Too Early Trivia November 30th, 2007

Question: There are more collect calls on this day than any other day of the year...what day is it?

Answer: Father's Day

Too Early Trivia November 29th, 2007

Question: Women do this nearly twice as much as men...what is it?

Answer: Blink

YOU KNOW YOU ARE LIVING IN 2007 WHEN.....

1. You accidentally enter your PIN on the microwave.

2. You haven't played solitaire with real cards in years.

3. You have a list of 15 phone numbers to reach your family of three.

4. You e-mail the person who works at the desk next to you.

5. Your reason for not staying in touch with friends and family is that they don't have e-mail addresses.

6. You pull up in your own driveway and use your cell phone to see if anyone is home to help you carry in the groceries.

7. Every commercial on television has a web site at the bottom of the screen

8. Leaving the house without your cell phone, which you didn't even have the first 20 or 30 years of your life, is now a cause for panic and you turn around to go and get it.

9. You get up in the morning and go on line before getting your coffee. ( In my case it is myspace)

Too Early Trivia November 28th, 2007

Question: If you know a (male) millionaire who happens to be married, the most likely profession of his wife is what?

Answer: Teacher

A Recall from Nissan

Nissan is recalling 686,500 Altima and Sentra passenger cars to fix problems with a sensor that could lead to engine stalling.
A Nissan Spokeswoman said there were no reports of crashes or injuries but 650,000 of the recalled vehicles are in the US with the remainder in Mexico and Canada.
(The recall affects Altima and Sentra vehicles from the 2002 and 2005-2006 model years equipped with a 2.5 liter engine.)

Too Early Trivia November 27th, 2007

Question: Married men change this twice as often as single men...what is it?

Answer: Their underwear.

How to Tip for the Holidays

Holiday Tipping Guide

(from Peter Post, Great-Grandson of Etiquette Expert Emily Post.)
According to the Emily Post Institute website, holiday gratuities depend on several factors -- how often you use the person's services, your relationship with the person, the amount of time you've worked together, and your budget.

~~ Au pair: A gift from your family (or one-week's pay), plus a small gift from your child
~~ Babysitter, regular: One evening's pay, plus a small gift from your child
~~ Barber: Cost of one haircut, and/or gift
~~ Beauty salon staff: The cost of one salon visit, split among the staff
~~ Child's teacher: Check your school's policy first, as gift giving may be prohibited. If allowed, then give a gift that is a token of appreciation from your child, not cash. Possibilities: a homemade gift made by your child, a book or a picture frame. Or, consider participating in a joint gift from the class as a whole.
Possibilities: a gift certificate to a restaurant or bookstore.
~~ Day care providers: $25 to $70 each, and/or a small gift from your child for the providers who give direct care to your child(ren)
~~ Dog walker: One week's pay and/or a gift
~~ Fitness trainer, personal: Up to the cost of one session
~~ Garage attendants: $10 to $30 each
~~ Home health employees: A gift, but check with the agency first, as most agencies have a no-gifts or no-tips policy. If this is the case, consider giving a donation to the agency.
~~ Housekeeper/cleaner: Up to one week's pay and/or a gift
~~ Letter carriers: U.S. government regulations permit carriers to accept gifts worth up to $20 per occasion, not cash
~~ Live-in help (nanny, housekeeper, cook, butler): One week's to one month's salary based on tenure and customs in your area, plus a personal gift
~~ Massage therapist: Up to one session's fee, and/or gift
~~ Newspaper deliverer: $10 to $30
~~ Nurse, private: A gift, not cash
~~ Nursing home employees: A gift, not cash, but check the company policy first. Consider giving a gift that could be enjoyed by or shared among the floor staff: flowers, chocolates or food items.
~~ Package deliverer: A small gift if you receive deliveries regularly most delivery companies discourage or prohibit cash gifts
~~ Personal caregiver: Up to one week's salary, and/or a small gift
~~ Pet Groomer: If the same person grooms your pet all year, up to one session's fee and/or a gift
~~ Pool cleaner: Cost of one cleaning, to be split among crew
~~ Residential building personnel: Check with your building association first to see if there is a holiday fund that is shared among all the building personnel
~~ Superintendent: $20 to $80
~~ Doorman: $15 to $80 $15 or more each, for multiple doormen
~~ Elevator operator: $15 to $40
~~ Handyman: $15 to $40
~~ Trash/recycling collectors: $10 to $30 each (for private service) for municipal service, check local regulations
~~ Yard and garden worker: $20 to $50
(Another Holiday Tipping Tip Sheet, below)
from Kiplinger.com

The Christmas Ornament Wizard

The Christmas Ornament Wizard will calculate how many ornaments you need to decorate your tree! Just enter your tree height and base width and the Christmas Ornament Wizard will calculate the perfect number of ornaments for your Christmas tree.
The Christmas ornament calculator is based on an average ornament size of 3.5", and assumes coverage that's not too light, but also not too heavy.

