Today is Squirrel Appreciation Day and we thought it would be fun to honor our mascot Saver Squirrel! When he’s not busy teaching everyone to squirrel away their money, he’s busy having a little fun. Here are some snapshots from his travels.
We know it’s silly but sometimes you just need to have a little fun! Have a great day!
Old Man Winter finally made his way to Ohio and we have begun to see some cold and even a little snow. Cold days and long winter nights are a great time to enjoy comfort foods. Sadly, with work, school and extracurricular activities, we don’t always have time to cook a meal. So we have compiled a few easy recipes to enjoy without breaking a sweat.
All of the ingredients can be found at your local grocery or maybe in your own pantry.
Add bacon pieces to a soup pot over medium heat and cook bacon until crisp and fat is rendered. Remove the bacon from the pot and set it aside. Pour off most of the grease, but do not clean the pot.
Return the pot to medium-high heat and add the onions, carrots, and celery. Stir and cook for 2 minutes or so, then add the diced potatoes. Cook for 5 minutes, seasoning with salt, pepper, and Cajun spice.
Pour in the broth and bring it to a gentle boil. Cook for 10 minutes, or until the potatoes are starting to get tender. Whisk together the flour and the milk, then pour into the soup and allow the soup to cook for another 5 minutes.
Remove half to 2/3 of the soup and blend in batches in a blender or food processer until completely smooth. (***USE CAUTION WHEN BLENDING HOT SOUP; IF POSSIBLE, ALLOW THE SOUP TO COOL BEFORE BLENDING***) Pour it back into the soup pot and stir to combine. Let it heat up as you taste for seasonings, adding more of what it needs. Stir in cream, then stir in parsley, reserving a little for garnish.
Serve in bowls garnished with parsley, grated cheese and crisp bacon pieces.
Homemade Pan RollsHelp dinner prep go smoothly by making these rolls the night before. Just reheat and enjoy!
Stir together sugar, cocoa, cornstarch and salt in medium saucepan; gradually stir in milk.
Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture boils; boil and stir 1 minute. Remove from heat; stir in butter and vanilla. Pour into individual dessert dishes. To avoid a skin from forming on top, press plastic wrap directly onto surface; serve warm or refrigerate at least 2 hours. Garnish with whipped topping, if desired.
Spending time with family over the holidays encouraged a lot of us to reminisce about the good old days. While some things may not have been better and going back in time isn’t possible, there are a number of things we all can learn from past generations. If you have grandparents who were a product of the Great Depression, you probably know they did things differently than younger generations. Some of their skills and money management ideas are trendy today!
It’s the small things – Even a small thing can be a luxury and your grandparents will probably tell you there’s nothing better than an ice cream cone on a hot August day. Take time to enjoy the smell of cut grass, the sound of a baby’s laughter or the taste of a warm cookie fresh from the oven.
Keep your wants under control – Nothing kills a budget like a never ending list of wants. Worst of all, wants erode your satisfaction with what you already have.
Face to face is better than Facebook – They “went visiting.” They chatted with neighbors on the porch, they invited the pastor over for Sunday dinner and they didn’t stare at a tiny device in their hand every waking moment. They were good neighbors, recognizing that time and money are precious resources that could be used to help others in their community.
Save for a rainy day – Anyone who was a product of the Depression will tell you that you never know when a crisis will arise or how much money you’ll need to survive. That’s why a lot of these people were millionaires next door, secretly stashing away as much as possible but maintaining a simple way of life.
Grow your own food – A lot of our grandparents had gardens. Even in cities, folks with yards often grew backyard gardens and anyone with a windowsill could grow a pot of tomatoes. Gardening is back in vogue as it is cost effective, healthy and a good form of exercise. You’re guaranteed to know where your food came from when you pluck it from your own garden.
Embrace practical skills – Did your grandma sew or quilt? Maybe she canned green beans from her garden and baked a great apple pie. Generations before us knew how to do things for themselves. Your grandpa could probably change a tire and the oil in his own car. They likely knew how to repair things that were broken and entertain themselves without a smart phone or tv. They were Renaissance men and women who had to know a little about a lot of things to thrive in life.
