Opinion

Where does your money go?

Tuesday, June 1, 2010

Where did my money go? Many people find themselves asking that very question before the end of every month. Next to losing weight, pledging to spend less or save more are two of the most common resolutions made by large numbers of people EACH and EVERY year. We are almost halfway through another year and people who pledged to stick to a budget or manage their money better are probably not doing much better than those who vowed, once again, to lose 10 (or more) pounds this year.

When payday rolls around, many consumers must figure out which bills they will pay and which ones will have to wait. With the ever increasing costs for necessary expenses such as food, rent, gasoline and health care, those choices become even more difficult for many families.

The difference between being a saver and being in debt is simple. The difference is simply not spending all that you earn every pay period. Make a point of keeping some of your hard earned cash. If possible, make it a habit to pay yourself first. Note that I said simple, not EASY.

When expenses are high and income is low, which is the reality for many families, saving some of your income and not spending everything you make (or more, by using credit) certainly is not an easy feat. However, we have all heard of the 'poor' widow who left millions to a local school as well as stories about super athletes who made millions but wound up bankrupt. The truth is that it isn't as much about how much money you make as about how you manage the money you have.

America Saves and Indiana Saves are two organizations that are dedicated to helping consumers learn how and commit to, becoming SAVERS. Saving has always been important and that is still true today during these challenging economic times.

WHY should people save? Some very good reasons to save are to reduce debt and build wealth or save for the future (i.e. retirement). Most people do better at saving when they have a specific goal in mind. There are many things that people choose as financial goals.Some goals to consider might be to build an emergency fund or to save up for a down payment on a home. Other goals might be for a car, a vacation or for your own or a child's education.

If you'd be interested in reading or learning more about how to become a saver as well as to learn many tips for ways to save or ideas for where to find extra money to save, check out the America Saves website at www.americasavesweek.org or contact the Putnam County Office of the Purdue Extension Service to receive a packet of information about becoming a saver. Steps to becoming a saver include setting a financial goal; signing up with the American Saves Organization to receive information; tracking your expenses; and looking for ways to save money.

Call 653-8411 or stop in the Extension Office at 209 W. Liberty St. Rm. 5 in the Courthouse Annex in Greencastle to receive your own personal packet of information on how to "Become An American Saver." The America Saves logo is: "Start Small, Think Big" because small changes do add up to make a big difference.

Upcoming events

June 1: State Fair Beef, Sheep, Swine and Dairy Forms Due

June 2: Photography Workshop, Robe Ann Park, 6:30 p.m.

June 3: Exploring 4-H Orientation, Fairgrounds, 7 p.m.

June 5-8: 4-H Camp, Shakamak State Park

June 8: 4-H Cat Workshop, 6:30 p.m.

June 9-11: Home and Family Conference at Purdue

June 12: Putnam County Master Gardeners' Garden Tour

June 14: E. H. Leader Lesson "Reading and Story Telling for Fun and Literacy" 7 p.m. at Ext. Office

June 15: Greencastle Farmers Market opens

June 15: 4-H Cat Workshop, 6:30 PM

June 17-19: 2010 State Conference for Purdue Master Gardeners

July 1: State Fair Cat, Dog, Horse & Pony, Goat, Poultry, and Rabbit forms due