Credit cards are a useful and (dare we say it) fun way to manage money while also building good credit. As a bonus, many credit cards also come with added perks, like cash back on entertainment spending or low interest rates for certain windows of time.

However, poorly-managed credit cards can become a financial nightmare. Rats make a useful comparison–in an ideal environment, two rats can breed and become 482 million rats in just three years. If left unattended, your credit card debt of a few hundred dollars can become thousands if not paid off responsibly.

If you’re a first-time cardholder, don’t let your rats breed. Here are five essential mistakes to avoid when managing a credit card, so that your savings, and not your debts, multiply:

1. Spending More than You Could With Your Paycheck

Young people are especially prone to overspending with credit cards, but anyone new to their credit card could fall into this trap. Rather than using the credit card to make reasonable purchases, many mistakenly use their card to buy more than they normally would. Whether you’re splurging on healthy groceries or splurging on video games matters little– you’re still living above your means, and racking up debt that’s out of your pay range.

To avoid this problem, try treating your credit card as a debit card for six months. Instead of paying at the end of the month, pay the bill online each time you use the card until you’ve grown accustomed to managing your spending.

2. Missing Payments

Everyone’s busy, and it can be easy to forget a payment. Unfortunately, late or missed payments have repercussions, including late fees. Missing repeatedly might even result in you being called by one of the nations’ 8,513 debt collection agencies, which can be embarrassing and downright frightening if you’ve never handled debt before.

To avoid forgetting or missing payments, Credit Karma recommends setting up payment reminders through your phone’s alarm system. Set repeating reminders for a few days before your bill is due, so that you have wiggle room for reviewing charges and transferring money before making your payment on time.

3. Focusing on Perks, and Forgetting Interest or Credit Utilization

We all love a good deal, but sometimes it can be hard to recognize one when we see it. Many credit cards tempt individuals to spend unnecessarily by offering misleading benefits. As creditcards.com points out, a card with too high an interest rate might be costing you more than cash rewards can compensate.

Instead of focusing on cash-back bonuses, use your first credit card to learn about the concepts of interest, personal credit, and credit utilization. Remember to follow FICO’s advice of keeping your credit utilization ratio below 30% of your original limit to build your credit score, and not your credit debt.

Managing a credit card is a huge step towards financial independence and smart fiscal management. However, credit cards are fickle friends, and credit companies love to profit off the misinformed. If you’re thinking about opening your first credit card, be sure to avoid these three critical mistakes. Rather than a rat-like pile of growing debt, you’ll instead reap the rewards of a well-managed credit card.

Any type or amount of physical activity reduces the health risks associated with sitting, new research shows. According to a new study of 8,000 middle-aged and older adults, substituting 30 minutes of sitting with physical activity of any kind can reduce the risk of early death by 35%.

The study, published in the American Journal of Epidemiology, found that movement is important for better health regardless of the intensity or amount of time spent moving.

“Our findings underscore an important public health message that physical activity of any intensity provides health benefits,” said the lead author of the study Dr. Keith Diaz. Diaz is the assistant professor of behavioral medicine at Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons.

“If you have a job or lifestyle that involves a lot of sitting, you can lower your risk of early death by moving more often, for as long as you want and as your ability allows,” said Diaz, “whether that means taking an hour-long high-intensity spin class or choosing lower-intensity activities, like walking.”

Less than one-third of children get 25 minutes of physical activity three times a week, and one in four adults spends over eight hours a day sitting. Adults who sit for an hour or more at a time without interruption are at greater risk of early death compared to those who got up and moved during that same amount of time.

Adults who sat for less than 30 minutes at a time or less had the lowest risk of early death. This suggests that taking movement breaks every 30 minutes can lower your risk of chronic health conditions and early death.

Diaz’s study included 7,999 participants age 45 and older. The participants took part in a nationwide analysis of racial and regional disparities in strokes between 2009 and 2013.