Keep a family album – When was the last time you printed a picture and put it in an album? Your pictures are probably stored on a phone or computer. However, it’s not so fun to gather the family around to scroll through pictures on your phone. Periodically print a few of those favorites and put them in a family album, something that can be passed around, flipped through and enjoyed.
Conserve – Your time, money and possessions are precious resources. It especially seems like there’s never enough time and money to go around so don’t squander them on things that aren’t important to you. There weren’t green recycling labels on everything back then because people typically needed to find multiple uses for every object.
Get creative – Depression era folks had to use what they had to decorate their home, clothe themselves and feed their families. Instead of running to the store every time you think you need something, try shopping your home or substituting another ingredient in your recipe. You may be surprised at the creative solutions you find!
Tell us: What are your memories of your parents or grandparents? What did they do that we could learn from today?
Just eight percent of people who make a New Year’s resolution will stick with it this year. That’s why we’re talking resolutions all week long here at VCNB. We’re looking at common resolutions and some things you can do to power through and achieve your goals. We have covered budgets, health goals, savings and organization so far. Ironically, we put off writing about procrastination until the very end.
A wise man once said the “deadline is the ultimate inspiration.” While everyone doesn’t procrastinate, most people have a natural tendency to sometimes put off things they don’t want to do. Some of us though are paralyzed by distractions, bad habits and an inability to make decisions. While it can be hard, it is possible to overcome the habit of procrastination and get things done. You just have to want to possibly . . . maybe . . . commit. . . and start working on it . . . someday.
Put it in writing – It can be harder to ignore a task if it’s in writing. If it’s something simple, write it on a to-do list or even just on a post-it note. For some list makers, the simple act of crossing a task off the list is enough motivation to get to work. Bigger projects can be intimidating and have more steps so take a few minutes to brainstorm everything that needs done and write a plan. A detailed plan will help you get started and provide focus where there may otherwise be uncertainty.
Eliminate distractions – Sometimes procrastination is born from good old fashioned distractions. Who can judge when there are so many great distractions in 2016? There’s Facebook quizzes, Netflix binging, Youtube cat videos and other things that seem much more interesting! If you need to settle down and get a job done, turn off those distractions. Don’t worry. They’ll still be there for you later!
Find a change of scenery – It sounds silly but sometimes the best weapon against procrastination is simply moving to a different location. Take a walk or, if it’s portable, take your work to another room. Try it! This really works!
Deal with the worst – Usually the things we delay the longest are the ones we most hate to do. Instead of delaying the inevitable, try getting it done first! If you first finish the worst task, you won’t have so much to dread later that day! Another approach is to tell yourself you only have to do that worst job for fifteen minutes. You can do anything for fifteen minutes! Set a timer and get to work. Odds are you’ll keep going long after the timer has expired.
Bribery – When all else fails, bribe yourself with a treat! Most people respond well to a rewards system!
The truth is, when dealing with procrastination, the best defense is awareness and vigilance when making decisions. Remember, one failure doesn’t constitute a complete loss. Try again tomorrow. . . or maybe the day after that. Do you have a hack for getting things done? Share it in the comments section!
Did you know that twenty-five percent of resolution makers abandon their goals within a week? With that in mind, we’re spending this week talking about New Year’s resolutions and ways to help you accomplish your goals. We’ve covered budgeting, saving money and health goals so far. Today we’re talking about organization.
A lot of resolutions have to do with organization. From getting to work on time to redoing a closet, organization skills relate to almost all aspects in life. Maybe you need to organize a desk so you can actually use it to pay bills and do work. Perhaps the organization you need isn’t for a physical space but for your time instead.
Regardless of what you’re organizing, there are some things to keep in mind and to keep you on track.
People sometimes mistake organization with perfection. They think it’s an all-or-nothing deal where everything is tucked away in a neatly labeled box. They equate an organized home with an empty home. However, organizer Christina Scalise explained it best when she said “Organization isn’t about perfection. It’s about efficiency, reducing stress and clutter, saving time and money and improving your overall quality of life.”
Another common mistake is believing that everything can be fixed in a day. Instead of trying to organize your entire home in a day, try spacing it out over a period of weeks or months. Identify the hot spots that you want to hit first and then write out a schedule for going through each one. Plan to do one big thing a week or something small every night by scheduling time to work on it.
