Ideas for saving energy

• Use compact fluorescent light bulbs with the ENERGY STAR label
• Turn off your computer and monitor when not in use
• Wash only full loads of clothes and dishes
• Take shorter showers
• Seal and caulk your home's air leaks
• Check your home for the recommended level of insulation
• Lower the thermostat on your water heater to 120 degrees F
• Install a programmable thermostat in your home

• Christmas trees account for hundreds of fires annually. Typically, shorts in electrical lights or open flames from candles, lighters or matches start tree fires. Well-watered trees are not a problem. A dry and neglected tree can be.  
• Needles on fresh trees should be green and hard to pull back from the branches, and the needle should not break if the tree has been freshly cut. The trunk should be sticky to the touch. Old trees can be identified by bouncing the tree trunk on the ground. If many needles fall off, the tree has been cut too long, has probably dried out, and is a fire hazard.  
• Do not place your tree close to a heat source, including a fireplace or heat vent. The heat will dry out the tree, causing it to be more easily ignited by heat, flame or sparks. Be careful not to drop or flick cigarette ashes near a tree. Do not put your live tree up too early or leave it up for longer than two weeks. Keep the tree stand filled with water at all times.
• Never put tree branches or needles in a fireplace or wood burning stove. When the tree becomes dry, discard it promptly. The best way to dispose of your tree is by taking it to a recycling center or having it hauled away by a community pick-up service.

• Inspect holiday lights each year for frayed wires, bare spots, gaps in the insulation, broken or cracked sockets, and excessive kinking or wear before putting them up. Use only lighting listed by an approved testing laboratory.
• Do Not Overload Electrical Outlets.
• Do not link more than three light strands, unless the directions indicate it is safe. Connect strings of lights to an extension cord before plugging the cord into the outlet. Make sure to periodically check the wires - they should not be warm to the touch.

• Use Only Nonflammable Decorations
• All decorations should be nonflammable or flame-retardant and placed away from heat vents.

• Army 877-736-5554
  
  Website: https://www.stoplosspay.army.mil/
  E-mail: RetroStopLossPay@CONUS.Army.Mil 
   
• Navy 901-874-4427
  
  Web site:  http://www.npc.navy.mil/ReferenceLibrary/MILPERSMAN/7000FinancialMgmt/7220_410.htm
  E-mail: NXAG_N132C@navy.mil 
   
• Marine Corps 877-242-2830
  
  Website: https://www.manpower.usmc.mil/stoploss
  E-mail: stoploss@usmc.mil 
   
• Air Force 800-525-0102
  
  Website: http://www.afpc.randolph.af.mil/stoploss/
  E-mail (active): afpc.dpsos.stoploss@randolph.af.mil
  E-mail (guard/reserve): arpc.contactcenter@arpc.denver.af.mil
  
  The DoD Web site links to service-specific sites,where you can get more information, or begin the RSLSP claim process.

• A unique jobs search function to help veterans find civilian jobs that match the skills they learned in the military

• Information and advice about writing resumes and finding apprenticeships and jobs ideally suited to their military experience

• Information about the Florida law that gives veterans hiring preference when they apply for public-sector jobs.

• Information for Florida businesses and organizations about tax incentives available for hiring veterans.

• A centralized jobs posting site for employers seeking veterans with specialized skills.

• Employers are able to enter open positions directly on www.EmployFlorida.com or through their local One-Stop Career Center.

•    Birth certificates
•    Citizenship papers
•    Social Security Card
•    Marriage certificates
•    Adoption papers
•    Divorce decrees
•    Wills
•    Death certificates
•    Household inventory
•    Deeds
•    Life insurance papers
•    Car Titles
•    Military Service records
•    Bonds & Stock certificates
•    Important contracts

• Bank statements                6 years
• Canceled checks               6 years
• Investment records            6 years after tax deadline for year of sale
• Tax returns                        6 years from filing date
• Insurance (car, home)        Until updated

• Salary Statements once they have been checked against your W-2 form
• Canceled checks that are not needed for tax purposes
• Expired warranties