Participants wore activity monitors for four days. During that time, their physical activity and the intensity of those activities were recorded. Diaz and researchers then analyzed the death rate of the participants after four years in 2017.

Researchers found that when adults replaced 30 minutes of sitting with low-intensity physical activity they reduced their risk of dying by 17%. Moderate physical activity could reduce their risk by 35%. Even short bursts of activity (one to two minutes) showed health benefits.

Although researchers found that increased physical activity could reduce the risk of dying from any cause, Diaz and his team didn’t look into specific health-related outcomes.

“In our next study, we plan to look at the risk of specific cardiovascular outcomes, such as heart attack, heart failure, and cardiovascular-related deaths, associated with physical activity versus sedentary behavior,” said Diaz.

Previous studies on specific health-related issues show that inactivity can be a major risk factor. For instance, the average woman in the U.S. has a one-in-eight lifetime risk of being diagnosed with breast cancer. That risk increases when a woman is physically inactive.

Fortunately, a new breath test for cancer screening is currently undergoing clinical trials. The test involves measuring a patient’s breath for volatile organic compound (VOC) emissions. VOCs are typically found in gasoline, wood, coal, and paint (but not in powder coatings).

VOCs can also be found in human breath, but they change when a person has cancer. The new breath test aims to identify these changes to diagnose cancer. But it’s still vital to reduce your risk of cancer and other chronic health conditions by staying physically active and eating well.

It’s also essential to get enough sleep. Sleep deprivation can be just as damaging as little physical activity. On average, school-aged children only receive 9.5 hours of sleep and adults only receive 6.8 hours.

Sleep deprivation can increase your risk for chronic health conditions such as cardiovascular problems, heart disease, diabetes, and stroke.

That said, to reduce your risk of early death, experts recommend moving more frequently, getting the recommended amount of sleep, and eating a healthier diet.

“Getting up and exercising 10 minutes a day will help you mentally,” said Jimmy McCurry, owner of Progressive Performance gym. “Will it help your muscle mass grow or density? We need a longer duration for that.”

Although Illinois isn’t known for dealing with hurricanes and major storms, they can certainly still happen. To date, there have been at least six major storms that have touched down in Illinois, including Texas Tropical Storm (1960), Hurricane Debra (1959), Tropical Storm Debra (1978), Hurricane Lester (1992), Hurricane Sandy (2012), and, most recently, Tropical Storm Alberto (2018).

Tropical Storm Alberto was a costly and deadly pre-season typical cyclone. The Atlantic Hurricane season officially runs from June 1 through November 30 each year, and Alberto developed and struck the Gulf of Mexico in late May. On May 28, Alberto reached its peak intensity, with maximum sustained winds of 65 mph and a minimum pressure of 990 Mbar.

Alberto caused flooding and damage in many parts of the U.S., including Georgia, Tennessee, Virginia, Kentucky, South Carolina, and farther inland, Illinois. As many hurricanes and tropic storms do, Alberto spawned two tornadoes that touched down in both Ohio and Illinois. Additionally, the storm damaged an outbuilding and caused extremely heavy rainfall, setting rain records for the month of May in several Illinois cities, including Chicago.

Florida, on the other hand, experiences much more frequent storm-related damages. The average cost of a home water damage insurance claim is approximately $6,965, but can be much more costly after a major storm. Homeowners are already likely to repair roofs and other aspects of their property following weather damage, as 65% of property owners said it was their main motivation in a consumer survey. According to NBC -2, Florida fire departments are pushing for ordinances that would require homeowners to reevaluate their windows, doors, and shutters following both hurricane season and immediately after a storm strikes. Illinois residents could benefit from replacing and updating their windows, doors, and shutters after major storms, as well.

Greater Naples Fire Chief Kingman Schuldt is pushing for regulations that would require Florida homeowners to take down their storm shutters 30 days after a hurricane and an additional 30 days after hurricane season ends.

