DECEMBER 2013

De-stress Your Holiday Shopping

,any times, holiday shopping turns what should be a happy, family'centered time into stress o#erload and debt. You ha#e to shop for gifts, food, decorations and e#en a new outfit for the holiday party. -lanning ahead, not taking the process too seriously and en%oying the little moments are a good start to changing the stress back into fun. .elow are a few common stressors and ways to a#oid them as the holiday shopping season begins in earnest. the stores at the last minute, ha#ing a list will help you na#igate the crowds and resist the flashy sale items you dont truly need. Returns and gift receipts. Instead of gi#ing in to desperation and buying one more holiday special or purchasing a clothing item without regard to the correct si)e, try gi#ing something that cant be returned0 an experience. $or example, instead of gi#ing your niece yet another horse'themed sweater that doesnt fit, gi#e her a gift certificate for a horseback riding lesson. Not only will she not need to return the gift, but she will create a fun memory that reminds her of you. Going o er !udget" hopping throughout the year can help you reduce spending by finding items you like during sales, and you might e#en find items that arent a#ailable during the holidays. Year'round shopping also spreads out the holiday expenses o#er !1 months instead of %ust one. When you find a good price on the perfect gift, buy it then2e#en if its the middle of April. At home, ha#e a designated shelf or container where you can safely stash your gifts. With a little planning and creati#ity, you can confidently de'stress your holiday shopping.

This Year, Resolve to Follow Through

In an effort to make the next year better than the last, many people make New Years resolutions. While its easy to make resolutions, they are often difficult to keep after the first few weeks. A little planning will help you succeed. tart by making a resolution that is significant to you. If spending less time on your phone is important because you want to play with your kids, youre more likely to stick with it than if you decide to lose !" pounds because e#eryone else in the office wants to. Next, plan how you will make it happen. $or example, if you decide to eat healthier, choose which %unk foods you will gi#e up and what you will replace them with. &esolutions are not kept through will' power alone. When it gets tough, you need help. (ry writing a reminder, such as a sticky note at your desk. Also, telling a friend who can encourage you will help a lot when it gets harder to stick to your resolution. $inally, dont gi#e up. If you ate a family' si)ed bag of potato chips by yourself, you ha#ent ruined your resolution. *ust start the next day as if you ne#er faltered, and keep working on it + remember, new habits take time.

Big crowds. -erhaps you ha#e con#inced yourself that spending your holiday weekends at the mall is actually fun, but most people would rather not be caught in the chaos for too long. (o a#oid the massi#e holiday crowds, try shopping online for at least some of your purchases. Not only can you a#oid the crowds, but most online stores allow you to ship right to your intended recipient, sa#ing you the hassle of standing in long lines at the post office to mail gifts for out'of'town family and friends. Last-minute rush. -lan ahead with a list of e#eryone you want to purchase a gift for, as well as a pre'planned menu that will take the guessing out of grocery shopping. /#en if you do get caught in

HEALTHY LIVING QUESTION Clearing a space, keeping it simple and setting !"r timer are great #a s t! make #inter #!rk!"ts $r!m %!me great, &"t #%at is t%e $!"rt% t%ing !" s%!"ld d!'

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*tudies indicate that appro+imate,- .0 percent of reso,ution-ma/ers are sti,, on trac/ to meet their goa,s after si+ months"

MEET THE NEWBIES

New to Akers & Arney but Not New to Bus ness

Akers 7 Arney is delighted to introduce two new members of their staff. /li)abeth 8rewry was born in 9alena, ,o and attended 9alena and 4rane schools. In !::!, she mo#ed to .ranson and worked in the restaurant industry before returning to 4rane in !::;. he later got in#ol#ed in the trucking industry for se#eral years. he returned to the .ranson area in 1""! and continued in the restaurant business before %oining ,a%or .rands, Inc. /li)abeth is married to ,ike who is in the grocery business and has three children. <er #aried business experience brings a wealth of knowledge to assist the clients of Akers 7 Arney. ,argie &edmon was born and raised in Alexandria =a. he mo#ed to .ranson, ,o in !:>: where she raised her ? children0 Amanda, (re and 4ody. he now has @ beautiful grandchildren. No stranger to the .ranson business community, ,argie spent the last !? years in the banking industry at A)ark ,ountain .ank. he is excited to be %oining another wonderful team at Akers 7 Arney as a licensed Insurance Agent BAccount ,anager '-ersonal =ines. ,argie en%oys being a part of community and organi)ational e#ents and feels that laughter is a big part of making the heart smile. Need help with risk management and insurance products such as life, health, home, auto and much moreC 4all us, ;!D'??;'@!!@

