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Youneedmoremoney, and you need it now. What are you choices? You have two: You can increase your income, or you can reduce your spending. There are several ways to increase your income: Increaseincome Get a bigger paycheck. Ask for a raise; land a new job that pays a lot more; or get a second (or third) job to supplement your income. Win the lottery. Keep in mind when consider- ing this option that your chances of being struck by lightning are much higher than your chances of winning the lottery. Sell your assets. Find a cash buyer for your grandmother's sterling silver, your boat or some other asset. All of these are ways for you to increase your income and improve your financial picture. But let's get real: If you could do any of these things, you would have done so al- ready, and we wouldn't be having this conversation. While increasing your income is a way to change your financial picture in theory, it is not always easy or effec- tive. More income means higher taxes and in- creased work-related ex- penses. And it does noth- ing to address old habits of overspending and in- curring too much debt. Your second option to change your financial sit- uation is to reduce spend- ing. Reduce spending Unless you are living below the poverty line, I am confident you can re- duce your expenditures without compromising your standard of living. Target every area. The secret is to look at every area of spending and re- duce it a little bit. It all adds up! Instantaneous. When you reduce your ex- penses, the effect is in- stantaneous. The money you don't spend remains in your pocket. It's your money, and it has already been taxed. Every ex- pense you have is a candi- date for some type of sys- tematic reduction. Less stress. Reduc- ing your expenses forces you to focus on what re- ally matters. You begin to notice unneeded bag- gage, and you're more willing to acknowledge what brings you joy, what needs to go and how to create the life you love. More contentment. Throwing conspicuous consumption into re- verse has a calming ef- fect on both adults and kids. Overindulging com- plicates life and causes much stress. The key to achiev- ing financial freedom is to spend less than you earn. It takes desire and commitment to live be- low your means without giving up your style and your quality of life. Don't worry that you're going to lose your dignity. In fact, no one needs to know about your new re- solve to find ways to dras- tically cut your expenses. You don't have to print "I'm Cheap!" on your fore- head. A better option is to engrave this motto in your mind: Wherever I am, whatever I do, there is a way to do it for less. 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 have more money NEVERGIVEUP UNTIL THEY BUCKLE UP. VISIT SAFERCAR.GOV/ KIDSBUCKLEUP VISIT SAFERCAR.GOV/ KIDSBUCKLEUP By Justin McCuin Social Security manager in Redding At first, seeing taxes taken out of your paycheck can be a little disappointing. However, you can take pride in knowing you're making an important impact each week when you contribute to Social Security. Under- standing how important your contribution is takes some of the sting away be- cause your taxes are help- ing millions of Americans — and protecting you and your family for life — as well as wounded warriors, the chronically ill, and disabled. By law, employers must withhold Social Security taxes from a worker's pay- check. While usually re- ferred to as "Social Secu- rity taxes" on an employee's pay statement, sometimes the deduction is labeled as "FICA" which stands for Federal Insurance Contri- butions Act, a reference to the original Social Security Act. In some cases, you will see "OASDI" which stands for Old Age Survivors Dis- ability Insurance. The taxes you pay now translate to a lifetime of pro- tection — for retirement in old age or in the event of dis- ability. And when you die, your family (or future fam- ily) may be able to receive survivors benefits based on your work as well. Because you may be a long way from retirement, you might have a tough time seeing the value of ben- efit payments that could be many decades in the future. But keep in mind that the Social Security taxes you're paying can provide valuable disability or survivors ben- efits now in the event the unexpected happens. Stud- ies show that of today's 20-year-olds, about one in four will become disabled, and about one in eight will die, before reaching retire- ment. Bewarned:ifanemployer offers to pay you "under the table," you should refuse. It's against the law. They may try to sell it as a benefit to you since you get a few ex- tra dollars in your pay. But