We’re getting close to Labor Day, a celebration of the men and women who roll up their sleeves and go to work each day. If you’re in the workforce yourself, you can appreciate this recognition of your efforts. And as an investor, you can employ these attributes of the American worker:

●Organization – The most productive workers are those who organize their time and efforts to maximize their productivity. When you invest, organization is also important. You might have trouble gaining traction toward your goals, such as a comfortable retirement, if you own a bunch of scattered investments that aren’t really working together to help you. Instead, try to build a portfolio in which all your investments combine to provide the opportunities for growth and income you need to help reach your objectives.

●Perseverance – As workers, all of us go through difficult times, whether with our bosses, co-workers or even the work itself – but we persevere. As an investor, you, too, will experience bumps in the road, in the form of market downturns. Yet, if you avoid making hasty and ill-advised moves in response to potential short-term volatility, you can maintain your focus on your long-term needs and goals – and, as a result, you can help improve your chances of meeting those needs and attaining those goals.

●Vision – Workers put in their time, year after year, because they have a vision of what they hope their efforts will yield – a rewarding career, sufficient financial resources for their family, and so on. As an investor, you also can benefit from articulating a picture of what you hope to achieve. And that means you need to be specific about what you want. Instead of saying to yourself, ‘I’d like to retire comfortably someday,’ pin yourself down as to what this really means. At what age would you like to retire? Will you want to travel the world or stay close to home to pursue your hobbies? How much money will you need to make these wishes come true? Where will this money come from? By answering these and other questions, you can define a vision for your financial future, leading you to the next step – creating a strategy to help turn this vision into reality.

●Diversity – The American workforce benefits from drawing on the experiences and viewpoints of people from all different backgrounds. When you invest, you should also seek diversity. If you only owned one type of investment vehicle, such as growth stocks, and the market hit a downturn, your portfolio would likely take a big hit. It’s a given that the value of investments will fluctuate, which means, under some circumstances, you could lose some or all of your principal. But if you spread your dollars among a range of vehicles – including stocks, bonds, government securities, certificates of deposit and real estate – you can reduce the impact of volatility on your holdings. (Keep in mind, though, that diversification, by itself, does not guarantee a profit or protect against loss.)

Labor Day will come and go quickly.

But by emulating some of the characteristics of the American workforce, you can continue making progress toward your goals – without even having to work overtime.

This article was written by Edward Jones on behalf of your Edward Jones financial adviser.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: SHANKLIN: Investors can learn much from America's workforce

Here in Crestview and Northwest Florida, we have been blessed for many years without a severe storm or hurricane.

The Lord has been good to us.

As we head into September, we need to maintain our preparedness in case we face severe weather. As humans, we tend to get complacent, but we need to maintain our vigilance.

My family tries to keep the following on hand for an emergency:

●Insurance documents, vehicle and bank information, and other important papers in a portable file

●Pet carriers and dog leashes near the front door

●Plenty of water on hand — at least 1 gallon per day for both pets and people

●Snacks and food that can be eaten without cooking, canned goods, granola bars and other packaged foods (make sure you have a hand can opener)

●Plenty of pet food and cat litter

●Medicines for all persons and pets in the family — 10 to 14 days' worth

●Glasses and contacts (and solutions) readily available

●At least one-half tank of fuel in our cars. It doesn't get below that in case we need to leave quickly or the gas stations have no power to pump the gasoline.

●A small outdoor grill and propane so we can grill outside if it is safe

●Important phone numbers and a car cell phone charger

●Flashlights and battery operated lanterns as well as extra batteries

More recommended items are:

●First aid supplies

●Portable radio or television; there are hand-crank devices available

●A planned evacuation route, and make sure any motels or hotels are pet friendly if you have pets

●Having a family meeting place in case of an emergency

●Knowing where to buy dry ice for your refrigerator and freezer

If you can afford one, have a home generator professionally installed. Keep duct tape on hand to seal your refrigerator and freezer to help keep in the cold air so your food doesn't spoil as quickly.

If you would like more information on preparation, visit http://www.cnn.com/2012/08/27/us/hurricane-preparation/index.html. There are also forms to download at https://www.ready.gov/sites/default/files/documents/files/Family_Emegency_Plan.pdf.

Stay safe Crestview!

Janice Lynn Crose, a former accountant, lives in Crestview with her husband, Jim; her two rescue collies, Shane and Jasmine; and two cats, Kathryn and Prince Valiant.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: CROSE: How we prepare for emergency situations

It’s back-to-school time again. If you have young children, you might be hustling them to the store for backpacks and binders.

But if you fast-forward a few years, you can envision driving your kids a little farther — to their college dorms. And when that day comes, you’ll want to be financially prepared.

So you’ll want to avoid making costly mistakes when preparing for, and paying, those big bills.

Here are some of the most common of these errors:

Not saving enough — Only about 40 percent of families have created a plan to pay for college, according to a recent study by SLM Corporation, commonly known as Sallie Mae, a consumer banking company. In those families that do plan, parents save 3.5 times more than non-planners, according to the same study.

You might find it easier to save for college if you automatically move a set amount each month from your checking or savings account to a college savings vehicle.

Not considering vehicles with growth potential — The same Sallie Mae study found that more parents use a general savings account than any other method of saving for college.

But since most savings accounts these days pay only a minimal rate of return, you will have trouble getting the growth potential you need to achieve your college savings goals.

