Issue link: https://www.epageflip.net/i/657691
COURTESYPHOTO Fromle :JenniferRagsdale,PATHprojectmanager,andPamKlein,dinner coordinator. Organizers arebusy making plans for the annual PATH Dinner and Auction, to be held April 2 at Highpoint Assembly — former Bethel Assembly — on LutherRoad. The money raised goes to help fund the PATH Winter shelter, which is open from Nov. 1 through April 30 and hosted by local churches. People can buy individual dinner tickets at $30 each or sponsor a whole table for 8 at different pricing levels. The dinner is a tri-tip and chicken dinner, with dessert and bever- ages included. This year there will be a special presentation from Selah Dance under the direction of Mary Gross. Servers will include the men and women from the transitional houses run by PATH plus community youth. Call Pam Klein at 200-2018 if you would like more information or topurchase tickets. FUNDRAISER DINNER,AUCTION DEARMARY:Mywife wants to know if there's a way to add fragrance to a home- made laun- dry deter- gent? I have made a cou- ple batches now, and the wife doesn't want to use it because it doesn't give the laundry a sweet refreshing smell. Thanks for all you do for us cheapskates (although I prefer to be called frugal). — Steve. DEAR STEVE: Add a few drops of essential oil to the detergent for a won- derful subtle scent. Lemon and lavender are good op- tions. Buy them at crafts stores, health food stores like Whole Foods and Sprouts or online. Expect them to be a little pricey, but a little goes a long way so even a tiny bottle will last. Another (cheaper) op- tion is Downy Unstop- ables In-Wash Fresh Scent Booster. This prod- uct comes in a variety of scents. You'll find it in the laundry aisle of your su- permarket or online. I use it from time to time, espe- cially for guest room lin- ens. But go easy with it. The container suggests you using a lot more than I find necessary to leave a nice scent. Just toss a small handful into the washer — not the dryer — with the clothes. It works great! As for the nickname: My husband started call- ing me this term of en- dearment back when I was making a U-turn from the road to financial devas- tation. I changed so dra- matically that he teasingly — and with great relief and joy, I might add — called me his little cheap- skate. It still makes me smile. Becoming a cheap- skate changed my life and saved my family. I am more grateful than words can say. DEAR MARY: Can you please recommend a credit card for a young man who wants to start building his own credit? My 19-year-old son keeps getting denied because he doesn't have a credit history. I hate to see him get a credit card that has a yearly fee. Thanks. — Jill DEAR JILL: Banks have really tightened the requirements for credit cards with no annual fee. At the minimum, a per- son needs a decent credit score, which makes it diffi- cult for someone like your son who has no credit his- tory. But he does have op- tions. If this young man is en- rolled in college and gets pretty good grades, he'll get positive consideration for his status. Take a look at the Discover it card for students; there's annual fee and there are excellent reviews. Another option, which allows him to benefit from your existing credit, is to add him as an authorized user to one of your ac- counts. This is totally legal and a great way to help a responsible young person build a good credit score. As an authorized user, he'll be able to use your account freely without needing your permission. Each month, the account activity is added to both of your credit files so he can build credit history. Surprisingly, though, as an authorized user your son will have no legal obli- gation to make payments on the debt he may run up on that account. He gets all the benefits of estab- lishing credit without the accountability of repay- ment. That being said, he will suffer from bad repayment practices on your behalf. If you have great credit, if you don't get too close your credit limit and are never late with payments, that's great. However, if you have lousy credit, con- tinuously charge your card close to being maxed out and are late with pay- ments, that credit activ- ity will indeed be added to his record. Do you get the picture? Something tells me that you both would be great candidates for this piggy- back method. It is ridiculously easy to add an authorized user. Simply call the customer service number on the back of your credit card and make your request us- ing his name and Social Security number. That's it. Hope that helps. 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. EVERYDAY CHEAPSKATE Make homemade detergent smell fresh Mary Hunt The Tehama County Solid Waste Management Agency will conduct a Passenger Tire Collection event, from 8 a.m. to noon, Saturday, April 9 at the fol- lowing locations: • Los Molinos Transfer Station; Aramayo Way, Los Molinos • Manton Transfer Sta- tion; Hazen Rd., Manton • Tehama County/Red Bluff Landfill; 19995 Plym- ire Road The agency encourages Tehama County residents to dispose of your old tires during this event. Tires collected will be recycled into waste tire de- rived products. This free event will accept passenger tires from Tehama County residents only. There are restrictions to the event: • Up to 9 tires per trip without exemption, 20 tires per trip with exemption • Multiple trips for a maximum of 40 tires will be accepted • Tires must be off-the- rim to be accepted • No large truck tires, equipment tires, off-road tires • No tires larger than 17 inches • No oil, paint, batteries, appliances, or other items • No tires from waste tire generating businesses • If tires were illegally dumped, call 528-1103 for additional information Televisions, computer monitors and equipment, microwaves, DVD/VCR players, cell phones, and other small electronic waste (e-waste) will be ac- cepted free of charge only at the Los Molinos Trans- fer Station site during