Section 2-1-44 of the ordinance reads:

“No person shall allow unpermitted storm shutters to remain on a residential or commercial structure longer than 30 days after the end of hurricane season, which is November 30 of any given year. Shutters which are exempted from this requirement will include permitted storm shutters and plywood window and door coverings secured in a manner which meets International Property Maintenance Code standards located in Appendix A: Boarding Standard or Florida Building Code.”

Additionally, if a structure is located within one mile of the coast where the wind speed is 110 mph or greater, the Florida Building Code requires windows to be impact-resistant.

In other areas that don’t regularly experience wind speeds in the triple digits, in order to protect their homes and windows, many property owners often secure their window openings with wooden boards and plywood. However, in some areas of the country, there are specific ordinances against the boarding up of windows. The new Florida regulations (section 6-115) would allow homeowners to board their window openings for hurricane protection, as long as they are removed within 30 days after the hurricane passes.

Whether you’re living in Illinois, Florida, or simply visiting a part of the country that could experience severe weather, make sure you’re aware of the importance of window safety.

It might seem shocking at first, but a surprising number of British Columbians hope to rid the province of clothing donation bins. Luckily, it isn’t the act of giving that’s spurred this decision; it’s the safety of the bins themselves.

Nearly 70% of the province’s populace thinks that clothing donation bins should be banned following the bin-related deaths of two people within the last month.

The Delta school district is among the first to enact the ban citing that the bins pose “a significant risk to health and safety,” according to the North Delta Reporter.

Now, property managers have until Jan. 29 to remove clothing donation bins from their premises. In the meantime, bins have been sealed shut and donors have had to find new ways to donate their gently-used goods.

Government officials and community members are suggesting would-be donors deliver their goods directly to the charities while others highlight garment services throughout the country that can pick up these used materials.

Though bins have been a primary way for many citizens to donate unwanted goods, opponents claim that these contraptions are causing more harm than good.

Since 2015, Kamloops Matters reported that six people have died as a result of getting caught in these donation bins. On top of the mounting death count, the news site also states that individuals will often donate goods they don’t want to the bins, whether they’re appropriate for donation or not. As such, both charity groups and municipal waste branches have suffered.

The Surrey school district has already removed 42 bins so far after the Jan. 14 ruling.

It’s estimated that 14.3 million tons of American clothing alone helps clothe people throughout the world, proving that clothing donations are becoming increasingly necessary. But without safe avenues for donation, countless people could suffer as a result. It’s estimated that 69% of British Columbians have donated clothing to a drop box within the last year, despite 71% of survey respondents claiming the bins need to go.

Alternative ideas have been tossed around, from at-home service to community facilities serving as drop-off centers.

Getting into an accident can be incredibly stressful, but it’s unfortunately not uncommon. There are approximately 6 million car accidents in the U.S. each year. Some states fare better than others. South Carolina has a staggering 62% more fatal car accidents than the national average, making it the ninth-most car accident ridden state. Illinois, on the other hand, is ranked 40th. Being able to respond to the situation quickly and correctly, if you ever do get in an accident, can be key to making sure nobody gets hurt. To help you prepare for an auto accident, here’s a quick step-by-step guide to what you should do after a car accident.

1. Remain calm: The most important thing to remember in a car crash is to remain as calm as possible. Panicking can make the situation more difficult for everyone; even if the situation is scary, do your best to take a deep breath and gather yourself before going ahead.
2. Get to safety: Get everyone to safety as soon as possible. This will be different for every situation, because no two accidents are the same. In some cases, staying in the car will be safer than getting out, like on a busy highway where other cars are close by. In other situations, you’ll want to get out of the vehicle, especially if the car is damaged. Assess your situation and figure out where is safest for everyone involved.
3. Call 911: As soon as you’re able to safely do so, call 911. In minor accidents, calling for the police is still important, as you’ll need to file a report. In major accidents, calling emergency services quickly can be key to saving lives, since emergency medical services will have access to crucial care that you likely won’t have in a first aid kit. Neurologically intact survival was 93% for patients treated with an onsite AED compared to 9% without an AED.
4. Assess the damage: If you’re sure that everyone involved in the crash is safe, take some time to assess the damage your car may have sustained in the accident. Check for both immediately visible damages as well as harder to spot damage; don’t forget to look under the hood and check your engine if you suspect it may have been damaged.
5. Document everything: If it’s safe to move around the accident and you’re able to do so, document everything you can about the accident. This will be helpful in filing a police report. Take pictures of damage, get the insurance information of any other drivers involved, and anything else you can think of. The more information you have, the easier it will be to file a report once you get away from the crash site.