This month, you may start with the paper clutter, cleaning out the old and developing a system for filing the new. Next month you could work on clothes closets and dresser drawers while March is the month you finally attack your messy laundry room. Clutter and disorganization doesn’t happen in a day so it’s unrealistic to think it can be fixed in a day or two.
When it comes to organizing it’s important to visualize whatever you are trying to accomplish. If you wish to cook in a kitchen where everything is easily accessible, start by looking at the space and how you’re using it. Can you use the space more wisely? Do you really need everything you are storing? If you don’t bake, chances are you don’t need to keep a dozen cookie sheets. Sometimes we aren’t disorganized, we just are trying to store things we don’t need.
People often believe that the first step to organization is to run out and buy a bunch of containers but the best first step is actually to choose one small piece of the puzzle. Start with that cabinet crammed full of coffee mugs. You probably have a few favorites that you use every day but do you need three dozen mugs? Maybe they make you happy and they need to stay but chances are you could purge a few, or maybe even a lot.
Start by pulling out the things you never use, don’t like, or are broken and begin filling boxes for thrift store donations or for friends you think might appreciate your extras. Once you have purged the unneeded and unwanted, then you can take stock of what you own and begin thinking about how it will fit in your space. Your coffee mugs may fit on a smaller shelf now and would be better across the room, next to the coffee maker. That enormous roaster you only use on Thanksgiving could be stored in the back of the pantry or even in another room. If you like to bake, organize your mixing bowls, measuring cups and other baking supplies in one area to create a baking station.
In other words, think about how you use your possessions and store them accordingly.
This example is about a kitchen but the philosophy behind it can be applied to anything. Just remember not to feel overwhelmed. Start with one drawer, one shelf, one corner of a room and work out from there.
If you’re trying to organize your time, think about the root of your problems. A good calendar can fix a lot of problems. Planning for tomorrow can cure most others. Create a landing zone where you keep your keys, coat, handbag and anything that needs to leave with you such as library books or mail.
Try laying out your clothes and packing lunches the night before. Gather ingredients for tomorrow’s dinner and review your schedule to know who goes where and when. Just knowing what lies ahead and having the supplies you need will do wonders to improve your life and time management!
Remember, organization is not an event and it isn’t a destination: it’s a lifestyle. Work at it gradually and you will achieve your goals!
It’s a sad truth that most Americans who make New Year’s resolutions fail to keep them for more than a month or even just a few days. This week we are looking at common resolutions that are great goals for any time of the year. So far we have covered sticking to a budget and living with healthy goals. Today we’re talking savings.
Our friends at NerdWallet.com wrote last year about how much the average American is stashing away. It turns out, it’s not enough.
While most experts recommend committing at least ten to fifteen percent of income to savings, the average American is saving less than five percent. Why is that rate so low? Well, part of the problem is that saving money can be difficult. For some the problem may be that they simply aren’t making enough money to live on and are struggling to get by today without saving for tomorrow. For some folks it just isn’t a priority. They would rather have a bigger house, premium cable, or just “live in the now” rather than have money for later.
For others, the inability to save money is a simple lack of discipline. If you’re the kind of person who wants to save money but never actually do because you forget and spend the money on something frivolous and think you’ll save extra next pay – we’re looking at you.
Don’t worry, this won’t be complicated. We have just one word for you: Automation.
Automation is a beautiful thing when it comes to building good habits and it’s especially helpful when committing to a savings plan. If your employer has a 401k or other type of retirement plan, set up automatic payroll contributions. The money is distributed to your 401k from your paycheck and it’s almost as though you never had the money in the first place.
If you want the money to collect in another type of savings account, say an Passbook Savings at VCNB (see how we snuck ourselves into the story?) you can set up automatic transfers for whatever amount you want, when you like. The best plan is probably to schedule the transfer on payday or the day after. That way, it’s done first thing and you aren’t tempted to spend rather than save.
