VOLUME 13 #4

• Simple Organization Ideas That Won’t Drain Your Wallet • Quick Car Checkups To Help You Save Cash • Inspiring Thoughts • Spare Change • UCAN • Tips To Help You Honor Mother Earth

Simple Organization Ideas That Won’t Drain Your Wallet

In 30 Minutes Or Less ...• Consider revisiting your financial goals. Evaluate your budget and financial goals from month to

month. Begin by focusing on your high priorities and needs first just as you do with your daily appointments. Take notice of any special events or holidays that take place during each month that might extend your budget.

• Try to have a place for everything and put everything in its place. For example, clear your bathroom counter and put everything back where it belongs.

Or, try to hang up stray shirts or clothes that have landed on the bedroom floor during the busy week. If you don’t have a specific place for certain items you could make one by repurposing baskets or containers that can stack neatly on bathroom shelves.

• Reorganize your junk drawer. Consider tossing what you don’t need, and use dividers, a repurposed tackle-box tray or small gift boxes to organize what’s left.

• Avoid late fees. Keep your incoming bills as well as supplies such as pens, postage stamps and envelopes in a location that will be visible to you on a frequent basis. Keep everything you need in one spot so that you can pay your bills quickly, without hassle and on time.

In 1 Hour Or Less ...• Has your financial situation changed since your last budget breakdown? If so it would be wise to redo your

budget and consider your financial goals. Try working with your settlement company more closely and take time each month to evaluate your progress.

• Spring clean your computer or mobile device. Take a few minutes periodically to clean out your photo and video galleries as well as your email or message inbox. Deleting old or unwanted items from your computer or cell phone might help you feel more organized and extend the battery life of your device. You may also want to consider deleting apps you never use.

• Eliminate paper piles. Take a few minutes each day to label empty file folders. When you are finished try to find an hour to fill those folders with paperwork that you need to keep. This could save you time and frustration later on when you need to access an important document or information.

In 1 Day Or Less ...• Display Creatively To Avoid Clutter. There’s no sense in keeping things that evoke

wonderful memories unless you can see them and enjoy them. Try to think of inexpensive, creative ways to display items that make you feel positive. For example, print your favorite digital photos in various sizes and display them in a fun collage. Or, choose your most beloved hard copy photos and display them in inexpensive photo frames.

• Clean out your refrigerator or pantry. You could start by removing all food from your fridge. Then wipe down shelves and bins. You might want to throw out anything exceeding its expiration date. Consider storing bulk food and baking staples in airtight containers to preserve freshness. Try to choose straight sided, easily stackable containers that keep contents visible.

Earth Day is on Tuesday, April 22, 2014. Here are a few suggestions that could help the environment and your wallet.

Reduce

• Reduce Light Usage. Try to turn off the lights when you are leaving a room for an extended period of time.

• Switch to cloth napkins. Using washable cloth napkins could help cut down on landfill trash, about 40 percent of which is paper.

• Conserve water. Try to reduce the amount of water coming out of your faucets. For example, two minutes less in the shower could save five gallons of water as well as the fuel it takes to heat it.

• Food for thought. Cut back on food waste by eating the food you buy. Try to take restaurant leftovers with you. Also, include leftovers on your weekly at-home meal list.

Reuse

• Bargain shop. Buy clothing at thrift or consignment shops.

• Bag it. Reusable, inexpensive sacks are an alternative to plastic bags.

• Reuse the things you already own. If you currently buy items such as disposable razors or paper towels, consider switching to re-usable alternatives. Also, www.Bargaineering.com suggests reusing glass containers or jars as storage for food or other items.

• Compost. By composting your garbage, you could be reducing waste while making fertilizer for your garden.

Recycle

• Recycling paper could reduce the number of trees that are cut down. Recycling aluminum and other metals could cut back on how much is mined and extracted from the earth. Just a small effort could reduce the amount of waste getting thrown into our landfills.

• Recycle items you no longer want or need. Find another home for something you are getting rid of by donating it or by listing it for sale or trade on the internet or in the Classified section of the newspaper.

Find yourself needing a mood makeover? Try these tips to beat the blahs and lighten your life.

Start The Day Off Right. Try to stop ‘bad day’ moods as quickly as they begin. Focus on something positive. Did you experience a funny or unforgettable moment with a friend recently? Did your pet do something funny to make you laugh today? If you spend less time dwelling on disappointment you will have more time to let happiness into your life.

Bask In The Sunshine. Not getting enough sunlight may lead to vitamin D deficiencies according to Eco-Mothering.com. Take time each sunny day to do something outdoors. Take a walk or a short day trip. Or, just sit outside and appreciate your blessings. Seeing the light can help your health and put you in a better mindset!

Create Healthy Habits. When your stress levels elevate try reverting to positive habits. For example, if you feel sluggish consider finding a form of exercise that makes you feel good and a workout routine that you can stick to. When you feel negative get in touch with an optimistic friend who helps change your outlook. Developing and reinforcing healthy routines can help you reap the benefits when times get difficult.

