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There'snothinglike being laid off, getting a call from the bank say- ing you've bounced your account to the moon or in my case (back in the '80s) hearing that your home is about to be foreclosed to tell you that you need an extreme money makeover. BEFORE PICTURE. You need a great "before" photo for any make- over to be worth its salt. A snapshot of your per- sonal finances is called a statement of net worth — a summary of how much money you will have left after subtracting your debts from the value of your assets. YOUR ATTITUDE. Face it: The only thing you can control is your attitude, the way you choose to re- spond to life's challenges. This financial hardship is just a season in your life. It has come, and it will go; it's not forever. You can handle anything as long as you know it's only temporary. Choose to face your extreme situation with an equally intense reaction. MAKE A PLAN. Write out a simple plan for how you will reach your make- over goal, keeping in mind that a good plan is specific, reasonable, real- istic and finite with mea- surable factors. Choose a date by which you plan to have completed your makeover. Then, create stepping stones leading up to the date so you can measure your progress. FREEZE SPEND- ING. Yes, it's extreme, but then again so is your makeover. Freezing your spending for the next week or two will give you the jump-start you need. Then, transition to a non- essential spending freeze (during which you'll only buy items you absolutely need) for the foreseeable future. TRACK SPENDING. Starting now — today — keep a written list of your expenditures. If you spend a dollar it had better be accounted for on paper. That is how critical track- ing will be for a successful makeover. STOP DEBTING. OK, "debting" isn't a real word, but it should be. To debt means to use a credit card to the point of creating debt. This has to stop because of its negative effect on your net worth. No more debting. START SAVING. Put- ting away just five bucks a week will change your at- titude about living fru- gally. Money in the bank offers a kind of security that is difficult to describe. The more you save, the more willing you will be to find ways to save even big- ger and better. SELL ASSETS. Unless you use an asset regu- larly or it's a cherished family treasure, selling assets for cash is a great way to return from the powerful financial hit that brought you to your knees. Use the proceeds to catch up on your bills, start an emergency sav- ings account or pay down a debt. DOWNSIZE. If you are in over your head with a mortgage or you're liv- ing in a place where the rent is beyond reasonable, move to a cheaper place, or get a roommate. Yes, it's a drastic measure. But it may be exactly what you need. GET ANOTHER JOB. You may have to work nights and weekends right now. It won't be for- ever. If a part-time job nets you an extra $400 a month you'll have $4,800 in a year to put toward your makeover. GIVE UP A VICE. At $22 a pop, giving up your weekly manicure habit will save you $1,056 an- nually. Emery boards and nail polish are cheap. Or, curtail your visits back to once a month. You'll still save $792. Other vices like cigarettes, short cab rides and fancy coffee drinks are huge money drains. SELL A CAR. Add up what it costs you to oper- ate your second car (gas, monthly payment, main- tenance, insurance, reg- istration and car washes) and it won't be so difficult to live without, at least for a while. The relief you will feel after going to extreme lengths to deal with your financial situation will far outweigh the tempo- rary discomforts. I'd love to know how you are do- ing with your makeover. Write me at the address below. 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 Give yourself an extreme money makeover Mary Hunt FORT JONES Join bota- nists and biologists for a fun day of learning about local avian and insect spe- cies that play an important role in pollination on Sun- day, July 17. This free event is being hosted by the US Forest Service and will feature a short hike to Cabin Mead- ows in the Scott Moun- tains, on the Klamath Na- tional Forest. Participants will observe humming- birds, butterflies, bees and native plants found in high elevation meadows of the south Scott Valley. Guest speakers will dis- cuss pollinator life histo- ries, the state of pollinators in the area and things that you can do to help conserve these important species. The walk will highlight the unique botanical area of Cabin Meadows. Meet at the Salmon/ Scott Ranger District Of- fice in Fort Jones, 11263 North Highway 3, at 9 a.m. on Sunday. Partici- pants will then drive to Cabin Meadows in the Scott Mountains. Wear light hiking boots; bring hand-lens, binocu- lars, cameras, water and plenty of snacks. For information call Sam Cuenca at 468-5351. KLAMATH FOREST Wi ld fl ow er s an d po ll in at or s to b e ce le br at ed By Jennifer Cooper Social Security manager in Redding Enjoying the indepen- dence that we have as Americans is a privilege we've earned, together. It took the sacrifice of mil- lions of entrepreneurs and Service men and women, nurses and caregivers. You've done your job in making this nation what it is today: proud, strong, and secure. For more than 80 years, Social Security has been doing the same. We're with you through life's journey, from birth to retirement and beyond. And one of the best tools we provide every American