Advantage CCCS Newsletter

While renters do not have the same responsibilities as a homeowner, it is important for renters to understand how their credit histories — and the financial situation of their landlord — can impact a renter’s living situation.

First, as a renter you should know that your credit history could have an effect on your ability to rent a home or apartment. Some landlords, and especially property managers for rental companies, require you to give them permission to perform a credit check before they will agree to rent to you.

You can be turned down by a landlord for a poor credit history. If you are turned down, the same rules apply as apply when you are turned down for other lines of credit under the terms of the Fair Credit Reporting Act. The landlord who performed the check must tell you which credit reporting agency issued the report that contained the negative information. You also have a right to a free credit report from that agency.

You are entitled to a free copy of your credit report once a year, regardless of whether or not you have been turned down for a loan or rental application. (Get a copy of your free credit report through annualcreditreport.com.)

Nolo.com suggests obtaining your free credit report and making copies if you plan to fill out multiple rental applications. This could save you potential fees the landlord or rental agency may charge you to obtain your report.

Just as it is understandable that landlords want to make sure they are renting to responsible tenants, it is also reasonable for a renter to ask for information from the landlord.

In a recent report by MSNBC, real estate attorney Kevin Jursinski recommended renters ask their potential landlords some difficult questions, such as if they are current on their mortgage. If they say “yes,” ask to see their paperwork to prove it.

Another recommendation from Jursinski is to check with your county’s property tax and clerk of courts offices to see if the landlord is actually the owner of the property and if there have been any lawsuits filed against the owner.

Another good step is to check with the homeowner’s or condo association, if applicable, to see if the property owner is up to date on all of their dues.

It may take some time to do the necessary research or be difficult to ask these questions, but a little discomfort before signing a lease is better than facing an eviction because of a foreclosure over which you have no control.

Chances are you have probably spent most of the winter season thinking about your vacation and counting down the months until it is time to pack up and go.

When making vacation plans, a lot of questions get discussed. When should we go? Where can we go and have fun as a family? Most of the time we have one bigger more important question, can we afford a vacation?

First, budget your vacation realistically. Take the time to prepare a budget to see how much money can be spent after your primary expenses are paid for your vacation. When you have your vacation budget determined, stick to this amount. Try to increase your savings before your vacation arrives to avoid charging extra items while away. Help teach your children to save and set money aside for the vacation if they want to buy souvenirs.

Second, look for specials and deals. Check out all the information available for your destination on the internet. You may find coupons or special deals for traveling in the off season or during the middle of the week instead of the weekend. Maybe try a vacation spot which is off-the-beaten-path. You will avoid crowds and save money. Also, the best things in life are free or almost free. Look for activities and tourist spots that are free or less than $5 admission. There are many things to do while you and your family are away that will not cost you a small fortune.

Random House dictionary defines vacation as a period of suspension from work, study or other activity, usually used for rest, recreation or travel. Vacations come in a variety of forms. As long as the vacation is well planned, you can concentrate on enjoying yourself while you are away and not focus on the cost you need to pay later.

Note: This article was written for the Advantage Advisor by Judi Swogger. Judi, and her husband, Joe Pinchot, and their three children all of Brookfield, Ohio,, have found creative ways not only to save money on vacations, but to turn their own backyard into an adventure.

One great way to save money on a road trip is to take along your own snacks and drinks. Fresh fruits are great snacks -- grapes, apples and bananas are good travelers. Dried fruit is another easy snack to take on the road -- raisins, banana chips, apricots, cherries, cranberries, etc. Bottled water is an option, although that can get expensive in itself and certainly adds to the trash that must be disposed of on stops; another option is to invest in thermoses or drink bottles/boxes for each family member and refill them from gallon jugs you bring along -- either water or juices.

Take it one step further and bring along a packed lunch and picnic at a roadside rest, or shop for your lunch items at a store or farmer's market in one of the towns along your route and lunch at a park or town square there. It gives everyone a chance to stretch and relax away from the car for awhile. A good romp often leads to an afternoon nap -- for the kids! -- once you hit the road again.

Consider, too, bringing along the makings for one to two meals a day while on vacation -- breakfasts, snacks and one other meal work great -- and use the money saved for some greater adventure than a fast-food stop. Cereal, snack bars, granola, fresh and dried fruits, raw carrots, nuts, seeds, nut butters, crackers, rice cakes, tortillas, pita pockets, sandwich buns and bread all pack and travel well.

Look for places to stay that offer refrigerators in the room, and you can keep milk, lunch meats, cheeses, and lettuce, too. Just don't forget to pack something to eat all that food with: plates and/or bowls; spoons and knives; cups; and napkins -- a roll of paper towels works great, too. Pack your dinnerware in a plastic storage container -- complete with lid -- along with some dish liquid in a travel shampoo container, and your travel utensils will be reusable, and thus "green."

If long trips are out of the question, why not check out the sights that draw all those tourists to the area you live in? You know, the stuff you never go to because it's, well, so familiar. Look at it all with new eyes; remember all the reasons why you thought it would be a great place to live and raise a family.

Check out the museums, historic places, downtown areas, independently-owned shops, music and art festivals, theater offerings, and more that can be found in your own community and those nearby. Check out your county visitor's bureau and community newspapers for a wealth of information on places to go and things to do.

William Least Heat-Moon devoted a whole book to traveling the "Blue Highways" on the map: the slower speed, lesser traveled roads that take you through the hearts of towns and cities. Grab a local map and check out the "blue highways" in your area (they're the "red" roads on maps, now!), and discover the gems that surround you. There's something to be said for life in the slow lane, and it's a real treat to drive somewhere you've never been and meet some of your fellow travelers on life's highway.

