Page 3 - AAA Schuylkill County – AAA Now! – January/February 2018

AAA
Volume 30, No. 1
HEADQUARTERS OFFICE
340 South Centre St., P.O. Box 990 Pottsville, PA 17901 Telephone: (570) 622-4991 1-800-666-SCMC
BRANCH OFFICE
202 East Broad Street, Tamaqua, PA 18252 (570) 668-1003
OFFICE HOURS POTTSVILLE
Monday through Friday: 8:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. Saturday: 9:00 a.m. - Noon TAMAQUA
Monday through Friday: 8:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. Saturday: 9:00 a.m. - Noon
OFFICERS
ROBERT W. WACHTER - Chief Executive Officer GEORGE URITIS - Chairman of the Board DAVID J. HOLLEY - President RONALD DERENZO - Solicitor
DIRECTORS
Wayne S. Hamilton...................... Orwigsburg David J. Holley.....................Schuylkill Haven John Levkulic.......................Schuylkill Haven Lowell P. Martin ............................. Frackville Robert Mills ..................................... Pottsville John D.W. Reiley ............................. Pottsville George Uritis.....................................Cressona
JUDIE KARHAN - Editor-in-Chief DOROTHY CROUCH - Senior Editorial Director HANS FRUST - Creative Director ANGELA ILICH - Director of Production LORRIE MULHALL - Regional Editor
AAA Now! (ISSN 08988552; USPS 002-243) is published four times a year (Jan/Feb, Mar/Apr, July/Aug, Nov/Dec) by AAA Schuylkill County., 340 South Centre St., Pottsville, PA 17901. Periodicals postage paid at Pottsville, PA 17901 and at additional mailing offices. A subscription price of $1 per year to primary members is paid through dues.
POSTMASTER: Please send address changes to AAA Now! Schuylkill County, 340 South Centre St., Pottsville, PA 17901.
AAA does not endorse any product or service advertised in this publication other than AAA club services and products. The publisher of AAA Now! Does not endorse or make any representations or warranties concerning any service or product advertised in this publication. The published is not liable to any advertiser or reader for any errors or omissions in advertising or editorial copy appearing in this publication, provided, however, that the publisher will print a correction after the publisher has been notified of an error or omission.
TM
Credit vs. Debit Cards:
Is There Really a Difference?
GEORGE A. URITIS
Chairman of the Board
It’s a simple enough question and one that you probably hear every day. But as you’ll see, how you answer can have an impact on your personal finances.
Whose Money is it?
Plain and simple, when you use your debit card, you’re
times as you run around town doing errands can start a chain reaction of bounced checks if you’re not careful!
Liability risk – Lawmakers put debit cards and credit cards into different categories, so consumer protection differs between the two types of cards. With a credit card, your liability is limited for fraudulent use. What’s more, the thief didn’t empty your checking account.
Float – When you use a debit card, the money is taken from your checking account. With a credit card purchase, you essentially get an interest-free loan if you pay off the balance by the payment due date.
Online purchases – A credit card is the safest choice for online shopping. Think of it this way: If scammers manage to get your debit card data, they have direct access to your checking account – and can empty it in seconds.
Security holds – Hotels, car rental agencies and other businesses often put temporary holds on debit card
using your own money. You withdraw money from your checking or savings account to cover the purchase.
When you use a credit card, however, you’re accessing a line of credit from the bank or organization that issued your card. Each purchase is essentially a loan that you repay later.
Still, the differences between credit and debit cards entail more than simply where the money comes from.
Overdrafts – With a debit card, you need to be diligent about keeping track of everything you purchase to avoid accidental overdrafts. Using your debit card multiple
Continued on page 5
Put Your Car on a Low-Salt Diet
JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2018
3
ROBERT W. WACHTER
Chief Executive Officer
Driving is a challenge on
slick snowy roads. Fortunately, de-icing and anti-icing chemicals applied to the roadway help improve traction and speed snow removal. What’s more, studies show that treating roads with these materials helps
reduce crashes and saves lives. Unfortunately, some of the newer solutions used to melt ice and
corrosion? Here are some practical maintenance tips that can make a difference:
• Regular car washes, including the undercarriage, are critical. Salt deposits left over from the winter will continue to corrode year-round.
• Even powerful pressure washers can leave behind corrosive deposits, and too much pressure may actually drive chemicals further into vehicle cracks and crevices.
• Low pH detergents can help break up and neutralize corrosive deposits. Many automatic car washes now offer low pH pre-rinse cycles.
• Body scratches and chips should be repaired in a timely manner to prevent rust and corrosion, and regular vehicle waxing adds an effective layer of protection.
• Professional rustproofing, including asphalt undercoating and oil/wax body cavity sprays, may be helpful, but generally only if applied when the vehicle is new.
• Routine vehicle maintenance checks should include inspections of safety-related undercar components such as brake and fuel lines, whose failure could result in a crash or fire.
Modern cars are far more corrosion resistant than earlier models, but for maximum vehicle life there is no substitute for proper car care. Following the simple steps outlined above will help keep a vehicle looking like new, and contribute to safer and more trouble-free driving.
snow can also increase vehicle corrosion.
Today, rock salt may be supplemented or replaced
with de-icing and anti-icing solutions that contain chemicals such as calcium chloride and magnesium chloride that are more effective in keeping roads clear. These new chemicals are applied as liquids, which are then thrown up by tires in a fine mist that adheres to the car body and undercarriage, and can penetrate into cracks and crevices where rock salt particles could not.
Even more problematic is that the new de-icing and anti-icing chemicals are hygroscopic – they attract moisture and are often used as desiccants. This means that even after a vehicle is dry, deposits that contain these materials will pull moisture out of the air and contribute to ongoing corrosion.
So how can motorists protect their cars from
Now!