Seth Takahashi of JRI Industries, Springfield, was presented a !" gift #ard fro$ %kers & %rney's (i#ky Ri#e after #orre#tly answering )ove$*er's Healthy +iving ,uestion- .orre#t answers to the /uestion $ust *e su*$itted *y the !0st of ea#h $onth-

BLUE JEAN FRIDAYS CREATE MERRY CHRISTMAS

)ot everything is done on the up-and-up at %kers & %rney- In fa#t, one thing is done under the #over of deni$ in order to *ring .hrist$as .heer to so$e of 1ranson's needy #hildren%##ording to pro2e#t #oordinator, %kers & %rney's Judie .unningha$, 3We sponsor .ranson chool children e#ery year by adopting three or four children and filling their wish list. (he school system sends us the ages, gender, grade, and clothing si)es.3 4unningham says the funds are raised during the first $riday of each month throughout the year when employees make a donation in order to wear blue %eans on $ridays. As 4hristmas approaches, she makes a signup sheet and the employees pick what they would like to get for the children. Whate#er hasnt been purchased from the list, 4unningham buys using the money employees ha#e collected throughout the year. 5We usually get each child a new coat, hat, glo#es, shoes, a new outfit, and a toy from their lists,3 says 4unningham.

Its so much fun6666

%re You Ready for Ja#k Frost8

-reparing for winter is something e#eryone should do, e#en if youre only planning on tra#eling to colder regions for a few days during the holidays. Winter storms can arri#e Euickly and unexpectedly, e#en in areas that dont freEuently get them. <ere are a few safety tips to consider whether youre preparing to face one small storm or months of snow. 8ress for the weather and be prepared for the worst. If youre dri#ing to a holiday party, make sure you ha#e a spare blanket or coat in case of car trouble. Feep salt or sand ready to spread on icy walkways. tore snow remo#al tools, such as sho#els or a snow blower, in an accessible location. .ring animals into the house or other appropriate shelter. Fnow what to do if you lose power + for example, ha#e a backup source for light Ga flashlightH, heat Gwood for a fireplaceH and communication Gbattery'operated radioH.

4ork Stew with 1rown Ri#e

(here are few foods more comforting on a cold e#ening than a warm stew for dinner. (his pork stew recipe combines the comfort factor with good nutrition, making it a wintertime winner. 1 pounds of lean pork stew meat ? cups baby carrots ! large onion, sliced !J tsp. dried thyme lea#es J tsp. coarse ground black pepper K tsp. salt ! clo#e garlic, minced !J cups bran and wheat flakes cereal, crushed to L cup ! cup dried tart cherries L cup !""M apple %uice or apple cider ; cups hot cooked brown rice (rim fat from pork. pray large pan with non'stick cooking spray. 4ook pork ! pound at a time until browned. While pork is browning, in ;'N Euart crockery cooker layer carrots, onion, thyme, pepper, salt and garlic. prinkle with cereal and cherries. (op with browned pork. -our apple %uice or cider o#er all. 4o#er and cook on low heat setting for D'> hours or on high heat setting for ? J to ; hours. -repare the brown rice according to package directions toward the end of the stew cooking. G.rown rice typically takes about ;"';@ minutes to cookH. When rice is done cooking, stir pork mixture and ser#e o#er rice. Yield0 > ser#ings. /ach ser#ing contains ?N" calories, 1g of saturated fat, 11"mg of sodium, N@>mg of potassium, >:mg of calcium, ?D II G".:! mcgH of #itamin 8, and Ng of dietary fiber. ource0 I 8A

5inter 5orkouts6 Skip the 7y$ *ut )ot the Sweat

Winter has arri#ed, and whether you are anticipating a storm or ga)ing out the window at a gray sky, you might lack the moti#ation to go to the gym. Instead of skipping your workout, you can follow these suggestions to exercise in the safety, warmth and comfort of your own home. C,ear space. $ind or create an area that gi#es you room to mo#e around. It doesnt need to be too large, %ust enough space to a#oid bumping into a lamp or falling o#er the coffee table. 'eep it simp,e. (he great thing about exercising at home is you dont need complicated eEuipment. -erform exercises that dont need extra machinery, like push'ups, crunches or %ogging in place, or be creati#e and use cans of soup or a gallon of milk as light weights. 0hin/ fun. When youre working out at home, you can blast your fa#orite music, or, if you ha#e a nearby tele#ision, watch a mo#ie or catch up on a sitcom series. You dont ha#e to share the space with other gym'goers, so you ha#e more freedom to make your workout time fun. *et the timer. /#en though youre working out in your li#ing room, sticking to a routine is important. -ick a time that works, and dont get distracted by dirty dishes or laundry that needs to be folded. Ise your allotted time for exercise and a#oid the temptation of taking a nap on the couch thats only 1 feet away.

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