Stop at the farms that have signs touting their "Fresh Eggs" or with vegetable stands outside. Go to the places that offer "pick your own" fruits and vegetables. Check out the offerings of small-time craftsmen who work out of their homes. You'll help support your local economy, glimpse a different way of life, and maybe even make some new friends.

When was the last time you took in the night skies from your own back yard? Sleep out in a tent or in sleeping bags under the stars. Take along a telescope, some star charts and a few of the great books about the night skies that can be found at your library for a memorable family experience.

Check out the life that lives within your little corner of the world: birds, bugs, animals -- all creatures great and small. Watch the little ones in your life and learn a thing or two from them. As "big people," we tend to overlook those things. Buy or check out some books from the library and learn a bit more about the all that breathes and grows around you. Get in touch with the rhythm of the Earth. Get up with the birds and go to sleep listening to the sounds of the nightlife around you. Explore local parks or wooded areas near you. Some great adventure may be just a walk -- or under a rock -- away!

A couple days living as close to the pioneer experience as you can muster. This one takes a bit of planning. A great place to start is by reading the "Little House" books by Laura Ingalls Wilder. Her writings vividly portray life at a time when the possibilities of this country and the individuals who shaped it seemed endless. Then, plan your meals, activities, food supplies and living quarters and spend a few days living a pioneer life. A huge dose of imagination will go a long way in making your weekend memorable: Your "covered wagon" may be a tent in the back yard; your kitchen may be a section of the tent or a back patio or porch; your "prairie chicken" will have to be "hunted" from the refrigerator.

You'll need lots of wood and a place cleared for a fire, which you will need to keep burning -- you'll need to cook all your meals over it and heat water for washing dishes and clothing and selves. Plan some pancakes or corn meal mush for breakfast, "prairie chicken" and "jack rabbit" (beef or pork) and vegetables for suppers. Iron skillets are a great help to this weekend, and an iron dutch oven is great for cooking a pie over coals! Plan some activities true to the period -- chop the wood for your fire, tend a garden, quilt, and even make butter using some a small container of whipping cream you buy at the grocery store, a marble, a Mason or canning jar and a whole lot of shaking. (Take turns and watch the magic unfold.)

Dressing the part is optional, but provides an extra layer to the experience. (For instance, it really is cooling to wear a long-sleeved, light-colored shirt when it's 70+ degrees out!) You can even go so far as to set up a "privy" in your back yard: a sheltered corner, a large, five-gallon bucket and a sheet for privacy will do the trick. (Be warned: this one's not pretty, and go ahead and empty the bucket each night; even a day's worth of use is more than enough to make every family member appreciate that particular modern convenience!)

No phones; no computers; no electronics. Get up with the sun and go to sleep with the birds. Spend time working and talking together. Keep a journal of everyone's thoughts and feelings each night. This adventure will be one they just might ask for again.

A pool and a tent in the backyard can offer a great escape. Just make sure to let your answering machine or service take all your calls and you might want to let everyone know ahead of time that you'll be "going on vacation" that week, to minimize the chances of anyone calling or dropping by.

Shop for all your food supplies the week before, so you won't have to leave the yard, if you don't want to, and make some great tasting foods ahead of time. Lots of fresh salads and fruit, easy-to-grill foods like burgers (be they the meat or veggie variety), made-ahead or bought pizzas (wrapped in foil and placed in the freezer) are a snap to heat on the grill or above the glowing embers of a wood-based fire. An old Boy Scout trick is to double-wrap some raw ground meat, a quartered potato, a peeled and cut-up carrot and spices to taste in some foil for each family member, bury it beneath the coals, give it about 30 minutes or so (experiment to find the right amount of cooking time), retrieve, open and enjoy a wonderful hot meal.

Buy some cookies or the ingredients for "s'mores" for desserts, or even your favorite frozen confection. Try making your own ice cream or frozen yogurt using an ice cream maker -- the hand cranked kind, the electric kind or even a cool ball-shaped ice cream maker that makes the making part of the treat and gets everyone involved!

No matter which "vacation" experience you choose at home, remember to keep it simple -- less work means more fun and makes it feel like a vacation for everyone! Let the laundry and work pile up, just like on a vacation spent away from it all. You've recovered from vacation cleanups before and you'll do it again, only this time, you'll get maximum time spent vacationing -- no long trip to get there and no long trip to get back home!

Research the costs of your possible destination and travel, and then add a bit more to your savings goal. After all, you can never be sure what rising costs will be like next year.

If you don’t think you have enough money left over each month to save, contact Advantage CCS and let a certified counselor help you review your budget and make suggestions to help you find some money to put aside or to pay off existing debt.

Some common errors include mistaken identities, incorrect addresses, misspelled names, lingering activities from divorce or death, and wrong account information.

When the error has to do with a specific account, try contacting the creditor first. For other problems, the best and fastest way to submit a dispute is online. Most of the credit bureaus have their own forms. Experian will only allow you to submit disputes online. You may have to purchase a report from them ($10) in order to get the file number they require.

Another site is http://www.myfico.com. They have a form that will generate letters you can then send to the creditor bureaus, or you can make your own letters. However you send it, be very specific with your information and keep it to the point. Send everything certified mail with a return receipt requested and keep records of your correspondence. If speaking with someone on the phone, you may be required to provide proof of your identity (such as information for a driver’s license or utility bill).

Home improvement projects can take a big bite out of your household budget. Yes, you can stay within budget when remodeling. The key is to plan well and watch details. Here are a few ideas to begin saving big bucks.

· Establish a budget and share it with salespeople and contractors. If the professional can’t work within your budget, he or she should tell you so.

· There are a number of products that mimic the look of other products. Consider vinyl flooring in place of more expensive marble tiles. Prioritize. Establish where you can compromise or cut back.

The Advantage Advisor