One more thing: a lot of savers enjoy success making games out of saving money. For example, they stash every $5 bill they get or keep a change jar. There’s a great chart where you save an increasing amount for every week of the year. The plan is to save one dollar the first week of the year, two dollars the second week, three dollars the third week of the year. By the last week of the year, savers on this plan are saving $52. Those who follow the plan ease their way into saving regularly and accumulating over a thousand dollars in one year.
For many people, the key to sticking to a savings plan is automation. For others it’s making it easy and fun. Consider your personality and get started! Even if you can’t save fifteen percent of your income, save what you can today and work up to more.
We’re talking resolutions all week so check back tomorrow!
Did you make a New Year’s Resolution? Lots of Americans do but very few follow through and stick with their goals for more than a month or two. We want to help you see your resolutions through this year so we’re offering tips for common resolutions all week long. Yesterday we talked about sticking to a budget and today we’re talking health and weight loss.
Millions of Americans resolve every year to start a new diet, to lose weight or just get fit. While setting a big goal can be inspiring, it can also be difficult to achieve without the right amount of thought and preparation.
Here are some ideas to help you get started.
Get a support system – If you intend to make a major life change, it’s important to have help from your family and friends. They don’t have to embrace your healthy living choices but it’s helpful if they at least respect them. Surround yourself with loved ones who will encourage you and help keep you on track.
Buddy up – As part of that support system, find someone to be your partner in crime. This should be a person who will ask you the tough questions about what you ate, who will cheer your positive choices and who will expect you to show up for your evening walk or who counts on you as much as you count on them for support.
Start small – The best way to get big results is to start small. Identify small swaps and changes you can make to help you along the way. Instead of giving up all junk food, start by phasing out things like sugary drinks or by ditching the snacks. These small steps won’t seem too difficult but will help you achieve results.
Control what you can – If you know that you want to stop eating sweets, don’t bring Oreos and ice cream into your home. If you know that food court pretzels are your greatest temptation, steer clear of the food court. Prepare meals at home so you know what’s going into your food and carry healthy snacks to work and in the car so you aren’t tempted to hit a drive thru.
Make a game plan – Give yourself attainable goals for each day, week or month. If you have one or two goals to focus on at one time, it’s much easier to understand what’s really important. Actually write down those goals and check them off each time you accomplish what you set out to do. For example, today’s goals may be to drink 64 ounces of water, to work out for 30 minutes and to skip dessert. Be sure that your plan supports your lifestyle. If you have young children, going to the gym every night of the week will likely be impossible. Exercising at home with a walk-at-home dvd or using some hand weights may be a more attainable goal.
Tough love – Stop making excuses. Identify your weak spots and get to work making those challenges disappear. Tough love. It’s hard to embrace at first but once you start banishing those excuses, other excuses start to sound weaker.
Find your motivation – Learn what motivates you and motivate yourself every day. Maybe it’s a picture of your slender self when you were young. Maybe it’s a desire to be around to dance at your granddaughter’s wedding. Whatever it is, think of what motivates you every time you’re facing a decision.
Be Kind To Yourself – No one is perfect. There likely will be slip-ups along the way but that’s not cause to be unkind to yourself. Consider why you slipped and how you can do better next time. Then move on! This means that you can’t shame yourself for bad choices or deprive yourself of things that you really want. You are worth the time and the caring it takes to recover from a bad choice and to do better tomorrow.
Listen to your body – Are you tired, thirsty or frustrated? You could be confusing thirst with hunger or sadness and anger for a burning desire to eat cake. Stop and think about what your body really needs. If you’re hungry, give it fuel. If you’re tired, give it rest. Your body knows what it needs, you just have to listen!
Celebrate the small victories – Look for the good and for the reasons to celebrate. Did you stick to your eating plan today? Have you lost a pant size? Did you say no to seconds? These are reasons to celebrate! Do a little dance or buy yourself a little treat.
Are you ready to meet your health and weight loss goals this year? Tell us about it in the comments section!
In 2013, Forbes Magazine reported that just eight percent of people will achieve their New Year’s resolutions. Eight percent. That number seems depressingly low. So we want to take a look at common New Year’s resolutions and things that you can do to insure you are part of that eight percent. This week we will feature a different resolution every day with some helpful tips and hints for sticking to it.
Since we’re a bank and we think money is pretty important we’re going to start with the dreaded “B Word.” That’s right. Today we’re talking Budgets.
