Financial Tips

Whether you’re on your computer or mobile device, you can keep track of quakes that could impact you.

• Twitter: For bite-sized earthquake alerts, look no further than @USGSted from the U.S. Geological Survey. For updates on big quakes only, check out @USGSBigQuakes.
• Tablet: Want something more interactive? Try QuakeTracker, the stunning iPad app from Popular Mechanics, and get time-lapse maps showing recent quakes’ depth and magnitude.
• Smartphone: For earthquake info on the go, try the iFeltThatEarthquake app or QuakeWatch for your iPhone, or Earthquake Alert! for Android devices.

Pat Harris

“[I] saved lots of money by packing my breakfast, snacks and lunch everyday. This amount of money adds up over [weeks], months, and years to enough to [help] save for retirement.”

Doug Magee

“My wife and I save about 70 bucks a month using http://www.couponmom.com/ for our groceries. We also have a cash back credit card [and] will be getting around $250 in February. For lunch, I use MyFavEats app on my phone to find 50% off restaurants within 5 miles of the office.”

“My parents always taught me that you do not get rich by spending your money. Budget each month and save for your future.”

Linda Karney

“We bought ‘Magic Jack Plus’ for $69.95. The cost includes one year of phone service. It works like a regular land line. Just plug it into a power outlet, your computer modem or router, and your phone. An additional year of service is $19.95.”

“We also dumped our cable service and now get TV via an antenna. We actually have more and better channels to watch than we did with basic cable, and it’s free!”

Sean

“Shop your bank…what better place to start than where you keep and get your money. Check out the fees you’re paying, [the] interest you’re making on deposits, and how much you’re paying on loans. You can refinance an auto loan…and save a significant amount. Take advantage of the low rate environment.”

JR

“Cut those [daily] 32oz sodas. My plea: leave a big bottle of [homemade] juice or pitcher of green tea everywhere you consume beverages. [You’ll] save enough money annually to feed 8,000 people one dish of rice!”

Thanks to our readers for all their insightful comments! To read them in full, visit Tom’s post about hard-to-disagree-with savings tips.

Do you know what to do before, during and after a quake? If you haven’t experienced a large earthquake for some time, it’s easy to forget about them. However, they affect almost everyone. Don’t believe me? See my last post about earthquake awareness if you need convincing.

Now let’s talk about preparation. Even if you never experience a major quake, your prep is helpful in almost any disaster. Here are a few practical ways you can get ready:

Preparation starts at home

• Most injuries come from falling items. Secure bookshelves, televisions and other belongings. Don’t forget to strap your water heater to the wall. If it falls, it could disconnect your gas and water lines.
• Create a disaster plan and practice it. Your family should know how to react and where to meet if you’re separated. Don’t rely on cell phones for communication.
• Prepare an emergency kit that includes non-perishable food, a fresh water supply, medications, first aid kit, flashlight and a battery powered radio.

Spring into Action

During any quake, don’t forget four simple words: drop, cover, hold on.

• Drop to the floor
• Find cover under a sturdy table or desk
• Hold on to prevent your cover from moving

After the quake, depending on its severity, remember there could be aftershocks, broken glass, or downed power lines. Be sure to meet up with your family as discussed in your disaster plan.

To act on your newfound awareness, look no further than the Great Central U.S. ShakeOut. Visit www.ShakeOut.org/centralus to see how you can participate in this state-wide earthquake drill spanning nine states. To learn even more, the South California Earthquake Center’s website has seven steps to earthquake safety.

Don’t discount the threat of earthquakes. Not only is the prep simple, but it can also protect you against other natural disasters as well.

Sound familiar…or your stream of conscious doesn’t correlate to mine? Regardless, this question is deceivingly simple. Being unprepared for the “tell me about yourself” question can make for a bad first impression. So, how do you prepare? Here are a few dos and don’ts to consider.

DO NOT:

1. Summarize your résumé . In an interview, you’re telling the employer what they already know (doh!). At a networking event, this approach is long and will put new acquaintances to sleep. Keep your response to 30 seconds!
2. Include personal information. In a professional setting, your response should be strictly professional. It’s nice you have an adorable cat that acts ironically like a dog or a vast Star Wars collection. But unless the job requires it, don’t mention it.

DO:

1. Prepare. It’s important to prepare for the expected questions first. This question is one of them. With a little rehearsing, you’ll make a great first impression at any interview or networking event.
2. Identify your tag line. This is a one-sentence summary of you. It includes your professional interests / passions and career objectives.
3. Identify your highlights. Make a list of skills and accomplishments that support your tag line or personal brand.

For example, if I wrote mine, it’d be something like this:

Tag Line: I’m an Internet marketing consultant who focuses on employment branding for talent acquisition and specifically interested in utilizing social networks for employee recruitment and retention.

Highlights: I’ve worked at COUNTRY Financial for over six years and have experience in project planning, recruitment and Internet advertising. Recently I’ve focused on employment branding for the attraction and retention of financial representatives who sell our insurance and financial products. I assess the qualities of candidates and find ways to draw them to a career opportunity, whether through social networking, pay-per-click advertising, SEO/SEM or various referral programs.

So there you have it – a crash course in flaunting your professional-self!

We are so grateful to the readers, friends of COUNTRY and the Boys & Girls Club for your comments. The donation will help us provide positive after-school programs for youth who attend our seven Clubs in Salem, Keizer and Woodburn. 

Each child who enters one of our Clubs is impacted by the power of positive youth development programming. Our youth development approach goes beyond just prevention and intervention. We focus time and effort on building a child’s key competencies and skills necessary for them to determine their own destiny. 

