Sudoku

Sudoku is one of the most popular puzzle games of all time. The goal of Sudoku is to fill a 9×9 grid with numbers so that each row, column and 3×3 section contain all of the digits between 1 and 9. As a logic puzzle, Sudoku is also an excellent brain game.

Dave Says -By Dave Ramsey

Dear Dave, I graduated from college six years ago with a business degree. Currently, I’m in data analytics making about $40,000 a year and have $155,000 in student loan debt. Do you have any recommendations as far as refinancing my student loans and getting the interest rates and monthly payments down?

-Austin

Ask The Motor Medics®

From the Hosts of the Under The Hood radio show.

Dear Austin,

I’m not trying to be mean here, but what in the world are you doing in data analytics that pays so poorly? Most of the folks I know in that area make a ton more. And you’re going to need to start making a whole lot more to pay off $155,000 in student loans.

For starters, you shouldn’t be looking at this from a what-can-I-do-to-make-thismanageable perspective. You don’t want to give this Sallie Mae nightmare a haircut,

Rick’s Painting

then tell her to sit in the corner all nice and pretty. You want her to leave! Now, there’s nothing inherently wrong with refinancing to get a lower interest rate, or lower payments, if you do it the right way. But in most cases that translates into keeping the debt around forever. You need a better plan.

Instead, let’s shift the main goal from that to paying this thing off as fast as possible. That means big, hairy chunks of payments on the principal. And that’ll probably mean picking up an extra job or two, because right now you’ve got what I call a shovel-to-hole ratio problem. The hole you’re in is a big one—a $155,000 one. And you’re working with a $40,000 shovel. You need a bigger shovel, and a lot of extra work, instead of trying to keep these loans around like they’re pets. What can you do—for a short period of time—that’s legal, moral and will make you the most money the fastest?

On the day job side of things, you may want to consider looking for a position with a different company, Austin. You’re way underpaid if you’re in data analytics and making just $40,000 a year.

Good luck!

-Dave

* Dave Ramsey is a seven-time #1 national best-selling author, personal finance expert, and host of The Ramsey Show, heard by more than 18 million listeners each week. He has appeared on Good Morning America, CBS This Morning, Today Show, Fox News, CNN, Fox Business, and many more. Since 1992, Dave has helped people regain control of their money, build wealth and enhance their lives. He also serves as CEO for Ramsey Solutions.

Upsala - All Ages

BREAKFAST: Mon.-Fri. 7-10 a.m.: Walk in & dine. Take out available, call ahead.

Mon., July 17: Pork stir fry, rice, egg roll, dessert.

Tues., July 18: Tater tot hotdish, salad, garlic bread, dessert.

Wed., July 19: BBQ chicken breast, potato, vegetable, dessert.

Thurs., July 20: 5:30 PM: Swedish meatballs w/pasta, corn, dinner roll, dessert.

Fri., July 21: Sloppy Joe, potato, vegetable, dessert.

320-573-4435.

Upsala, MN

Dear Motor Medics,

I used the remote start on my 2004 Chevy Silverado to warm it up the other morning and came out to find my interior filled with smoke. I did not see smoke coming out of any area, so I aired it out and drove to work. I have checked all the electrical functions and the only thing I find that does not work is the heater fan high speed. Could this be what was smoking?

-Steven in Kalamazoo, Michigan

Dear Steven, The interior HVAC blower fan system could have been the source of the smoke. Blower resistor failures are common as vehicles age. The blower windings break down over time and the resistance on the circuit increases, this extra resistance causes the resistor to run much hotter than it should. Eventually the resistor can fail and sometimes it will let off smoke. In addition to the resistor failing some vehicles have issues with the wires that attach to the resistor and the connector plug melting. In the case of the Silverado, it is a common issue and some of them were subject to a recall so check with your local dealership for more information. Most important of all to remember is to stop driving a vehicle when you see or smell smoke. Fire spreads quickly in a vehicle and you can be overcome by the fumes of the many materials used in its construction. Always think about your safety first.

-Take care, the Motor Medics

Dear Motor Medics,

I have a 2007 Chevy Impala with several issues that all occurred about the same time. I have a check engine light on, I have poor cabin heat, and my fuel mileage is not as good as it used to be. What kind of things should I be looking for?

-Diane in Wray, Colorado a thermostat does not allow the engine to warm to a certain level on OBDII vehicles the computer responds by turning on the check engine light. Another effect of low temps is a decrease in fuel mileage due to continued fuel mixture enrichment. In the past, our vehicles used carburetors with chokes on them to enrich the fuel mixture for proper running until the engine was warm. Around the early eighties this changed to electronic fuel injection and is now controlled by the engine computer. If the thermostat does not regulate the engine temperature properly the computer may continue to enrich the fuel mixture causing the vehicle to have poor mileage. Thermostats should be serviced when the coolant is flushed or when they fail to operate as designed. -Take care, the Motor Medics For entertainment only. Always consult your local shop and follow all safety procedures before repairs. Come visit the Motor Medics® online at Underthehoodshow.com.

Dear Diane,

It is possible that just one thing is causing all your problems and that item is small and relatively inexpensive, your engines thermostat. The thermostat is responsible for keeping the engine temperature at a steady level so that you have proper heat available for the interior and proper operating temperature for the engine to operate efficiently. When www.pooptruck.com

Kirt Olson (owner) 320-632-8894 lawns