Also, consider unplugging yourself from

technology for just a small amount of time each day. Technology has the potential to enhance our lives in many ways, but the constant texts, calls and other distractions can keep you from enjoying the moment.

Feel The Beat. Are you a music lover? Try starting the day by listening to a song that makes you feel happy or brings back positive memories. According to Good Housekeeping, a recent study found that people perked up when they focused on something positive while listening to lively music. If you have an MP3 player, try creating special song lists that make you happy. If you have a computer try Stereomood.com, a

free streaming service that can give you access to playlists designed to evoke specific emotions.

Create Color And Peace. Surround yourself with brightness and cheerful décor. Decorations in greens, yellows or anything that makes you feel lighter and fresher can help improve your mood.

Inexpensive ideas to add a little color include filling a bowl or glass container with fresh lemons and limes or purchasing bright contact paper and lining the backs and bottoms of kitchen or book shelves.

If you like the beach you may want to think about filling glass containers with sand and seashells. Have a tired, old piece of furniture that is necessary but needs a pick-me-up? Try painting it in your favorite bright color.

Nurture Yourself. Foster inner optimism by writing about your favorite memory or experience. Post the note on a kitchen chalkboard or bulletin board or put it somewhere that you will see it frequently. Replaying happy memories in your head may help you counteract negative thoughts.

Do Good For Others. Since you are paying down debt you may not have as much money as you would like to donate to your favorite causes. However, you can still give back. For example, if you are spring cleaning, take your gently used clothing to Salvation Army or another charitable organization for donation.

Inspiring Thoughts

“The mind is not a vessel to be filledBut a fire to be kindled.” - Plutarch

Honor Mother Earth With These Tips

CornerUCAN Services Overview

If you are in a debt settlement program, you are probably not making monthly payments to your creditors. This triggers

the creditors’ debt collection process. While these creditors are usually willing to

work with the debt settlement program, they nonetheless will assign a collector to your account – which could lead to such actions as harassing phone calls.

Generally speaking, most of these collectors work on commission – meaning that they usually are paid if they collect money from you. Thus, all too often, collectors will employ any means, including intrusive and harassing phone calls, to pressure you into paying the account.

You do not need to fall prey to their tactics. UCAN is here to assist you in reducing collector harassment by empowering you with knowledge on debt collection issues. We firmly believe in restoring a balance in the credit world.

Stages Of Debt Collection

As you progress through the debt settlement program, your account(s) go through several stages of collection.

• First Stage – Initially upon becoming delinquent, collections are commenced by the original creditor, either by the bank or the credit

card company itself. When original creditors call you, we strongly encourage you to keep track of the dates, times and telephone numbers from which they call by using the debt collector call logs, because their calls may violate your rights under an applicable state law.

If they do, their illegal conduct could be used to your advantage in the negotiation of debt settlement or monetary settlement on your behalf.

• Second Stage – After some time has passed from the initial delinquency, usually 180 days or more, the account is usually either sold or assigned to a collection agency.

Debt collection agencies are fully subject to federal (FDCPA) and state laws. Debt collectors are also subject to many technical requirements.

If you receive any calls from debt collectors, please: 1) use the call log to keep track of the dates, times and telephone numbers of the calls you receive; 2) save any voicemail messages you receive; and 3) save any suspicious collection notices you receive.

As with original creditors, the debt collectors’ illegal conduct could also potentially be used to

your advantage in negotiations or a monetary settlement on your behalf.

Knowing Your Rights

At UCAN, we base most of our work on the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA). This act, passed in 1977, was designed to protect consumers from unfair and abusive collection practices. The following is a partial list of things collectors are NOT allowed to say or do:

• Make false statements about his or her identity.

• Repeatedly call to harass or annoy you or a third party.

• Threaten to send the sheriff to “lock you up.”

• Misrepresent letters are actually legal forms. • Imply that you have committed a crime.• Threaten to take property without legal

process. • Force you to accept a collect call or a

telegram.• Continue to call your place of employment

after you asked them to stop.Unfortunately, debt collectors violate the

FDCPA every day, but UCAN, and its attorney network, are here to help you. If you feel that you have been the victim of debt collection harassment, contact us right away.

Call UCAN at 1-877-462-8226 or e-mail at info@ucan.net. Our FAX number is 1-877-895-7577.

Normal business hours are Monday Monday thru Thursday 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. EST and Friday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. EST.

Fee-Free Park ServiceEntry Fees

The National Park Service fee-free days for 2014 are: April 19-20 (opening

weekend of National Park Week); August 25 (National Park Service Birthday); September 27 (National Public Lands Day); November 11 (Veterans Day).

Fee waivers include entrance fees, commercial tour fees and transportation entrance fees. Other fees may not be included in the fee-free day offer. Please visit NPS.Gov/findapark/feefreeparks.htm for more information. If you’re planning to visit national parks on more than one occasion this year you might want to consider getting the America The Beautiful - National Parks And Federal Recreational Lands Pass. For the cost of $80 pass carriers receive entrance to all national parks, national wildlife refuges, national forests, and many other Federal lands for one year.

