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Show Page 8 The Ogden Valley news Volume XX Issue II February 15, 2012 Utah Lodging - Ogden Valley Ambassadors Financial Peace University Class to Assist Ogden On any given day, the Team at Utah Lodging is doing so much more than just renting vacation properties. They are often called upon to help a client turn on Direct TV late at night, track down an extra large pair of snow shoes for a family adventure, or simply let clients know where they can listen to live music that evening. The company considers themselves ambassadors to our community, often giving tourists and visitors their first Valley experience. Utah Lodging was founded in 2009. It Leigh Ann Fincher is the largest and most diverse lodging company in the Valley and represents over 70 properties. The business has been a great success and continues to grow. Business owners Leigh Ann Fincher and Chris Chessler say they are proud of the service they have built and the role they play in introducing guests to the Valley. Their lodging and vacation properties are located in Eden and Huntsville. Their portfolio includes both homes and condominiums—all outfitted with everything you need whether you’re planning a family reunion, anniversary celebration, or a mountain getaway. Leigh Ann told us, “All of our properties are privately owned, reflecting the unique tastes and décor of their owners, while providing all the amenities you would anticipate. One of the competitive advantages of the company is that, in addition to short-term rentals, we are licensed to do long-term rentals as well.” Chris adds, “We are very selective about the quality of our inventory, and appreciate diversity. Within our suite of properties, we are able to accommodate almost every group size from couples to groups up of up to 20 people in our larger properties. Our specialty is this diversity paired with our unsurpassed level of customer service. “At Utah Lodging, our focus is on the quality of our clients’ vacation experience. Our team is singularly focused on providing clients with a memorable vacation. We do everything possible to maximize their enjoyment. Our team is on call 24/7 to answer guest questions or address any need. We offer clients a grocery service and discounted lift tickets,” commented Chris. “We are so proud of our team, which includes Mira Koford, Art Hopson, Jutta Weibe, and Ryan Russell. They give us the manpower to provide this vast array of services and ensure a positive customer experience for our guests. Ryan does comprehensive departure inspections on all of our units and Jutta is our stocking manager. We’ve really upped our serChris Chessler vice by improving in these areas.” Art Hopson said “We are locals who love it here and choose to call this place our home. You’ll feel our passion when you spend time with us. We know the lay of the land and how to find the property that will match your vacation expectations. We are happy to act as concierges and share our insights on where to go, what activities to try, where to eat or shop, what to avoid, and what to share.” Mira mentioned “We wouldn’t be able to provide such a great service without the help and cooperation of our property owners. They are an amazing group to work with. We certainly appreciate them!” Utah Lodging is also actively involved in giving back to the community, helping to spearhead the Merchants of Old Town Eden. During January they sponsored two nights of “An Evening at Sundance.” Utah Lodging would like to extend a lodging offer to guests. If you mention this article and book a property for three nights, you will get the fourth night’s stay for free. Properties must be booked prior to November 30, 2012. The offer expires March 31, 2012. Utah Lodging is located at 5510 E. 2200 N. Suite 101, Eden upstairs in the old General Store. Please feel free to stop on by and find out more about the great vacation rentals we have to offer. Or for more information, please call 877-775-6344 or visit the company website at <www.utahlodging.com> Families Overcome Debt and Find Financial Peace According to the Federal Reserve Bank, 40 percent of households spend more than they earn. As the economy slowly works its way out of the recession, 77 percent of Americans are living paycheck to paycheck, according to <CareerBuilder.com> Forced to live on a tight budget, many people are making resolutions to manage debt and save money for 2012. Growing numbers of people are creating budgets, cutting back on leisure activities, and making changes in hopes of managing debt and securing their financial future. To help local families achieve their financial resolutions, Zions Bank is hosting Dave Ramsey’s 13-week Financial Peace University course. Tuition is $99 per household and includes a comprehensive workbook, all 13 lessons on CD, lifetime membership to repeat the course in the future, and more. Scholarship opportunities are available for single mothers and those with spouses serving in the military who are overseas. Class time and location in Ogden are: