Personal Savings Rate for 2006 Tumbles to Negative 1 Percent, the Lowest Level in 74 Years. First Interstate and the Montana Financial Education Coalition sponsor Piggy Bank Contest to encourage school children to save

People once again spent everything they made and then some last year, pushing the personal savings rate to the lowest level since the Great Depression more than seven decades ago.

By MARTIN CRUTSINGER AP Economics Writer

Full Story: http://abcnews.go.com/Business/wireStory?id=2840706

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Attention Parents and Teachers: A Piggy Bank Contest for three age categories (5 – 8, 9 – 13, 14 – 18) is being sponsored by the First Interstate BancSystem Foundation during the Montana Financial Education Coalition Conference http://www.mtmfec.org/
on April 10 – 11, 2007.

The contest rules and entry forms are attached. Cash prizes will be awarded in each of the three age categories : 1st place, $100; second place, $75; and third place, $50. All entries will be judged by popular votes of the MFEC Conference attendees. Contestants will have the option of donating their banks to the Silent Auction that will be held during the conference with proceeds going to the Ronald McDonald House in Billings. Contestants can deliver their banks to any First Interstate Bank in Montana by March 16th. If you don’t have First Interstate Bank, other local banks and credit unions are being asked to arrange for delivery of entries by their local youth. Contestants can also mail their entries in to the address provided. This is a chance for your students to show their creativity. Questions, contact Kelly Bruggeman or Lisa Knutson at First Interstate Foundation 406-255-5024.

The Montana High School Financial Planning program is providing $40 towards the registration fee for the first 20 teachers who register and committ to attending at least one of the HSFPP sessions during the Montana Financial Education conference.

For further information contact Marsha Goetting, Conference Planning Chair [email protected]. Registration and the agenda for the conference are at http://www.mtmfec.org./ Copies of the piggy bank contest rules and entry forms are also available at this site.

Marsha A. Goetting, Ph.D., CFP®, CFCS

Professor and Extension Family Economics Specialist

Dept. of Agricultural Economics & Economics

P. O. Box 172800

208 C Linfield Hall

Montana State University

Bozeman, MT 59717-2800

E-mail: [email protected]

Voice: 406-994-5695

Fax: 406-994-4838

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Here is your chance to go “Hog Wild” at the Montana Financial Education Coalition (MFEC) Statewide Conference!
Create a bank from a milk carton, soda bottle or any other items of your choice. You can create a Pig with
Personality, such as a Pretty Pig, Happy Hog, Serious Sow, Pudgy Piglet, or any other type of bank you want to
design. Or dress-up and decorate an existing bank with markers, crayons, picture cutouts, fabric or buttons…Let
your imagination go!

Contest Rules:

¨ Piggy bank must be able to hold coins as savings, i.e. hollow at least in part.

¨ Piggy banks may be no larger than 18 inches x 18 inches x 18 inches in size.

¨ Piggy banks must be created or decorated by the contest entrant (child) with no or very little adult help.

¨ Only one entry per child in the appropriate age category: 5 – 8, 9 – 13, 14 – 18

¨ Cash prizes will be awarded in each of the three age categories: 1st ($100), 2nd ($75), and 3rd ($50). Cash prizes
are sponsored by First Interstate BancSystem Foundation. All entries will be judged by popular votes of the
MFEC Coalition Conference attendees in the three age categories. Winners will be announced at the MFEC
Conference Lunch on Wednesday, April 11.

¨ Contestants will have the option of donating their bank to the Silent Auction held during the MFEC Conference
with proceeds going to the Ronald McDonald House in Billings. If you choose not to donate your Piggy Bank,
please arrange to pick it up by 4:00p.m. on Wednesday, April 11th. We will not be responsible for returning
Piggy Banks after the competition.

¨ Contest entry forms are available at any First Interstate Bank in Montana or at http://www.mtmfec.org.

¨ To participate complete an entry form and choose one of the following options:

1. Deliver your Piggy bank along with a completed entry form to any First Intestate Bank in Montana by
March 16th, 2007.

2. Deliver your Piggy bank along with a completed entry form to the Holiday Inn Grand
Montana in Billings between 5:00 – 9:00 p.m., Monday April 9 (5500 Midland Road I-90 Exit 446). If
you choose not to donate your Piggy Bank for the Silent Auction it will need to be picked up by
4:00p.m. on Wednesday April 11, 2007.

3. Mail your Piggy bank along with a completed entry form postmarked by
March 26th to:

Lisa Knutson

490 N. 31st Street, Suite 300

PO Box 7113

Billings, MT 59103

(406)255-5024

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