Issue link: https://www.epageflip.net/i/343580
Holdingonto your hard-earned money is a lot tougher these days. Just when it looks like the economy is recovering, it takes another hit from rising prices. Add to that personal financial emer- gencies and fewer work hours on the home front. All you can think about is how to shore up your cash. Embrace these sim- ple changes and you just might see a boost in your bank account. Pantry raid. Skip the grocery store every other week for a month (or just buy a few perishable es- sentials, like milk and eggs) and use up what- ever's in your cabinets, fridge and freezer. Since most families of two spend about $76 a week on gro- ceries, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Sta- tistics, you'll save at least that much or more. Print less. Computer ink cartridges can cost any- where from $10 to $35, so skip the hard copy when you can. If you do need one, set your printer to "draft" mode (which uses less toner), print only what you need (not the pictures or ads) and print on both sides of the paper. Bonus: You'll cut your paper costs, too. Stop idling. Letting the engine run while you wait wastes gas. For every two minutes your car idles, you burn as much fuel as driv- ing 1 mile, according to AAA. With gas prices at about $4 a gallon nation- wide, 10 minutes of idling costs you $1 a day. If you'll be waiting longer than 30 seconds, turn off the en- gine. Increase auto in- surance deductible. Upping it to $1,000 can decrease your annual premium by 10 percent or more — a sizable savings, since the average insurance premium is more than $1,500 per year. Wash it yourself. Don't assume you have to send certain items to the dry cleaner — it pays to look at the label. According to Procter & Gamble Global Fabric Care, 65 percent of dry-cleaned clothes are ac- tually machine-washable. Unless the label says "dry clean only," follow the care directions listed. If you wash just two items you'd normally dry-clean, you'll save at least $10 a month. Take it to the tailor. Before you buy any new clothes, go through your closet first to see what would look just as good with a little nip and tuck. Adding a few darts to a blouse or changing the hem on a skirt could give it a brand-new look, all for just $10 or $20 — a lot less than you'd spend at the mall. Go low-flow. Install in- expensive ($10-$20) low- flow showerheads and faucet aerators. You'll conserve water and re- duce the cost to heat your water by as much as 50 percent. Don't worry — low flow doesn't mean the water trickles out. You'll still get good pres- sure. Wouldyouliketosend a tip to Mary? You can email her at mary@eve- rydaycheapskate.com, or write to Everyday Cheap- skate, P.O. Box 2099, Cy- press, CA 90630. EVERYDAYCHEAPSKATE Littlewaystosavebig Taxes may not be high on your summer wedding plan checklist. But you should be aware of the tax issues that come along with marriage. Here are some basic tips that can help keep those is- sues to a minimum: Name change. The names and Social Security numbers on your tax return must match your Social Se- curity Administration re- cords. If you change your name, report it to the SSA. To do that, file Form SS-5, Application for a Social Se- curity Card. You can get the form on SSA.gov, by calling 800-772-1213 or from your local SSA office. Change tax withholding. A change in your marital status means you must give your employer a new Form W-4, Employee's Withhold- ing Allowance Certificate. If you and your spouse both work, your combined in- comes may move you into a higher tax bracket. Use the IRS Withholding Calcula- tor tool at IRS.gov to help you complete a new Form W-4. See Publication 505, Tax Withholding and Esti- mated Tax, for more infor- mation. Changes in circum- stances. If you receive ad- vance payment of the pre- mium tax credit in 2014, it is important that you report changes in circumstances, such as changes in your in- come or family size, to your Health Insurance Market- place. You should also no- tify the Marketplace when you move out of the area covered by your current Marketplace plan. Advance