October 1, 2019 • Page 2 shop online at www.missourivalleyshopper.com Dave Says How Much Emergency Fund? Dear Dave, I know you talk about having an emergency fund of three to six months of expenses set aside. My husband and I are having a difficult time agreeing on exactly how much we should set aside for emergencies. How do you determine the exact amount? Erin Dear Matt, In most cases, you’ll have anywhere from 90 to 200 different company’s stocks in a growth stock mutual fund. Over a period of time, some of them will go up and some will go down. If the overall effect is that the group is worth more now than it was before, you made money. The value of that overall group of stocks went up, in other words. Okay, now pay close attention to what I’m about to say next. I love the fact that you’re investing and thinking about the future. It shows wisdom and maturity to be able to grasp the need for a good financial plan now and in the years ahead. However, I’d advise you to not put any more money into that investment until you understand exactly what it is and how it works. Talk to your financial advisor immediately, and let him or her know you’re not clear on things. A quality investing professional has the heart of a teacher. Someone like this will take as much time as necessary to better explain your investment, your options, and answer other questions so you can become an informed investor and, over time, make your own wise investing decisions. Never put money into something you don’t fully understand! —Dave Dear Erin, The exact you amount you have in your emergency fund—whether it’s three, four, five, or six months of expenses—is really more about peace of mind than anything else. Still, there are a few practical things to consider. If you both have very stable jobs, you’d probably be okay saving three or four months of expenses. But if one of you is self-employed, makes most of their money through commissions, or only one of you works outside the home, it would make more sense to have five or six months of expenses set aside. Of course, you can always compromise while leaving room for growth. There’s nothing wrong starting out with three months of expenses saved, then adding more as time goes by. The main thing is that you’re both in agreement, and you both feel safe with the amount of money in * Dave Ramsey is America’s trusted voice on money and your emergency fund! business, and CEO of Ramsey Solutions. He has authored —Dave seven best-selling books, including The Total Money MakeoRamsey than 12 Understand Your Investments ver. The Dave week on Show is heard by more multiple million listeners each 575 radio stations and digital platforms. Follow Dave on Twitter at @DaveRamsey and on Completely the web at daveramsey.com. Dear Dave, I’m new to investing, and recently I began putting money into growth stock mutual funds inside a Roth IRA. On my last statement, it said that my investment had grown. Can you explain how it grew? Matt Dave RAMSEY “WHEN I WAS LOOKING FOR A JOB, I PUT THE CLASSIFIEDS TO WORK!” Our Help Wanted Listings Have Hundreds Of Opportunities For You... • Full-Time • Part-Time • Permanent • Temporary 319 Walnut • Yankton, SD 605.665.5884 YOUR RADIATOR HEADQUARTERS! • Great Parts • Great Warranty On-Hand & In-Stock! NO WAITING! Cox Auto 1007 Broadway Ave Yankton, SD 605•665•4494 “Feel that crispness in the air this morning?” said Dud. “Just about time to go hunting, don’t you think?” “I’m always ready,” said Steve, smiling. “I’ll go right after fall branding this year. But I’m going to be hunting differently this year.” We all looked at Steve and waited. “Well,” he said, “you know how different cultures and different countries have their own way of hunting, so I thought I might try one of those this year.” “Whatcha have in mind, Steve?” “The Swiss way,” he said. You know … crossbow? William Tell? The Swiss way.” “I’ll be using a regular bow again this year,” said Herb. “I really enjoy the earlier season and more time to shoot. I shoot in the back yard every day.” “Must be something in the coffee here this morning,” said Doc. “Everybody’s going for a new way … or old way … of hunting.” “I’ll be going back in time myself this fall,” Phil said. “I’ve never used anything but a modern rifle, so this year I bought myself a muzzleloader. One shot. You just get one.” “That’s a fact,” said Dud. “Now how about you, Doc? How will you be hunting this year?” “Glad you asked, Dudley. Yes, I joined the trend myself this year and I’ll be hunting deer by the Amish method.” We looked at Doc. “Amish method?” “Sure,” he said, grinning. “You just go out and find a buck you really like and build a barn around it.” German/Russian Heritage Society Annual SATURDAY, OCT. 19 Menno School Auditorium GERMAN MEAL • BAKE SALE ENTERTAINMENT FEATURING: A Bad Joke By Daris Howard When I was younger and just graduated from college, we moved into a new area and into a new home. The