Consider working toward your college savings goals by investing in a vehicle specifically designed for college, such as a 529 plan or a Coverdell plan.

 There are differences between these plans, such as contribution limits and tax treatments, but both allow you to invest for growth potential.

As with any investment account, there are risks involved, including market risk.

Stopping your savings once your children are in college — Unless your children plan to take an awful lot of credits, they’re not going to finish college in just one year.

Consequently, you’ll want to keep investing in your plan or other college savings vehicle while your children are in school.

Taking out 401(k) loans — Your employer may allow you to take out a loan against your 401(k) to help pay for college.

But this may not be a good idea for two reasons: First, when you remove money from your 401(k) — even if you plan on eventually paying it back — you will slow the potential accumulation in your account, thereby depriving yourself of resources you will eventually need for retirement.

Second, should you leave the company, you might have to repay the loan within a limited number of days.

Not using available tax credits — Depending on your income, you might qualify for the American Opportunity tax credit, which is worth up to $2,500, provided you spend at least $4,000 on college expenses.

Check with your tax professional to see if you qualify for this credit and how to most effectively incorporate it. And be careful you don’t waste the credit, because you may not be able to use it and your plan distributions at the same time.

Paying for college can be challenging — but if you can avoid making the above mistakes, you’ve got a better chance of getting your kids through school without derailing the progress you’d like to make toward your other financial goals. 

This article was written by Edward Jones on behalf of your Edward Jones financial adviser.

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Editor's Note: An earlier version of this article erroneously stated that Sallie Mae is “the country’s largest originator of federally insured student loans.” 

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: SHANKLIN: Avoid expensive errors when paying for college

Eighty-three Northwest Florida youths are participating in the 2016 Florida 4-H Chick Chain Show and Auction on Oct. 29 in Bonifay.

In May, these outstanding youths received day-old pullet (female) chicks, and are proudly raising them with care and attention until the day of the show and auction.

When the pullet chicks are about 20 weeks old — that’s generally the magic time when production birds enter the laying cycle — the 4-Hers will bring them to this special poultry show and auction.

After the show, a professional auctioneer will be on hand to auction off the birds.

All proceeds benefit the 4-H youth and the Florida 4-H Chick Chain program.

The Chick Chain Project encourages 4-H youths to produce healthy chickens. Along the way, they get an introduction to business management, develop record-keeping skills (income and expenses), contribute to their family’s home food supply and realize the pride of accomplishment!

4-Hers follow very structured guidelines for protein diet and housing.

Are these birds healthy? Yes! The chicks come from National Poultry Improvement Plan-certified stock (clean from Pullorum-Typhoid and Avian Influenza) and are vaccinated against Marek’s disease on the day of hatch.

Breeds for auction are Dominique; Golden Laced Wyandotte; Light Brahma; Pearl White Leghorn; Polish Top Hat; and Rhode Island Reds.

The program benefits 4-H members in Okaloosa, Santa Rosa, Walton, Gadsden, Gulf, Holmes, Jackson, Jefferson, Leon, Liberty, Wakulla and Washington counties.

Misty Smith is an agent at the University of Florida's Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences Extension office in Crestview. 

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WANT TO GO?

WHAT: 4-H Chicken Auction

WHEN: 3 p.m. Oct. 29

WHERE: Holmes County 4-H Barn, 1169 U.S. Highway 90 E., Bonifay

WHAT: 4-H Chicken Auction

WHEN: 3 p.m. Oct. 29

WHERE: Holmes County 4-H Barn, 1169 U.S. Highway 90 E., Bonifay

WANT TO GO?

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: SMITH: Get ready for the 4-H Chick Chain Show and Auction

The Crestview Public Library is an early voting site for the Aug. 30 Primary Election.

Early voting is 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Aug. 20-27. There is no early voting on Sunday or Monday, Aug. 28 or 29.

If you wait until the Primary Election on Tuesday, you must go to your precinct to vote.

Voter, election and candidate information is available from numerous sources, but an important first stop is the Okaloosa County Supervisor of Elections website, www.govote-okaloosa.com. With the Voter Lookup Tool, you can find your precinct, check your registration status, and view sample ballots.

Another online source of information is the Florida Department of State, Florida Division of Elections website, http://dos.myflorida.com/elections/. Download the 2016 Voter Education Toolkit.

The Center for Responsive Politics is a guide to money in U.S. politics, including campaign money amounts and sources, searchable by party, candidate, lobbyist and election cycle. Find them at www.opensecrets.org.

The Federal Voting Assistance Program works to ensure Service members, their eligible family members and overseas citizens are aware of their right to vote and have the tools and resources to successfully do so – from anywhere in the world. Go to https://www.fvap.gov/florida for Florida-specific information.

Vote Smart is a non-profit, non-partisan research organization that collects and distributes information on candidates for U.S. public office. It covers candidates and elected officials in six basic areas: background information, issue positions, voting records, campaign finances, interest group ratings, and speeches and public statements. Go to www.votesmart.org or call 888-Vote-Smart (888-868-3762).

Finally, the League of Women Voters of Okaloosa County provides information on www.lwvokaloosa.org, including notices of local candidate events and forums.

So check out all of the above … and come in and vote!

Sandra Dreaden is the Crestview Public Library's reference librarian.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: DREADEN: Where to find Okaloosa voter and election information