LINK TO IT

Too Early Trivia November 26th, 2007

Question: 100 percent of all lottery winners do this?

Answer: Gain Weight!

Too Early Trivia November 21st, 2007

Question: Most boat owners name their boats. The most popular boat name requested is what?

Answer: Obsession

Too Early Trivia November 20th, 2007

Question: The object most often choked on by Americans is what?

Answer: A toothpick.

Ten Ways To Make It Through the Holidays Without Having a Breakdown

from Dr. Keith Ablow.

1. Acknowledge that you won't be perfect for the holidays and neither will the events you host or the gifts you buy.

2. Set Structure. No one will be offended if you're up front with them. For example, instead of hosting a dinner party, just have a cocktail party. This will relieve a lot of stress.

3. Again, make sure you keep a regular exercise routine.

4. Have a practical point of view of what you can bear financially. Set a budget and stick to it! It's much better than the fallout of not living within your means.

5. Take a break from trying to right the wrongs of the past with family members at any family event.

6. We all miss loved ones who are not with us anymore during the holidays — but instead of living in the past, give yourself some quiet time to think about the people you miss. This way, the memories will not be preying on you throughout the holiday celebrations.

7. Drink in moderation or not at all. Remember, alcohol is a depressant.

8. Feel free to express your misgivings about the momentum of the holiday season. You have a right to complain. If you don't feel like celebrating, it's O.K. to say that.

9. A lot of stress comes with family and romantic relationships. It's really related to performance anxiety. Tell yourself you don't have to be perfect. It will make things a little easier to handle.

10. Reserve something special for yourself. Buy yourself a gift that you will enjoy. After all, you deserve it.

Too Early Trivia November 19th, 2007

Question: The odds are 1 out of 4 that you live in a home without access to what?

Answer: A fire hydrant

Too Early Trivia November 16th, 2007

Question: Who is the most frequented retailer in the world?

Answer: Starbucks

It serves 50,000,000 customers worldwide, and opens an average of seven new stores each day. North County Times, 9/6/07

Too Early Trivia November 15th, 2007

Question: 32% of us never take the time to do this during our workday.

Answer: Get out and away from the workplace.

Too Early Trivia November 14th, 2007

Question: Everyone enjoys these but only 21% of us will eat one.

Answer: Fortune cookies.

10 Things You Should Never Say To a Car Salesman

If you want that seductive new sedan at a good price, you're probably going to need to know what to say — and more importantly, what not to say.

Ready, Set, Go!

1. "I'm ready to buy now."

This is an admission of weakness and an invitation for the dealer to throw out a price that's slightly below the manufacturer's suggested retail price to see if you'll take the bait. It shows that you're too eager and willing to consider an offer, and it also gives salespeople the advantage by allowing them to talk you up as opposed to you talking them down. But by adding some very precise parameters, you'll sound confident and strong from the start.

Monthly Payment

2. "I can afford this much per month."

Don't tell the dealer what you're willing to pay per month. If the dealer can get a number out of you, a common trick is to ask if you can squeeze out a slightly higher monthly payment, then raise the bottom-line price accordingly by hundreds or even thousands. Avoid this by insisting that you focus only on the purchase price. Walk away if the salesperson only wants to talk in monthly payments.

Trade-in

3. "Yes, I have a trade-in."

Don't tell salespeople you have a trade-in until a final transaction price is set. If you do and the deal hasn't been made yet, they may try to distract you with the "great" deal they're giving you on your trade-in as they skimp on the real deal. And if you catch that, they may try writing your trade-up for less.

Cash-Only Please

4. "I'm only buying the car with cash."

Car dealers make a significant chunk of added profit when they sell you financing. If you don't at least leave the dealer with the possibility that he or she might sell you financing, you simply won't be getting the best deal. Say something like "I haven't really thought that through yet. Maybe we'll see what you have after we agree on a price."

Still Debating

5. "I'm not sure…which model do you think I need?"

If you're this undecided, you may end up driving away in a vehicle you neither wanted nor needed. Do the research in advance. If your uncertainty is apparent, you may end up buying the model with the most add-on equipment, the highest sticker price and, of course, the most profit for the dealer.

My Dream Car

6. "Oh, I've wanted one of these all my life."

As soon as you've lost yourself in the dreamy vision of that gleaming convertible, the salesperson has you hooked, and your chances of getting a great deal are over. Don't get caught heavy breathing. Certainly don't admit to your spouse — with the salesman listening in the backseat — that you're in love with the car.

What Everyone Wants

7. "I'll take whatever the popular options are."

Don't ever ask for the "popular options" especially on a luxury model that already comes loaded. It's an open invitation for overpriced dealer add-ons like interior protection, window etching or undercoating.

Lowest You Can Go

8. "What's the lowest price you can give me?"

Most likely, this question won't be taken seriously, and you will be met with a predictable performance. The salesperson will wince, maybe talk to the manager, fiddle with numbers and eventually come back with a price that probably isn't a very good deal for you. To avoid this, make an informed and reasonable low offer, then wait for a counteroffer. Don't be afraid of silence. Conversely, don't be surprised if there's even a little drama.

