Issue link: https://www.epageflip.net/i/391411
DearMary:Iam a retiree and main- tain a good credit rating, but it could be better. That be- ing said, I discussed that with my insur- ance people who said having charge cards open with no balance is a strike against you in achieving that. That took me by sur- prise. I currently have one active credit card and pay the balance each month. However, I do have three charge cards from cloth- ing stores that I seldom use. Balances are always paid off each month. Are inactive charge cards keeping my credit score low even though they never carry revolving balances? — Joann Dear Joann: I must take exception to what your in- surance people told you. That information is not correct. Whoever told you that closing any credit card account will improve your credit score is misin- formed. On the contrary, closing any credit card accounts will effectively lower your credit score. It is important for you to understand that insur- ance companies use a dif- ferent credit score when determining premiums than the score a bank will use to issue a credit card account or mortgage. Your "insurance credit bureau score" originates using the same informa- tion (from Equifax, Ex- perian and TransUnion) used by financial services, but also considers infor- mation on previous insur- ance claims. If you filed an auto claim or a claim against your homeown- ers insurance, for example, that can lower your insur- ance credit bureau score. This will explain why your insurance credit score may be lower than, say, the score you received from MyFico.com or one of the credit bureaus. There is one thing I'm sure we can all agree on: credit scoring is compli- cated! Dear Mary: Are you saying that closing a credit card affects your credit rating? I agree to a card for a dis- counted purchase and im- mediately close when an item is paid off! Is it bet- ter to cut up the card but leave it open at zero bal- ance? — Judith Dear Judith: That is ex- actly what I am saying. Yes, the inquiry into your credit file followed by issu- ance of the credit account further followed by clos- ing the account — all three actions will drive down your credit score. Once the damage is done, it's not easy to reverse. But it gets worse. Statis- tically, that retailer knows the chances of you not closing the account after all and going on to use it to run up revolving debt are much greater than you carrying through with closing it. Why else do you think they would offer you that discount and require every store employee to of- fer it to you? It's not like they care about helping you to save money. They are looking at their future profit margins. They are strategically building a big platform of interest-paying customers using very reli- able statistics. Start think- ing like a retailer and stop thinking like a consumer. It's a crazy world out there, and the more people they can convince to open these accounts to get a one-time discount, the bet- ter off they'll be. And you? Not so much if you keep falling for these marketing gimmicks. MaryHuntisthefounder of www.DebtProofLiving. com. EVERYDAYCHEAPSKATE Creditscoringis complicated Join board members Laura Hernandez and Sha- ron Owen as they pool the knowledge they've gained from attending a variety of writing conferences at the October meeting of Writers Forum set for 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 11 in All Saints' Eaton Hall West at All Saints Episcopal Church, 2150 Benton Drive, Redding. Hernandez and Owen will offer advice on where to find the best conference fit for a writer's needs and how to prepare in advance for the most successful out- come. Hernandez, Writers Fo- rum director at large, is a pre-published crime nov- elist. She attends 2-3 writ- ing conferences a year, even winning scholarships and contests to attend them. She will share her secrets to the advanced planning that leads to that kind of success. Program Director Sharon Owen will offer tips gleaned from conferences through- out the country over the past several years. Writ- ing as author Sharon St. George, she is under con- tract with Camel Press to publish the first three books in her hospital-based mys- tery series. For this date only, the meeting will be held in All Saints' Eaton Hall West in- stead of Memorial Hall. Doors open at 10 a.m. Guests attend free for the first two meetings. For information, call 547- 5303 or visit www.redding- writersforum.com. WRITERS FORUM Talk on planning ahead for conference success Mary Hunt Halter-trained wild horses will be available for public adoption Friday through Sunday, Oct. 10- 12, at the Pauline Davis Pa- vilion on the Tehama Dis- trict Fairground. Animals will be available beginning at noon Friday. The 2- and 3-year-old mares and geldings are gentle and approachable and have been trained by Bureau of Land Manage- ment