People are often intimidated by the idea of a budget. The truth is, you work extremely hard for every penny you make. A budget is an easy way to know where your money is going and that it’s working for you.
One of the first steps to taming your finances is knowing where your money goes. Making a budget helps you to know where your money is going and will, if used correctly, help keep you on track. Budgets can be made with a spreadsheet on your computer, a mobile app or just a pen and paper.
Sadly, making the budget is the easy part. What trips folks up is sticking to their budget. And that’s what we’re here to talk about today. Anyone can make a budget but it’s an altogether different thing to stick to it for more than a few days, much less a month or year.
Here are some thoughts to help you stay on track and loyal to your budget in 2016.
Look at it daily – This may sound like a nuisance but it is vital that you keep your budget at the top of your mind so that you’re not tempted to go off script, spending money you don’t have. Hang a copy on your fridge, keep it in your handbag, your dayplanner or on your smartphone. Then take a moment every day to look at it and remind yourself why it’s important to stick to it.
Keep visual reminders – Is there a reason that budgeting is important to you right now? Maybe you are trying to pay off a mountain of credit card debt. Make a chart of your debt so you can see the balance decline each month. Are you saving for retirement or for a big family vacation? Place an image representing that goal somewhere you will see it every day. Study that image and imagine how following your budget will help you reach your goal!
Identify and eliminate weaknesses – Are you an Amazon impulse shopper? Are you a sucker for a Kohls sale or for a bargain at the grocery store? Stop and think about the places and things that trigger unplanned spending. Stop going to the mall every time you’re bored if you are an impulse shopper. Delete your credit card info from Amazon to slow down when buying all those “Lightening Deals.” If you horde food, take a detailed list to the grocery and don’t buy things that aren’t on the list.
Give yourself an allowance – A lot of parents give their kids an allowance to teach them how to handle money responsibly. Why not do the same for yourself? Give yourself a reasonable amount of money each week that you can use as “play money.” This play money will give you a little freedom to have some fun without damaging your budget. If you want morning coffee and lottery tickets and you blow your weekly allowance in two days, you will know it’s time to reconsider your spending habits.
Think before you spend – Remember when we told you to look at your budget daily? We also suggest you look at your budget every time you’re thinking about spending money. Whether it’s a trip to the grocery store or an online shopping spree at home, look at your budget and consider the repercussions before you buy. It may feel good to buy that Blu-ray today but where will the money come from? Is it worth taking the money from your grocery budget or your retirement savings just to watch a movie? Thinking about your money and your budget and how they work for you are half the battle. Having the strength to actually do what your budget says is the other half.
Set rewards goals– Following a budget sounds like an easy thing to do but it is actually sort of tough. That’s why it’s important to treat yourself once in a while. Is there something you especially enjoy? A manicure or bubble bath? Maybe an evening in front of the tv or at a favorite restaurant would make you happy. Reward yourself each week or month that you follow your budget!
A few final words –
Remember, a budget is a living organism with potential to change regularly. The cost of gas increases sometimes and your heating bill fluctuates with the weather. It’s important to adjust and recover as needed. If you spend too much today, that’s no reason to become discouraged. Just make the necessary adjustments to cover the cost of groceries and move forward.
It sounds cliché but budgeting really is mind over matter. Mental presence, awareness of goals and willpower go a long way toward helping you be true to your budget. Be strong and you can be among that eight percent!
We wanted to ring in the New Year right with a new promotion for our Rewards Checking account. Now through February 29, folks who open a new Rewards Checking account online will receive 2016 UChoose® Rewards.
Rewards Checking rewards customers for using bank products including their debit card for purchases. Points can be redeemed for cash back, gift cards, travel, experience tickets, merchandise and more! To read all about Rewards Checking including the ways you can earn points, account terms and more, click here to visit our website.
To qualify for the 2016 bonus, a $100.00 minimum deposit must be made into the eligible checking account, and a debit card must be activated and registered through UChooseRewards.com within 60 days of opening account to receive the bonus. Points will be awarded within 30 days of meeting criteria. Limit two bonuses per household.
Click here to read full offer details.
Visit us online to get started with opening your new Rewards Checking or other VCNB account!!!
