Author: Jena Bailey

7 Ways to Maintain a Good Credit Score

There are many benefits of having a good credit score, like enjoying a lower interest rate on your credit cards and loans. A good credit score also allows you to save money on insurance and security deposits on new utilities and cell phone service. It’s all about how you use credit that lets you to keep a good score.

credit-score-tree1. Know what goes into a good credit score. The more you know about what goes into your credit score, the easier it will be to maintain a good one. Five key pieces of information are used to calculate your credit score – your payment history, level of debt, credit age, mix of credit and recent credit. Not everything financial affects your credit score. For example, checking account overdrafts and utility payments won’t automatically help or hurt your credit score.

2. Pay your bills on time. That goes for all your bills, not just your credit cards and loans. While certain bills don’t get reported to the credit bureaus when you pay on time, they could end up on your credit report if you fall behind. Even a small library fine could wind up on your credit report.

3. Keep your credit card balances low. The higher your credit card balance is, the worse your credit score will be. Your credit card balance should be within 30% of your credit limit to maintain a good credit score. Card issuers typically report the balance when your statement closes and if that’s a high balance, your credit score will be affected.

4. Manage your debt. Credit card balances aren’t the only accounts that influence your credit score. Loan balances and lines of credit also impact your level of debt (30% of your credit score). Having too much debt can cost credit score points and make it difficult to afford your monthly payments. The lower your debt, the easier it will be to maintain a good credit score.

5. Don’t close old credit cards. When you close a credit card, your credit card issuer no longer sends updates to the credit bureaus and the credit scoring formula places less weight on inactive accounts. After 10 years or so, the credit bureau will remove that closed account’s history from your credit report. If the account was an old one, losing that credit history will shorten your average credit age and cause your credit score to drop.

6. Limit your applications for new credit. Each time you apply for credit – whether a credit card or loan – your credit score takes a small hit. Credit inquiries are only 10% of your credit score, but if you have a high credit score (say 800), you stand to lose a lot of points. Opening a new credit account also lowers your average credit age (15% of your credit score). To maintain a good credit score, you should open new credit sparingly.

7. Watch your credit report. Just because you do everything right with your credit doesn’t mean everyone else will. Errors could end up on your credit report leading to a drop in your credit score. Identity theft and credit card fraud can also lead to inaccurate information on your credit report. Checking your credit report throughout the year lets you detect these mistakes sooner so you can correct them and maintain a good credit score.

 

To-Do Lists Are Keys to Efficiencyto-do-list

If you find yourself forgetting to do something important, being nagged to get something done or simply overwhelmed by the tasks you are facing, learn to keep a “To-Do List.”

To-Do Lists are prioritized lists of the tasks that you need to do. They list everything you need to accomplish, with the most important tasks at the top of the list, and the least important tasks at the bottom.

Keeping a To-Do List ensures that your tasks are written down in one place so you don’t forget anything important. By prioritizing tasks, you can tell what needs your immediate attention, and what can be left for later.

Used effectively, To-Do Lists will keep you better organized and more reliable. Using To-Do Lists also will cut your stress levels and allow you to focus on high value activities, making you more productive.

 

You may find it helpful to get in the habit of spending a few minutes at the start or end of the day to organize your tasks for the upcoming day.

And while you’re organizing your activities, think about organizing your household. Make it a priority to figure out what’s in the way, little used or taking up space that could be better utilized. You can pack up all those things and take them to the nearest Dino’s Storage where they can be safely housed until you need them sometime in the future.

The Family Dinner Table Adds Value

In the hurried pace of life in the 21st Century, we often fail to sit down together for family meals. That failure negatively affects the health and well-being of our families.

With music lessons, sports practice, play rehearsal and work schedules, it’s easy to skip family meals. But research shows that eating as a family has great benefits for your children and teen-agers.

Here are some of the reasons why you should try to sit down together at least five or six times a week, whether for breakfast, lunch or dinner.

Conversations during the meal provide opportunities for the family to bond, plan, connect and learn from one another. It’s a chance to share information and news of the day. Family meals foster warmth, security and love, as well as feelings of belonging.