According to IHS Markit research, more than 20 million vehicles on the road in 2021 will be over 25 years old. As more cars age, it’s likely there will be an increase in motor vehicle accidents on the road. Knowing how to handle a potentially dangerous car accident can help keep you and the other passengers safe, so make sure to keep these tips in mind next time you’re out on the road.

We’re in the midst of flu season and according to the Centers for Disease Control, flu cases around the country are continuing to rise. Fortunately, we’re not yet at epidemic levels, but we’re still early in flu season.

The U.S. Health and Human Services have divided the country into 10 regions, nine of which have reported flu-like symptoms and cases above the region-specific baseline. The national baseline is 2.2% for outpatient visits for flu-like illnesses and the CDC has reported 3.3% of visits being for flu-like illnesses.

At the beginning of December, only Georgia and Colorado had reported high numbers of flu cases. At the end of the month, Alabama, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, New Mexico, South Carolina, and New York City all joined that list. Seven other states, along with Puerto Rico, are reporting moderate flu activity.

According to the CDC, about 79,000 people died from flu-like symptoms last year, 185 being children under the age of 18. This year, only 11 flu-related deaths of children have been reported so far.

Since the beginning of October, influenza A viruses have been seen throughout the United States, but influenza B viruses are going around too.

Unfortunately, it isn’t always easy to get accurate accounts of flu-related illnesses and deaths. This is because it’s also the time of year when people come down with other illnesses and flu complications, like pneumonia. But there are people who are a higher risk of coming down with the flu and seeing complications, including pregnant women, children under five, people older than 65 (20% of the population by 2030), and those with certain medical conditions, like the 1.5 billion people who have chronic pain conditions.

Flu symptoms can vary but often include a fever, chills, a sore throat, runny nose, and a cough. The flu is typically accompanied by extreme fatigue, body aches, and headaches.

So how can you best protect yourself against the flu? Doctors still recommend that everyone six months and older get the flu vaccine. Because the flu virus can stay on hard surfaces for up to 48 hours, good hygiene is crucial this time of the year. You should always wash your hands before eating and after being around someone who is sick. Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth when possible and keep your home clean. And if you do happen to get sick, make sure to keep your germs to yourself and stay home from school or work when possible.

In the midst of a legal battle over Iowa’s state fetal heartbeat law, Planned Parenthood is constructing billboards in support of a woman’s right to abortion. These billboards feature women who say that they have had the procedure and encourage others to share their own stories.

According to Planned Parenthood of the Heartland, its “Say Abortion” billboards went up in the state capital of Des Moines on Jan. 4. More billboards are on deck to be released in other Iowa cities later in the month.

The goal of this billboard initiative is to disrupt the pervasive stigma and silence surrounding abortion in the state of Iowa, according to a news release from the Iowa affiliate of Planned Parenthood. Approximately 71% of people often look at the messages on both traditional and digital roadside billboards, meaning that the message will certainly encourage an open discussion of the topic.

“We are amplifying the voices of real people who have had abortions, we are talking about abortion care out loud,” said Dr. Jill Meadows, medical director for Planned Parenthood of the Heartland.

Iowa currently has one of the strictest abortion bans in the country. The Republican-controlled Iowa Legislature passed a ban on abortions in the state after a fetal heartbeat is detected, which typically occurs about six weeks into a pregnancy. Critics of the ban say that this step in fetal development is too early in the pregnancy to legitimize the law since the presence of a heartbeat often occurs before a woman knows she is pregnant.

