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Inmyperfect world there would be no credit scores. And while I do not believe that credit is necessarily evil, in that perfect world of mine, there would be no need for any of that because it would be, well ... perfect! Back to reality. There are myriad reasons we need to have good credit histories and excellent credit scores. Like it or not, lots of things are now predicated on one's credit score. Take automobile insurance pre- miums, for example. Want the best rates? You'll need a good credit score. Want to make sure that out of all the applicants, you get that really great apartment? You must as- sume that your potential landlord is going to look to your credit history to de- termine if you will make a reliable, on-time-paying tenant. Are you vying for a job with a great employer? Better hope your credit file is clean and represents you well because employ- ers are allowed to look at the way you handle your finances. We now live in a world where, in many sit- uations, one's credit report is considered a charac- ter reference. Look in my credit file and you will get a good idea about how I manage my life. You'll see evidence for how seriously I take my commitments, a little about my personal integrity. The most highly regarded, and used by most lend- ers and others who look at credit scores, is the FICO Score, and each of the big credit bu- reaus have their own version of FICO. How these scores are determined, based on the collected in- formation in one's credit file, remains proprietary with the Fair Isaac Corp. that created the FICO Score. We do have some in- formation, however. One thing FICO looks at is what it calls "utilization rate." Your utilization rate is your credit limit compared to how much of that credit you are using at any given time, expressed as a per- centage. So, if you have a credit card with a $1,000 credit limit and a $100 balance owing, then you are 10 percent "utilized" on that card. You figure it by di- viding the balance on the card by the limit on the card and then multiplying that figure by 100. You can figure your "ag- gregate utilization rate" by adding together all of your credit card balances and comparing that number to the total of the credit lim- its on all of those accounts and multiplying by 100. Credit scoring looks at both utilization rates. The best utilization per- centage to have is 0 per- cent because then you have no credit-card debt and you're not paying in- terest. But, since that's not realistic for everyone, the best percentage is the low- est percentage you can achieve. In fact, according to FICO, consumers who have scores above 760 have an average utilization per- centage of 7 percent. There are reports all over the Internet that state 30 percent or 50 percent are the "target" percent- ages in order to achieve great scores. Those are false reports. In fact, noth- ing terrific happens at ei- ther 30 percent or 50 per- cent. Thirty percent is certainly better than 50 percent but not as good as 20 percent. Think of utilization rates as you would golf: The lower the score, the better. Generally, to achieve the best credit score, your utilization rate should be under 30 per- cent, with the goal to get it down as low as possible. Pay down your credit cards as much as you can. There's nothing good about having a lot of credit-card debt. It's ex- pensive debt and it wreaks havoc on your FICO score. If you can get your debt- usage percentage to below 10 percent, your score will thank you. 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 Like it or not, you need a good credit score SUBMITTEDBYSAMCROW Nothingmoreadorablethanapigsleepingonapug.Ifyouwouldliketosubmit a photo for consideration, email it to editor@redbluffdailynews.com with "reader photo" in the subject line or bring it to 545 Diamond Ave. in Red Bluff during normal business hours. READER PHOTO PIGONAPUG The California Depart- ment of Transportation, Caltrans District 2, would like to remind motorists to please allow extra time when traveling on Inter- state 5 this summer and fall. There are a number of safety improvement, bridge repair, and pav- ing projects under con- struction between Red- ding and