Oceana’s Herald-Journal • December 24, 2015 • 5a
Create a financial calendar for the new year When was the last time you made a financial resolution on New Year’s Eve? If you can’t remember, you’re in good company. The Allianz Life Insurance Company of North America’s annual New Year’s resolutions survey (www.allianzlife.com/about/news-and-events) for 2014 reported that 49 percent of respondents said that health and wellness were their first priorities for the coming year, up from 43 percent in 2013. Only 30 percent ranked financial stability as their top goal for the year. In 2016, maybe it’s time to push financial fitness to the top of your list by creating an annual financial calendar that helps you save, spend and invest a little smarter. Here are some suggestions to build your calendar. By Nathaniel Sillin Set three important money Practical goals for the year. Three money Money Matters goals may not sound like a lot, but if you’ve never thought about money goals before, establishing these targets can make a major difference in your financial life. Set goals that address key money concerns or serve as a springboard for a solid financial future. Choose what makes sense for you, but here are three basic goals to start with: • Create or reset your budget. If you’ve never made a budget before, spend a month or two track-
ing everything you spend. Review your findings closely and see whether you’re spending less than you earn. If not, determine if you can cut spending to direct more funds to meet key goals. If you already have a budget, consider reevaluating your finances to see where you could cut costs. • Build an emergency fund. An emergency fund contains between three to six months of living expenses you can draw upon only in a real financial emergency such as unemployment, illness or a major unplanned expense. • Save for something special. Make one of your three goals a fun goal – a vacation, a new bike, a wardrobe upgrade – something that feels like a reward. Here are calendar items that might help you reach those goals. Make sure you note staggered receipt dates for each of your three free credit reports from Experian, TransUnion and Equifax so you can keep a steady eye on your credit and spot irregularities if they happen. Prevent severe money surprises by marking key repair or replacement dates on home, appliance and other personal expenses that might be coming up in the future. Use the time you have now to schedule inspections and estimates for each so you’ll be able to start setting aside funds in advance. Retirement readiness is another key calendar item. At least once a year, consider reviewing your holdings in retirement or investment accounts to make sure they’re still performing as you’ve planned or if
not, whether you need to restructure the investments in your portfolio. Put the open enrollment dates for employer- or self-employment benefits on your calendar and then mark a date several weeks before to allow you to start thinking through necessary changes. The way you choose employer or self-employment benefits is a key part of your financial planning and should intersect with other independent money decisions you’re making for yourself and your family. Insurance renewal dates are important to mark as well. If you’re not comparison-shopping for the auto, homeowners or health insurance coverage you buy on your own, there’s a good possibility you’re losing out on money, service or coverage. Set two dates each year to review your overall finances. You might consider dates in June and November to see how you’re doing with budget, savings, spending, investment and tax issues. The June date is for corrective actions; the November date is to determine the last-minute spending, savings or tax moves you want to make before Dec. 31 and to set financial goals for the new year. If you work with a qualified financial or tax expert, consider involving him or her in the conversation. Bottom line: If you use a calendar or datebook to keep on schedule, add important money dates and activities so you can meet your lifetime financial goals.
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Twenty-twoyears old Charlie Wong grew up in New York’s Chinatown. Losing her mother when she was only 14, she took charge of her 3-year-old sister, while her father struggled to make a living as a noodle maker. When Charlie finishes school she takes a job as dishwasher in the restaurant where her Book info father works. Title: Mambo Now four In Chinatown years later she Author: Jean Kwok is stuck in a Genre: Woman’s Fiction dead end job Published: 2014 with no hopes Pages: 475 of anything better. She has tried other jobs, but is unorganized, clumsy and awkward, so after several attempts to find something better she is always let go and finds herself back washing dishes, because she is a good, hard worker. But she lands a job as a receptionist at a ballroom dance studio and emerges into a new world that she hardly knew existed, and her natural talents begin to emerge. But now she must keep secrets from her father who believes in the old ways, and her sister becomes very ill and she must reconcile her two worlds, Eastern and Western, without sacrificing her new found confidence and happiness. This book has lots of Chinese culture and traditions and good fun with the dance moves and information about the world of dance. It is a great makeover story and an “I knew you could do it” book. Sit back and enjoy.
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Making every day storytime memorable By Barbara Saunders Sims The holidays are upon us and family traditions hold a special place in each of our lives. If you haven’t already, establish a tradition that you and your children can celebrate every day of the year. Give that special gift of story this year to spark your child’s imagination and create memories that will last a lifetime. Reading together is a perfect way to spend quality time with your children while nurturing their important literacy skills and instilling a lifetime love of reading. Make this together time even more special by engaging your children in the storytelling experience. Here are a few simple tips you can use to help make every day storytime memorable for the whole family: • Involve your children in book selections. Even the youngest of children have preferences in books. Find out your child’s favorite books for storytime and then suggest some of your own from when you were a child. Don’t forget about classic tales and adventures, such as myths and legends about knights and castles. You can also choose to read bilingual stories or stories from around the world as a way for children to experience different languages and cultures. • Engage your children in the storytelling experience. Choose books that encourage physical child interaction, especially when reading to a busy toddler, can really make a difference. Find books for them to explore with pages where they can put their fingers inside or have textures to feel. Puppets and creative story props help children tell and act out the story and they love making the sound effects. • Consider your child’s attention span or your family’s schedule. When reading to children, it’s not always necessary to read an entire book. Reading
story can make story time even more memorable and enjoyable for you and your child. • Find different places to read to children. Under the trees in the evening with a blanket and flashlight; swaying on a hammock; cuddled up on a favorite couch; at the breakfast table; sitting on the front step watching the world go by… a place to one chapter a night at bedtime or even a few pages read can be just as unique as the stories themselves. at a time will keep your child engaged and excited • Continue engaging with books after the last for the next storytime with you. It also helps build page. Look for creative ways to extend the learning suspense and recall. of the book. Some ways to do this may be to do a • Try different times of the day to read to your family craft together based on the illustrations or child. Reading time doesn’t always have to be at theme in the story; listen to music that is in some bedtime. Some families enjoy reading with their way related to the story; research recipes from children early in the morning as a special way to where the story is located and cook them together; start the day. act out the story with your child; write a sequel to • Keep your child engaged in reading. Ask questhe story together, etc. tions along the way to help promote speech devel• Keep a children’s storytime journal together. It’s opment and comprehension. Point out words that never too early to begin teaching children to write. might be new to their vocabulary and talk about Note the book or story shared, the date, the reachow the words are used and what they mean. Are tions of other family members. Younger children there far off lands that are featured in the book? may wish to draw a picture representing the book. Find them on a map together. Ask questions that Older children can help complete the journal entry. evoke emotion and reflective inquiry, such as, The journal will become a beautiful memento to “What would you do in this situation?” “Why do look back on the books shared during storytimes you think the character behaved in that way?” together. “Have you ever encountered a similar situation?” • Take pictures of your family reading. There are “Who does the character remind you of?” “How few things sweeter than pictures of family members does the character feel?” • Read aloud together with your child. If you have curled up listening to stories together. You can use these pictures to illustrate the passage of time as an experienced reader, rather than reading to your child, try reading with him or her. Ask him or her to family members grow, tastes in books evolve, or the books become longer as the children grow older. read a page aloud and then you read a page. Sharing the story in this way will help you discover new Barbara Saunders Sims is a former early learnthings about each other and elicit dialogue. • Be creative during storytime. Use your personal- ing educator and administrator and is the owner of ity to bring children’s books to life. Using different Storybook Village of Pentwater. voices for each character or acting out parts of the
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