savings. Consider making your own snacks, renting a movie (or re-watching a favorite that you already own), and hosting movie night at your house. Compare this to a trip for two to the movie theatre that could cost you around $40!
Try Eating Meals That Fatten Up
Your Wallet
Cooking at home instead of eating out can significantly impact your budget. Prepared food from your favorite restaurant is delicious, but can you afford to do it regularly? Try to think of eating out for dinner as a treat, and cook more meals at home. With the right recipes and ingredients, you can prepare dishes that can be just as tasty as those from restaurants, but at half the cost, and with the satisfaction of knowing you created them!
If you are accustomed to buying lunch each work day, consider packing your lunch. Even if you only spend $5 a day on lunch (which is less than most spend), that adds up to over $1,000 per year. If it's too much trouble to prepare your lunch during a busy morning, prepare it the night before so you can grab it and go.
Go Slower To Save Faster
Cars and spending usually go hand in hand because they devour fuel by the gallon and require consistent maintenance work and repairs. The way you drive and care for your car can make a big difference in spending related to it. For instance, easing up on the accelerator can save you big bucks over time. You can get up to 35% better fuel efficiency just by driving a little bit slower and slowing down more gradually to stop. Do you drive alone to work every day? If you have the opportunity to share a ride to and from work with a co-worker or friend, you can signifi cantly reduce wear and tear on your car and gas expenses.
It's the Little Things
Track your small purchases and note where you spend the most money. You will see that a latte here or a pack of gum there can really add up over time. If you begin to eliminate these small expenses, you'll begin to realize significant savings in very short period
of time.
Hole In One Program
Gives Some Green
On Thursday, April 23, Southern Community participated in the First Annual Pfc. Adam Lee Marion Memorial Golf Tournament at Cedarbrook Country Club in Elkin, NC. This charitable event was held in honor of Private First Class Adam Marion, a 26-year old Army National Guardsman from Dobson, who was killed in Iraq in April of 2008. Proceeds from the tournament were donated to the Children's Center of Surry, where Adam volunteered as a teenager. The Children's Center of Surry provides support services for families and children in Surry and surrounding communities to assist in the prevention,
intervention, and treatment of child abuse and neglect. Southern Community's involvement in the Tournament included sponsorship of a hole-in-one contest, a program that the bank provides at many local charitable golf events. The contest offers a cash prize of $5,000, to be split between the charity and the golfer who makes a hole in one at the designated contest hole. We had our first winner of the year at this event! 70-year-old J.D. Harris had one of his luckiest golfing outings yet. "I've had 4 holes-in-one in my lifetime, and that's the first one that's really paid off," he said. And pay off, it did. Not only did Harris' golf skills spur a donation of $2,500 to the Children's Center of Surry, but he also pocketed $2,500 for himself.
According to Robin Testerman, Executive Director of the Children's Center of Surry, the charity's share of the prize money will help to renovate the Family Resource Center, which will serve as the new home for the center's family-oriented programs. The newly renovated Family Resource Center will be named in honor of Adam.
If you are involved in an upcoming charitable golf event that is interested in hosting a hole-in-one golf contest, please contact your local branch manager.
Southern Community
Continues to Step Up
in the Fight Against
Cystic Fibrosis
On Saturday, April 25th, Southern Community participated in the annual Cystic Fibrosis Great Strides Walk at Tanglewood Park. The Southern Community team consisted of over 60 of our employees and their family members. We raised more than $52,000 towards the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation's overall goal of $162,000! Funds raised by Southern Community were donated in honor of Wells Clark, the nephew of President Jeff Clark. Wells suffers from Cystic Fibrosis.
Special thanks to all Southern Community participants for contributing to the success of this event, particularly our Union Grove branch employees who raised almost $10,000 towards Southern Community's total contribution!
