Issue link: https://www.epageflip.net/i/718404
DearMary:Youhave said that it's important to keep our credit cards active even if we keep them at zero bal- ance. How often should we use them to keep them active? Does it matter how much we put on them? Will making small purchases and paying them off immediately suf- fice? — Nancy Dear Nancy: Using a credit card twice a year is more than sufficient to keep the account active. The amount you charge is unim- portant. You can even pur- chase a 99-cent mobile app! Whatever you charge, pay it off right away — that very same day — so you won't forget and run the risk of letting a silly, little purchase become rolling debt. Your bank doesn't look at purchase amounts or the length of time between purchase and payment; it simply records that a trans- action was made and the payment was received ac- cording to the terms and conditions. These days it's impor- tant for every adult to own one good, all-purpose credit card to maintain a high credit score. But you don't have to use that thing ha- bitually or carry a smidgen of debt around to do so. You could purchase two mobile apps a year for just $1.98, pay it off immediately and build a killer credit score. It's that simple. I have a feel- ing that's exactly what you plan to do. Good for you! Dear Mary: I've heard that adding someone to your credit card account will help that person estab- lish a credit history, even if they do not use the card. Is that true? How would I go about doing this? — Pat Dear Pat: It is true. You can add an adult as an au- thorized user by calling your credit-card issuer cus- tomer service. (The toll-free number is on the back of your card.) An authorized user has all the privileges of using an account without any liability for repayment. I know it sounds crazy, but that's the way it works. Ac- count activity is reported to the credit bureaus and also goes into the files of the pri- mary account holder (you) and the authorized user. That means the authorized user piggybacks on your good credit. Just keep in mind that this could back- fire if your authorized user decides to go nuts and run the balance up to or beyond your limit. Not only would you be liable for full repay- ment but that negative ac- tivity will also go in your credit file. I hope that helps. Dear Mary: I love all of your wonderful tips. Can you help me? I just moved into my first apartment af- ter living in a big home for many years. I have melamine cabinets, and they're dirty. I've cleaned them with Blue Dawn and water, but they still look streaky and dingy. How do I make them shine? Help! — Katy Dear Katy: I assume you're renting, so you prob- ably don't want to paint the cabinets. There's a re- markable product called Cabinet Rescue (available online and in stores like Home Depot) made specif- ically for melamine. Clean the cabinets well. I'd follow with a good furniture pol- ish like Lemon Pledge. That just might do the trick! But if you're still not happy, spend a few bucks on one of my favorite kitchen prod- ucts: Johnson's Jubilee Kitchen Wax. It will clean and polish everything in your kitchen, including the melamine cabinets, For- mica countertops and appli- ances, too. I love the stuff, and I think you will, too. 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 The cheap and easy way to build a great credit score A very kind man, Rod- ney Enberson, who runs an amazing new fight gear company, Blackout Fightgear, contacted me last month wanting to come by and see what we are doing. He loved that we are offering such a needed service to our local youth. Enberson decided to gift all of our young kickbox- ers with their own Black- out Fightgear handwraps to help protect their hands when they are hitting bags or sparring. Notice my awe- some group of kids with their new wraps. Thank you so much, Rodney. We had a great turn out for our 5 year anniversary party last month and did really well in our silent auc- tion. Huge thanks to Ben's Truck & Equipment, Inc., Gibb's Auto Body, State of Jefferson Firearms Train- ing, Aaron's Chiroprac- tic, Jerry Ameergian, Wid Oak, Jerree Largent, Teresa Bornman, Theresa Hughes, Ann Houghtby, Wings & Wheels Restaurant, Re- becca Leah Calkins, Mi- chael and Tashia Nichols, Donelle and Brad Lazott, Wendy Schum, Arden Carr, Becky Winslow, T.J. Jabi- nowski, Bri Scott, Kimberly Archie, Joe and Amy Ball, Bill and Anita Rice and Bill Ellis for the awesome do- nations. And thanks to all who came and bid on items and celebrated with us. In fighter news, Rocky Golden did amazing in his Toughman fight last month winning his division. He is planning