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Show The Gunnison valley Gazette Page 4 Stewart's trophy bu Ask a specialist: Can you share tips on how to develop a savings plan? Answer by: ADRIE ROBERTS, Utah State University Extension Family and Consumer Sciences Agent, Cache County Emergency funds can pull you out of a bind if you become ill or disabled and can't work, if you lose a job, if you incur large medical bills or if you have an unexpected bill such, as a major car or home repair. The economic success of your family and/or business can be determined by how well you save money and avoid excessive debt. Unfortunately, 43 percent of Americans have less than $1,000 saved. Many financial experts recommend that before whittling away at . excess debt, you need to first build an emergency savings fund by getting at least $1,000 stashed away. If you don't have an emergency fund, there is no time like the present to get started. Consider these tips. If your income is below $20,000 a year, you should have approximately $500 as your emergency savings goal. If your income is above $40,000, consider having at least $2,000 in your first-stage emergency savings. Try to imagine how much money you would need to replace your refrigerator or transmission, for example. If you had to take an emergency trip out of state, how much money would you need so you didn't have to rely on credit cards? If you are forced to dip into your savings for an emergency, consider it a loan which must be paid back in a reasonable period of time, and set up a repayment schedule. Pay the minimum on your credit cards until you have reached your first level savings goal. Once you have from putting you in debt. Without an your emergency savings account emergency fund, you may be forced established and have reached your to incur credit card debt that could goal, it is time to focus on getting rid take many years to pay off and end up of excess debt. While you are paying costing much more in the long run. In general, emergency savings off your debt, continue adding to your savings each month — even if only a need, to be readily available. Money market accounts are usually the best minimal amount Make payments to your emer- choice Unfortunately, these accounts gency account as if it were any other and other short-term savings vehicles bill. The key is commitment. Too of- are not high interest makers, but will ten, many of us become complacent, allow access to emergency funds thinking we probably will never be more easily than other methods of injured, get sick, lose a job or experi- savings, such as a certificate of deence other financial reversals. It is im- posit. portant to be prepared. Be persistent In addition, hide a stash of cash as you contribute to your emergency in your home in case of an emersavings account so you have an ef- gency evacuation or other disaster. fective buffer against financial crisis. Both coins and small bills are good When you have no debt other to have in case you are unable to acthan a mortgage payment, complete cess an ATM. Many Hurricane Katrina your emergency savings account by survivors wish they had heeded this having three to six months' worth of advice. living expenses set aside. The genConsider what you can cut out eral rule of thumb is to eventually of your budget to get your emergency have at least $10,000 available for savings in place. Could you empty emergencies. a rental storage shed and save the When determining how much rental money? Could you have a gamoney you need in an emergency rage sale? Could you sell your gently savings account, consider the de- used items on EBay? Could you cook gree of difficulty you'd have in find- more at home and eat out less? Are ing employment if you lost your job. you paying insurance on a seldomFor example, if you are a nurse, you used vehicle? probably wouldn't be unemployed for Start tucking away money for long since the demand for nurses is emergency savings now. The more high. However, if you are in a profes- you save, the more you will be motision with skills that are not high in vated to continue building your savdemand, it will likely take more time ings. The financial peace of having to find employment. Experts recom- money in savings will far outweigh mend that you financially prepare to the temporary joy of buying furniture, be unemployed for six months if you toys, cars or going on vacation. lose a job. How much money would For more information about you need to set aside to survive six emergency savings, debt reduction, months? debt elimination and cutting expensAn emergency savings account es, contact, your local USU county will prevent an unexpected expense Extension office. UtahState Thursday, October 5, 2006 Living the Outdoor Lifestyle By C R A I G PAYNE Courtesy Photo Stewart & Hayden with Stewart's trophy Monroe Mountain bull. Anyone and everyons that knows Stewart Jensen, knows he is a man of dedication. A dedicated husband and father, Stewart's second love is probably a toss up between hunting and sports. Stewart's dedication is clearly evident when the conversation turns to trophy elk hunting. Stewart has been applying for the same trophy etk unit twenty six years in a row. Unwilling to switch to a unit that would surly yield a permit to an applicant with maximum bonus points, Stewart's persistence finally paid off this year when he drew a muzzleloader elk permit for his beloved Monroe Mountain. After the draw results became known, Stewart set to work formulating a plan of action. A man of few words, Stewart spoke with me briefly concerning