The Hancock-Henderson Quill, Inc.
Greetings to everyone in western Illinois. Congratulations to everyone who finished harvest and especially those that finished tillage just ahead of the snow and cold weather.
Much anhydrous was applied but certainly not enough to beat the effects of possible higher prices next spring.
Every man serves a useful purpose: A miser, for example, makes a wonderful ancestor!
The government is talking of change that benefit, in its goal, for income transfer. They are proposing a 45% inheritance tax against certain estates (misers) that have been particularly good at their efforts.
Tell a miser he's rich, and a women she's old, you'll get no money of one, nor kindness of t'other.
At the beginning of the 20th century, the richest woman in America-perhaps the world-was an eccentric heiress named Hetty Green.
She inherited $10 million from her father and aunt. With further investments, she amassed an even larger fortune. Her ability in business investments was surpassed only by her legendary cheapness.
She wore the same plain black dress until it was practically in tatters-an outfit that earned her the nickname the Witch of Wall Street.
She lived in cheap boarding houses, sought medical care at free clinics, and once spent an entire night searching for a 2-cent stamp.
When she died she left more than $100 million to her two children, who promptly began spending it and making generous contributions to charities.
There are other legendary misers. The comedian, Jack Benny, comes to mind.
A robber, he reported, once held him up at gunpoint. The thief demanded, "Your money or your life". Benny hesitated and the bandit repeated his demand. Benny retorted back in deep frustration - "Give me time, I'm thinking, I'm thinking!"
A thrifty trick in winter is to let heavy clothes such as jeans, sweatshirts, and towels dry on a rack rather than in a clothes dryer. They'll add humidity to the air in the house and help you save on electricity or gas for the dryer.
Better yet, this first fresh snowfall, that we just had, offers an opportunity to get the grit out of your area rugs, and your kids can help.
Lay a rug on a patch of clean snow and ask the kids to tread on it. Turn it over and repeat. Sweep off both sides and bring the rug back into the house. This is also the traditional way to clean Persian rugs.
Ben Franklin is quoted - "The art of getting riches consists very much of thrift. All men are not equally qualified for getting money, but it is the power of every one alike to practice this virtue".
Most people don't understand the power of saving. Forty percent of Americans believe that they are more likely to obtain $500,000 by playing the lottery than by patiently saving and investing small amounts over time. The chances of winning a big lottery are 1 in 10 million to 20 million.
The "payout" from a personal savings plan is guaranteed as long as interest rates hold. With government spending as it is, interest rates and inflation are sure to increase.
Save $25 a week for 40 years at 7 percent annual yield and you'll end up with a nest egg of $286,255. Invest $50 a week, and you'll have more than half a million dollars.
But then, some ways of savings are smarter than others. One man hid $20,000 in cash in his girlfriend's oven. The loot caught fire from the oven's pilot light. Fortunately, firefighters were called and were able to rescue about half of the hot money.
Well, there are the thoughts I have held on my mind as the snow flies. By the way, did you know most girls are attracted to the simple things in life, like men.
A final thought for these long winter nights, "Laugh and the world laughs with you; snore, and you sleep alone".
Keep on Smilin'
Catch ya Later
Barnyard Bruke