December 17, 2019 • Page 2 shop online at www.missourivalleyshopper.com Dave Says Why Not Budget And Save? Dear Dave, I’ve never heard you talk about store layaway programs. With Christmas coming, I wanted to ask your opinion of using layaway for buying gifts. Meg Dear Meg, If you know me, you probably have a good idea what’s coming next. I’m not a huge fan of layaway programs, because they’re not the Dave answer to a problem. I mean, Christmas comes at the same time every year. It’s not like it snuck up on you. What’s wrong with just saving up money for Christmas ahead of time? Here’s a good rule of thumb: if you don’t have the money on hand, you can’t afford it. Now, sometimes there are instances when certain popular items are on sale, and you can take advantage of them through layaway if you don’t have enough cash at that very moment. I don’t have a huge problem with this sort of thing, as long as it’s not habitual behavior, and you’re already saving money and living on a budget. Still, I would never, ever recom- RAMSEY mend using a layaway plan with fees attached. It may be too late to budget for this Christmas, but I want you to make plans to start living on a written, monthly budget in January. Make it a resolution! Give every dollar a name, on paper, before the upcoming month begins. You can include Christmas spending in those monthly budgets, too. If you set aside a little bit each month from January until next December, you won’t have to worry about layaways or Christmas debt. Remember, Christmas is about God and it’s about love. There are many, many ways to bless people and make them happy without overextending yourself financially! —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. Medicare Card Reminder PIERRE, S.D. – The South Dakota Senior Health Information and Insurance Education (SHIINE) program would like to remind all individuals that Medicare cards with Social Security Numbers will no longer be accepted effective Jan. 1, 2020. The new Medicare cards, which were mailed to South Dakota Medicare beneficiaries in 2018, feature a Medicare Beneficiary Identifier (MBI) number instead of a Social Security Number. SHIINE director Caitlin Christensen said, “Beneficiaries are going to be required to use their new MBI. If a beneficiary has not yet received a new Medicare card, they should contact the Social Security Administration.” Individuals with Medicare will need their new MBIs when they change plans or are admitted to the hospital. MBIs are confidential and should not be shared with other individuals. For more information, please visit www.shiine.net or www.medicare.gov. The main problem, said Windy to himself, is a lack of variety. He got up from his kitchen table and poured a fourth cup of coffee. The weather outside was terrible, he didn’t have any work to do today, Ramses was healthy and asleep over next to the heater. Not bad, said the old cowboy philosopher and camp cook. I could do a lot worse, he thought. But still, there was that darn lack of variety. And it was this problem that took him back to the table and made him shuffle the cards once again. When he was a young cowboy and learning to lose at the non-stop poker game in the bunkhouse, it was different. The card playing itself was fun, but losing money wasn’t. Oh, it wasn’t much money … cowboy wages being what they were then … and still are. It was just the laughM I S S O U R I VA L L E Y ing and the storytelling, really, and waiting to see if Lady Luck actually recognized you sitting there waiting for her. Windy Wilson also remembered the preacher staring into the congregation looking for a sinner or two and declaring playing cards to be one-way tickets to perdition. Well, that sermon had a profound effect on young Windy, so he stopped going to church. But this solitaire game. You just deal them out face To place your ad call... 605.665.5884 down and start to turn them over slowly. Red on Save 10¢ Off A Gallon Of Gas When You Use Your Sinclair Card black. Black on red. Then, about three rows up, he hit a red roadblock, with no black cards. Well, maybe just this once I could use a red card to sorta get me started again. Cheating? Maybe. But Ramses won’t tell. Not my fault, thought Windy. The cards are only in red and black. Had a winter shirt those colors once. This solitaire is not my fault. It’s $ DonJulio Tequila Silver .........................................1.75 ML just that darned lack of variety. 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Sometimes I would take time out from my day and run get the needed item. But often what one of our children was missing was something that was left at home. Donna, my wife, often had to take the forgotten item in to whichever school the child attended. Most of the time, the child who needed something was at the middle school. Middle school is the time in life when children have gone from having everything in the classroom to being responsible for the items themselves. This change in life seems to be more of a challenge for the parents than for the child. One day, Donna had taken an item in and was standing in the middle school office waiting to visit with the secretary. The secretary was on the phone. “It looks like Jimmy doesn’t have P.E. until fourth period, so you have time to bring his gym clothes in before class,” the secretary said into the receiver. As Donna stood waiting while the secretary continued her phone conversation, another lady came in. The lady looked flustered and embarrassed as she took her place in line behind Donna. Donna, always sociable, turned to the lady. “Do you have to bring things in for your children often?” “How did you know I was bringing something for my child?” the lady asked in surprise. “That’s pretty much the main reason parents come here,” Donna replied. “Besides, you have a fifth-grade math book in your hand.” The lady blushed. “I guess that was kind of obvious, wasn’t it?” “Are you new here?” Donna asked. “I haven’t seen you before.” The lady nodded. “Yes, we just moved here a couple months ago.” Donna held out her hand. “I’m Donna.” “It’s nice to meet you,” the lady said. “I’m Joan.” “I have a child in fifth grade and one in seventh,” Donna said. “My oldest is in fifth grade,” Joan said. “And I think I have been here almost every day for the last two months. It seems there is always something. He got a power drink spilled on him and needed new clothes. He had a pop explode in his pack and needed another pack. He tore his pants and needed a replacement. He left his P.E. clothes home and would have a grade cut if he didn’t have them. It just never ends. And he always calls me when I am in the biggest hurry.” “That’s the life of a parent of a middle schooler,” Donna said. “But I am afraid they will think I am annoying,” Joan said. Donna shrugged. “I’m sure we aren’t the only ones. I would bet that the secretaries are used to it.” “I fear that soon the secretary and I will be on a firstname basis. I told Ross if that happens, he’s going to be grounded for life.” About then, the secretary finished her phone call. She walked over to the counter. “Donna, were you first?” the secretary asked. Hearing her name from the secretary, Donna looked at Joan and smiled. She turned back to the secretary. “I was, Susan.” Then Donna motioned toward Joan. “But I think she is in more of a hurry.” The secretary turned to Joan. “Joan, did you bring something for Ross?” Donna grinned at the look on Joan’s face when she heard her first name, along with the name of her son. After Joan handed over the math book, Donna touched her arm. “Don’t ground him for too long. It’s just part of his growing up.” Joan smiled. “And maybe learning patience is part of mine.” ent inm r ta e Join Us For The Chance To Sing & Hear Traditional Christmas Carols With Candlelight! The Carols Of G O I N G O N N O W! 30% OFF Remaining Christmas Decor (excluding fresh arrangements) All Artificial Christmas Trees 6’ ft. & Up 50% OFF Great Stocking Stuffers: Albanese candy and Amish popcorn, Country Home & Wind Willow Cheese, Cheese Balls & Dip! FENSEL’S North US Hwy. 81, Freeman, SD 605.925.4204 Floral, Gift Shop & Garden Center Christmas Sunday, Dec. 22 • 5pm United Church of Christ (Congregational) In The Seasonally Decorated Historic Sanctuary 5th & Walnut, Yankton Featuring: Brass Quintet/Handbell Choir/Flute Yankton UCC Adult Choir (Directed by Jennifer Powell) Yankton College Memorial Pipe Organ (Played by Ted Powell) All Welcome – No Admission Fee