24 FEB 09: He Makes the Save

A table was set up at the Columbus Government Center Monday, with people offering piggy banks - and the piggy banks looked very small. That's the way to remind Mayor Wetherington to prepare a tight budget....

But seriously: The Muscogee County Extension Service set up the table to promote "America Saves Week." I know some people who would laugh at that name right now. They're the ones who saved money in a 401(k) plan, and have watched much of it disappear since last September.

The extension service wants people to start a saving habit this week, then set aside a little money each week for future plans. It could be for a trip. It could be to make a down payment on a car. And it could be the 50 dollars your neighborhood bank needs to avoid nationalization.

The official web site for America Saves Week shows all Alabama extension offices are taking part. The only one in Georgia is listed as "Columbus County." Well, it's not "America Learns Geography Week...."

The official web site explains the goal of America Saves Week is to "build wealth, not debt." Yet the list of "participating government agencies" includes several federal offices which don't seem to follow that example. So should I do what they say, or follow the lead of what they do?

The concept of saving money isn't bad at all. Perhaps your grade school was like mine, offering a U.S. savings bond program. You paid 25 or 50 cents each week, received stamps in a book - and when the stamp total reached $18.75, you received a $25 bond. I never asked where that other $6.25 came from. Given that big stimulus plan, maybe I should have.

But given what's happened to financial markets in the last six months, the idea of saving for the future suddenly seems -- well, maybe not foolish. Let's say it seems quaint. If you do it, you should do it the old-fashioned tried-and-true way - with dollar bills under a mattress, or a jar buried in the backyard.

Retirement plans such as the 401(k) are designed to encourage saving, by making it "painless" with pre-check deposits. But then the quarterly statements come in the mail - and somehow you have a pain in the wallet over money you've never really seen before.

(Besides, people in the church congregation I attend keep talking about how President Obama might order all retirement plans folded into Social Security. But then, this makes an assumption - that in a year or two, their retirement plans will have any money left.)

But at the other extreme, many people have gone on spending sprees and run up huge credit card debts. They're busy paying interest on the debts, and don't think they can save at all. Some "card games" can cost you much more than an evening at the poker table....

One way to save money is to look for freebies and discounts anywhere you can. As it happens, several are in play right now -- so we're happy to mark America Saves Week by sharing them:

+ Today is "National Pancake Day," and International House of Pancakes restaurants are offering a free plate for everyone. In return, you're asked to make a donation to the Children's Miracle Network. Save money or save lives -- hmmmm?!?!

+ Thanks to the Ledger-Enquirer's web site, I learned Monday that Quiznos is giving away one million free submarine sandwiches right now. In return, you'll probably get on the restaurant chain's e-mail list - and get inundated with reasons why the "five-dollar foot-long" is worn out and dead wrong.

+ The current Publix "Italian Sale" includes a sweepstakes where you can win $10,000 in supermarket gift cards. Hopefully the Internal Revenue Service office on Macon Road won't mind if I hand over a few next February at tax time....

-> Our other blog starts with poker, then goes in directions you might not expect. See what we mean at "On the Flop!" <--

BLOG UPDATE: It was "mete-out Monday" in a couple of Columbus locations - as in meting out punishment for weekend brawls. Police announced five people were arrested for the weekend pajama party/fight at Hollywood Connection. Which is strange, because normally"five for fighting" is reserved for hockey games....

But what's this I'm hearing about Columbus Police not even preparing a report on the Hollywood Connection fight until Monday morning? Officers may have hoped cooler heads among the teenagers would prevail - but instead some parents blew their tops, and complained on TV.

The other brawl to be resolved Monday involved the Columbus Cottonmouths. Two players received five-game suspensions for the Friday night fight against Twin City. One of them is backup goalkeeper Chad Rycroft, who raced into the risk from outside. And given all the padding goalies wear, "race in" is a bit like a yak racing across a muddy farm.

Cottonmouths Coach Jerome Bechard also was suspended by the Southern Professional Hockey League. It's a two-game suspension (one already served) for not controlling his players. Somehow he missed that moment of instruction from former Coach Bruce Garber.

Now let's settle down like good girls and boys, for a review of other Monday headlines:

+ Aflac announced chief executive Dan Amos will do without his annual bonus, of $2.8 million. You'll notice unlike last year, Amos didn't dare take it to the shareholders for a vote.

+ WRBL reported Columbus's Ed DuBose has been named to the NAACP national board. Wow - now he'll get to compare eggplant-shaded suits with some of the nicest ones in the country.

+ The new Russell County Government Center opened in the old Mead WestVaco building on Broad Street. For some reason, there was NO grand opening celebration where court documents were tossed in the air like confetti.

+ The Atlanta Journal-Constitution announced it will begin combining its business section with the front section of news, and combine some separate Sunday sections as well. Take that, you scoffers! The Ledger-Enquirer turns out to be ahead of its time.

+ Instant Message to the Cannon Brew Pub on Broadway: Congratulations! I didn't realize until Monday night that this month marks your tenth anniversary. So do you plan to let everyone know - you know, by actually firing a cannon?

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