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Oneofthebestmoney management tools I know is this rule of thumb: Match quality with need. In other words, don't buy quality be- yond the need. Some- times the cheapest option is the best choice. Other times, you'll regret having gone cheap when you have to replace that item well before your need for it goes away. In that case, you'd be better off going for a higher-priced option that promises to last longer than the cheaper alterna- tive and its replacement. You may recall from a previous column from several years ago that when my grandson was born I rushed out and bought the cheapest um- brella stroller Target had to offer. My reasoning was that I would use it only occasionally. I didn't need a big fancy model. I can tell you that was a big mistake. What a piece of junk! At that writing, I'd been kicking myself and fighting with this horrible excuse of a stroller for way too long. Completely disgusted, I tossed it in the trash and set out to find the best in- expensive stroller. My list of must-haves: Storage under the seat, a 5-point harness, cup holder, big wheels, folds easily, is relatively light- weight and has a retract- able canopy. Strollers, I learned, run the gamut from $15 to $650. I can promise you that I did not need $650 of quality in a stroller. My goal was to buy the best inexpensive stroller that would match my list of needs. I began my research online. Armed with the list, I started with the cheapest options and re- jected them one by one when a particular cheap model couldn't deliver on the must-haves. As I moved up in price, it didn't take long to find strollers that had all of the things we need. I eas- ily narrowed down the field of thousands to the three strollers that ap- peared to match — not exceed — our needs. I visited stores so I could actually meet my top three candidates. I talked to parents, read tons of reviews. In the end, I made the decision to buy the cheapest of the three, based on reviews and personal recommen- dations. Quality wise, all three were so close, I couldn't see much differ- ence. But there was a $50 spread in price. The stroller that won the first ever official "Ev- eryday Cheapskate Best In- expensive" seal of approval is The First Years Ignite Stroller (www.everyday- cheapskate.com/stroller). The list price is $79.99. I paid $59.99 at Amazon. com, with free shipping. Everything about this stroller is perfect. It ma- neuvers well on its eight big wheels and it is light- weight enough that I can easily open it, close it and lift it into the truck bed in a matter of seconds. The seat back is sturdy and, according to my passen- ger, "Really comfortable!" The handles are taller than most and the 5-point harness hooks up easily. There is plenty of room to stow stuff un- der the seat, and I have a cup holder and zippered console. This stroller is solid with a seat that is 2 inches wider than its nearest competitor. Our awesome stroller has been put through its paces. Eli and I have spent every Friday with it since he was 6 weeks old. This stroller knows Knott's Berry Farm from start to finish and the Santa Ana Zoo from top to bottom. It's made the rounds of Seal Beach Pier and Aquarium of the Pa- cific more than a few dozen times. If it had an odometer, I'm certain this stroller would be turning over some pretty impressive mileage. Our Ignite stroller has been stored in the bed of my pickup through storm and sunshine, wind and rain. Still, its brakes work well, the fabric is intact and all collapsible parts open and close flawlessly. It's a bit faded from the sun, but other than that it's in great condition and could easily have many more years of Fun Fri- days with Eli to offer. But we'll never know for sure. That sweet little boy who's now outgrown its seating capacity just started kindergarten. That means Fridays off for Mr. Stroller. MaryHuntisthefounder of www.DebtProofLiving. com, a personal finance member website. You can email her at mary@eve- rydaycheapskate.com, or write to Everyday Cheap- skate, P.O. Box 2099, Cy- press, CA 90630. EVERYDAYCHEAPSKATE The best inexpensive stroller update YREKA Due to a recent act of vandalism that resulted in the deaths of cave dwell- ing bats, the Klamath Na- tional Forest asks cave us- ers and other partners to work to prevent crime and recreate in caves responsi- bly. The Klamath National Forest is home to more than 100 caves. Caves and lava tubes, which are of- ten thousands of years old, are extremely sensitive re- sources. They provide hab- itat for many endemic and sensitive species. They often feature unique cave struc- tures such as stalagmites, stalactites and lavacicles that cannot be recreated. "We have thousands of visitors to our caves each year and the majority of them recreate responsibly and respectfully, and we thank them for that," said Forest Supervisor Patricia Grantham. Information on recreat- ing in caves responsibly can be found at: http://caves. org/brochure/NSS%20 Guide%2062309.pdf. Vandalism to a cave is usually irreversible. Frag- ile structures and sensitive