the California- Oregon border. Traffic has been restricted to one lane in each direction in several locations, includ- ing Anderson Grade near Yreka, Antlers Bridge in Lakehead, and near Flume Creek in Dunsmuir. Any unforeseen events such as vehicle breakdowns or ac- cidents are likely to result in additional wait times. Caltrans recommends drivers allow at least one hour additional travel time to get to get to their des- tinations, especially dur- ing peak travel times like Thursday and Friday eve- nings and Sundays. Cal- trans has increased mon- itoring of traffic through this corridor to minimize delay, improve incident no- tification and recommend alternative routes in the event of significant delay. The District 2 Public Information Office pro- vides traffic updates Mon- day through Friday during regular business hours via Twitter. You can follow on Twitter @CaltransD2, check traffic updates by calling 530-225-3452 or view project information on www.caltrans2.info. Caltrans would like to remind the traveling pub- lic to move over if safe or slow down when they see Caltrans vehicles flashing warning lights along the side of the highways. It is the law. CALTRANS Pl an a he ad w hen t ra ve li ng o n I- 5 SUSANVILLE Crews from multiple firefighting agen- cies have been dispatched to nearly two dozen re- ported fires, including sig- nificant blazes in eastern Shasta County, following heavy thunderstorms that passed over northeast Cal- ifornia Wednesday, July 30. The largest fire is burn- ing more than 700 acres near the community of Day, northeast of Fall River Mills. An evacuation advi- sory was issued Wednesday night for residents in Day, from the Modoc-Shasta county line to the end of Day Road. The advisory re- mained in effect Thursday. No structures had been damaged. The fire was 15 percent contained Thurs- day morning. The Lassen National Forest is battling the 380- acre Bald Fire, burning timber and brush on Bald Mountain, about eight miles southeast of Fall River Mills. There are no structures threatened. As of Wednesday afternoon, there were four crews bat- tling the Bald Fire with no containment. Fire crews have located 17 fires from 30 fire reports received Wednesday after- noon and evening, accord- ing to officials at the Susan- ville Interagency Fire Cen- ter. There was heavy rain with most of the thunder- storms, but officials said more fire reports are ex- pected today as conditions dry out. More information is available from the infor- mation office at the Susan- ville Interagency Fire Cen- ter, (530) 252-6450. As updated information is available, it will also be posted on the InciWeb site located at http://inciweb. nwcg.gov/. FIRES Lightning fires burning in area Mary Hunt Today REDBLUFF Bingo: doors at 5p.m., early birds at 6p.m. Com- munity and Senior Center, food available Celebrate Recovery: 7 p.m., Bethel Assembly of God, 625Luther Road, 527-0445or 366-6298 Red Bluff Rotary Club Sunrise: 7a.m., M&M Ranch Corning Car Show: 5-9p.m., Bar- tels Giant Burger, 22355 Corning Road, local car clubs welcome, 824-2788 Nutrition classes: 11:30 a.m. - 1p.m., Family Re- source Center, West and South streets, 824-7670 LOS MOLINOS Los Molinos Grange: 7 p.m., Grange Hall, 68th and Singer avenues, 529- 0930 Narcotics Anonymous: 7-8p.m., 25204Josephine Ave, Wednesday and Friday Saturday RED BLUFF Chamber Certified Farm- ers Market: 7:30a.m. to noon, River Park, 527- 6220 Frontier Village Farmers Market: 8a.m. to 1p.m., 645Antelope Blvd. TEHAMA Tehama County Museum: 1-4p.m., 275C St., group tours any day by appoint- ment, 384-2595 Sunday RED BLUFF AA Live and Let Live: noon and 5:30p.m., 785 Musick St., seven days a week except Thursday meets at 8p.m. Al-Anon New Comers At Heart: 6:30-7:30p.m., Presbyterian Church of Red Bluff, 838Jefferson Road, Room 2, 690-2034 TEHAMA Tehama County Museum: 1-4p.m., 275C St., group tours any day by appoint- ment, 384-2595 Monday RED BLUFF Bend Jelly 4-H: 6 p.m.,Bend School, 527- 3101 Community Band Con- cert: 8p.m., River Park, free Diabetic Support Group: 6-8p.m., St. Elizabeth Community Hospital, Coyne Center,Columba Room, Gail Locke 527- 5290 English as a Second Language class: 5:30- 8:30p.m., Red Bluff High School Adult