you're really only allowing the employer to cheat you out of your Social Security credits. If you'd like to learn a lit- tle more about Social Secu- rity and exactly what you're building up for yourself by paying Social Security taxes, take a look at our on- line booklet, How You Earn Credits, at www.socialsecu- rity.gov/pubs/10072.html. If you have a friend who lost a parent when they were a child, they probably got Social Security survivors benefits. Social Security helps by providing income for the families of workers who die. In fact, 98 of every 100 children could get bene- fits if a working parent dies. And Social Security pays more benefits to children than any other federal pro- gram. You can learn more at www.socialsecurity.gov/ survivors. Do you prefer videos to reading? Check out webinar, "Social Security 101: What's in it for me?" The webinar explains what you need to know about Social Security. You can find it at www.so- cialsecurity.gov/multime- dia/webinars/social_secu- rity_101.html as well as on YouTube at www.youtube. com/watch?v=5hkLaBiavqQ You can also learn more at www.socialsecurity.gov. SOCIAL SECURITY Your contributions make our country stronger It's a standing tradition in the Keffer household that they always know where they'll be the third full week- end in April. For the past 20 years, Ja- mie and Tiffany Keffer, and morerecentlytheirsonsAus- tin, Colton and Wyatt, have been at the Tehama District Fairground for the Red Bluff Round-Up. It all started in 1997 when Jamie, a certified athletic trainer, began volunteering his time and expertise with theRound-Up.Aftergraduat- ing from Arizona State Uni- versity in 1996, he returned to Red Bluff, where he had grown up, and started work- ing at a physical therapy clinic and covering high school sports. Since then, he's worked in the Justin Sports Medi- cine Trailer, taping up cow- boys and cowgirls, doing preventative work as well as dealing with injuries. In 20 years, he's missed only once, in1998,whenhewasinFlor- ida working with the Pitts- burgh Pirates. In 2000, he switched jobs, landing with the California Highway Patrol. But his ro- deoworkdidn'tend;hekeeps up his athletic training certi- fication,sothathecouldcon- tinue to work rodeos. Keffer used to work about eight rodeos a year in Red Bluff, Redding, Livermore, Santa Maria, and Clovis in California, and Reno, Ne- vada; St. Paul, Oregon and the California Circuit Finals Rodeo. But when he and Tiffany's three sons came along, now 15, 12 and 9, he cut his schedule down to ac- commodate their activities. This year, he'll only work the Round-Up, Redding and Reno. All of Keffer's work is vol- unteer; he is not paid for travel expenses or his time in the trailer. But he said he loves it. Keffer's roommate aftercollegewasasteerwres- tler, and one of his first pa- tients in Red Bluff was bull- fighter Joe Baumgartner. "Being around the people at a rodeo, they are the most honest and straightforward, thenicestpeopleyou'llmeet," Keffer said. As a certified trainer, Kef- ferwouldgetfrustratedwith patients who wouldn't do what they were asked to do, to improve their health. Not so with cowboys. "Iftherearecertainthings they need to do to get better, cowboys listen and do ex- actly what you want," Keffer said. "If they're not compet- ing,they'renotgettingpaid." Keffer's sons have rarely missed a performance of the Round-Up, and they love it, hesaid.Everybodyknowsthe Keffer boys and teases them. "The stock contractors, the cowboys know them, so they'll mess with them," Kef- fer said. "It's a great environ- ment to be around." Keffer takes vacation time to work the Round-Up. Un- likeotherprofessionalsports, the athletes pay an entry fee to compete and if they don't win,theydon'tgetpaid.That kindofdedicationappealsto Keffer. "Thedriveanddetermina- tionofthecowboys,andhow hard they work," is what Kef- fer likes, he said. "I enjoy be- ing around people who put out their best." The Red Bluff Round-Up is April 21-23 at the Tehama District Fairground. Tickets are available online at www. RedBluffRoundup.com, at the gate and through the Round-Up office at 527-1000. ROUND-UP A helping hand for rodeo athletes CONTRIBUTEDPHOTOBYTIFFANYKEFFER Red Bluff's Jamie Keffer poses with his sons in front of the Justin Sports Medicine Trailer at the Red Bluff Round-Up. Call for tickets 530-529-3733 1921 ~ 2017 96 TH (530)527-1000 visit us at: www.redbluffroundup.com Likeusonfacebook FRIDAY FAMILY 4 PACK $50 Plus$1.00 processing fee each ticket TICKETS ON SALE NOW! April 21, 22, 23, 2017 Greatest Show On Dirt LIFESTYLES » redbluffdailynews.com Friday, March 31, 2017 » MORE AT FACEBOOK.COM/RBDAILYNEWS AND TWITTER.COM/REDBLUFFNEWS A5