Doing The Math

9. "Sure, I'll look at the numbers with you."

Perhaps quite early in your visit, the salesperson will most likely make an offer to "just go look at the numbers." Dealers do this when they sense you're undecided, but they want to be in the position of control. Getting you in the office makes it harder for you to back out. Wait until you can call the shots of what you want at what price.

The Haggle Factor

10. "I think you can do a lot better than that."

Never scold or accuse the salespeople. Be polite. Compliment them, and show respect. You'll never get the best price if you talk down to them. At least for the moment, you want them to be your friends. Let the scene play out, but leave when the deal's not good enough by quietly suggesting that the competition across town might be more willing to work with you.

10 Black Friday Secrets Retailers Don't Want You To Know

They don't call the day after Thanksgiving "Black Friday" for nothing. It's all about launching the megastores “into the black” – into profitability. They profit not by offering goods at a loss, but by using ultra-low prices to lure you into their stores, where they can employ dirty tricks to make money.
But with these secrets, and some smart planning, you can make “Black Friday” profitable for yourself, not the store.

1: Most Black Friday deals are leaked early online. Check sites that post leaked Black Friday ads and info, and give yourself an advantage over the masses. The four best sites are: bfads.net, blackfriday.gottadeal.com, blackfridayads.com, and blackfriday.info.
Some of these sites will optionally send you an e-mail whenever they post a new ad or new information. (So will Wal-mart's "Secret Section.") Some have cell phone versions of the site for referring while in-store.

2: Many Black Friday deals are bait-and-switch scams. They may sell you a very cheap product with a very expensive warranty, or use a given price, but add software, accessories or other over-priced add-ons as a required but unadvertised part of the purchase. You’ll find out about this only at the register. If the price at the register is significantly higher than advertised for any reason, ask to speak to a supervisor and insist on the advertised price.

If they still refuse, threaten to write a letter to the attorney general.

3: Get the best price without hassles by knowing price-match and return policies. Many stores offer price-match guarantees (if a competitor offers a lower price, they'll match it). Increasingly, Black Friday sales are exempt from all this. Others have a return policy that, in effect, is a price-match guarantee for the store itself (if they drop the price, the difference is later refunded to you if you ask for it).

If you know which product you want to buy, and can find a store with a price-match guarantee that honors Black Friday prices, buy it! When Black Friday rolls around, you can go looking for the best price, and not have to worry about whether the store is out of stock. If a store is willing to refund the difference between its own normal price and its Black Friday price, buy it early for the same reason.

4: Beat the system by shopping in teams. Stores rely on a long list of tricks, from limited sale hours to low inventories in order to lure you into the stores without giving you the time to comparison shop for the product you want at the best possible price. Have one team member in each store when it opens, each with a list of what everyone wants to buy.
Use Joopz.com to set up broadcast SMS. Each team member finds every product on the list, then broadcasts pricing. The person at the store with the lowest price for each item buys it.

5: Use your cell phone browser to check competing deals, and also product quality. You can also use standard sites like BizRate.com, Shopping.com and PriceGrabber.com to check just how good prices are. Sometimes Black Friday prices can be beat online anytime.

6: Some Black Friday promos are designed to unload loser products. Products that are obsolete, unpopular, damaged or returned are prime candidates for Black Friday sales. Make sure you narrow your list of products, so you don't end up buying something you don’t really want.

7: Shop early. Very early. Many stores will open at midnight this year. Many open as early as 5 am. Find out in advance what time each store opens, so you can plan accordingly.

8: Some of the best deals are advertised only on Thanksgiving -- or even on Black Friday itself. Make sure you get all the local newspaper on Thanksgiving Day and Black Friday.

9: Some Black Friday deals are actually buyable online. Others are buyable only online, or have prices that actually beat in-store prices. Start checking prices on Thanksgiving. Check Web sites again very early Black Friday morning, and shop there first -- then go to the stores only if you have to. Still other stores let you order items online the day before, and pick them up on Black Friday.

10: Plan ahead to think clearly. Bring food, wear comfortable shoes, and leave the kids at home (kids can influence impulse buying or convince you to leave early). Stay focused, and don’t let yourself be caught up in the frenzy. Black Friday is a zero-sum game. Either the store wins, or you do. Use these tips to beat the stores at their own game.

Too Early Trivia November 13th, 2007

Question: We do it all the time now, but it happend first on April 3rd, 1973.

Answer: The very first cell phone call.

Too Early Trivia November 12th, 2007

Question: We do this 70% more than we did in 1980.

Answer: Eat TURKEY.

Too Early Trivia November 2nd, 2007

Question: 76 percent of women say they won't leave the house before they do this every day!

Answer: Make their bed!

Too Early Trivia November 1st, 2007

Question: Men are more likely to take this as an insult, while women are more likely to see it as a gesture of love.

Answer: The suggestion or offer of plastic surgery as a gift.