church I was part of had decided to move all record keeping to computers. The problem was, back then very few people knew how to use a computer. So, the congregational leader, who went by the title of bishop, asked if I would help enter the records into the computer. One piece of this had to do with the donations the members of the congregation gave to the church. On Sunday afternoons, I worked with a Henry to enter the data. He would read off the numbers, and I punched them in. This was before the days of the internet, so when we had checked and double-checked the numbers, we called into the church headquarters to report the data so the totals could be recorded there. One day, the bishop came into where Henry and I were working. “I just got the phone bill,” he said. “Do you know what’s on it?” “What?” Henry asked. “There are a lot of calls to a dirty joke line,” the bishop replied. “The calls are all made during the youth night meetings. Apparently, the youth are doing some things they shouldn’t.” The next Sunday, the bishop talked about the issue to the congregation. He preached a little bit of fire and brimstone toward those who would use a church phone for inappropriate behavior and called on them to repent. “Not only is it a disgrace to see these kinds of calls on our phone bill,” he said. “But the numbers were nine hundred numbers and had charges both for long-distance and for a line charge. We are going to have some equipment put in so a person must have a code to make a long-distance call. That should take care of the problem.” Within a couple of weeks, the new equipment was installed. Henry and I were given a code we had to punch in so we could call in the weekly donation report. Only a few weeks after the new equipment was installed, Henry and I had spent much of a Sunday afternoon recording everything. It was way past lunchtime, and we were both hungry and ready to be home with our families. It was Henry’s turn to make the call, and my turn to watch and listen to verify he read the numbers correctly. Henry dialed the number and punched in the security code. When the phone picked up on the other end, he smiled. He identified himself and the congregation he was calling from. Then he said, “I am ready to report the weekly donation information.” Suddenly, Henry blushed bright red. “Listen here,” he said forcefully into the phone. “I don’t want to hear any of that!” Henry gasped. “Young lady, I want to talk to your supervisor!” He paused a minute and then said it again louder and with more force. Finally, he slammed the phone on the receiver. Henry was shaking with anger as he turned to me. “That lady, and I use the term loosely, was telling me a dirty joke.” I laughed. “Henry, did you dial one eight-hundred, or did you dial one nine-hundred?” Henry was not smiling as he replied. “As far as I know, I dialed one eight-hundred.” He was so shaken by everything that he wouldn’t call again. So, this time I dialed. A young lady answered and identified herself as a secretary at the church headquarters. She pleasantly recorded the information, and we hung up. When the bishop stepped into the room, we told him what had happened. He laughed. “Well, I guess we know who was calling the dirty joke line.” Henry didn’t think it was funny in the least. And when the phone bill came, it showed a nine-hundred number which, other than the nine, was the same as the church reporting number. “Give me that bill,” Henry said. The bishop laughed. “We can pay for it.” “Not on your life,” Henry said. “I don’t want anyone saying I called a raunchy number and the church paid it.” He looked at the charge on the phone bill, plopped down five dollars, and said, “And keep the change.” Then he added, “And I don’t want to hear another word spoken about this again.” Has Moved Now Located Absolutely Country Definitely Gospel 4 miles South of Yankton on Hwy 81 6-7pm: Meal • 7:30pm: Entertainment TICKETS: $25/ADULT (includes German Meal & Show) Limited # Of Tickets Available! Order Yours Now By Calling: Gary Jerke (Scotland): 605-583-4544 Vi Ranney (Yankton): 605-665-3596 Donna Zeeb (Menno: 605-387-5577 David Mogck (Tripp): 605-935-6781 Schoenfish CPA (Parkston): 605-928-7241 Eugene Weidenbach (Scotand): 605-583-4470 Merchants State Bank (Freeman): 605-925-4222 Surplus Property Sale www.yanktontrailers.com 402-667-2004 The University of South Dakota will be offering for sale tables and chairs, tall wood cabinets, lounge chairs, wood desks and other miscellaneous items. Thursday, October 10th 2019 • 9am to 3pm Location of the sale is at the USD Quonset located north of the Dakota Dome on Hwy 50, next to the Vucurevich Day Care Center. Any questions call 605-658-3635 Terms of Sale: Cash Only, NO Checks VACANT LOTS AVAILABLE NOW!! We have lots available for mobile homes ready today. Contact Krista or Serena about moving your home to Suburban MHP Vermillion, SD 605-635-4200 *restrictions apply*