Shelby Shopper Shelby NC
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Page 8 - shelby shopper & info - 704/484-1047 www.shelbyinfo.com Thursday, July 29-August 4, 2021 NO MORE ROBERT H. LUTZ Attorney At Law 704-600-6003 • 704-600-6004 www.rlutzlaw.com WE CAN HELP STOP FORECLOSURES! WE CAN HELP STOP FORECLOSURES! OVERWHELMING CREDIT CARD DEBT! OVERWHELMING CREDIT CARD DEBT! REPOSSESSIONS! REPOSSESSIONS! ©CommunityFirstMedia WE ARE A DEBT RELIEF AGENCY. WE ARE A DEBT RELIEF AGENCY. We help people fi le for bankruptcy relief We help people fi le for bankruptcy relief under the bankruptcy code. under the bankruptcy code. 310-8 E. Graham Street • Shelby, NC NO UPFRONT ATTORNEY NO UPFRONT ATTORNEY FEES FOR FILING CHAPTER 13 FEES FOR FILING CHAPTER 13 125 N. Lafayette St. • Shelby, NC (Across from First Baptist Church) WITHERSPOON INSURANCE AGENCY Auto • Home • Life • Health Business • Motorcycles • RVs • LOW DOWN PAYMENTS • LOW DOWN PAYMENTS • LOW MONTHLY • LOW MONTHLY PAYMENTS PAYMENTS GREAT RATES GREAT RATES for GOOD DRIVERS and for GOOD DRIVERS and Not So Lucky Drivers! Not So Lucky Drivers! 704-480-9595 www.witherspooninsurance.com Agents: Wayne Witherspoon, Justin Witherspoon Linda Thomas, Carol Pearson & Tammy Shaffer "Call us and Compare our Rates" © Community First Media "Financial planning" is an umbrella term that can be applied to various aspects of money management. Many people associate fi nancial planning with retirement. However, effective fi nancial planning can help people confront today's challenges just as much as it can help them prepare for their gold- en years. The pandemic that spread across the globe throughout 2020 posed nu- merous challenges, includ- ing a recession sparked by widespread job loss and declines in economic activity. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics noted that the unemployment rate in the United States exceeded 10 percent in July 2020, while Statistics Canada reported the Ca- nadian unemployment rate was just under 11 percent in that same month. While each country has since witnessed declines in their respective unemployment rates, tens of millions of workers in both nations remain out of work. The sudden rise in unemployment and decline in global economic activity under- scores the need to plan for recessions, even during those times when economies are thriving. Taking steps to recession-proof your fi nances is an important component of fi nancial planning that can help people over- come the stress of living during a downturn. • Build up your savings. A recent poll from the Kaiser Family Foundation found that 45 percent of adults said their mental health had been negatively affected due to stress related to the virus. That poll was conducted in March, shortly after lockdown measures were instituted and the term "social distanc- ing" entered the North American lexicon. As the pandemic wore on through the summer, fall and into the winter, stress remained a big concern for many people. Much of that stress stemmed from the economy, but one way to ease that stress is to have a substan- tial amount of money in savings. Each per- son's fi nancial needs are different, but many planners recommend clients have at least six months' worth of expenses in their sav- ings as a cushion to help them get through job loss. • Pay down debt. Debt, particularly high- interest debt, can compromise your ability to save. A 2019 survey from Bankrate.com found that 13 percent of Americans admit- ted that debt was preventing them from sav- ing more money. Pay down debt like credit cards and only make credit card purchases if you have the money to pay the bill in full when it's due. • Avoid overspending. Many fi nancial planners recommend a 50-30-20 approach to money management. Such an approach advises people to devote 50 percent of their earnings to needs, 30 percent to their wants and 20 percent to savings. Spending more than 30 percent on wants can make it dif- fi cult to build up a savings account to levels that can protect you in the event of a reces- sion. • Expect the unexpected. The American economy was doing historically well as re- cently as January, only to have the bottom fall out during the pandemic. If you want to recession-proof your fi nances, do not take your foot off the gas in regard to insulating yourself from the next recession. No mat- ter how strongly the economy is perform- ing, continue to expect the unexpected and prioritize saving so you have a soft landing awaiting you should the economy again take a sudden turn for the worse. The timing of recessions is unpredict- able, but they are inevitable. Effective fi nan- cial planning can help anyone overcome the challenges posed by economic downturns. Strategies to recession-proof your fi nances Heat waves are an inevitable part of sum- mer in many places across the globe. While humans can escape indoors to air condi- tioned rooms when heat waves hit full swing, fl owers planted around a property have no such luxury, putting their survival in jeopardy whenever the mercury rises to especially steamy heights. Wilted fl owers that have succumbed to the summer sun are a sight many gardening enthusiasts can recognize. But there are ways to keep fl owers safe and vibrant dur- ing periods of extreme heat. • Water at the appropriate times of day. The National Gardening Association notes that it's best to water in the early morning and evening because less water will be lost to evaporation during these times of day than during the afternoon, when tempera- tures tend to be at their hottest. • Choose the right watering method. It's not just when but also how you water that can affect fl owers during summer heat waves. Aboveground sprinklers might be great for lawns, but the NGA notes that such sprinklers can encourage the spread of dis- ease on certain plants, including roses. Many gardening professionals recommend soaker hoses when watering fl owers because they promote deep watering that can help the plants withstand the summer heat. If you must use an overheard watering system, set the timer so plants are watered in early in the morning or evening. • Routinely check the soil moisture. Soil moisture can help gardeners determine if their fl owers have enough water to withstand the heat. The NGA advises garden- ers to dig a 12-inch deep wedge of soil from their gardens to determine its moisture levels. If the top six inches of the soil is dry, water. If that area is still wet or moist, the plants have enough moisture to withstand the heat. Check these moisture levels more frequently during heat waves than other times of year. • Avoid overwatering. Novice gardeners may be tempted to water more frequently when they see wilted leaves on their fl owers. But wilted leaves are not necessarily indicative of suffering plants. Plants release moisture to protect themselves from ex- cessive heat, and that release of moisture can cause leaves to wilt as the plants try to protect themselves by providing less surface area that can be exposed to the sun. So long as soil moisture levels are healthy, the fl owers should be fi ne, even if their leaves have wilted. No gardener wants to see their fl owers succumb to the summer heat. Fortunately, there are many ways to help fl owers survive heat waves. How to help fl owers withstand heat waves