on fighting for a title for Rogue Fights in the cage at Win River in Sep- tember. I will make sure to keep you updated. This would be a great sponsor- ship opportunity for a local business. Who wants a spot on Rocky's shorts? As for the gym, I am try- ing to put together a team of grapplers to compete at my friend, Glenn Lego's, Hero Submission Grap- pling Tournament on Oct. 1 in Burney. This is for all ages and is going to be a blast. It's a great opportu- nity for people who want to get their feet wet in a com- petition that is relatively safe. I have several kids in my class that are training for this. For my own competition stuff, I was happy to hear back from a reality show about a possible obstacle course show opportunity. Made me go back on a lit- tle bit of a diet and amp up my training a tad. I know better than to assume I will get the spot, but it's fun to dream. As for religious goals, I am honored to be do- ing another sermon next month. I've been hard at work trying to get just the right message together and spending lots of hours in my bible. Funny thing is, it's the only study I've ever done that was fulfilling in- stead of boring. Until next time, my friends, God bless. Avery Vilche is the CEO of Psycho Fitness & MMA, Inc., a non-profit organization that focuses on fitness and self defense for everyone at any level. You can reach her at 200- 0526 or vilcheavery@ yahoo.com. AVERY VILCHE Local businesses and friends pull together The Internal Revenue Service warns taxpayers against telephone scam- mers targeting students and parents during the back-to-school season and demanding payments for non-existent taxes, such as the "Federal Student Tax." People should be on the lookout for IRS imperson- ators calling students and demanding that they wire money immediately to pay a fake "federal student tax." If the person does not comply, the scammer becomes aggressive and threatens to report the student to the police to be arrested. As schools around the nation prepare to re-open, it is important for tax- payers to be particularly aware of this scheme go- ing after students and parents. "A lthough var ia- tions of the IRS imper- sonation scam continue year-round, they tend to peak when scammers find prime opportunities to strike", said IRS Com- missioner John Koskinen. "As students and parents enter the new school year, they should remain alert to bogus calls, including those demanding fake tax payments from students." The IRS encourages col- lege and school communi- ties to share this informa- tion so that students, par- ents and their families are aware of these scams. Scammers are con- stantly identifying new tactics to carry out their crimes in new and unsus- pecting ways. This year, the IRS has seen scam- mers use a variety of schemes to fool taxpayers into paying money or giv- ing up personal informa- tion. Some of these include altering the caller ID on incoming phone calls in a "spoofing" attempt to make it seem like the IRS, the local police or another agency is calling, imitat- ing software providers to trick tax professionals, demanding fake tax pay- ments using iTunes gift cards, soliciting W-2 in- formation from payroll and human resources pro- fessionals, "verifying" tax return information over the phone and pretending to be from the tax prepa- ration industry. If you receive an unex- pected call from some- one claiming to be from the IRS, here are some of the telltale signs to help protect yourself. The IRS will never call to demand immediate payment using a specific payment method such as a prepaid debit card, gift card or wire trans- fer; threaten to immedi- ately bring in local police or other law-enforcement groups to have you ar- rested for not paying; de- mand that you pay taxes without giving you the op- portunity to question or appeal the amount they say you owe or ask for credit or debit card num- bers over the phone. If you get a suspicious phone call from someone claiming to be from the IRS and asking for money, do not give out any infor- mation. Hang up imme- diately. Search the web for tele- phone numbers scammers leave in your voice mail asking you to call back. Some of the phone num- bers may be published on- line and linked to crimi- nal activity. Contact TIGTA to report the call. Use their "IRS Im- personation Scam Report- ing" web page or call 800- 366-4484. Report it to the Fed- eral Trade Commission. Use the "FTC Complaint Assistant" on FTC.gov. Please add "IRS Tele- phone Scam" in the notes. If you think you might owe taxes, call the IRS di- rectly at 800-829-1040. SCAM ALERT IRS warns of back- to-school schemes