payments of the premium tax credit provide financial assistance to help you pay for the insurance you buy through the Health Insur- ance Marketplace. Report- ing changes will help you get the proper type and amount of financial assis- tance so you can avoid get- ting too much or too little in advance. Address change. Let the IRS know if your address changes. To do that, file Form 8822, Change of Ad- dress, with the IRS. You should also notify the U.S. Postal Service. You can ask them online at USPS.com to forward your mail. You may also report the change at your local post office. Change in filing status. If you're married as of Dec. 31, that's your marital sta- tus for the whole year for tax purposes. You and your spouse can choose to file your federal income tax re- turn either jointly or sepa- rately each year. You may want to figure the tax both ways to find out which sta- tus results in the lowest tax. Note for same-sex mar- ried couples: If you are le- gally married in a state or country that recognizes same-sex marriage, you generally must file as mar- ried on your federal tax re- turn. This is true even if you and your spouse later live in a state or country that does not recognize same- sex marriage. See irs.gov for more information on this topic. For more information, visit IRS.gov. You can also get IRS forms and publica- tions on IRS.gov or by call- ing 800-TAX-FORM (800- 829-3676). TAX TIP Summer weddings mean tax changes Mary Hunt Today REDBLUFF Al-Anon:noonto1p.m., Presbyterian Church, Jef- ferson and Hickory Downtown Farmers Mar- ket: 5:30-8p.m., Washing- ton Street between Pine and Oak streets Nurturing Parenting Dads Program: 10a.m. to noon, 1860Walnut St. #D, Shasta Room, call Keith at 527- 8491, ext. 3012 Nurturing Skills for Teen Parents: 9-10a.m., 1900 Walnut St., 527-8491, ext. 3012 PAL Martial Arts Wom- en's Self Defense: 5:30- 6:30p.m., 1005Vista Way, Ste. C, 840-0345 Parks and Recreation Commission: 7p.m., City Hall, 555Washington St., 527-8177 Penny Bingo: 9:30a.m., Community Center, 1500S. Jackson St. Red Bluff Airport Com- mission: 5:30p.m., City Hall, 555Washington St. Red Bluff Cemetery Dis- trict Board of Trustees: 4p.m., Oak Hill Cemetery office Red Bluff Kiwanis: noon, Elks Lodge Red Bluff Derby Girls open tryouts and prac- tice: 6:30p.m., Tyler Jelly building at Tehama District Fairground Retired Public Employees Association, Chapter 18: noon, Cozy Diner Senior Dance, 7p.m.: Westside Grange, Walnut Street Soroptimist Internation- al: 5:30p.m., Community Center, 1500S. Jackson St., siredbluffclub@yahoo. com Team Kid: 5:30p.m., First Southern Baptist Church, 585Kimball Road, 527- 5083 TeenScreen Mental Health Appointments: 10a.m. to 2p.m., free by appointment, 1900 Walnut St., 527-8491, Ext. 3012 Tehama Coffee Party Loyalists: 6p.m., Cozy Diner 259Main St. Tehama County Library story time: 9:30a.m., 645Madison St. 527- 0604 Tehama County Mosqui- to Abatement District: noon, 11861State Route 99W Tehama Shooters Associ- ation: 6:30p.m., Red Bluff Community Center, 1500S. Jackson St. 527-8727 Waterbirth Class: 6:30- 8:30p.m., St. Elizabeth Community Hospital Columba Room, 888-628- 1948 Weight Watchers meet- ing: 9a.m., Hampton Inn, 1-800-651-6000 Widowed Persons Break- fast: 8a.m., call 384-2471 for location Y-FI Middle and High School Youth Group: 6:30-8p.m., North Valley Baptist Church, 345David Ave., 527-0543 CORNING Corning Elementary School Board: 7p.m., 1590 South St. Corning Rotary: noon, Rolling Hills Casino, Tim- bers Steak House, 2655 Barham Ave., corningrotary. org School Readiness Play Group: 10-11:30a.m., up to 5years, free, Family Re- source Center, 1480South St., 824-4111 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 Cen- ter, West and south streets, 824-7670 VFW Charity Bingo: 6 p.m., Veterans Memorial Hall, 1620Solano St., 824- 5957 LOS MOLINOS Bible Study: 1p.m., Sher- wood Manor, 7975Sher- wood Blvd., all welcome, 347-1330 Chamber of Commerce: 6:30p.m., 7904Highway 99E Take Off Pounds Sensibly TOPS: 8:30a.m., 25160 Josephine St., 385-1068 COTTONWOOD Cottonwood Library Story Time: 11:30a.m. to 12:30p.m., 