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Igotthebiggestshock of my life the day I real- ized that living on a bud- get wasn't the strait- jacket or rigid "diet" I assumed it would be. In fact, it was my life as a credit-card junkie that put me in fi- nancial bondage. A bud- get saved my life because it allowed me to get out of debt. It gave me back my freedom. Want to know my secret for staying on a budget for so many years? I splurge. Seriously. And I do not feel guilty. I love nice things and I love to travel. Even while I was getting out of debt, I didn't banish all of these things from my life. In fact, my occasional guilt-free splurges are what helped me stay on a budget. Since I didn't feel deprived, I found it a lot easier to stick to my plan. Calculated splurging is not difficult. In fact, I think you'll find it makes a lot of sense. And the big- ger payoff is the financial maturity that comes with delayed gratification. Plan- ning and waiting really does make you more ap- preciative. MAKE A LIST. This is the fun part. Think about your splurges of choice. A haircut and color at a great salon? A luxe lip- stick? A big-ticket item like a new laptop? Write down all the things you want. Get specific, but don't worry if you can't think of everything right now. You'll be changing this list often in the future. The point is that slowly, one at a time, you can find a way to work these splurges into your budget. OPEN AN ACCOUNT. Whether it's a savings ac- count at a bank or credit union, or an online sav- ings account, you need a place to save for your splurges. Make it a place that you won't be tempted to dip into but is still con- venient enough for you to make deposits. REVIEW YOUR HAB- ITS. Sure, you've al- ways used that pricey sa- lon shampoo, but it's im- portant to ask yourself whether that's a mean- ingful splurge or just an old habit. Check the drugstore: you'll find great brands for a lot less money. Same goes for the grocery store. Do you need a specific brand of canned veggies, flour or cereal? Probably not, so go for the cheap- est. Here's a good rule of thumb: Say no to say yes. In other words, cut back where it doesn't matter so you can buy the things that do. FIND THE CASH. Start thinking of ways to bring in a little extra spending money to fund your ac- count. Perhaps you can sell some things online. Determine to spend $10 less at the supermarket this week, and put that money into your account. Next week, make it $15. Take your coupon sav- ings in cash. When you get a raise, put some of it into the account. Even a dollar or two here and there will add up quickly if you're consistent. In my house, she who does the laun- dry keeps the money that ends up in the bottom of the washer. And when I get money for my birthday or a refund on something I return, that money goes into the account, too. LOOK FOR DEALS. Buy on sale (your every- day stuff as well as your splurges) whenever you can. I am a big fan of Bath & Body Works' line of body butter, which is a splurge for me. And I don't deny myself. I wait until one of the store's big sales (they happen several times a year), which makes the splurge that much sweeter. RETHINK EATING OUT. You don't have to banish eating out from your life because you're on a budget. Just shift your thinking: A meal out shouldn't be something you grab on the run; it should be something spe- cial that requires plan- ning. Keep an envelope with restaurant coupons in your bag. Dine where the kids eat free on a spe- cific night. Instead of an entire dinner at a fancy restaurant, splurge by go- ing just for dessert and coffee. Or go for lunch, which is usually cheaper. Same ambience, less money. SHOP SMARTER. Think about changing where you shop. Instead of the mall, head to a thrift store or a shop that benefits a cer- tain charity, where prices will be a lot cheaper. Stores that carry gently used items are exploding with business these days, and they're bigger and bet- ter than you might imag- ine. Discover the joys of con- signment clothing stores, where you'll find better quality and beautifully displayed near-new cloth- ing at hugely discounted prices. Want to know the best fringe benefit of splurg- ing on a budget? No more impulse shopping. You have time to breathe and to think. And even to change your mind al- together — you may de- cide to just skip the spa day so you can keep sav- ing for the European va- cation. It all depends on what matters most to you. Wouldyouliketosend a tip to Mary? You can email her at mary@ everydaycheapskate. com, or write to Everyday Cheapskate, 12340 Seal Beach Blvd., Ste. B-416, Seal Beach, CA 90740. EVERYDAYCHEAPSKATE How to splurge on a budget Mary Hunt The Junior Lifeguard Program at Whiskeytown is designed to instruct youth 10 years of age and up in water and beach safety and to gain skills in aquatics, along with instill- ing a sense of responsibil- ity and accomplishment. The purpose of the Wa- terfront Lifeguarding course is to teach partici- pants the knowledge and skills needed to prevent and respond to aquatic emergencies both in a pool and in a waterfront envi- ronment. The course con- tent and activities prepare participants to recognize and respond quickly and effectively to emergencies and to prevent drowning and injuries. We also hope to improve the fitness of youth and train future life- guards. Junior Lifeguard and Waterfront Lifeguard training will be 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. July 13-17 at Brandy Creek Beach. The require- ments of participants are you must be between the ages of 10 and 17 years