Students, parents, schools urged to stay alert Avery Vilche CONTRIBUTEDPHOTO Local youth pose with hand wraps donated by Blackout Fightgear. Peltier Valley Road and Peltier Bridge Camp- ground will be closed Wednesday, Aug. 24 through Friday, Aug. 26. The road will be closed between Paige Bar Road across from the Mt. Shasta Mine Loop park- ing lot to the west side of the campground. During this time Bu- reau of Reclamation staff and contractors will be trucking gravel and equip- ment to sites along Clear Creek to inject spawning gravel to improve anadro- mous fish habitat. The temporary road closure is necessary to provide for the safe op- eration of large trucks and heavy equipment in this area. Both the camp- ground and the road will be back open on Saturday, Aug. 27. The Lower Clear Creek Floodplain Rehabilitation is part of a comprehen- sive, multi-phased eco- system project designed to improve habitat con- ditions for anadromous salmonid species, includ- ing Central Valley fall-run Chinook salmon, Central Valley spring-run Chi- nook salmon and Central Valley steelhead. For more information on Whiskeytown National Recreation Area, please visit or call the Visitor Center, open daily 10 a.m to 4 p.m. 246-1225. You can also visit the park website at www.nps.gov/whis. WHISKEYTOWN Temporary closures announced for this week An introduction to the Serpentine Ecosystem by Hugh Safford is scheduled for Sunday, Aug. 28 hosted by the Friends of the Chico State Herbarium. Learn about the geology and ecology of serpentine areas in the northern Sierra Nevada. Workshop par- ticipants will learn about the geologic history of the northern Sierra Nevada, the geologic sources of serpen- tine and the effects that ser- pentinite has on the vegeta- tion that grows on it. Safford, regional ecolo- gist for the Pacific South- west Region of the U.S. For- est Service will lead this workshop. He has led a statewide inventory of ser- pentine plant diversity in California and has a num- ber of permanent plots on the Plumas National Forest. The workshop will meet at Riverbend Park in Oro- ville at 8 a.m. and will travel up the Feather River Can- yon. Registration is $100. Register in advance at www.friendsofthechicos- tateherbarium.com/events- viewcalendar/. CHICO STATE Herbarium to host summer workshop in Oroville Mary Hunt FREECONCERT! 1005 So. Jackson St., Red Bluff • 530-527-5717 FirstChurchofGod -SouthernGospelatit'sverybest!-Wonderfulforentirefamily-Invitefriendsandfamily Cana'sVoice Free Generous Love Offering will be taken at concert Concert Aug. 25 th , 2016 Tuesday Night 6:30 pm Cana's Voice is known for being able to sing EVERY genre within Christian music ranging from Southern Gospel, Inspo, and CCM. No matter what your preference, you will LOVE Cana's Voice. They have quickly become one of the most popular art- ists in Christian music today and consistently on the top of the Billboard sales charts! Jody McBrayer traveled 12 years with the highly acclaimed and multi-award win- ning group, Avalon. TaRanda has also received many prestigious awards, due to her awe-inspiring ability to deliver a song. Her powerful voice and testimony have landed her as a regular featured vocalist on Grammy award winning Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir projects. Doug has garnered 13 Dove Awards as both a soloist and as a member of Ernie Haase and Signature Sound as well as one Grammy nomination. During his time there the group had three videos and one CD to reach Gold status in Billboard sales. SmithFamily Farms LocallyGrownHorse Quality Alfalfa Hay $10 .00 per bale Grass Hay Beardless Wheat also available 945-9276 South of Red Bluff Round Up Saloon Round Up Saloon 610WashingtonSt. Red Bluff Supporting Farmers Market with live music on Wednesdaynites call for dates (530) 527-9901 (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 LaCorona Garden Center 7769Hwy99E,LosMolinos 530-576-3118 General Hydroponics Fox Farm Soil Grow More Fertilizer YaraMila Fertilizer Chicken Feed Garden Plants ARetirementCommunity 750 David Avenue Red Bluff, CA. 96080 (530) 527-9193 www.tehamaestatesretirement.com Tours Provided Daily 607MainStreet,RedBluff 527-0772 Daily Lunch Special Homemade Teriyaki Bowls Philly Steak Sandwiches Check out the new place in Los Molinos Karaoke - Pool Tables 12 Beers onTap • FULLBAR CHECKOURFACEBOOKPAGEFOR MUSIC&EVENTS NuWayShoppingCenter 384-0315 11am-Midnight•Fri&Sat11am-2am Mention this ad for a discount 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 Wednesday, August 24, 2016 » MORE AT FACEBOOK.COM/RBDAILYNEWS AND TWITTER.COM/REDBLUFFNEWS B2