Sarah Sundin's Blog, page 547

Lessons from the 1940s - Save and Invest

The generation that fought World War II on the battlefield and on the Home Front had come through the Great Depression. While we cringe at today's unemployment figures hovering around 10 percent (as we should), in 1932, 13 million were unemployed - 25 percent of the labor force at a time when most households had only one wage-earner.

This generation learned the importance of managing money wisely. During the war, that meant purchasing War Bonds. Many enrolled in automatic purchasing programs to buy a set quantity with each paycheck. Bond rallies and drives brought in many more purchases. By the end of the war, 85 million Americans had purchased $185.7 billion worth of bonds.

More than patriotism and the financial necessities of total war, War Bonds were a good investment. At the end of ten years, the bonds matured and were worth far more than their purchase price.

We can learn a lot from this generation about personal finances. Don't buy more than you can afford. Live frugally. Reuse and repair and wear things out. Don't go into debt. If you are in debt, get out quickly. Don't put more on your credit cards than you can repay at the end of the month. Set aside a portion of your salary regularly for savings and investment.

For today's Americans, these concepts seem impractical and foreign. But they work.

Which of these ideas are you trying now? Which would you like to try?

Today in World War II History

70 Years Ago—Oct. 2, 1940: Britain suspends Children's Overseas Reception Board, formed to evacuate children to Canada, due to U-boat danger.

The Pain of Remodeling

It all started when I wanted my own office space. With our oldest son leaving for college, we decided to move the double bed from the den into his room to serve as the guest bed when he's away, and convert the open spot into my writing space. But you know how it goes. Hmm, the walls haven't been painted since we moved in eleven years ago. White walls are soooo last decade. Our soon-to-be college boy couldn't find a job, so we hired him to paint the interior of the house. Remodeling is a pain. To paint the wall, you have to move the bookcase. To move the bookcase, you have to pull off all the books. We have lots of books. You move the bookcase and find dust and...other things. Especially in the kids' rooms. You pore over your belongings and pitch and rear range and find items you'd forgotten about. Especially in the kids' rooms. But oh, the results are worth it! A warm spread of light brown, a bright splash of yellow, a whimsical wash of aqua. Everything clean and fresh and newly organized, ready to be used. This Sunday, one of our pastors spoke about the pain of being a Christian. Not the pain of persecution or the pain others inflict on us, but the pain of God remodeling our souls into Christ's image. God unpiles all the junk from our shelves, pulls shelves from the walls, and exposes dirt and...other things. He encourages us to pore over our souls and pitch and rearrange and find new parts of ourselves. The whole process exhausts you. It takes time. It hurts. But oh, the results! God splashes our souls with His colors and leaves us clean and fresh and newly rearranged, ready to be used for His service. So let the remodeling occur. Don't stand in His way. Some pain really is worth it. Have you experienced the pain of remodeling in your life?

Today in World War II History

70 Years Ago—Oct. 1, 1940: Luftwaffe abandons daytime bombing for nighttime attacks on England.
65 Years Ago—Oct. 1, 1945: The US Army Air Forces in the Mediterranean Theater of Operations (AAF/MTO) is inactivated.

Today in World War II History

65 Years Ago—Sept. 30, 1945: US Marines land at Tientsin, China. US ends War Savings Time (year-round Daylight Savings Time).

Movies and Memories Giveaway!

I'm so excited to present The Movies and Memories Giveaway to celebrate the release of book 2 in the Wings of Glory series. A Memory Between Us is available for purchase wherever fine books are sold. From the English countryside to the perilous skies over France, A Memory Between Us takes you on a journey through love, forgiveness, and sacrifice.




To celebrate, I'm giving one lucky winner A Movie and Memory Prize Package! One grand prize winner will receive:

* Make-your-own-photo book from Mypublisher.com (Capture your own Memories)

* Netflix Subscription (New or Nostalgic Movies delivered right to your house)

* Starbucks gift card (To keep your engine revvin')

*Gourmet chocolate (A favorite in the 1940's and now)

* British specialty teas in carved wooden box (Timeless tradition)

* Miniature model of a B-17 Flying Fortress bomber & C-47 cargo plane (Everyone needs a few toy planes)

*Big Band music CD (Break out your dancing shoes)

* WWII authentic poster playing cards (Cards – a perfect game for two)

* Keep Calm and Carry On (Uplifting sayings from WWII, a boost for troubled times)

To enter simple click on the icons below (contest runs 9/27 - 10/17!)

Today in World War II History

65 Years Ago—Sept. 29, 1945: British land in Java to combat nationalists.

Today in World War II History

70 Years Ago—Sept. 28, 1940: British begin evacuating mothers and children from London (489,000 evacuated by Oct. 17).

Lessons from the 1940s - Letting Go

All right, so this is a World War I poster, not World War II, but the message struck me this week. The mother presents her son to Uncle Sam: "Here he is, Sir." Uncle Sam replies, "We need him and you too!"

Forgive me for being sentimental, but this past week my husband and I moved our oldest son into the dorms for his freshman year of college. This is what we raised him for - to become a productive and upstanding member of society. This is what's best for him - to become independent and to fu...

Today in World War II History

70 Years Ago—Sept. 27, 1940: Germany, Italy, and Japan sign the Tripartite Pact.
65 Years Ago—Sept. 27, 1945: US Air Transport Command begins "Sunset Project": return of planes, crews, & passengers from Pacific.