Wednesdays, starting February 15, from 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. at Zions Bank’s South Ogden branch (located at 5635 S. Harrison Boulevard). “When my husband and I started Financial Peace University nine months ago, our credit cards totaled more than our yearly income,” said Karina Penrod, an FPU participant. “Dave Ramsey gave us three tools that have made a huge difference for us this year: knowledge, unity, and hope!” Over the past nine years, more than 33,000 participants from Idaho and Utah have learned skills to manage their personal finances with great success. Those who have taken the course have, on average, saved $2,700 and have paid off $5,300 of debt in 91 days. A recent survey of participants who took the class revealed that the average participant has added $15,600 to savings and paid off $16,300 of debt. More than 33 percent have paid off all of their consumer debt. For more information, or to sign up for the course through Zions Bank’s Eliminate Needless Debt program, e-mail endprogram@zionsbank. com or visit <www.endprogram.com> Additional information available at <www. zionsbank.com> Women and Personal Finances By Jason Alderman By many measures, women’s lives have changed substantially in recent decades. According to a comprehensive government report called “Women in America” (www. whitehouse.gov/data-on-women), although certain social and economic situations for women have improved, when it comes to personal finances, many women still face challenging hurdles. Key report findings include: • Women live longer than men but are much more likely to experience critical health problems that hamper their ability to work— and to pass up needed care due to cost. • Although the earnings gap between women and men continues to narrow, it’s still significant: Among full-time workers, women’s weekly earnings as a percentage of men’s have increased from 62 percent in 1979 to 80 percent in 2009. • More women than men now graduate high school and college, but far fewer earn degrees in engineering, computer sciences and other higher-paying fields. • Women increasingly marry later, have fewer children or remain childless, yet still are more likely to live in poverty, particularly single-mother families. • Women are less likely than men to work outside the home (61 percent vs. 75 percent in 2009) and are much more likely to work part-time and to take time off to raise children or care for aging relatives. In a nutshell, women generally earn less and live longer than men, so at retirement they often have less in savings, receive smaller retirement and Social Security benefits and must spread out their money longer. Clearly, women need to take charge of their financial wellbeing. Here are a few places to start: Develop a budget to track income and expenses. Either download a budget spreadsheet template or investigate software packages and online account management services like Quicken (www.quicken.com), Mint.com (www. mint.com), Yodlee (www.yodlee.com) and Mvlopes (www.mvlopes.com). Plan for retirement. Time is your biggest ally when it comes to retirement savings, so get cracking. Start estimating your retirement needs: • Social Security’s Retirement Estimator (www. ssa.gov/estimator), which automatically enters your earnings information from its records to estimate your projected Social Security benefits under different scenarios, such as age at retirement, future earnings projections, etc. • Check whether your 401(k) plan administrator’s website has a calculator to estimate how much you will accumulate under various contribution and investment scenarios. If not, try the retirement calculators at Bankrate.com and AARP to determine your current financial status and what you’ll need to save to meet your retirement needs. Do your research. Many helpful personal financial education and management tools are available online, including: • The National Foundation of Credit Counseling’s MyMoneyCheckUp™ program offers a step-by-step assessment of your overall financial health and behavior in four personal finance areas: budgeting and credit management, saving and investing, planning for retirement and managing home equity (www.mymoneycheckup.org). • Social Security’s Website for Women provides information on retirement, disability and other issues. You can also order or download their informative, free publication, “What Every Woman Should Know” (www. ssa.gov/women). • The Women’s Savings Initiative, a program jointly developed by Heinz Family Philanthropies, the Women’s Institute for a Secure Retirement (WISER) and Visa Inc. (www.practicalmoneyskills.com/womensave). This free program features an audio- and e-book called “What Women Need to Know About Retirement,” which you can order on CD or download as a PDF or audio file from Practical Money Skills for Life, a free personal financial management program run by Visa (www.practicalmoneyskills.com/resources). Jason Alderman directs Visa’s financial education programs. To Follow Jason Alderman on Twitter, visit <www.twitter.com/PracticalMoney> |