Issue link: https://www.epageflip.net/i/440819
Youshouldseethe big wad of lint I just plucked from the trap of my clothes dryer. Ack! Where does all of that come from? I know I emptied all pockets, and I'm certain I did not wash a bag of pillow stuffing. I'll tell you what it is, and I am not happy about this: It's visual proof the dryer is wearing out my clothes. Those fibers were neatly woven into these clothes only 30 minutes ago. For all the conve- nience a clothes dryer can offer, it may come at the price of having to replace your family's clothes much too often. Drying clothes causes them the shrink, and not only the first time they're washed. Sleeves and pant legs continually get shorter and shorter when machine dried improperly. There are tactics to counteract the abuse suf- fered by a clothes dryer, and you don't have to go back to the days of sheets frozen stiff on the clothes- line (does anyone else re- member that?). You don't have to machine dry your clothes to death to end up with comfy jeans and fluffy soft towels. GET THE SOAP OUT. Residual detergent in fab- rics causes them to feel rough. Add cup white vinegar to the last rinse. This will help remove the residual detergent from the fabrics even when air- dried, they will be softer. SEMI DRY. Never ma- chine dry clothes — espe- cially jeans — completely. Ten to 15 minutes is suffi- cient for most items to re- move the major wrinkles. HANG FROM THE AN- KLES. Remove partially dry jeans and all other pants from the dryer and hang them on hangers by the hems on pant hang- ers equipped with clothes- pins or clamps. The weight of the pant will pull the fi- bers into place and keep the pants from getting shorter every time you launder them. EMERGENCY SPEED DRY. When you need something to dry in a big hurry, here's a great tip: Place the wet item and one dry bath towel into the dryer. Set on the high- est temperature safe for that particular item. You will have dry jammies (or whatever) in less than half the time because the towel will absorb a great deal of the moisture. STEP AWAY FROM THE DRYER. Any item that has a rubber backing, like a bath rug, should never come in contact with the inside of a dryer. Lay it flat to air dry. DON'T KILL THE SPANDEX. Fabrics that contain spandex, latex, elastic or have painted or silkscreened logos should not meet the heat of a clothes dryer. Even the elastic in pajamas, under- wear and so on will break down quickly if dried on "hot." Make sure you al- ways read the labels to de- termine fabric content and laundering instructions. Get a portable drying rack or install a few extra towel bars so you can air-dry these more delicate types of fabric. 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 Stop drying your clothes to death PHOTOBYJOANNEBICKLEY Mt.ShastaonDec.30,takenfromtheWeedarea. If you would like to submit a photo for consideration, email it to editor@redbluffdai- lynews.com with "reader photo" in the subject line or bring it to 545 Diamond Ave. in Red Bluff during normal business hours. READER PHOTO MOUNTAINVIEW Mary Hunt General Question: I suspect that someone I know is collect- ing Social Security dis- ability benefits when they shouldn't be. What is the best way for me to report fraud? Answer: Social Secu- rity has zero tolerance for fraud and uses many proven tactics to prevent fraud, waste, and abuse. Our Office of the Inspector General is relentless in its pursuit of people who con- ceal work activity while re- ceiving disability benefits. We investigate and seek prosecution for people who receive benefits for a child or children who aren't un- der their care, or who fail to notify Social Security of the death of a beneficiary and continue to receive and cash checks of the de- ceased. We also depend on you to help stop fraud. Please report fraud online at http://oig.ssa.gov/report or call the Social Security Fraud Hotline at 1-800- 269-0271. Question: I haven't re- ceived my Social Security Statement in the mail the last few years. Will I ever get one again? Answer: In September 2014, Social Security re- sumed mailing Social Se- curity Statements to work- ers ages 25, 30, 35, 40, 45, 50, 55, and 60 who aren't receiving Social Security benefits, and who don't have a my Social Security account. Rather than once every five years, those over age 60 will receive a State- ment every year. Instead of waiting to receive a mailed Statement once every five years, we encourage peo- ple to open a my Social Security account at www. socialsecurity.gov/myac- count so they can access their Statement online, anytime. Children's benefits Question: Why is it so important that my baby have a Social Security number? Answer: Your child may need a Social Security number if you are plan- ning to open a bank ac- count, buy savings bonds, obtain medical coverage, or apply for government services for the child. Your child will also need a So- cial Security number if you are going to declare him or her on your taxes. Getting a Social Security number for your newborn is volun- tary, but it is a good idea to apply when your child is born. You can apply for a Social Security number for your baby when you apply for your baby's birth cer- tificate. The state agency that issues birth certif- icates