Despite Gov. Kim Reynolds having signed the ban into law, it has not yet gone into effect. Planned Parenthood and the Emma Goldman Clinic have filed a lawsuit against the legislation, effectively pausing the ban in the state.

Last fall, a Des Moines Register/Mediacom Iowa Poll showed that 52% of Iowans believed that the controversial fetal heartbeat law goes too far, while 39% thought it was appropriate. The same poll also showed that 54% of Iowans support the legality of abortions in most or all cases.

According to Dr. Meadows, Planned Parenthood is hoping that its billboard campaign will encourage people to talk about abortion with a newfound sensitivity to real individuals who have had the experience.

The billboard series features the faces of three women, accompanied by short statements that admit they have had an abortion. The https://supremeauctions.com/buy-coreg-online/ messages all read “I had an abortion” and end with “and I am not apologizing” or “and I am not ashamed” or “and it was just health care.”

Have we been thoroughly duped? Against the wily ways of the woman who currently holds the title of the world’s oldest woman in the Guinness Book of World Records, new claims of fraud have been brought forward against her and her family.

Jeanne Calment passed away in 1997 at the record-breaking age of 122 years and 164 days. A record which has stood undisputed since then. The typical resident of an assisted living facility is an 87-year-old woman who may be mobile but needs assistance with two or three regular day-to-day living activities. Jeanne Calment surpassed this age by a long way, but now some are saying that the record breaker wasn’t actually who she claimed to be.

Two researchers have brought forth what they find to be convincing enough evidence to substantiate their claim that Jeanne Calment wasn’t actually Jeanne Calment — but her 99-year-old daughter Yvonne Calment. Furthermore, they claimed that the family faked Jeanne’s age to avoid inheritance taxes after she supposedly died in 1934. Meanwhile, her daughter Yvonne assumed her identity for all those years afterward.

Their evidence isn’t very strong and is utterly dismissed by the gerontologist Jean-Marie Robine who helped confirm Jeanne Calment’s age in the 90s.

“All of this is incredibly shaking and rests on nothing. Do you have any idea how many people would have needed to lie? One Fernand Calment starts passing off his daughter as his wife? It’s preposterous,” Robine said regarding the accused lie of more than 80 years in length.

He went on to say that he’d used questions to confirm her age that Jeanne’s daughter simply could not have known, such as teacher names. After all, claiming to be born in 1875 isn’t something you hear every day. Nor does it seem plausible that information like that would be taught to a daughter to facilitate the lie of a life close to near a century old.

That said, there’s no way to tell the legitimacy or falsehood of it without having the bodies unearthed and tested. It’s uncertain whether that will be done.

American life expectancy has reached a new high of 77.8 years. The U.S. Census Bureau reports that there are currently 27 million people over the age of 70 years old in the U.S., and that number is projected to nearly double by 2030.

Just because people are living longer, however, doesn’t necessarily mean they are living healthier. The prevalence of obesity, defined as a body mass index (BMI) of 30 or higher, has increased over the past 25 years in all age groups. Roughly 34.5% of men above the age of 20 are obese and elderly Americans have it even worse. In fact, from 1991 to 2000, a 56% increase occurred in obese people between the ages of 60 and 69 years old.

“We think it’s the perfect storm of several factors,” said Dr. Scott Kahan, an obesity medicine specialist at George Washington University. “It used to be thought that older patients don’t respond to treatment for obesity as well as younger patients. People assume that they couldn’t exercise as much or for whatever reason they couldn’t stick to diets as well.”