the tire event. There is no quantity limit on e-waste accepted. For details about ex- emptions, or the accep- tance of passenger tires, or electronic waste please call the Tehama County Landfill at 528-1103 or visit the landfill's website at www.tehamacountyl- andfill.com. For information regard- ing disposal of tires not ac- cepted during this event contact Waste Tire Prod- ucts at 865-4588. This free passenger tire recycling event is paid for by a grant from the California De- partment of Resources Re- cycling and Recovery (Cal- Recycle). TEHAMA COUNTY Free passenger tire collection event set NEVERGIVEUP UNTIL THEY BUCKLE UP. VISIT SAFERCAR.GOV/ KIDSBUCKLEUP VISIT SAFERCAR.GOV/ KIDSBUCKLEUP Eachyear,peoplefallprey to tax scams. That's why the IRS sends a list of its annual Dirty Dozen. Stay safe and beinformed—don'tbecome a victim. If you get involved in ille- gal tax scams, you can lose money or face stiff penal- ties, interest and even crim- inal prosecution. Remem- ber, if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. Be on thelookoutforthesescams: Identity theft: Identity theft, especially around tax time, is at the top of the "Dirty Dozen" list again this year. The IRS contin- ues to aggressively pursue criminals who file fraudu- lent returns using some- one else's Social Security number. The IRS is making progress on this front. Re- main vigilant to avoid be- coming a victim. T E L E P H O N E S C A M S Threatening phone calls bycriminalsimpersonating IRS agents remain an on- going threat. The IRS has seen a surge of these phone scams in recent years as scam artists threaten tax- payers with police arrest, deportation, license revo- cation and more. These con artists often demand payment of back taxes on a prepaid debit card or by immediate wire transfer. Be alert to con artists im- personatingIRSagentsand demanding payment. PHISHING Phishing scams typically use unsolicited emails or fake websites that appear legitimate but areattemptingtostealyour personal information. The IRS will not send you an email about a bill or tax re- fund out of the blue. Don't click on strange emails and websites that may be scams to steal your personal infor- mation. RETURN PREPARER FRAUD About 60 percent of tax- payers use tax profession- als to prepare their returns. While most tax profession- als provide honest, high- quality service, there are some dishonest ones who set up shop each filing sea- son to perpetrate refund fraud, identity theft and otherscams.Beon thelook- out for unscrupulous tax return preparers. Choose your preparer wisely. OFFSHORE TAX AVOIDANCE Hiding money and in- come offshore is a bad bet. If you have money in offshore banks, it's best to contact the IRS to get your taxes in order. The IRS offers the Off- shore Voluntary Disclo- sure Program to help you do that. INFLATED REFUND CLAIMS Be on the lookout for anyone promising inflated tax refunds. Also be wary of anyone who asks you to sign a blank return, prom- ises a big refund before looking at your tax records or charges fees based on a percentage of the refund. Scam artists use flyers, ad- vertisements, phony store fronts and word of mouth via trusted community groups to find victims. FAKE CHARITIES Be on guard against groups mas- querading as charitable or- ganizations to attract do- nations from unsuspect- ing contributors. If you are making a charitable contribution, you should take a few extra min- utes to ensure your hard- earned money goes to le- gitimate and currently eli- gible charities. IRS.gov has the tools you need to check out the status of charitable organizations. Be wary of charities with names that are similar to familiar or nationally-known organi- zations. FALSELY PADDING DEDUC- TIONS ON RETURNS Don't give in to the temptation to inflate deductions or expenses on your tax re- turn. Think twice before overstating deductions such as charitable contri- butions, inflating claimed business expenses or in- cluding credits that you are not entitled to receive, such as the Earned Income Tax Credit or Child Tax Credit. Complete an accu- rate return. EXCESSIVE CLAIMS FOR BUSINESS CREDITS Don't make improper claims for fuel tax credits. The credit is generally limited to off- highway business use, in- cluding use in farming. It is generally not available to most taxpayers. Also avoid misuse of the re- search credit. If it doesn't apply to your business and you don't meet the criteria, don't make the claim. FALSIFYING INCOME TO CLAIM CREDITS Don't in- vent income to erroneously claim tax credits. A scam artist may try to talk you into doing this. You should file the most accurate tax return possible because you are legally responsible for what is on your return. Falling prey to this scam may mean you have to pay back taxes, interest and penalties. In some cases, you may even face crimi- nal prosecution. ABUSIVE TAX SHELTERS Avoid using abusive tax structures to avoid paying taxes. The IRS is commit- ted to stopping complex tax avoidance schemes and the people who create and sell them. Be on the look- out for people peddling tax shelters that sound too good to be true. When in doubt, seek an indepen- dent opinion regarding these complex situations or offers. Most taxpayers pay their fair share, and so should you. TAX TIPS IRS releases Dirty Dozen scam list 1921 ~ 2016 95 TH (530)527-1000 visit us at: www.redbluffroundup.com Likeusonfacebook FRIDAY FAMILY 4 PACK $40 Plus$1.00 processing fee each ticket TICKETS ON SALE NOW! April 15, 16 & 17, Greatest Show On Dirt (530) 529-1220 100 Jackson St. Red Bluff $ 25 .00 No Enrollment Fee month Rates as low as Regular Haircut $ 2 00 off KWIK KUTS FamilyHairSalon 1064SouthMainSt.,RedBluff•529-3540 ANY RETAIL PRODUCT 20 % off withanychemicalserviceof $50 or more Notgoodwithotheroffers Expires 3/31/16 With coupon Reg. $13.95 LIFESTYLES » redbluffdailynews.com Friday, March 25, 2016 MORE ATFACEBOOK.COM/RBDAILYNEWS AND TWITTER.COM/REDBLUFFNEWS A4