is my Social Se- curity, our secure online re- source customized for you. All your hard work is re- corded at my Social Secu- rity. There, you can: Keep track of your earnings and verify them every year; get an estimate of your future benefits, if you are still working; get a letter with proof of your bene- fits, if you currently receive them; manage your bene- fits; change your address; start or change your di- rect deposit; request a re- placement Medicare card and get a replacement SSA- 1099 or SSA-1042S for tax season. It doesn't matter if you've worked one year or 40, checking your person- alized account at www.so- cialsecurity.gov/myaccount gives you control over your future. We understand that you mightlosethingsfromtime to time. In some states, you can even request a replace- ment Social Security card online using my Social Se- curity. It's an easy, convenient, and secure way to request a replacement card. We are working to add more states to this service, so we encourage you to check www.socialsecurity.gov/ss- number to see where it is available. In addition to using my Social Security, there are many other things you can do online with Social Se- curity. For example, you can use the Retirement Esti- mator to plug in different numbers, retirement dates, and scenarios to help you decide the best time for you to retire. It's available at www.socialsecurity.gov/ estimator. We've been with you and your loved ones for a long time — more than 80 years. The journey you're making to financial independence isn't one you have to make alone. Join the millions of people who are strength- ening their future at www. socialsecurity.gov/myac- count. SOCIAL SECURITY A faithful companion through life's journey In November 2012, the Red Bluff Police Depart- ment implemented a volun- teer program — Volunteers In Police Service, or VIPS. This volunteer program was started for several rea- sons. A goal of the police department was getting citizens involved in their community and the police department. Another goal was augmenting the staff- ing shortages facing the de- partment at the time. Ten people were invited to the first VIPS academy. The academy is a 10-week training course that is held typically on a Saturday mornings. The academy teaches a variety of topics that VIPS members would encounter while volunteering at the police department. The students are taught basic CPR and first aid, defensive driving techniques, history of law enforcement and laws regarding parking vi- olations to name a few. The training doesn't end at the conclusion of the academy. New mem- bers must complete ride- a- longs with patrol offi- cers and complete several training sessions before pa- trolling on their own. Since the first academy, the staffing at the Red Bluff Police Department has re- covered and the depart- ment is at full staff. How- ever, police administrators saw the benefits to the de- partment and the commu- nity using the VIPS pro- gram. Since the program began, volunteers have donated more than 5,000 hours. Additionally, since the program began, three VIPS members have become full time employees at the po- lice department. Members of the VIPS program come from all walks of life. The pro- gram includes a retired sheriff, a school teacher, an insurance agent, an office assistant and sev- eral retired people, just to name a few. The police department is seeking to increase the number of volunteers and is accepting applications for the program. The dead- line for the applications is Aug. 12. There are a few minimum requirements that applicants must have to be considered for this program. They must be at least 18 years of age, pos- sess a valid driver's license, have no felony convictions and have a clean back- ground. No law enforcement background is required. The academy is antici- pated to begin on Satur- day, Oct. 1. Anyone interested in this program is encouraged to write to Sergeant Kevin Busekist at kbusekist@ rbpd.org or Lead VIPS Clay Parker at cparker@rbpd. org or by telephoning the department at 527-3131. RED BLUFF POLICE Applications sought for Volunteers In Police Service COURTESYPHOTOBYDANIKACARLSON A bumblebee pollinating stone crop flowers. Call 877-4DAD411 or visit www.fatherhood.gov be a dad today. Take time to www.gummsoptical.com (530) 527-2510 1-800-481-LENS (5367) 910MainSt.,SuiteC,RedBluff 9 locations throughout California & Oregon 525 Antelope Blvd, Red Bluff (530) 527-5272 Mon.–Fri.8am-5pm Saturday by appointment Locally owned & operated ESCAPE WITH GREAT SAVINGS. *See redemption form for complete offer details. Offer expires 07/17/2016. Void where prohibited. The Reward Card expires six (6) months after issuance. No cash access. Fees apply. Reward Card issued by U.S. Bank National Association pursuant to a license from MasterCard International Incorporated. MasterCard is a registered trademark of MasterCard International Incorporated. Copyright © 2016 Michelin North America, Inc. All rights reserved. MasterCard ® Reward Card after submission* with purchase of four new MICHELIN ® passenger or light truck tires. 70 OFFER VALID JUNE 22 - JULY 17, 2016. GET A $ GET READY TO TURN SOME HEADS WITH THE MICHELIN ® PILOT ® FAMILY. (530) 529-1220 100 Jackson St. Red Bluff Water Aerobic Classes Monthly Special $ 28 00 a month No Enrollment Fee Stop by or call for information LIFESTYLES » redbluffdailynews.com Friday, July 15, 2016 MORE ATFACEBOOK.COM/RBDAILYNEWS AND TWITTER.COM/REDBLUFFNEWS A4