3427Main St., 347-4818 Thursday RED BLUFF California HEAT Chorus - Sweet Adelines: 7p.m., Meteer School multipur- pose room, 695Kimball Road, 895-0139 Childbirth Class: 6:30- 8:30p.m., St. Elizabeth Community Hospital, Columba Room, 888-628- 1948 Fun Senior Aerobics: 8-9a.m., $1, Community Center, 1500S. Jackson St. 527-8177 Grief Support Group: 3-5 p.m., Coyne Center, Kristin Hoskins 528-4207 Imagination Train story hour: 4p.m., Tehama Coun- ty Library Kelly-Griggs House Mu- seum: 1-3p.m., 311Wash- ington St., group tours by appointment, 527-1129or 527-5895 La Leche League: 11a.m., Sunrise Bible Fellowship, 956Jackson St., 347-0562 or 527-6818 Live country music, with dinner: 5-7p.m., Veterans Hall Painting session, Red Bluff Art Association: 10 a.m., Tehama District Fair- ground, 529-1603 PAL Martial Arts: 3-5p.m., ages 5-18, 1005Vista Way, Ste. C, free, 529-7950 Penny Bingo: 9:30a.m., Community Center, 1500S. Jackson St. Phoenix Community Support Group: 11:30a.m., Presbyterian Church, 838 Jefferson St., 945-2349 Pinochle for Seniors: 12:30-3:30p.m., 1500S. Jackson St., free, 527-8177 Red Bluff Exchange Club: noon, M&M Ranch House, 645Antelope Blvd. #1 Red Bluff Lions Club: 6 p.m., Veterans Memorial, 527-8452 Rock Choir: 4p.m., 601 Monroe St., free, all wel- come Senior Chair Volleyball: 1p.m. Community Center, 1500S. Jackson St. Sunrise Speakers Toastmasters: noon, 220 Sycamore St. Swinging Squares Square Dance Club: 7p.m., Com- munity Center, 1500S. Jackson St., beginner or review classes, 529-1615 Tehama County Planning Commission Workshop: 9a.m., 727Oak St., 527- 2200 Widowed Persons Dinner: 5p.m., call 384-2471for location Women's Domestic Violence Information and Support Group: call for group time and location, 528-0226 CORNING Cal-Fresh and Healthy Family appointments: 1-3p.m., Family Resource Center, 1488South St., 824-7670 Corning Friends of the Li- brary: 2p.m., 740Third St. Dance with Juana: noon, Family Resource Center, 1488South St., 824-7670 Degree of Pocahontas Silver Cloud Council #168: 7p.m. Independent Grange 470, 20945Corning Road, 824-1114or 586- 1065. CALENDAR The Tehama County Young Marines and their US Marines counterparts, Detachment 1140 of the Marine Corps League, Te- hama and Red Bluff, re- spectfully retired a num- ber of American Flags on June 14 at the Red Bluff Elks Lodge. For informa- tion on the Young Marines visit http://www.youngma- rines.com/ or call the unit commander at 366-0813. The Marine Corps League may be reached at (888) MCL-1140 or http://www. mcl.1140.org/. The Young Marines of the Marine Corps League is the premier 501 (c) (3) not for profit youth drug demand reduction organi- zation in America. YOUNG MARINES Re ti ri ng A me ri can fl ag s re sp ec tf ul ly COURTESY PHOTO Members of the Young Marines perform a flag retirement ceremony. Pictured, from le , are Young Marines PFC Perry, Lance Corporal England, PFC Wilkinson, Private Wilhite, Private Crump, PFC Oliverez, Private Crane, Private Estrada and Private Wilhite, PFC Kain, holding flag. In the back row are Marines Harold Moeirra, Bill Cotter, Gil Arreano, John Minton and Buddy Male, holding flag. PineStreetPlaza 332 Pine Street, Suite G Red Bluff, CA (800) 843-4271 Stacy L. Garcia Hearing Aid Dispenser Lic. #7440 Every Wednesday July16,23 & 30 SHOESALE HOT SUMMER CLEARANCE BIGSAVINGSTODAY 100's of Shoes - Select Styles DANSKO • ECCO KEEN • CLARKS MERRELL • RIEKER ALEGRIA • SAS • BORN TEVA • EARTH VIONIC • REEF (limitedtostockonhand while quantities last) A Good Fit for 100 Years Johnson's SHOES NORTHVALLEYPLAZA 343-8923 COMFORT SHOES CHICO MALL 342-2310 Reg $ 120 Sale $ 79 100JacksonStreet, Red Bluff (530) 529-1220 NEW Membership Specials CallorComeIn for details 744 Main Street, Red Bluff Available Now! Summer Dresses (One size fits all) FOR RENT Car Guys Dream Totallyremodeled6car garage with a 3 bedroom, 2 bath house included on acreage. River access, dead end county road and driveway. Antelopearea. $1,200 per month 530-528-0680 » redbluffdailynews.com Wednesday, July 9, 2014 » MORE AT FACEBOOK.COM/RBDAILYNEWS AND TWITTER.COM/REDBLUFFNEWS A5