More than 10,000 youth enjoy a variety of activities and programs through the Boys & Girls Club of Salem, Marion & Polk Counties.

With signature programs such as our Literacy Initiative, T3: Training Teens for Tomorrow and the Health and Dental Services Center, the Boys & Girls Club is providing a platform for youth to realize their full potential.  Through the support of organizations like COUNTRY, we’re building assets in our youth that will strengthen their ability to take the challenges of life head on.

Congratulations COUNTRY Financial for 25 years in our community and for helping make our community better for years to come!

From all of your friends at the Boys & Girls Club

p.s. Do you have some encouraging words or advice we can share with our boys and girls? Leave a comment below so we can pass it along.

A sizable emergency fund doesn’t happen overnight, but you need a safety cushion, even if it’s just a month. Here are a few financial tips to get started:

Financial Tips

Do some housekeeping. Examine your bills and see what’s adding up. It might be a couple meals at Wendy’s a week or too many iTunes downloads. Use the Finish Rich Latte Factor calculator to see how small expenses can add up.

Make it automatic. Don’t trust willpower. When you’re staring down a sale, your savings goal might be forgotten. Set up an account to automatically withdraw a fixed percentage from your income.

Get informed. Knowledge is power, especially when it comes to your finances, so read up! Our last blog post on easy ways to save is a good starting point.

With a little discipline and determination, a one-month safety net can grow enough to make you feel confident to face any financial challenge.

Here are a few I think we can all agree on.

The minor indulgences

If you read a lot, the cost of books and magazines adds up. I’m a sucker for old-fashioned hard cover books. I can’t visit COSCO without indulging in the latest one. (It’s discounted at least!) Add up the price and shelf space of your reading habit. Try using the library to cut back.

I never, ever imagined I’d pay more than $3.00 for a coffee, but McDonald’s has this delicious cappuccino, and it’s really, really, good. That’s ($3.08) X (5 days) X (4 weeks) = ? After doing the math, consider making your own morning coffee. A pound of good coffee costs around $6.50. That means you save after three uses. If you can’t give it up, see if there’s another tiny expense whittling away at your income.

The necessities of life

My brother Neil has a love/hate relationship with technology. He hates the prices of his phone/Internet/cable provider, but loves its products. His solution: negotiate a lower bill. This really works! Call your provider. See what deals it can offer. I called mine, and my bill went down nearly $30 a month. Or, eliminate a service you’re not fully utilizing, like your land line. All the young folks are doing it!

If you’re paying a large premium in order to have a small deductible, think about raising your deductible, particularly if your claims are infrequent.

Breaking bad (expensive) habits

Your shower isn’t a spa. Take quicker showers and save a lot on energy. Also, the best way to lower your health costs is…to get fit and stay healthy. Exercise, and watch the pounds and bills disappear.

Let’s make 2012 a year free of needless expenses. Take a hard look at your bills and see what you can cut! Do you have any easy savings suggestions?

• Tracking: No matter your financial resolution, there’s a tool that can track it. Spendful is a great, new money manager that doesn’t ask for sensitive bank information. For more budgeting tools, check out these financial tips.
• Support: The help of friends and family is instrumental in staying motivated. For added support, join a social network. Accompl.sh is a community based on goals. You can follow friends, join challenges and see how you compare to others. 43 Things is a similar, goal-based online network.

Good luck with your financial resolutions, and stay tuned for an upcoming post about setting your goals for 2012 and beyond.

Batten down the hatches

Let’s start with the easy tasks indoors. They take only a minute, but they’ll go a long way to keeping you warm throughout the season.

• Check the batteries in your carbon monoxide alarm and smoke detectors, and test them to ensure they’re working.
• Reverse the direction of your ceiling fan to run counterclockwise on low. This pushes the warm air that has risen back down to the floor.

Ready to roll up your sleeves? Set aside time on the weekend, crank up the music, and tackle some tougher winterizing steps.

• If you have storm windows, put them in. This is a good time to install film over older, leaky windows. Check for obvious air leaks. Do windows or doors need caulking? Does the sweep on the bottom of your door need adjusting?
• Service your furnace. A technician can give it a complete annual checkup.
• Have a chimney sweep inspect and clean your chimney before using your fireplace.

The ins and outs of winter prep

Like the indoors, there are a few easy chores outside to get you started.

• Unhook your garden hose from the faucet and drain it to avoid damage during the freeze and thaw cycle.
• Check the oil in your snow blower or generators and fill them with fresh gas now instead of after you’re buried by the first major snowstorm.

Feeling adventurous? Well, then I’ve got a task for you.

• Clean your gutters. Hating cleaning them? Me, too, but it’s important so rain and melting snow can drain. Also, make sure your downspouts direct water away from your foundation.

A Saturday spent preparing could save you time repairing later. So, who’s still procrastinating on winterizing? Is there anyone who’s already done?

Financial Tips

• Hitting the town doesn’t need to break the bank. Don’t buy a new outfit. Instead, borrow something from a friend. Rather than hire a babysitter, see if a relative can watch the kids. Or, consider eating dinner at home before going out.
• If you’re hosting a party, let the grocery store’s deals dictate dinner and drinks, or ask guests to each bring a dish. For entertainment, use what you already have. Plug your MP3 player into a speaker and crank up the tunes.
• For a real bargain, consider forgoing a big party and inviting a few friends over. When in doubt, there’s always the Twilight Zone marathon.

Have a safe and fun New Year’s Eve! We look forward to hearing from you in 2012 and bringing you another year of smart savings tips.