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COURTESYPHOTO TheDepartmentofCaliforniaMarineCorpsLeagueCommandantMikeMcGeeandhiswife,Esther,visitedDe- tachment 1140, Tehama/Red Bluff on Wednesday, May 21. McGee discussed current issues concerning veterans and their dependent families and the Marine Corps League — National and Department of California — during the visit. Mike McGee is pictured fi h from the right in second row. Mrs. McGee is second from le . Mike Guti- errez, Marine Corps League Redding, is on far right. MARINECORPSLEAGUE COMMANDANTVISITS Manystudentstakeajob in the summer after school lets out. If it's your first job it gives you a chance to learn about the working world. That includes taxes we pay to support the place where we live, our state and our na- tion. Here are eight things that students who take a summer job should know about taxes: 1. Don't be surprised when your employer with- holds taxes from your pay- checks. That's how you pay your taxes when you're an employee. If you're self-em- ployed, you may have to pay estimated taxes directly to the IRS on certain dates during the year. This is how our pay-as-you-go tax sys- tem works. 2. As a new employee, you'll need to fill out a Form W-4, Employee's Withhold- ing Allowance Certificate. Your employer will use it to figure how much federal in- come tax to withhold from your pay. The IRS With- holding Calculator tool on IRS.gov can help you fill out the form. 3. Keep in mind that all tip income is taxable. If you get tips, you must keep a daily log so you can report them. You must report $20 or more in cash tips in any one month to your employer. And you must report all of your yearly tips on your tax return. 4. Money you earn do- ing work for others is tax- able. Some work you do may count as self-employment. This can include jobs like baby-sitting and lawn mow- ing. Keep good records of ex- penses related to your work. You may be able to deduct (subtract) those costs from your income on your tax re- turn. A deduction may help lower your taxes. 5. If you're in ROTC, your active duty pay, such as pay you get for summer camp, is taxable. A subsistence al- lowance you get while in ad- vanced training isn't tax- able. 6. You may not earn enough from your summer job to owe income tax. But your employer usually must withhold Social Security and Medicare taxes from your pay. If you're self-employed, you may have to pay them yourself. They count toward your coverage under the So- cial Security system. 7. If you're a newspaper carrier or distributor, spe- cial rules apply. If you meet certain conditions, you're considered self-employed. If you don't meet those condi- tions and are under age 18, you are usually exempt from Social Security and Medi- care taxes. 8. You may not earn enough money from your summer job to be required to file a tax return. Even if that's true, you may still want to file. For example, if your employer withheld income tax from your pay, you'll have to file a return to get your taxes refunded. You can prepare and e-file your tax return for free using IRS Free File. It's available exclu- sively on IRS.gov. TAX TIPS Summer job? Taxes will happen Money a little tight? The secret to getting the cash coming in to ex- ceed the cash go- ing out is to reduce your spending. It's as simple, and as tough, as that. But once you un- derstand that cut- ting expenses is re- ally like giving your- self a tax-free raise, the job gets much easier. The challenge is to find re- alistic yet painless ways to trim spending without tak- ing all of the fun out of your life. GO ON A CASH DIET It's best to spend only cash in order to curb mindless spending. Surveys indicate that cash customers are more mind- ful of what they're doing, and therefore spend 17 to 23 per- cent less than those who pay with plastic. Also, limit ATM trips to once a week. Develop an envelope system for areas that can get out of control, such as office lunches and entertainment. Take your ATM cash and distribute it among your marked enve- lopes. When you go to lunch or a movie, take the money from the corresponding en- velope. When the money is gone, that means no more spending until the next fill- up. Tip: A $100 bill stashed in your wallet will give you an uncanny sense of secu- rity and willingness to leave the plastic and checkbook at home. Equally remark- able, you will be reluctant to break it to buy a cup of cof- fee or new lipstick. SLASH THE COST OF HOT WA- TER Twenty percent of your utility bills may be at- tributed to the water heater, which does noth- ing but keep about 40 gallons of water very hot, day in and day out. Keep the water temperature on low or 120 F (the highest temperature recom- mended for a house- hold with children or the elderly, and the lowest temperature recommended for washing clothes) or to a temperature that is comfort- able for your needs. Check the instructions on the wa- ter heater for exactly how to do this. Tip: For every 10 F you lower the temperature, you will save about 10 percent of your water-heating costs, a