species can be destroyed by a single act of vandalism or carelessness — includ- ing graffiti, removal of cave decorations, modification of openings, or destruction of unique habitat —that can- not be undone or fixed for thousands if not millions of years. Graffiti mars the aes- thetics of the cave and the fumes are toxic to some cave dwelling animals. It can also seal the walls of the cave reducing the rate at which cave decorations form. Modification of cave openings can change how air moves through the cave or exposure to sunlight, which will modify the hab- itat in the cave and change cave forming processes. The climate under which most of the caves on the forest were created does not exist today. Modifica- tion or destruction of habi- tat or other characteristics of the cave could actually lead to the loss of a species in a cave or in worst cases the extinction of an entirely unique species. Bats are a cornerstone species to ecology. World- wide they provide impor- tant roles for insect con- trol, seed dispersal and pol- lination. In Siskiyou County there are some 15 species of bats that are each impor- tant to the ecosystem. Bats have complex life history needs, which include the need for natural structures such as snags and caves and lave tubes. Bats need very specific climate controlled areas to overwinter, raise their young and roost at differ- ent times of the day. Most importantly, local bat species are very sensi- tive to disturbance. Distur- bance at critical times could result in the loss of entire populations. The caves on the Klam- ath National Forest belong to the public. Everyone is responsible for protecting the resource for future gen- erations to enjoy and learn from. Caves on Federal Lands are protected by The Federal Cave Resource Pro- tection Act of 1988 and in 25 states by state cave laws. These laws make it illegal to damage caves or to remove anything found in a cave. These laws can be seen at: http://www.caves.org/sec- tion/ccms/bat2k/index.htm. The most common types of vandalism on local public lands are graffiti or delib- erate malicious damage to Forest Service signs, picnic tables, gates, buildings, re- strooms, parking facilities, vehicles and natural fea- tures as well as the dump- ing of yard and household, vehicle and building waste. Members of the public can greatly improve the Forest Service's ability to protect caves, as they are widely distributed across the forest. "If you see something, say something, we urge peo- ple to be partners in pre- venting crime and protect- ing our natural resources," said Patrol Captain Lathan Sidebottom. The public can contact U.S. Forest Service Law Enforcement by calling the Klamath National Forest Supervisor's Office at 530- 842-6131or via the Siskiyou County Sheriff's Office at 530-841-2900. KLAMATH FOREST Vandalism prompts reminder to protect caves Mary Hunt COURTESYPHOTO ProudparentsMaxVannandSherrieTaylorVannofWilliamswelcometheirsecondson.OwenEdwardVannwas born Aug. 15 at St. Elizabeth Community Hospital. Owen weighed 9 pounds 6 ounces and was 21 inches long. Also welcoming baby Owen are his grandparents Tim and Shirley Taylor of Paynes Creek, grandmother Caroline Vann of Williams, and his big brother MJ Vann. BIRTH VANNS WELCOME SECOND SON SUSANVILLE The Lassen National Forest is selling excess office furniture and miscellaneous items via In- ternet auction, which be- gan Monday and continues through 8 a.m. Dec. 1. The official auction page is at www.gsaauctions.gov. The items located in Su- sanville can be found by entering the sale number, 91QSCI15126, in the search box. Be careful to verify the location when looking at in- dividual items, as there are also items included in the sale that are not in Susan- ville. If you have questions or need further information, Property Management Of- ficer Janie Ackley will be available by phone through Wednesday, Nov. 26, at 530- 252-6695, or by email at jackley@fs.fed.us through Dec. 1. LASSEN NATIONAL FOREST Excess property auction underway NOV.29 SupporttheSmallBusinessesthat give character to our communities! 7875 HWY 99E LOS MOLINOS, CA 384-1265 Nosubstitutions ORDERS TO GO Served 6:30am- 2:00pm Mon.-Fri. 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FreeConsult In office or over the phone Attorney 530-222-1664 GoldExchange The 3 rd Annual Christmas for A Cause Nov. 15 th -Dec. 13 th 423WalnutSt.,RedBluff 528-8000 www.ChristmasForACause TehamaCounty.com *ForDetailsand *Wish list* BE A PART OF THE SOLUTION Visit Let'sTalk About Hair Jeannie Stroing Perm, Cut & Set Special $ 45 longhairextra Now through Dec. 31st 450Antelope Blvd. Bus 528-2900 Cell 526-1304 Servicingyourdisposalneedsin Tehama County, and the City of Red Bluff including Residential, Commercial, and Temporary bin services. GREENWASTEOFTEHAMA A WASTE CONNECTIONS COMPANY 530-528-8500 1805 AIRPORT BLVD. RED BLUFF, CA GreenWasteisaproud supporter of local events. 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 LIFESTYLES » redbluffdailynews.com Tuesday, November 25, 2014 MORE AT FACEBOOK.COM/RBDAILYNEWS AND TWITTER.COM/REDBLUFFNEWS A5