The pass may be free to active duty military members and their dependents as well as those who are disabled. Senior citizens can qualify for $10 lifetime passes. For information go to Store.USGS.Gov and click on ‘Recreation Passes’.

ID Theft Tops FTC Rankings

Of more than 2 million reports filed with the Federal Trade Commission last year, almost 300,000 were related to identity theft.

According to the FTC report, roughly one in five identity theft-related complaints were filed by those between ages 20 and 29, the highest of any age group.

Other top categories of complaints included: • Debt collection – 204,644 complaints (10

percent).• Banks and lenders – 152,707 complaints (7

percent).• Imposter scams – 121,720 complaints (6 percent).• Telephone and mobile services – 116,261 complaints (6 percent).• Prizes, sweepstakes and lotteries – 89,944 complaints (4 percent).• Auto-related complaints – 82,701 complaints (4 percent).• Shop-at-home and catalog sales – 66,024 complaints (3 percent).• Television and electronic media – 53,087 complaints (3 percent).Reported losses totaled $1.6 billion.

Spare Change

The Road to Financial Freedom (RTFF) is published by The Premier Institute for Financial Freedom. Photos courtesy of Shutterstock.com and iStock.com. While articles in the RTFF newsletter are factual and accurate, they are not intended to replace the advice of professional financial, accounting, and/or legal advisers. As with all decisions regarding your finances, the advice, techniques, ideas and suggestions offered herein

should be followed under the supervision of the appropriate competent professional.

CORPORATE OFFICES1061 Main Street • Banco Park, Suite 19 • North Huntingdon, PA 15642

Phone: (800) 256-7273 • FAX: (724) 861-1039

Online Settlement Offers: Have you ever missed calls from us because you weren’t home or couldn’t get away from your desk? Have you ever lost an important e-mail from your settlement company? You can now approve your settlements online! All you need to do is go to www.Centuryni.com and click ‘Client Login’ (or click ‘First Time Users’) to get your CNI ID and password. If there is a settlement awaiting your approval you can review the details and approve it immediately! Your approvals are sent back ‘real-time’ to our representatives, so we can act on your behalf as soon as we hear from you. If you’ve received a call, an e-mail or text message about your program but haven’t had the time to get back to us, approving and managing your offers online is an easy way for you stay uninterrupted while we make your settlement program a success!

Concerned About Your Credit Score? Completing a debt settlement program can be a rewarding experience. However, once you have graduated from your program, you may be concerned about your credit rating. Century Negotiations has partnered with Century Credit Services whose vision is to provide a low cost,

yet highly effective, credit restoration program to clients who have inconsistent or inaccurate information reporting on his or her credit report. CCS staff members would like to speak

with you! CCS offers a free consultation and will help you in reviewing your current credit report. If your report includes any incorrect items, it may be determined that you are a good candidate for credit restoration. CCS has a pay per deletion policy and many clients see

improvements after the first month. Call 877-809-6610 today!

Now Available: Live Chat!

Company Announcements

Springtime is the perfect opportunity to nurture your car after the long winter. A quick and simple checkup can help

you prepare your car for the upcoming summer travel season. If you do not feel comfortable doing the check yourself it may be wise to have a technician do so for you.

Examine Tires. According to The Rubber Manufacturers Association more than half of drivers are unaware of where to find the correct inflation pressure for their vehicle. You can find

this information on a label on your vehicle’s driver-side door jamb or in your owner’s manual. Examining tires for uneven or excessive wear can maximize your gas mileage and extend the life of your tires. Don’t forget to check your spare, too.

Check Your Brakes. Try to pay close attention to your brakes while you are driving. Are you stepping on the brake pedal harder than normal? Do you hear anything different when you press on your brake pedal? If so, your brake discs may be grinding against each other or wearing down to unsafe levels and it may be time to replace the pads.

Check Oil and Other Fluids. Inspect your antifreeze/coolant level and condition and make sure that the proper 50/50 mixture of water and coolant is at an appropriate level. Also check your motor oil level. Refer to your owner’s manual for specific suggestions on when to change your particular vehicle’s oil and for other recommendations. Don’t forget to check if your brake fluid and windshield washer fluids are at safe levels.

Battery, Belts and Hoses. With the engine off be sure to inspect for any damage or wear on the belts and hoses. Also, consider a battery test and replace it if it is weak or old.

In Case Of Emergency. Even the most

maintained vehicle can break down. Make sure you have an emergency kit ready for any setbacks. You may include a flashlight with extra batteries, flares or jumper cables. It would also be a good idea to carry a first-aid kit.

Drive Safely. Avoiding traffic tickets and keeping insurance claims low can save you money and extend the life of your vehicle. Remember to park safely in well-lit areas, lock your car and avoid parking too close to other vehicles. Parking in a dangerous area could endanger your safety and put you at an increased risk to theft and vandalism.

Lower Your Mileage. Try to cut back on driving to keep your mileage low to save money on your insurance premiums and reduce wear and tear on your vehicle. Try to bundle your errands into fewer trips, plan your route, carpool or use public transportation whenever possible.

Save CaSh With theSeQuiCk Car CheCkupS