When Christyne Calvin came to work at Vinton County National Bank, Ronald Reagan was President, a postage stamp cost .18 cents and a loaf of bread averaged .54 cents. The year was 1981 and Christyne was embarking on a career that lasted 34 years and left a lasting impression on the bank.
Christyne Calvin poses during her retirement party last week. She will retire this month after 34 years with the bank.
Christyne will retire from her position as Loan Review Officer on December 31. Her bank family celebrated with a party last week where retired VCNB President and current Board Member Steve Hunter gave a tribute to her career and remarkable work ethic. “While she literally did grow up in the bank, she started full time in 1981, and, as of the end of the year she will have worked some 12,589 days, some 34 plus years,” Hunter told a group of bank employees and retirees.
Hunter reflected on her extensive career. “Christyne actually has worked in just about every job, in every department in the bank – some of which she had to invent and define as she went along. From hand filing checks to writing bank policy, she has literally done it all. Most recently she built and defined the important role of loan review,” Hunter reminisced.
Christyne’s family founded VCNB in 1867. Her father, J.G. Will also enjoyed an extensive career with the bank, including several years as President. “I didn’t want to come in and just be J.G’s daughter,” Christyne said. “I wanted to do some serious numbers work and I wanted to earn my keep.”
Christyne Calvin is shown with her dad J.G. Will when Christyne was still just an adorable infant. Both Christyne and her father had successful careers with Vinton County National Bank.
With a degree in Journalism, Christyne had left Vinton County to be a newspaper reporter and social worker. When she realized that a career change to banking made sense, she returned to college to earn a Master’s in Business Administration before moving home to McArthur and taking a job at the bank. “I was a working mother and wanted to do something meaningful but also wanted to be close to mom and dad so the kids could get to know their grandparents…. It made a lot of sense,” she explained.
Christyne has also served on the bank and CBI Board of Directors for several years. Her experience in various roles has made her a tremendous resource for younger employees and coworkers over the years.
She noted that it is impossible to talk about a banking career without mentioning change. “Oh, the changes I’ve seen! The pace has certainly quickened, mostly due to technology,” she mused.
When she started, Christyne said her desk had an electric typewriter, a telephone, adding machine, pen and paper. Desktop computers would not be popular in the office for another decade or more. “It was hard to get information in this age before the internet. If you needed a credit rating, you would call the credit bureau and write it down over the phone. Information is much easier to get today and we have an entire department devoted to technology,” she said. “Another big change is that electronic banking has given us the ability to live away from the area and still bank here. Even if you move, you can still bank with us.”
One of her greatest career accomplishments is the creation of the bank’s first Loan Review Program. “We built it from scratch, went to a lot of schools and did plenty of research to create something that worked. And I would like to think that we improved the quality of the loan portfolio and the credit culture here,” she said.
She cited her ability to work with external auditors and bank examiners as a benefit to the bank. “My own dad said ‘there’s more than one way to skin a cat.’ You can always learn something from others, learn how they do things differently and take from it the best of their knowledge,” she explained.
Christyne talked about her dad some when we chatted about her retirement and Hunter also mentioned the correlation between J.G. Will and his daughter. “For those of you who have gotten to know Christyne, in many ways you’ve also gotten to know J.G. She, like her father, has a quiet yet confident manner. Broadly inquisitive and curious yet unassuming. Deeply analytical. Very balanced and fair. Always appreciative and complimentary to every member of the entire staff,” Hunter said.
Following her retirement, Christyne plans to move south to be close to family, including her grandchildren Stella, Asher and Marie Claire.
“I’m going to miss everybody here. You can’t spend that many days and hours of your life without missing it. But I’m moving towards something. Those kids can’t wait for their Memaw to be there and I’m looking forward to the free time,” she said. “Time gives you possibility. I look forward to going at my own pace and pursuing things that matter to me. I’m hoping to exercise my creativity, take yoga… go for walks more often, subscribe to National Geographic and actually have time to read! Imagine having time to just sit and enjoy my coffee. Look up at the sky and breathe,” she mused.
“I can’t believe this is going to be my life. Thank you Lord, thank you,” she exclaimed.
VCNB Family 