Here are 5 things you should know.
1. More than 40% of people have a vitamin D deficiency, especially in the winter months, which can cause fatigue, depression, pain, and a host of other problems.
According to a 2011 study, 41.6% of adults in the U.S. are deficient. This number goes up to 69.2% in Hispanics and 82.1% in African-Americans.
Get the blood test done and start taking some vitamin D supplements accordingly.
2. Having the heat on in your car while driving is free.
A lot of people seem to think running the heat in your car will use more fuel then if you didn’t. If it’s cold outside and your driving your car somewhere, having the heat off won’t save you money.
Assuming you’re in the 95% of people who don’t drive electric.
3. You can submit a diminished value claim if you were not at fault in a car accident and potentially receive thousands of dollars.
4. You can hide your real credit card number from websites with one-time numbers.
You’ll need to use a service like [Privacy.com](http://privacy.com) or [Citi’s virtual number service](https://www.cardbenefits.citi.com/Products/Virtual-Account-Numbers) but essentially it means the same thing, instead of a dozen different places having your card information, only one place does. It’s especially useful if you’re going to be shopping on smaller websites that might use lesser-known credit card processors. Some of them will even stop automatic payments from going through.
5. If you’re a U.S. government worker who is not getting paid because of the shutdown, you should contact your bank to see if any relief programs are available.
Even with the government shutdown, banks are still operating business-as-usual. Some banks are offering forbearance on mortgage payments, waiving overdraft fees, and are offering quick loans with almost no interest for affected government workers.
Simply call your bank or go into a branch, tell them you are not getting paid because of the shutdown, and ask if they have any programs that can help.