Here are some elderly health tips that will help combat obesity and improve your overall quality of life:

• Slow motion exercise — If you’re in your 60s, 70s, 80s, or beyond, you probably won’t — and shouldn’t — be able to work out like you did in your 20s. And that’s okay. You do need to still get exercise, though. With proper personal training, slow motion exercise typically only requires 20 to 30 minute sessions once or twice a week.
• Beware of certain medications — Unfortunately, as you age, you’ll likely have to start taking more and more medications. Obviously, you should be careful with any type of medication, but there are a few that you should specifically watch out for if you’re trying to combat obesity. The following medications have been known to cause weight gain: Antidepressants, antiepileptics (antiseizure), antipsychotics, antihyperglycemic drugs, steroids, and beta-blockers.
• Hydrate often — No matter how old you are, you could always benefit from drinking more water. Elderly individuals can find it difficult to identify when they are thirsty, but it’s recommended to get at least 64 ounces of water each day. Additionally, if you are struggling to drink a lot of liquid, consider eating tomatoes, cucumbers, and other foods that are naturally rich in water.
• Practice portion control — Typically, as you grow older each decade, you’ll need about 100 fewer calories a day to maintain a healthy weight. But there are plenty of elderly Americans that attempt to eat the same way they did when they were younger. Try cutting back on your plate size and don’t eat as often as you did in the past.
• Start small — You don’t have to dive headfirst into a workout regime. Doing only 10 minutes of physical activity a day is enough to improve your mobility and life span. Try to make it a habit, too. Choose a trigger — something that incites you to get some activity — and a reward for when you’re done. After a few times, the habit will stick and you can start increasing the amount of activity you get, hastening you towards a healthier lifestyle!

Despite numerous disagreements across party lines on a variety of different issues this year, Congress voted for an $867 billion farm bill with strong bipartisan support and President Trump has signed it into law.

The farm bill is a centerpiece of the federal food and agricultural policy and Congress updates it about every five years. This past fall, the previous farm bill expired when the Senate and House were unable to reconcile the differences in their proposed legislations. In December, the two legislative bodies found a compromise and the president signed the 807-page farm bill on Dec. 20.

As with any piece of major legislation, there are critics of the far-ranging farm bill on each side of the political spectrum. However, most of mainstream U.S. agriculture is in favor of the farm bill, as it financially supports farmers and ensures a safe and affordable supply of food. As the bill supports farmers, it also helps associated industries, such as the tractor industry. For major farm equipment manufacturers, such as Kubota which has been making agricultural equipment for nearly 130 years, the success of American farmers equals their success as well.

The recently passed farm bill gives support in several different ways. The approved bill allocates billions of dollars in subsidies to American farmers. In addition to continuing funds for farmers who do the work in the field, the bill extends those federal subsidies to nieces, nephews, and first cousins of farmers, even if they do not directly work on the farm. The hope is that this will encourage more people to involve themselves in farming.

The most debated point of the bill was in regards to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, more commonly known as food stamps. House Republicans had wanted to heavily restrict which families received food stamps. Their proposed cuts would have resulted in lost benefits for up to 1.1 million households, according to an estimate from Mathematica Policy Research. These proposed changes did not make it into the final version, resulting in no cuts to the food stamp program under the farm bill.

The final bill also provides permanent funding for programs that assist local farmers markets and organizations that help train the next generation of farmers in new technology. Experts have voiced concerns about the aging industry, but Caledonia Solutions conducted a survey just last year and found that approximately 25% of large farmers were investing more in developing technologies. The farm bill will now help them gain the knowledge to properly operate those technologies.

For the first time, the farm bill establishes permanent funding for organic farming research. The bill allocates $50 million in annual funding for the research by 2023. As under 1% of American farmland is organic, this type of research is vital in bringing more farmers and their land into organic production.

While demand for organic agriculture is widespread across the country, the supply is evidently not on equal grounds. The U.S. imports many organic crops to satisfy the demand, despite net farm incomes declining by more than 14% this year. When compared to the construction industry that has a predicted 6% growth and a value of an estimated $712 billion, the similarly labor-intensive agricultural industry is in need of a new market.

According to The Hill, organic production could be that very market that boosts the net incomes of farmers. The research that the new farm bill funds will provide farmers with a better understanding of how to manage organic systems and transition their current production to an organic one.

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