Wednesday, July 27, 2011

GOT PREPAREDNESS?

It's great to be prepared because you never know when disaster will strike.  You just hope you have everything in order for when it sneaks up on you.

But beware!  Disaster will strike our own little neighborhood on September 19th!  As your emergency preparedness specialists, we are warning you now...be ready. You are going to need all the emergency preparedness items/skills you can get for our 2011 emergency preparedness challenge: "Got Preparedness?"

Beginning on the morning of September 19th, we will post a challenge on our blog each day for 5 days.  Each challenge will fit into one of the following categories:
Home and Auto Emergencies
Food and Home Storage
72 Hour Kits
Evacuation and Emergency Communication
Survival Skills and First-Aid
Financial Preparedness
Fire Safety

Points will be awarded for completed challenges along with prizes for families with the most points.  At the end of the challenge, join us for our Emergency Preparedness Fair on September 24th at 9:00am. 

Each family must sign up to participate and be eligible for prizes.  Please post a comment on the blog or e-mail or call Kammi to sign up. 

You've been given the heads-up.  Disaster will strike.  Are you game?

Monday, July 18, 2011

Financial Preparedness

In April 1975 General Conference,  Elder Marvin J. Ashton said: "Save and invest a specific percentage of your income. Liquid savings available for emergencies should be sufficient to cover at least three months of all essential family obligations."

Building a savings is important for every family.  In April 2009 General Conference Elder Robert D. Hales said: "All of us are responsible to provide for ourselves and our families in both temporal and spiritual ways. To provide providently, we must practice the principles of provident living: joyfully living within our means, being content with what we have, avoiding excessive debt, and diligently saving and preparing for rainy-day emergencies."

The challenge for the week is to save $5 to $10 more per paycheck than you already are.  Put that $ into a short term savings (to help cover emergency costs such as car repairs, doctor bills, etc.)

Although 3 months of all family obligations may sound like a lot, you can eventually get there.  Don't be overwhelmed, saving just a little each month will slowly build up and become a blessing to you in time of need.  The Lord will bless you when you follow the counsel of his Prophet and Apostles.

If you currently aren't putting any money aside into savings, see if you can sacrifice something to start your savings.  Just $5 a paycheck is all you need to get going.  As Bishop Hunt said in Ward Conference, we need to do these things today!  Now is the time.