Family mealtime offers an opportunity to display appropriate table manners, meal etiquette and social skills. Keep the mood light, relaxed and loving.

Family meals offer the chance to encourage children to try new foods. It’s easy to introduce a new food along with some of the stand-by favorites. Trying a new food is like starting a new hobby. It expands your child’s knowledge, experience and skill.

Meals prepared and eaten at home usually are more nutritious and healthy. They contain more fruits, vegetables and dairy products along with additional nutrients such as fiber, calcium and vitamins. Home cooked meals are usually not highly salted, plus soda and sweetened beverage consumption is usually lower at the dinner table.

Children today are missing out on the importance of knowing how to plan and prepare meals. Basic cooking, baking and food preparation are necessities for being self-sufficient. Involve your family in menu planning, grocery shopping and food preparation.

Research shows that eating together at least five times a week is associated with lower rates of smoking, drinking and illegal drug use in pre-teens and teen-agers when compared to families that eat together two or fewer times per week.

Children do better in school when they eat more meals with their parents and family. Teen-agers who eat dinner four or more times per week with their families have higher academic performance compared with teen-agers who eat with their families two or fewer times per week.

Meals purchased away from home cost two to four times more than meals prepared at home.

Sharing meals together gives everyone a sense of identity. It can help ease day-to-day conflicts, as well as establish traditions and memories that can last a lifetime.

Make time to eat together – your whole family will benefit.

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45th Annual Folklorama Set for Aug. 3-16, 2014

FolkloramaLooking for a terrific family vacation? One that won’t break the bank, but will offer fun for the whole family?

It’s coming up August 3 through 16 when Folklorama opens its multi-cultural pavillions across Winnepeg, Manitoba, for the 45th year.

Last year, 20,000 volunteers came together to help the multi-cultural festival draw more than 400,000 visitors to its 46 pavillions where they enjoyed world-class cultural entertainment, delicious ethnic dishes, fascinating cultural displays and all-around warm hospitality.

Performing groups from around the globe, including Brazil, Colombia, Cuba, Hungary, Jamaica, Mexico, Spain, Trinidad and Tobago and Ukraine – in addition to artists from California, Louisiana, Nevada and Ontario – joined Folklorama’s talented local performers in showcasing their unique cultures.

Tour groups from across Canada and the United States, as well as from a wide variety of other nations descend on Winnepeg each year to take part in the events. August is a comfortable time to visit Winnepeg with average daily high temperatures in August ranging from 74 to 80 degrees, while lows range from 56 to 62 degrees.

Dino’s Storage is proud to operate a self-storage facility in Winnepeg and to be a part of such a vibrant, friendly community.

You can learn more about Folklorama at www.folklorama.ca.

Dino’s Storage Message Boards are Making a Difference!

Dave Paladino received an email from a Canadian resident praising our message board passage. We want to inspire and bring God’s word to those that may need that uplifting or reminder that God is always there to listen.

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Here is what the email stated:

I just want to tell you I went to get coffee at Tim’s this am and seen your sign about Jesus, I was recently down in the states and we see signs like that everywhere and was just praying that more people in Canada and Winnipeg would be more bold to do things like this.

And you have answered a prayer of mine. So thank you and God bless you!

This makes us feel great that our boards are making a difference in lives!

HAPPY VALENTINE’S DAY TO ALL!!

Some celebrate Valentine’s Day the traditional way with flowers, chocolates, and dinner dates. And some chose to celebrate a like non-traditionally.  If you are a non-traditional person, here’s some ideas you might like!! WEIRD THING TO DO ON VALENTINE’S DAY:

Great San Francisco Pillow Fight
Walloping your sweetie with a pillow to mark Valentine’s Day isn’t the most obvious wooing technique. Then again, you’re guaranteed to get his or her attention. The Great San Francisco Pillow Fight is a favorite event for folks looking to vanquish Valentine’s Day angst – or maybe for lonely hearts looking to meet someone who shares their affinity for feathers. This year’s event happens on Friday, Feb. 14.
Cupid’s Undie Run
Need some motivation to finish a race in record time? How about this: You can’t put your clothes back on until you cross that finish line — and it’s February. Thousands of people will strip down to their undies and race around major U.S. cities this year for Cupid’s Undie Run. The races have expanded across the country in recent years, with 30 cities hosting Undie Runs for Valentine’s Day in 2014. Most races are scheduled for Saturday, Feb. 15.
Naked scavenger hunts

