March 26, 2019 • Page 2 shop online at www.missourivalleyshopper.com Dave Says Time To Fix The Real Problem Dear Dave, I’ve heard you tell people to avoid debt consolidation companies. Why do you think debt consolidation is such a bad thing? Tom In cases like this, the biggest issue remains because you didn’t do anything to address the real problems—you and your behavior. When you have debt, the number of payments you have left isn’t the problem. The problem isn’t interest rates, either. The problem is the person you look at in the mirror every day. Until you get mad enough about your financial situation and the real reasons for it—until you fix you and your behavior— you’ll never make any progress toward winning with money! —Dave Dear Tom, The main reason is that debt consolidation makes you feel like you did Dave something to really change your financial world when you didn’t. That’s part of the catch. Believe it or not, I hear people all the time say things like, “I took out a loan, and paid off Dear Dave, all my debt!” No, you didn’t. All you did My husband and I are following your was move your debt around. It’s still there! plan, and we’re in the middle of saving up RAMSEY When Can We Buy A New Car? our emergency fund. When do you recommend buying a new car in the process? Do we have to wait until we’ve finished all the Baby Steps? Alanna Dear Alanna, I never advise buying a brand new car, unless you have a net worth of at least $1 million. At that point, you’ve got enough assets that you won’t get rocked by the ridiculous depreciation that comes with buying a new vehicle. Now, you don’t have to drive a beater until you pay off your house or anything like that. I advise people to drive the minimum they can in terms of a car until they complete my first three steps. Baby Step 1 is a beginner emergency fund of $1,000. Baby Step 2 is paying off all debt except for your home. Baby Step 3 is fully funding your emergency fund with three to six months of expenses. After you’ve accomplished these first three steps, then you can move up to a nicer car. Notice that I didn’t say move up to a new car. I want you to save up cash, and get a really nice used car. That’s what the typical millionaire does, and I want you to model your financial behavior after people who are in the position you want to be in some day! —Dave * Dave Ramsey is America’s trusted voice on money and business, and CEO of Ramsey Solutions. He has authored seven best-selling books, including The Total Money Makeover. The Dave Ramsey Show is heard by more than 12 million listeners each week on 575 radio stations and multiple digital platforms. Follow Dave on Twitter at @DaveRamsey and on the web at daveramsey.com. New Technology By Daris Howard Cell phones were new, and the university made me carry one because I was the director of internet systems. They wanted to be able to get hold of me if something went wrong, which, with the internet in its infancy, it often did. Messages from my office phone were also routed to my cell phone and beeped me at the most inconvenient times. Sometimes technology is so annoying. Shandy’s messages always beeped me at the worst times of all. Every time I had a test in my class, Shandy had some emergency come up. She would call and leave a message on my phone just before the test closed. For the first exam, my phone beeped just as I was trying to get my young children asleep. I picked up the phone and hit the play button. Shandy’s voice came on, and she was breathing hard. “Hello, Professor Howard. This is Shandy. My friends and I are at a park forty miles from campus and someone in our group broke her arm. I ran to abels Best Prices In Town! ine L d Jack Daniels Legacy Edition W $ iving Dea 20.99 750 ML NEW! L g alkin Battle W The et The nce” “L e omm C Captain Morgan Watermelon Splash $15.99 750 ML Grey Goose Vodka $33.99 1 LTR Karkov Vodka $10.99 1.75 ML $ NEW! Bacardi Rum 12.99 750 ML, Lime Flavor Save 10¢ Off A Gallon Of Gas When You Use Your Sinclair Card Cork N Bottle 1500 Broadway, 665-3881 We’ll Match All Local Advertising Prices! We’ll M Local Advertis atch All ing Prices! Yankton interactive 6 Easy Steps To Bring Your Paper To Life! 1. Go to 2. Search for the Yankton Interactive app. this pay phone to call for medical help, and after I called them, I realized I should call you to let you know I won’t make it back to campus in time to take the test. I hope you will let me take it tomorrow.” This was always a tough spot to be in. The student may or may not be telling the truth. I tended