Q: Take out all credit card statements and identify the credit limits. Add them together to get your total available credit. Then go through and add up all balances. Divide the balance amount by the available credit. For example, if your credit limit is $15,000 and your total balances are $3,000, then your utilization rate is 20% ($3,000 divided by $15,000 is 0.2). You can't close a card until you pay off the balance. Accordingly, you should commit to paying off the balance as quickly as possible. Create a budget if necessary, and stick to it. If you don't have the money, you can call your card issuer and ask them to freeze the card. This will prevent you from making new charges. In order to protect your credit score, you may need to pay down the balances on your other cards so that your utilization doesn't rise. To see why, consider the following example: Amy has three credit cards: A, B, and C. She wants to close A, which has a high interest rate. All three cards have a $2,000 credit limit, giving her $6,000 in available credit. Card A has a $500 balance, and Card B has a $2,000 balance. Currently, her utilization rate is about 42% ($2,500 divided by $6,000). However, if she closes Card A, her available credit will be $4,000 and her total balance will be $2,000. This gives her a utilization rate of 50%. Amy's credit score will decline as a result. Amy can keep her utilization rate from rising by paying down the $2,000 balance on Card B. Ideally, Amy should pay off all balances before closing any card. If you have a rewards card, you'll probably lose the rewards when you close the card. Accordingly, you should redeem all of your rewards if possible. Some cards make it difficult to redeem rewards. For example, you might only be able to redeem if you reach a certain threshold. Alternately, some cards allow you to redeem points only once a year. In these situations, you might need to delay closing your account if you want the rewards. Closing one card might hurt your credit score a tiny percentage, but closing all credit cards will hammer your credit score. This is a drastic way to manage your debt load, and you should consider alternatives, such as credit counseling. Find the number on the back of your credit card. When you call, ask the rep to confirm that the balance is zero. Tell the person that you want to close your account and ask that they report the account as "closed at the consumer's request." The representative might ask why you are closing your account. You can tell them your reasons, or just say, "Oh, I don't need the card." It's your right to close an account, so don't let them dissuade you. Write down the name of who you speak with, including other details (day, time, substance of the conversation, etc.) It's a good idea to follow up with a letter in case the customer service representative makes a mistake. In your letter, request that the account be closed "at the consumer's request." Include your name, account number, and contact information. Also explicitly ask that they send you a confirmation letter. You'll want something in writing. Mail the letter certified mail, return receipt requested, and keep a copy of the letter for your records. Wait about a month, and then pull a copy of your free credit report. Check to see the account has been closed and that it states your account was closed at your request. If the account remains open, call the card issuer again. Send a follow-up letter and include a copy of your original letter. If there isn't a notation that the account was closed at your request, dispute the error with one of the credit bureaus. You may want to keep your credit score as high as possible because you are applying for a mortgage or a car loan. In this situation, you should wait before closing your account. Get your mortgage first, and then focus on closing credit cards.
A: Calculate your current utilization rate. Pay down your balance in full. Reduce the balances on your other cards. Redeem all rewards. Avoid cancelling all cards. Call to cancel. Send a letter. Confirm the account was cancelled. Postpone closing your card, if necessary.

Q: Learning more about the harmful effects of mankind's activities will make you a more effective advocate for the oceans. Some of the things to read up on include the problems of overfishing, the impacts of climate change on the ocean, the damage from agricultural, industrial, and sewage waste. Encourage your family and friends to learn more, and to develop ocean-friendly habits. Be vocal about your concerns on social media. Write or call your representatives, show up for town hall meetings, or write letters to the editor of your local paper. If you live near the ocean, join a beach or underwater clean-up group. These events are usually organized locally by community groups or municipalities, and in some cases are held across the country on specific dates. Consider sharing your time or money with an organization whose mission includes ocean conservation.
A: Educate yourself and others. Be an advocate for the oceans. Volunteer your time. Donate to nonprofit organizations devoted to protecting the oceans.

Q: Add only enough cheese to make it somewhat thick. If it looks like cake batter, you have added too much cheese. Keep warm until pasta is done. The grease from the bacon and the heat from the pasta will cook the eggs enough to prevent disease.
A: Start a pot of boiling water and cook the pasta. Combine the eggs, cheese, salt and pepper in a small bowl and beat with a fork. Add some olive oil to a small saucepan and cook the pancetta thoroughly. Add the pasta and pancetta to the bowl and begin stirring gently. Finished.

Q: These bugs are not the easy to pick off one by one. However, using petroleum jelly makes your glove sticky, which helps pull the beetles off the plant. These beetles have a yellow body with black stripes or black dots. They measure 0.25 inches (0.64cm) in length. Drop the beetles into a bucket of water with a couple of spoonfuls of dishwashing liquid. You can use a simple handheld vacuum to suck beetles off the plants. Alternatively, use a reversed leaf blower to suck the beetles out. You can also buy a vacuum specifically made for insects if you're worried about harming the plant, as these are generally less powerful. Vacuum all around the plant, including the underside of leaves. Make sure to empty the vacuum when you're done. Seal the contents in a zip-top bag, and take them to the trash. It may be tempting to take out spiders you see, but they are natural predators for pests like cucumber beetles. Wolf spiders, in particular, eat a large number of these beetles, and the beetles tend to avoid the area if there are wolf spiders around. Of course, you should still be careful around spiders. By and large, though, if you leave them alone, they'll leave you alone. Wolf spiders are venomous, but they usually just cause some redness and swelling when they bite you. They aren't as harmful to humans as spiders like black widows or brown recluses. Ladybugs take care of a number of garden pests, including cucumber beetles and aphids. In the case of cucumber beetles, the ladybugs eat the pests' eggs, discouraging growth. Start with 1,500 ladybugs for a typical home garden, though you won't harm your garden by releasing too many. Many organic garden stores sell ladybugs to release in your garden. Place the ladybugs in your refrigerator when you buy them, which will slow them down a little. Spray down your yard thoroughly, and release the ladybugs in the evening. Taking these precautions will help keep them in your yard.
A:
Pick the beetles off by hand using gloves coated in petroleum jelly. Suck up beetles with a vacuum. Leave the spiders in your garden. Introduce a predator like ladybugs.