• Take stock. Know what personal information you have in your files and on your computers.
• Back up key files. If you have important files stored on your computer, copy them onto a removable disc and store it in a safe place.
• Install anti-virus and anti-spyware programs. Keep them properly configured and up to date. New threats are discovered every day, and keeping your software updated is one of the easier ways to protect yourself from an attack.
• Set your computer to automatically update for you. Use security software that updates automatically.
• Install a firewall and keep it properly configured
• Regularly install updates for your computer's operating system
• If you are shopping online, don't provide your personal or financial information through a company's website until you have checked for indicators that the site is secure, like a lock icon on the browser's status bar or a website URL that begins "https:" (the "s" stands for "secure").
• Read website privacy policies. They should explain what personal information the website collects, how the information is used, and whether it is provided to third parties.  
• Use passwords that have at least eight characters and include numbers or symbols. The longer the password, the tougher it is to crack. A 12-character password is stronger than one with eight characters.
  • Avoid common words: some hackers use programs that can try every word in the dictionary.
  • Don't use your personal information, your login name, or adjacent keys on the keyboard as passwords.
  • Change your passwords regularly (at a minimum, every 90 days).
  • Don't use the same password for each online account you access.

• Update your operating system and Web browser software, and set your browser security high enough to detect unauthorized downloads.
•  Use anti-virus and anti-spyware software, as well as a firewall, and update them all regularly. 
• Download free software only from sites you know and trust. Enticing free software downloads frequently bundle other software, including spyware.
•  Don't click on links inside pop-ups.
•  Don't click on links in spam or pop-ups that claim to offer anti-spyware software; you may unintentionally be installing spyware.
• If you think your computer might have spyware on it, immediately stop shopping, banking, or doing any other online activity that involves user names, passwords, or other sensitive information. Confirm that your security software is active and current and run it to scan your computer for viruses and spyware, deleting anything the program identifies as a problem.

• Don't reply to an email, text, or pop-up message that asks for personal or financial information, and don't click on links in the message. If you want to go to a bank or business's website, type the web address into your browser yourself.

• Don't respond if you get a message – by email, text, pop-up or phone – that asks you to call a phone number to update your account or give your personal information to access a refund. If you need to reach an organization with which you do business, call the number on your financial statement, or use a telephone directory.

What is a challenge?

•  develop an app or graphic
• submit a healthy recipe for kids or an idea or story through photos or videos
• improve a product or process
• solve a problem previously thought unsolvable

Once a challenge is created, other people can join the challenge to propose a solution, discuss the challenge, and show support. Incentives, which are payable only if a challenge is solved, encourage others to solve a problem and earn their rewards.

• Children in grades K-5 will be guided by Carmen Cents and learn all about the history and mission of the  FDIC. 
• Become a smarter consumer at http://www.ftc.gov/YouAreHere/  which has a virtual mall where you can play games, design ads, chat with customers and store owners, and much more. You’ll learn key consumer concepts, such as how advertising affects you, how you benefit when businesses compete, how (and why) to protect your information, and how to spot scams.
• Learn about the responsibilities of the Federal Reserve, as well as some basics of economics, at http://www.federalreserve.gov/kids/default.htm#system   

Information for Tweens and Teens

• MyMoney.gov, is a website dedicated to teaching all Americans the basics about financial education. Whether you are planning for college, learning about balancing your checking account, or creating a good credit history, the resources on MyMoney.gov can help you do it better.
• Teens will find a wealth of information about money management (saving, banking, investing, savings bonds, spending) here to help them start smart.
• The FDIC website provides valuable information for young adults on topics ranging from common mistakes young adults make and how to avoid them to banking, credit cards, and buying a home or car.  Learn how to take control of your finances and the important steps that should be taken at key stages of life to successfully reach your financial goals.

Deter - Detect - Defend

• Stealing wallets, purses and your mail (bank and credit card statements, pre-approved credit offers, new checks, tax information)
• Stealing personal information you provide to an unsecured website, from business or personnel records at work and personal information at home.
• Rummaging through your trash, the trash of businesses and public trash receptacles
• Posing as someone who needs information about you
• Buying personal information from inside sources

• PLACE a fraud alert on your credit reports. Fraud alerts can help prevent an identity thief from opening any more accounts in your name. Contact the toll-free fraud number of any of the following three consumer reporting companies to place a fraud alert on your credit report:

• CLOSE the accounts that you know have been opened fraudulently, or tampered with.
• CONTACT the Internal Revenue Service Identity Protection Unit. An identity thief might use your Social Security number to file a tax return in order to receive a refund, or use it to get a job.
• FILE an FTC ID Theft Complaint with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC). You can find detailed information here to help you deter, detect and defend against identity theft.
• FILE a police report with your local police, or the police in the community where the identity theft took place. The FTC Complaint can be incorporated into the police record for maximum protection.
• FILE an online complaint with the Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) which offers an easy to use reporting mechanism to alert authorities of suspected violations.