considerable savings over the course of a year. Save even more by buying a $35 electric water-heater timer, available at most home im- provement centers. The timer, which you can in- stall in less than an hour, lets you set specific on and off times so the water is hot when you need it. STOP SHOPPING Unless you have a specific need for something in particular and the money to pay for it, don't wander aimlessly through the mall or surf the Internet to see what looks good. In- stead, plan purchases, and then find the best value for what you need. Wouldyouliketosendatipto Mary? You can email her at mary@everydaycheapskate. com, or write to Everyday Cheapskate, P.O. Box 2099, Cypress, CA 90630. EVERYDAY CHEAPSKATE 3 ways to cut your bills by 10 percent Today REDBLUFF Celebrate Recovery: 7 p.m., Bethel Assembly of God, 625Luther Road, 527- 0445or 366-6298 Hospice Second Hand Store half-price sales: 9a.m. to 5p.m., Riverside Shopping Center Zentangle - an art way to relax: 6-8p.m., The Green Room, 331Oak St. CORNING Nutrition Classes: 11:30 a.m. to 1p.m., 175Solano St., 824-7670 Saturday RED BLUFF Frontier Village Farmers Market: 8a.m. to 1p.m., 645Antelope Blvd. EBT accepted TEHAMA Tehama County Museum: 1-4p.m., 275C St., groups by appointment, 384-2595 Sunday RED BLUFF AA Live and Let Live: noon and 8p.m., 785Musick St., meets seven days a week Al-Anon New Comers At Heart: 6:30-7:30p.m., Presbyterian Church of Red Bluff, 838Jefferson Road, Room 2, 690-2034 Knights of Columbus All- You-Can-Eat Breakfast: 8a.m. to noon, $5adult, $3child or $12family, Sacred Heart Parish Hall, 2285Monroe St., 528- 1991 TEHAMA Tehama County Mu- seum: 1-4p.m., 275C St., groups by appointment, 384-2595 Monday RED BLUFF Bend Jelly 4-H: 6 p.m.,Bend School, 527- 3101 Community Band re- hearsal: 7-9p.m., Presby- terian Church on Jefferson Street, 527-3486 Diabetic Support Group: 6-8p.m., St. Elizabeth Community Hospital, Coyne Center,Columba Room, Gail Locke 527-5290 English as a Second Lan- guage class: 5:30-8:30 p.m., Red Bluff High School Adult Ed building: 1295 Red Bud, 736-3308, same time Tuesday and Wednes- day and 9a.m. to 12:20p.m. Thursdays, free childcare from 9a..m. to 12:20p.m. classes in Richlieu Hall, 900Johnson St. Head Injury Recreational Entity: 10a.m.-2p.m., St. Elizabeth Community Hos- pital, Coyne Center, Rusty, 529-2059 Key to Life: 6p.m., Fam- ily Resource Center, 220 Sycamore St. Ste. 101, 528-8066 Nutrition classes: 10:30 a.m. to noon, 220Sycamore St. #101 PAL Martial Arts: ages 5-18, 3-5p.m., 1005Vista Way, Ste. C, free, 529- 7950 Red Bluff Community Band presents an Old Fashion Band Concert: 8 p.m., Red Bluff River Park., 527-3486 Red Bluff Senior Writing Class: 10: a.m.-noon, Ex- ecutive Room at Sycamore Center, 220Sycamore St., 527-5762 Salvation Army Writing Class: 9:30-11:30a.m., 940Walnut St., 527-8530 Sons in Retirement: 11:30 a.m., Veterans Memorial Building, 529-5700 Sun Country Quilters Community Service Group: 9a.m. to noon, Family Resource Center, 220Sycamore St. Ste. 101, 528-1126 TeenScreen Mental Health Appointments: 10 a.m. to 2p.m., free, by ap- pointment only, Youth Em- powerment Services, 1900 Walnut St., 527-8491, Ext. 3012 TOPS Club (take off pounds Sensibly): 8:30 a.m., First Christian Church, 926Madison Ave., 527- 7541or 347-6120, visit www.tops.org US citizenship prepara- tion class: 5:30-8:30 p.m., Red Bluff High School Adult Ed building, 1295Red Bud, 736-3308, same time Tuesday and Wednesday Venture Crew 1914meet- ing: 6:30-8p.m., Moose Lodge on 99W, co-ed ages 14-20welcome CORNING Alcoholics Anonymous: noon Monday through Friday, 5p.m. Thursday, 7 p.m. Monday, Tuesday and Saturday and 1p.m. Sunday, 783Solano St., behind the church Bingo: 5:15p.m. early bird, 6:30p.m. regular games, Maywood Grange, High- way 99W just past Liberal Avenue, 833-5343 Exchange Club board meeting: 7p.m., Holiday Inn Express Narcotics Anonymous: 7 p.m., 820Marin St., 824- 1114or 824-2090, meet- ings are every day through Saturday with an additional meeting at noon Mondays Sewing class, 9a.m., Family Resource Center, West and South streets, 824-7670 Spanish Adult Education: 5p.m., Family Resource Center, West and South streets, 824-7670 Strategies for Success, Life Skill classes: 1:30 p.m., Family Resource Center, West and South streets, 824-7670 Weight Watchers: weigh in 5:30p.m., meeting 6 p.m., Senior Center, cor- ner of South and Fourth streets, Kayla Deihl leader Calendar Online: For more tax information for stud- nets, visit IRS.gov. Mary Hunt PLEASE RECYCLE THIS NEWSPAPER. Thankyou! 100JacksonStreet, Red Bluff (530) 529-1220 First 50 new members $ 25 .00 month CallorComeIn for details Smog Check (MOST CARS & PICK-UPS) 527-9841 • 195 S. Main St. starting at $ 29 95 + $ 8 25 certificate SERVICESATLOWERPRICES All makes and models. We perform dealer recommened 30K, 60K, 90K MembersWelcome Take 15% off your entire bill dine in only Open Tues-Sat www. palominoroom .com 723 Main St. 527.5470 LIFESTYLES » redbluffdailynews.com Friday, May 30, 2014 MORE AT FACEBOOK.COM/RBDAILYNEWS AND TWITTER.COM/REDBLUFFNEWS A5