will give us your child's information and we will mail you a Social Se- curity card with the child's Social Security number. Visit www.socialsecurity. gov/ssnumber for more in- formation. Question: I am about to retire, but I still have a young child in my care. Will I receive additional benefits for the child I care for? Answer: When you qualify for Social Secu- rity retirement benefits, your children may also qualify to receive benefits. Your eligible child can be your biological child, an adopted child, or a step- child. In limited circum- stances, you may also get benefits for a dependent grandchild. To receive ben- efits, your child must be: unmarried; under the age of 18; between 18 and 19 years old and a full-time student (no higher than grade 12); or 18 or older and disabled from a con- dition that started before age 22. You can read more about planning for a dis- abled child's care here: www.socialsecurity.gov/ retire2/yourchildren.htm. Fraud Question: A few years ago, I lost my Social Secu- rity card. Now my credit report shows that some- one might be using my So- cial Security number. I'm afraid they might ruin my credit. What should I do? Answer: Identity theft and fraud are serious problems, not just for you, but for the financial in- tegrity of our agency. It also puts our national se- curity at risk if someone dangerous is using your number to obtain other forms of identification. It's against the law to use someone else's Social Se- curity number, give false information when apply- ing for a number, or alter, buy, or sell Social Security cards. Keep in mind, you should never carry your Social Security card with you. If you think someone is using your Social Secu- rity number fraudulently, you should report it to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) right away. You can report it at www.idtheft. gov or you can call FTC's hotline at 1-877-IDTHEFT (1-877-438-4261) TTY: (1- 866-653-4261). Question: I know some- one who believes it's not a big deal to cheat a lit- tle on their Supplemental Security Income applica- tion. What can I tell them to dissuade them from giv- ing false information? Answer: Social Security not only seeks criminal charges against and im- prisonment of people who give false, incomplete, or inaccurate information, we also have the authority to impose civil monetary penalties against people who commit fraud. When we find evidence that someone provided false information or withheld information that would have prevented him or her or someone else from col- lecting benefits, we can impose a civil monetary penalty of up to $5,000 for each occurrence. We are also authorized to impose administrative sanctions. During a sanction period, benefits stop. The sanc- tion periods are 6 months for the first occurrence, 12 months for the second oc- currence, and 24 months for each additional oc- currence. You can report fraud online at http://oig. ssa.gov/report or call the Social Security Fraud Ho- tline at 1-800-269-0271. Retirement Question: I'm not sure when I'm going to retire so I want to estimate my retirement benefit at several different ages. What's the easiest way to do that? Answer: Using our Retirement Estimator is easy at www. socialsecurity.gov/estima- tor, and it's the best way for you to get a good idea of what your monthly ben- efit payment may be after you retire. The Estimator gives estimates based on your actual Social Security earnings record. Keep in mind, these are estimates and we can't provide your actual benefit amount un- til you apply for benefits. You can use the Estimator if you have enough work to qualify for benefits and aren't currently receiving benefits. If you are cur- rently receiving only Medi- care benefits, you can still get an estimate. You can learn about this subject by reading our publica- tion, Retirement Informa- tion For Medicare Benefi- ciaries, available at www. socialsecurity.gov/pubs. Question: My spouse and I have been married for over 30 years and we are about to retire. Will there be any reduction in benefits be- cause we are married? Answer: None at all. We calcu- late lifetime earnings in- dependently to determine each spouse's Social Secu- rity benefit amount, and couples aren't penalized because they are mar- ried. When both spouses meet all other eligibility requirements to receive Social Security retirement benefits, each spouse re- ceives a monthly bene- fit amount based on his or her own earnings. If one member of the couple earned low wages or failed to earn enough Social Se- curity credits to be in- sured for retirement ben- efits, he or she may be el- igible to receive benefits as a spouse. Learn more about earning Social Se- curity credits by reading our publication, How You Earn Credits, available at www.socialsecurity.gov/ pubs. SOCIAL SECURITY Qu es ti on s an d an sw er s regarding benefits PLEASERECYCLE THIS NEWSPAPER. Thankyou! WeDo ALIGNMENTS We Do BRAKES 1375MontgomeryRd. Red Bluff, CA T:530 529-0797 40ChestnutAvenue Red Bluff 530-330-1096 BRING BALANCE TO YOUR BODY Bring balance to your LIFE TabataBootCamp Starting Jan. 5th Call now to reserve your space. LIFESTYLES » redbluffdailynews.com Friday, January 2, 2015 » MORE AT FACEBOOK.COM/RBDAILYNEWS AND TWITTER.COM/REDBLUFFNEWS A5