Ed building, 1295Red Bud, 736-3308, same time Tuesday and Wednesday and 9a.m. to 12:20p.m. Thursdays, free childcare from 9a.m. to 12:20p.m. classes in Rich- lieu 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 Narcotics Anonymous: 11 a.m. to noon, 838Jeffer- son St., Room 3, Monday through Saturday and 5:30-6:30p.m. Saturday only Narcotics Anonymous: 7-8:30p.m., 785Musick St., Monday through Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday Nutrition classes: 10:30 a.m. to noon, 220Syca- more St. #101 PAL Martial Arts: ages 5-18, 3-5p.m., 1005Vista Way, Ste. C, free, 529- 7950 Salvation Army Writing Class: 9:30-11:30a.m., 940Walnut St., 527-8530 Senior Writing Class: 10 a.m. to noon, Sycamore Center, 220Sycamore St., 527-5762 Sons in Retirement: 11:30a.m., Veterans Me- morial 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: 10a.m. to 2p.m., free, by appointment only, Youth Empowerment Services, 1900Walnut 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, 1295 Red Bud, 736-3308, same time Tuesday and Wednes- day Venture Crew 1914meet- ing: 6:30-8p.m., Moose Lodge on 99W, coed ages 14-20welcome CORNING Alcoholics Anonymous: noon Monday through Friday, 5p.m. Thursday, 7 p.m. Monday, Tuesday and Saturday and 1p.m. Sun- day, 783Solano St., behind the church Exchange Club board meeting: 7p.m., Holiday Inn Express Narcotics Anonymous: 7-8:30p.m., 820Marin St., 824-114or 586-0245, meetings daily 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, corner of South and Fourth streets LOS MOLINOS Senior Dance: 7p.m., Senior Center, Josephine Street, 384-2100 Tuesday RED BLUFF American Legion Mt. Lassen Post 167: 7p.m., Veterans Memorial Hall, 735Oak St. City Council: 7p.m. City Hall, 555Washington St. Cribbage Club: 6p.m., Cozy Diner, 259S. Main St., 527-6402 Fiber Arts Group: 5-8 p.m., library, 645Madison St., 528-8667, free Fun Senior Aerobics: 8-9a.m., $1, Community Center, 1500S. Jackson St. 527-8177 Healthier Living with Chronic Conditions: 5:30-8p.m., St. Elizabeth Community Hospital, Wright Room, 888-628- 194 PAL Kickboxing: 6p.m., 1450Schwab St., 529- 8716or 200-3950 Penny Bingo: 9:30a.m., Community Center, 1500 S. Jackson St. Pinochle for Seniors: 12:30p.m. to 3:30p.m., 1500S. Jackson St., free, 527-8177 Red Bluff Derby Girls open tryouts and prac- tice: 6:30p.m., Tyler Jelly building at Tehama District Fairgrounds Red Bluff Rotary: noon, Elks Lodge Take Off Pounds Sensi- bly - TOPS: 10a.m., First United Methodist Church, 525David Ave., 824-0556 or 529-1414 Tehama County and Red Bluff Landfill Manage- ment Agency: 8a.m., board meeting, 727Oak St. Tehama County Board of Supervisors: 10a.m., board chamber, 727Oak St. Tehama County Tea Par- ty Patriots: 6p.m., Grange Hall, 20794Walnut St. WWE self defense train- ing for women: 5:30-7 p.m., 1005Vista Way, Ste. C CORNING Bible reading and noon day prayers for the com- munity: 12:15p.m., St. Andrews Episcopal Church, 820Marin St. Sr. Warden Charles Rouse, 824-2321 Corning Community meeting: 7p.m., Maywood Middle School, 1666Mar- guerite Ave. Corning Recreation Com- mission: 7:30p.m., City Hall, 794Third St. CALENDAR 365S.MainSt. Red Bluff www.lariatbowl.com 527-2720 FALL LEAGUES NOW FORMING STOVEJUNCTION The TheNorthState'spremiersupplierofstoves 22825 Antelope Blvd., Red Bluff 530-528-2221 • Fax 530-528-2229 www.thestovejunction.com Over 25 years of experience Tues-Sat9am-5pm• ClosedSun&Mon Now Carrying! GreenMountainGrills & Accessories Serving Butte, Glenn & Tehama Counties RUNNINGS ROOFING SheetMetalRoofing ResidentialCommercial • Composition • Shingle • Single Ply Membrane Ownerisonsiteoneveryjob ServingTehamaCounty 530-527-5789 530-209-5367 NoMoney Down! "NoJobTooSteep" " No Job Too Flat" FREE ESTIMATES CA. LIC#829089 Cheers Barber Shop 570-2 304 855 Walnut St. $ 8 00 Cuts Monday - Saturday 9 am - 5 pm 100JacksonStreet, Red Bluff (530) 529-1220 NEW Membership Specials CallorComeIn for details Deli-TastyBurgers-Wraps NewTo-GoSection Thursday,Friday&Saturday Lunch&DinnerBuffet Happy Hour with Cocktails, Food & Entertainment Saigon Bistro 723 Walnut St. Red Bluff 528-9670 LIFESTYLES » redbluffdailynews.com Friday, August 1, 2014 MORE AT FACEBOOK.COM/RBDAILYNEWS AND TWITTER.COM/REDBLUFFNEWS A5