Show, and The Rachel Cruze Show podcast, Rachel helps people learn the proper ways to handle money and stay out of debt. She’s authored three best-selling books, including Love Your Life, Not Theirs and Smart Money Smart Kids, which she co-wrote with her father, Dave Ramsey. You can follow Cruze on Twitter and Instagram at @RachelCruze and online at rachelcruze.com, youtube.com/rachelcruze or facebook.com/rachelramseycruze. RAMSEY 5 Questions to Ask Yourself Before Marriage Yankton interactive 6 Easy Steps To Bring Your Paper To Life! By Daris Howard Eight fourteen-your-old boys, two leaders, and six snowmobiles—what could possibly go wrong? I was one of the fourteen-year-olds, and it was to be our January scout camping trip. We would snowmobile in to a big, open meadow and set up camp Friday evening. We would spend the next day snowmobiling in the meadow. Then, an hour before dark, we would head for home. All went as planned the first night. We set up camp and ate dinner. We went to bed early so we could get up at first light and have a full day riding the machines. The next morning there was only a glimmer of light in the east when we woke. By the time there was enough sunlight to ride without the machines’ lights on, we were off racing across the meadow. After lots of riding, we moved to another fun event. We tied ropes fifty feet long onto the snow machines and tied the other ends to inner tubes. “Howard,” Rod said, “I bet you can’t stay on that inner tube with me driving the snow machine.” I accepted his challenge and climbed on the inner tube like a cowboy climbing into a chute on the back of a bull. I grasped the rope securely with both of my glove-covered hands and laid down. Rod sat down on the snowmobile and gunned it forward. Rod would bring the machine up to the fastest speed he could, about fifty miles per hour, then he would turn as sharply as he could without rolling the snow machine. This whipped me at about twice that speed in an arc across the snow. The snow crystals bit into the exposed areas of my face. I even rolled over a couple of times on the inner tube. But even while being dragged through the snow, I held on, determined to win the challenge. The day was spent with everyone challenging each other to see if they could throw them off of the inner tubes. When it was almost time to leave, only Rod and I had not been thrown off. Before heading back to where the snowmobile trailers were waiting, the other boys egged us on to see if one of us would be the ultimate champion. Rod said he’d try to throw me first. For about twenty minutes, he rode at full throttle, crossing rough trails, turning at high speeds. The ice crystals cut into me to the point I felt they were surely drawing blood. But I held on, and finally, it was my turn to drive. As he grabbed the rope, he grinned. “All right, Howard. Give me your best shot.” I, too, did the same as Rod had done. I pushed the machine to the limit across some of the roughest tracks and spun the machine in as fast and tight of circles as I could. But Rod held on no matter how hard I tried. I could see the sun sinking in the sky, and knowing my time was running out, I got a brilliant idea. On the far side of the meadow was a ridge where the snow had drifted especially deep and thick. It had formed a wall of snow about eight feet high and around ten feet in depth. It was also nearly vertical. I opened the throttle and headed for this wall of snow. I estimated the distance of the rope and the speed, and not far from the snow wall, I started the turn. The rope whipped Rod toward the wall. I knew if I had estimated it right, he would hit the wall at peak speed, just as the rope went tight. It was almost perfect, and when the inner tube hit the wall, the g-force and the crash combined ripped Rod from the rope. But my fourteen-year-old brain didn’t consider what would happen after that. The inertia shot Rod directly into the wall of snow like a human rocket. He disappeared right up to his boots. Suddenly, the thought went through my head that I had killed him. The leaders and other boys must have thought so, too, because they came flying toward us on the snowmobiles. We dug around Rod’s legs, then got a few of us on each leg and pulled him out. He was sputtering and spitting snow, but he was mostly fine. So much snow was rammed down his coveralls that he couldn’t move, and we had to help pull them off of him and unpack the snow. When we were sure he was okay, our leaders just sighed and looked at me, shaking their heads. Finally, the oldest one spoke. Barkl Tax ServiCe Chris Barkl CPA, MPA Individual, Farm, & Business Call for an Appointment Today! (605)653-9505 barkltaxservice@gmail.com 1. Go to 2. Search for the Yankton Interactive app. 3. Download the app onto your phone or tablet. Earn as much as $400+ this month & $120 this week 5. Click on the app and scan the picture or ad. This is a FREE app so download today!! when you’ve got the right direction Stop searching. The Help Wanted section of the Missouri Valley Shopper lists many possible new job opportunities. Find a career that’s right for you. 4. Hold your phone or device over the newspaper where Yankton Interactive trigger is indicated. 6. 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