wranglers to accept halters. "These horses are ready to continue their train- ing for pleasure riding, work or competition," said Doug Satica, manager of the BLM's wild horse and burro corrals near Susan- ville. "They are certified healthy and have been vac- cinated against equine dis- eases including West Nile virus." The adoption fee is $125 and horses will be adopted on a first-come, first served basis. BLM wranglers will halter and load adopted horses into stock trailers. To qualify, an adopter must be at least 18 and a resident of the United States. Adopted animals must be kept in a corral that offers at least 400 square feet per animal and is sur- rounded by a six-foot fence built of pipe or boards. The space is required until the animal can be easily cap- tured. A two-sided, roofed shelter is required. Title to adopted an- imals initially remains with the federal govern- ment. Adopters receive ti- tle after providing a year of good care. The animals coming to Red Bluff were gathered from public land ranges in the BLM's ongoing work to manage wild popula- tions in balance with other range users and available rangeland food and water. The adoption event is part of Wilderness Trea- sures Rendezvous — Cel- ebrating 50 Golden Years, an observance celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Wilderness Act. Free to the public, the event will feature exhibits, dem- onstrations, workshops, live music, films and an art fair. Celebration hosts in- clude the Forest Service, BLM, Back Country Horse- men of California, Lassen Volcanic National Park, the Sierra Club, Pacific Crest Trail Association, Califor- nia Wilderness Coalition and others. Adoption information is available from the BLM Li- tchfield Corrals, (530) 254- 6575. Complete wilderness celebration information is available at www.face- book.com/NorCalWilder- ness50thCelebration. OPPORTUNITY Gentled mustangs available for adoption USFISHANDWILDLIFESERVICEPHOTO Today REDBLUFF 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 Museum: 1-3p.m., Thurs- days and Sundays, 311 Washington St., tours by appointment,527-1129or 527-5895 Latino Outreach, noon: Family Resource Center, 220Sycamore St. Ste. 101, 528-8066 Live country music: 5-7 p.m., dinner, Veterans Hall National Alliance on Men- tal Illness: 6p.m., Tehama County Chapter Meeting, County Department of Education, 1135Lincoln St., 515-0151 Painting session, Red Bluff Art Association: 10 a.m., Tehama District Fair- ground, 529-1603 PAL Martial Arts: ages 5-18, 3-5p.m., 1005Vista Way, Ste. C, free, 529- 7950 Penny Bingo: 9:30a.m., Community Center, 1500S. Jackson St. Pinochle for Seniors: 12:30-3:30p.m., 1500S. Jackson St., free, 527-8177 Phoenix Community Sup- port Group for chemical dependence: 11:30a.m., Presbyterian Church, 838 Jefferson St., 945-2349 Red Bluff Exchange Club: noon, M&M Ranch House, 645Antelope Blvd. #1 Red Bluff Lions Club: 6 p.m., Veterans Memorial, 527-6616 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 Public Health Advisory Board: noon to 3:15p.m., 1860 Walnut St., Shasta Confer- ence Room, 527-6824 Widowed Persons Din- ner: 5p.m., call 384-2471 for location CORNING Am-vets: 4p.m., Corning Veteran's Memorial Hall, 1620Solano St. Cal-Fresh and Healthy Family Appointments: 1-3p.m., Family Resource Center, 1488South St., 824-7670 Corning Patriots: 6p.m., Senior Center, 824-2332 Dance with Juana:, noon to 1p.m., Family Resource Center, 1488South St., 824-7670 Diabetes Support Group: noon, Senior Cen- ter, 10154th Ave. Dual Diagnosis Group: 1:30, 1600Solano St., 527-8491, Ext. 3309 ESL/Citizenship classes: 9a.m. - 11a.m., Family Resource Center, West and South streets, 824-7670 Improved Order of Redmen # 203: 7p.m. Independent Grange 470, 20945Corning Road, 824-1114 Sewing group: 9a.m., Family Resource Center, West and South streets, 824-7670 Soccer training: 4-6 p.m., except for holi- days and rain, Woodson School soccer field, 150N. Toomes, 824-7680. CALENDAR ThankyouRedBluff-TehamaCounty Chamber Dinner Sponsors! LassenPark Zelma's Awards and Trophies T. C. Employer Advisory Council Express Employment Professionals St. Elizabeth Hospital 3 Generations Arts and Shop Andy Houghton Insurance Cornerstone Community Bank Sean Rix - State Farm Moule's Glass Lariat Bowl Umpque Bank Lois Rogan - Coldwell Banker Western Open Fiddlers AspecialthankstoallwhodonateditemsforourSilentAuction KarenCrockett,RayEliggi,LindaMcKay,ChadBushnell, Cornerstone Community Bank, Lariat Bowl, Western Open Fiddlers, Red Bluff Interiors, Dutch Bros., Hush Beauty Lounge, Gold Exchange, Redding Dist./ Coors, West Coast Monster Truck Nationals, State Theatre of the Arts Smog Check (MOST CARS & PICK-UPS) 527-9841 • 195 S. Main St. starting at $ 29 95 + $ 8 25 certificate SERVICESATLOWERPRICES All makes and models. 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