old; you must be in good physi- cal condition with the abil- ity to swim 400 yards in 12 minutes or less; you must be willing to commit to the program and you must be willing to follow direc- tions. Each day bring a lunch and water. Each student needs a swim suit, towel, footwear and sunscreen. Although the basic course is free, the Red Cross certification cards cost $35, or just a Red Cross First Aid and CPR certification card is $27, payable by a check made out to the American Red Cross. Please sign up by Fri- day. For additional infor- mation or to sign up, call 242-3410, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Participants complet- ing the required hours of instruction and ex- ams may be certified in all ages Red Cross Multi- Media First Aid and wa- ter rescue; 15 and older Red Cross Cardio-Pul- monary Resuscitation; 15 and older Lifeguard Training. WHISKEYTOWN JuniorLifeguardProgramstartsMonday COURTESYPHOTOBYCAROLBANWARTH Cedar waxwings Altacal Audubon field trip activities for July are as follows. All programs and activities are free of cost unless otherwise indi- cated and open to the pub- lic. If you have any ques- tions or want further in- formation about specific activities call Wayland Au- gur at 519-4724 or send an email to wba@acm.org. FieldTrips Chico Oxidation Ponds Wildlife Sanctuary and Big Chico Creek Washout: Sunday, July 19 The group will get a per- sonal and up close view of the beginning of Fall shore- bird migration at the Chico Oxidation Ponds Wildlife Sanctuary at the Waste Water Treatment Plant, west of Chico. Then the group will check out the Big Chico Creek Washout at the Sacramento River. The group hopes to see Yellow-headed Blackbirds, Great-tailed Grackle, plo- ver, rails, yellowlegs, sand- pipers, dowitchers, return- ing waterfowl and some unexpected migrants. The walk is less than 2 miles and about 3 hours. For shorter, you can walk out to the viewing blind. The walk is flat and pretty easy going. Meet at the Oxida- tion Pond parking area at 3 p.m. The group should be back to the lot by 6 p.m. Go west on W. 5th St. from Hwy 32 in Chico. Follow W. 5th St., which becomes Chico River Road for 3.9 miles. The wildlife viewing parking area is 300 yards past the main entrance to the water treatment plant, on the left. Bring binocu- lars, spotting scopes, wa- ter, walking shoes and proper clothing for the ex- pected weather conditions. There is a chemical toilet on the way out to the view- ing area. Contact is Mat- thew Forster at findfor- ster@yahoo.com. Placer County Big Weekend Saturday- Sunday, July 25-26 Placer County spans a large elevation range, fea- tures many habitat types, has some terrific camp- ing spots and has a great bird list. Scott Huber will lead a two-day trip to Placer County to try to see as many birds in the county as possible. Great for those who keep county lists. Where possible the group will try to enlist the assistance of local experts for that county to join us or help in planning our route. The group will visit as many habitats and ele- vations as possible in the county. Plan on leaving early Saturday morning, camp- ing Saturday night. Sign up early to assist in plan- ning. Plan on bringing all food needed for the week- end, the group will cook dinner at the campsite on Saturday night. Bring tents, sleeping bags, an adventurous spirit and good sense of humor. Prepare for the possibil- ity of rain. Car-pooling en- couraged. Contact Scott if you are planning to attend at 321- 5579 or wmscotthuber@ gmail.com. Audubon plans field trips for July ALTACAL Thank you! PLEASE RECYCLE THIS NEWSPAPER. By Jennifer Cooper Social Security manager in Redding In July, with American flags flying, we celebrate our nation's birthday and the freedoms and protec- tions we hold dear. Al- though love for your coun- try can take many forms, Social Security takes pre- venting and combatting fraud as seriously as we take our other vital mis- sions. Social Security has a zero-tolerance policy for fraud. In tandem with local law enforcement, we pur- sue criminals who cheat the system by collecting benefits that they're not owed. This might be as subtle as someone inten- tionally failing to report income and resources or that they live with their spouse which can result in incorrect payments. Fraud might take the form of someone claiming to be disabled when, in real- ity, they continue to work. These examples are why we also rely on you — the American public — to re- port fraud when you see it. While we can't prevent every instance of fraud any more than the most effective law enforcement agency can prevent all crime, we aggressively in- vestigate and pursue pros- ecution of those who try to cheat and steal from the system. Our message to those who would defraud Social Security is clear: We will find you; we will pros- ecute you; we will seek the maximum punishment al- lowable under the law; and we will fight to restore the money you've stolen from the American people. We impose stiff penal- ties to discourage people from committing fraud. We monitor cases closely, and we have sophisti- cated tools to help us pre- dict where and when fraud may occur so we can catch it early — often before it happens. Social Security employs innovative weapons in the fight against fraud. Our Office of Anti-Fraud Pro- grams (OAFP) is the new- est member of Social Secu- rity's anti-fraud team. If you suspect someone is committing Social Secu- rity fraud, report it online at http://oig.ssa.gov/report or call the Social Security Fraud Hotline at 1-800- 269-0271. 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