his hunt strategy. He said simply, I plan on doing a lot of walking and a lot of looking. And look he did, passing up forty four bulls before settling on one worthy of twenty six years of persistent dedication. As mentioned earlier, Stewart is a dedicated family man, and being such he was not alone in his quest for an oversized bull. Along with him were his son Hayden, father Amo, mother RaNee, brothers Rohn, Greg, Derk and Morgan, Morgan's wife Sharee, as well as nephews Landry, Xavier, Jantz and Brennon. With so many good bulls to choose from and such vast territory to cover, it became necessary for Stewarts team to split up. Embarking in pickup trucks, on atv's, and shank's mare as well, the team was armed with binoculars and spotting scopes. Thus allowing each to look over a greater number of bulls than would be possible together. As the reports began flooding in, it became evident that Stewart and his family were truly onto something special. Along about mid day on day four, Rohn and Derk reported spotting a giant bull, near a location known very well to the Jen- Living the Outdoor Lifestyle is Sponsored by: UNIVERSITY EXTENSION sen family. The same honey hole where Arno harvested his great, bull, not so many years ago, and Derk has taken two very good bucks in as well. Needles to say, the exact location is a guarded family secret. Hustling to get into position, Stewart arrived at a predetermined location just barley ahead of the approaching elk herd. Tending to his cows, the great herd master stopped a scant seventy yards from Stewart, letting loose with an ear piercing bugle. To Stewart's recollection, at that instant he decided this was the bull his dreams were made of. Shouldering his Omega fifty caliber muzzleloader, Stewart sent a well guided 295 grain Power Belt bullet into the giant bulls boiler room. Stewart's twenty six year quest for a Monroe Mountain trophy bull elk ended that glorious fall day, surrounded by people he loves in a location so dear to his heart. 528-5001 CONNECTION JATTEEVVBITE Hwy 89 Northeast of Gunnison Open Monday - Saturday The First word and Last Name in Log Homes! Think Satterwhite for Log Homes, Rough Lumber, Timbers, Animal Bedding and Firewood No school October 12 & 13 Utah Education Association Convention Junior Class Subway Fund-raiser WINTER USED TO HAVE A WHOLE DIFFERENT MEANING, SQUIRRELS ARE SMARTER THAN THEY LOOK. We can learn a lesson from those bucktoothed, bushy-tailed critters. Every fall they scurry around burying nuts and seeds to prepare for winter. In our case, we're smart to make sure our windows, doors and fur'naces are ready for the cold. Then relax—knowing you're usingencr^ wisely—and enjoy the warmth, comfort an convenience natural gas provides. CONQUER THE COLD. 5 Things You Need To Do: We've got our snow tires on, our antifreeze topped off and our boots laced up. We're performing system maintenance and actively securing gas supplies for winter. Everything's set on our end. But you probably have a few things to do, too. Five to be exact. 1 Replace your furnace filters. It's only a couple of bucks, and can make a big difference in furnace efficiency: 1 Hot rooms can cause you to feel fainl — even paw out So keep thing* at 3 comfortable temperature and don't stand up loo fast. 5 Haveroar Furnace inspected by a licensed ' heating contractor. Tis easier (and cheaper) to maintain, than to repair. Someone wise once said that, and they were right. As part of a routine checkup to get your furnace ready for winter, most contractors will also perform a Green Sticker inspection to make sure yvurfurnace is properly adjusted for the upcoming shift in gas supplies. For more details on TAKE US FOR GRANTED THIS WINTER. Today most people just flick a switch an they have a warm house. Ta-da. That's it. Peopl don't think much about how they're going 1 heat their homes. They kind of take their horn heating for granted. To be honest, that's fin with us because it means we're doing our job. «i«C»rtwnght.P«-«««' u e w > n f e ( '' M l "'' M f c : THE BEAR FACTS. ^ 1 Jim Young, operation* <*P Take a page out of a hibernating bear'a book) turn down the thermostat a couple of notches and use an extra blanket while you sleep this winter. 3 Give your furnace room io breathe. You know how when you blow on afire. i\ bums better? Same principle applies here. Make sure your air vents, cold-air returns and heat registers arc clear. 4 Three drops oj od in your furnace's motor is all U takes to keep things in line. If only your kids were that easy to manage. Qicck those motor belts, too- If they're crachrd. replace them. I FEEL WOOZY. EJi 2 Remove flammable/combustible materials from near your furnace. We hope ire don't need to explain why this i$ nec the Green Sticker, lisit questargns.com. If you need heip finding a contractor, give the Rocky Mountain Gas Association a call at 8oi~83i-94.00 (SLQ or Soo-739-6791 (outside SIC), or look under ~Heating"in the Yellow PagtS. The Junior Class of Gunnison Valley High School is now having their fund raiser to earn money for the Junior Prom. Subway coupons for a foot long sandwich can be purchased from any member of the Junior class. The coupons are $4.50 and are only valid in the Gunnison Subway. The coupons will only be sold through October 31st but will be valid through the month of November. Your support would be appreciated. FEEL THE LOVE bilLgrabjuuracru-unt numbcrlwfoir you call. It will hfiJp lut tntwei yonr ifurtllom lickny-tplii.* •** A ">. T. 'Z Y '*•' ! " I : -'.-. CLUESTMR • - . . , - . •.-•...'-. ^ Gas .t.\V L \ L \ |