to err on the side of trust, so the next day I called the testing center and gave them the information needed to let Shandy take the test. I hoped that would be the last time, but when the second test came, there was a similar phone call. My phone beeped in the middle of an important meeting. Few others had cell phones, and everyone stared at me. It was another call from Shandy. “Hello Professor Howard. This is Shandy. I was coming home with some friends from a game about ninety miles from campus when we came upon a wreck. We helped the people get out before the car caught fire and treated them for shock until paramedics arrived. Afterward, we pulled into this gas station so I could call you. There is no way I can make it all the way back to campus in time for the test. I hope you will let me take it tomorrow.” Things didn’t quite add up, but I had no proof to the contrary, so I called the test permission in to the testing center. But then I called the Honor Office and asked them if they had received any concerns about Shandy. They said they had, but nothing that anyone could prove. Two more tests had the same thing happen. My phone beeped at inconvenient times, and Shandy had had an emergency. But I was getting more suspicious. Still, I couldn’t prove anything, so I called the testing center for her permissions. Then, one day, there was a knock on my office door. I opened it, and there stood a man holding two phones. “We have upgraded the phone system on campus, and everyone is getting new office phones,” he said. “You also get a new cell phone.” “What’s wrong with my old phones?” I asked. “I don’t really know,” he answered. “But apparently they don’t work well with the new equipment.” He set up my office phone, handed me the new cell phone, and left a small brochure on how to use the new features. I put the small brochure in my wallet. I didn’t have time to deal with new technology, and I knew how to use a phone. But then came the day after the next test closed. My phone beeped while I was on a date with my wife. I was annoyed when I had to use the brochure to figure out how to get the message. It was Shandy again. “Hi Professor Howard. This is Shandy . . . “ Her message was the same as usual. She said she was two hours away from campus and had had an emergency. When she finished speaking, I was just about to hang up when a computer-generated voice came on. “This call originated from McKay Library extension 7042.” I paused, somewhat stunned. Shandy had called me from on campus, and now I knew for sure she wasn’t really miles away. Maybe technology is not so annoying after all. Dining & Entertainment St. Rose of Lima All You Can Eat FISH! Friday, March 29, 2019 St. Rose of Lima Parish Hall 1316 W. 5th Street, Crofton, NE Serving from 5:00pm – 8:30pm • (Carry Out 4:30pm – 6:30pm) Carry Out Orders After 4pm (402)388-4393 Adults: $10 Children 6-12: $5 Ages 5 & under: Free Ad sponsored by Town & Country Insurance, Ryan Loecker. 3. Download the app onto your phone or tablet. 4. Hold your phone or device over the newspaper where Yankton Interactive trigger is indicated. 5. Click on the app and scan the picture or ad. 6. Bring your paper to life and have an amazing new experience. This is a FREE app so download today!! Matching Funds Event Up To $1,500 CURE FOR COLLINS PRESENTS SUNDAY, MARCH 31ST SPRING CRAFT FAIR & BAKE SALE VERMILLION NATIONAL GUARD ARMORY 603 PRINCETON ST 11-3 pm ALL PROCEEDS WILL BENEFIT THE CYSTIC FIBROSIS FOUNDATION IN HONOR OF 5 YEAR OLD COLLINS KASSIN WHO LIVES WITH CF. FOLLOW US ON FACEBOOK CURE FOR COLLINS Author On Black Hills Set To Speak In Vermillion VERMILLION — The Edith B. Siegrist Vermillion Public Library will be hosting a free slide presentation titled, “The Black Hills Yesterday and Today,” given by South Dakota photographer and author Paul Horsted, on Monday, April 8. The program starts at 8 p.m. in the Kozak Room. Horsted has been a photographer for 40 years, and now has a prolific photo series dedicated to locating the sites of historic images from across the USA and “re-photographing” them. Learn more about Horsted online at paulhorsted. com and be sure you don’t miss his presentation here at the library. He will be selling and signing copies of his books after the program. The Edith B. Siegrist Vermillion Public Library is located at 18 Church Street, Vermillion. For more information, email vplstaff@ vermillionpubliclibrary.org or call 605-677-7060. The right job is just one click away. www.missourivalleyshopper.com In Print and Online! Call 665-5884