Yes, you can keep your clothes on for this one – it’s the art that will be naked. Museums in Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, New York, Philadelphia and Washington, D.C., will play host to naked scavenger hunts Feb. 14 and 15, courtesy of Watson Adventures. As part of the hunt, museum patrons will have to locate art that’s … well, you know. Atlanta cemetery tour

If it’s possible to make a graveyard romantic, the Oakland Cemetery in Atlanta is determined to make it happen. The graveyard is home to many famous Americans, including “Gone with the Wind” author Margaret Mitchell and golf legend Bobby Jones. Through Saturday, Feb. 15, the cemetery is offering a “love stories” tour that will explore “cemetery symbols of love and devotion and reveals poignant epitaphs that speak to enduring love.” Literary speed dating

Bookworms in New York had a chance to meet like-minded suitors at an event titled “I Like Your Glasses: Literary Speed Dating with CoverSpy” on Wednesday, Feb. 12, at the Housing Works Bookstore Cafe. Each person was expected to go on 10 six-minute “dates,” matched by book preferences and age. StopLight 5K

The dating world can get murky – just who’s single and who’s taken, anyway? It’d be nice if someone would color-code everyone … like at the StopLight 5K race in Provo, Utah, on Saturday, Feb. 15. Runners will wear red, green or yellow depending on if they’re taken, single or “it’s complicated.”   Shred Your Ex

Say goodbye to old relationships at one of the many “shred your ex” events happening the week of Valentine’s Day. It’s exactly what it sounds like: Bring photos of your ex for a cathartic and freeing shredding experience. Valentine Plunge

Nothing says “I love you” like a mad dash into the icy waters of the Atlantic. The Valentine Plunge is an annual tradition in Manasquan, N.J., with crowds racing into the frigid waters to raise money for charity. If you were hoping to prove your love to your valentine by joining in this crazy stunt, you’ll have to wait, because the 2014 plunge happened Feb. 7. Organizers are already planning for next year; you can start shivering in anticipation now. HAPPY VALENTINE’S DAY FROM DINO’S STORAGE!!!!!

Caring for the Elderly

After the last 10 days caring for my elderly father, I realized that I never thought this would happen. Growing up my father was a strong person who could care for himself. He was there when we needed help at the farm, mowing the fields, fixing fences, rebuilding a stall and even fixing the tractor. He could do it all. To see what has happened to him the last 10 days is very difficult. He cannot walk on his own without help. We have to help him get in and out of bed. Help him get to the restroom. Help him get dressed. We have to make sure he takes his medication or he will take too much. Last week he took to many pills and he fell numerous times. His mind is not the best anymore. You have to keep telling him, “Don’t try to get up on your own.” but he wants to be independent. The last fall he hurt his leg and ankle. So now that has become a problem.  I never thought this would happen and it is a huge wake up. He always took care of us and now we take care of him. We will see what the next few weeks bring and hope for things to improve. He loves his home and wants to stay there, so we need to do our best. The reason I am telling you this is to appreciate your parents and don’t take them for granted. Help them like they helped you all your life. And remember it is not a burden, it is a privilege and the right thing to do.

Better Days Ahead with Dino’s Storage

The days are getting longer again, and we are down to just weeks of winter, and as bad as winter always is, we have been very fortunate to live where we do, as opposed to the east coast, or maybe North Dakota!

Spring always seems to be the time when people get motivated, do their spring cleaning, and all swoop down on the storage business. I would rather spend some boring winter weekends boxing things up, making a plan, and get all my spring stuff done NOW, so that when the weather changes, I won’t be overwhelmed with all of the projects that I have procrastinated on. Our lots at Dino’s are always plowed, and our moving trucks stay on the road.

We all got to enjoy a VERY exciting Super Bowl this year, and now, I for one look forward to enjoying a good SAFE Winter Olympics……….all of our prayers should go out to all in Sochi. I sure wish we had a Dino’s location there, I would sure be volunteering for duty.