Women’s Independent Press

By Patricia Thibault
Social Security District Manager in Pittsburgh, PA

Spring is officially here. That means it’s time for spring cleaning!

People everywhere are shedding the effects of fall and winter. But what about dusting off your long-term financial plan? April is National Financial Literacy Month — the perfect time to spring into action when it comes to planning your financial future. And if you already have a plan, this is a great opportunity to take another look.

According to a 2011 survey by the Employee Benefit Research Institute, more than half of workers report they’ve put away less than $25,000 in total savings and investments; a whopping 29 percent have less than $1,000 saved for the future.

If you haven’t started already, now is the time to begin saving for your retirement — no matter what your age. If retirement is near, you’ll want to jump into the fast lane right away. If you’re younger and retirement seems a lifetime away, it’s still in your best interest to begin saving now, as compound interest will work to your advantage. Experts agree that saving when you’re young will make a world of difference when the time comes to draw on your retirement savings.

Don’t take our word for it. You can check out the numbers yourself. A great place to start figuring out how much you will need for retirement is to learn how much you could expect from Social Security. You can do that in minutes with Social Security’s online Retirement Estimator.

The Retirement Estimator offers an instant and personalized estimate of your future Social Security retirement benefits based on your earnings record. Try it out at www.socialsecurity.gov/estimator.

We encourage saving for retirement, but there are reasons to save for every stage of life. A great place to go for help is www.mymoney.gov. MyMoney.gov is the U.S. government’s website dedicated to teaching Americans the basics about financial education. Whether you are planning to buy a home, balancing your checkbook, or investing in your 401(k) plan, the resources on www.mymoney.gov can help you.
Another excellent resource is the Ballpark E$timator at www.choosetosave.org/ballpark. This online tool takes complicated issues, like projected Social Security benefits and earnings assumptions on savings, and turns them into language and numbers that are easy to understand.
Spring into action! Get started right now at www.socialsecurity.gov .

Dottie Coll
dottiecoll@msn.com
412.881.1111

Help children ease into the moving process

Moving is stressful for kids, but there are ways to make it easier on them, the moving experts at TWO MEN AND A TRUCK® say.

It’s important to inform children about moving plans to move as soon as possible. The more time they have to prepare, the easier it will be for them, say child psychologists. Let them participate in the decision-making. If children feel included and take ownership of their new home, the transition will go much easier.

“Moving is a family project,” said Dottie Coll, President, TWO MEN AND A TRUCK®. “Share the excitement and responsibilities with every member of the family. Give everyone an age-appropriate responsibility. Have the kids decorate their boxes. And then, once you are in your new house, it will be easier for them to find their stuff.”

The experts at TWO MEN AND A TRUCK® believe these tips will help get children through a move:

• Throughout the move, stay upbeat and calm. Give children a chance to express their feelings and try to be honest about your own feelings.
• Most children will feel some anger, sadness or may worry about the move. Reassure them they aren’t alone and it’s OK to have these feelings.
• Involve kids in the packing process and start packing items that will be needed right away.
• Sentimental items that children treasure like special blankets, beloved stuffed animals and photo albums should be kept in a separate bag or box.
• Make sure children say goodbye to the important people in their lives. Help children prepare a list of phone numbers, e-mails and addresses of important people in their lives. Prepare cards that have their name and new address on them to hand out to friends. If kids know they can stay in touch with loved ones, it will make the move less traumatic.

TWO MEN AND A TRUCK® is the largest franchised moving company in North America. It includes more than 200 locations and more than 1,400 trucks on the road. Each location is independently owned and operated, and sells boxes and packing supplies. Locations complete both home and business moves, as well as packing and unpacking services.

For more information, call one of the Pittsburgh TWO MEN AND A TRUCK® locations at 412.881.1111 or 412.259.87777 or visit www.twomenandatruck.com

A Personal Note from Mary Grace Musuneggi
President & CEO of The Musuneggi Financial Group
Sponsor of Single Steps Strategies
www.MFGPlanners.com  

Feather Your Nest

When I moved into my house about six years ago, I hung a wreath above the fireplace in my outdoor space. The wreath was made of vines and ribbons and baby’s breath. Within a month, I saw that the robins in the area were picking away at it, taking pieces of the vine and ribbon and flying off to add to the structure of nests they were building elsewhere. On one particular evening, I noticed that a very industrious robin had chosen to use the wreath as the very foundation of his nest. He began by packing mud between the fireplace wall and the wreath. To discourage this building project, I removed the wreath, removed his structure and re-hung the wreath. I came home the next day to see that this determined robin had rebuilt the nest. Taking it down one more time, I came home the next evening to see that he had built it again; and that his female partner had moved in. I was amazed. I decided that such determination should be rewarded, and I left them alone. Within a few weeks, eggs appeared; and within a couple of months, baby birds were born, were fed and taught to fly; and finally the entire family left the nest. A nice experience to watch.

Even though I removed the old nest when the family moved out, for the next five springs, new robin families have come, built their nest, bore and raised their children and moved on. Somehow all feeling very secure in my space; and all willing to share the space with me and my family. When we came out to sit, or watch TV, or cook outside, or just take in the evening air, the robin families did not fly away; but instead they watched our activities just like we watched theirs. They filled the mornings with their chirping and singing. On occasion, after the babies were born, the mothers sometimes squawked if we got too close, just to remind us that we were sharing their space, too, after all.

Then last year something new happened. After the robin family moved away, I had forgotten to take down the nest. I had been traveling a lot; and upon returning from an extended trip, I was surprised to see that a male and female dove had taken up residence in the old robin’s nest. Not only had they made it their home, but they had added an addition of more mud and twigs and leaves. It was big enough for the two of them to sit in it side by side. Upon further investigation, I discovered they were sitting on two eggs. For weeks they took over my deck, flew in and out, perched on the furniture; and even sat on an outside ceiling fan, while it went round and round as the air blew past it. They were having a great time and really making themselves at home. When the babies hatched, the parents littered the area with seed pits and other food sources that they shared with their family. Unlike the robins, they were very unwilling to share the space. They squawked anytime I came out the door and frantically flew from side to side in the space anytime someone approached.

By the time they moved out the wreath that had been the foundation of all the nests and the source of building materials for so many robins had totally deteriorated; and so I took it down with nest attached and threw it away. It was like the end of an era.
But in the process of clearing out the wreath and cleaning up the space I found myself meditating on what life lessons I had learned from this odyssey.

All of these birds do what comes naturally. They follow their instincts.

They are determined to accomplish their goal. They let nothing stand in the way of their progress.

They use natural elements to create a home and raise a family. And the doves recycled an existing structure to adapt it to their needs.

The priority for these birds is their family; and the parents work together to create a healthy, safe, and nurturing environment. They protect their nest from outside influences. They raise their children to ultimately become independent creatures, teaching them to fly, to search for food and to leave the nest. They teach them to become productive members of their society.

Their life is uncomplicated. It includes work and family, but creativity and fun. The perfect example of simplicity, joy and abundance all rolled into one of God’s small creatures.

I am glad they have shared their lives with me. I am glad that I had the chance to share my space with them. And I am glad they reminded me of some basic rules for living well.

As we enter the Spring of this year, I am anxious to see who comes to live on my deck. A new wreath has been hung and robins are already flying by scoping it out.

And as you begin the Spring of your year take a lesson from my “friends”. Learn to live without stress; create and accomplish your goals; enjoy life’s simple pleasures. Build your personal “nest” with joy and abundance.