Saturday, April 30, 2011
Congrats Tamara Nicole!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9wWLktiiqqw My friend Tamara Nicole is the actor in the lil black mini, smiling, dancing next to another girl; she is also in the upcoming movie, "The Hangover II" coming out in May!
Thursday, April 28, 2011
Practical Reasons Why Businesses Need Social Media | Social Media Today
Practical Reasons Why Businesses Need Social Media | Social Media Today
If you read anything at all, READ THIS and enjoy...ENJOY these practical reason for YOUR SUCCESS!
SMILE! SMILE! SMILE! BUY SOMEONE'S LUNCH TODAY, THE WHOLE WORLD IS SMILING OVER THE HAPPINESS OF THE ROYAL WEDDING!
If you read anything at all, READ THIS and enjoy...ENJOY these practical reason for YOUR SUCCESS!
SMILE! SMILE! SMILE! BUY SOMEONE'S LUNCH TODAY, THE WHOLE WORLD IS SMILING OVER THE HAPPINESS OF THE ROYAL WEDDING!
Top 10 Reasons Twitter is On Top of the Social Media Food Chain | Social Media Today
Top 10 Reasons Twitter is On Top of the Social Media Food Chain | Social Media Today
Really good read here, if you DO NOT use Twitter now, these 10 reasons 'should' change your mind, agreed?
Really good read here, if you DO NOT use Twitter now, these 10 reasons 'should' change your mind, agreed?
Hootsuite Was Down: 5 other Tools to Schedule Your Tweets | Social Media Today
Hootsuite Was Down: 5 other Tools to Schedule Your Tweets | Social Media Today
Great info for ALL that use Hootsuite & Twitter!
Great info for ALL that use Hootsuite & Twitter!
Saturday, April 23, 2011
Take Back Your Yard...Eats & FUN!
A Cut Above - few tools match the testosterone-spiking thrill of a chain saw-until its kickback makes you shake like a dashboard hula dancer. Enter the Stihl MS 271 which uses a sophisticated antivibration system to dampen its 2.6 kilowatt engine's oscillations, killing the shakes(and keeping your hands from going numb). It'll be tough not to deforest the whole backyard [from $430; stihlusa.com]
Stronger Spade - sure, the sour apple-green, O-shape handle makes the Radius Pro-Lite Flat Spade look like a child's toy. But try it: The rounded, non-slip surface lets you grip the handle anywhere to create more ground-piercing force than you would have with a standard, flat-handled spade. Now go show that chunk of sod who's boss [$25; radiusgarden.com]
Better Barrow - hoisting heavy logs, stones or sod into a standard metal wheelbarrow is a groin pull waiting to happen. Forgo the pain(and any awkward application of Icy Hot)with the Allsop Wheeleasy. Its durable, 350-pound-capacity canvas sling collapses flat on the ground, giant dustpan-style, creating an opening into which you can easily roll items-no strain. [$115; allsopgarden.com]
Mix Master - the average compost bin is little more than a box that attracts rodents and emits the smell of rotting plants. The 55-gallon, two-chamber Algreen Terra Dual-Batch Tumbling Composter solves both problems by utilizing a drum that's lifted off the ground & sealed with a sturdy sliding door. [$190; gardensupermart.com]
Root Blaster - when weeds dare pockmark your manicured lawn, use the Fiskars UpRoot Weed & Root Remover to snatch them out. Drive it's stainless-steel claw into the ground near the weed, step on the pedal to clamp the claw shut, and pull the handle to drag the pest out, taproot and all. Pump the telescoping handle, shot-gun-style, to send the infiltrator sailing. [$35; fiskars.com]
Grip and Rip - spend a couple hours tending to your yard in stiff, old gardening gloves and you'll end up with more callouses on your hands than a teenage boy with unrestricted Web access. Designed by an orthopedic surgeon, the cabretta leather Bionic Elite Gardening Gloves features just the right amount of padding while maximizing grip. Silicone on the thumb and fingertips provides an extra layer of protection against stick stabbings, and ventilated webbing prevents sweaty mitts. [$30; bionicgloves.com]
NEW Restaurants opened in the past year - 20 To Try!
www.blinkerstavern.com
www.grubatcopperblue.com
www.firehousegrillcincinnati.com
www.geishabistro.com
www.hebronbrewhaus.com
www.theindianbistro.com
www.jrtable.com
www.lunar-cincy.com
www.meisterhausgermanlodgebar.com
www.mellowmushroom.com
www.nakedpizza.biz
www.patriotsteakhouse.com
www.pholangthang.com
www.smoqbbq.com
www.sultanscincinnati.com
www.taqueriamercado.com
www.tonysofcincinnati.com
www.walnutstreetgrill.com
www.flipdaddys.com
https://www.facebook.com/#!/visitkingsisland?sk=app_57675755167
SMILE, SMILE, SMILE - ENJOY YOUR EASTER HOLIDAY WKND & BE NICE TO ALL :)
Stronger Spade - sure, the sour apple-green, O-shape handle makes the Radius Pro-Lite Flat Spade look like a child's toy. But try it: The rounded, non-slip surface lets you grip the handle anywhere to create more ground-piercing force than you would have with a standard, flat-handled spade. Now go show that chunk of sod who's boss [$25; radiusgarden.com]
Better Barrow - hoisting heavy logs, stones or sod into a standard metal wheelbarrow is a groin pull waiting to happen. Forgo the pain(and any awkward application of Icy Hot)with the Allsop Wheeleasy. Its durable, 350-pound-capacity canvas sling collapses flat on the ground, giant dustpan-style, creating an opening into which you can easily roll items-no strain. [$115; allsopgarden.com]
Mix Master - the average compost bin is little more than a box that attracts rodents and emits the smell of rotting plants. The 55-gallon, two-chamber Algreen Terra Dual-Batch Tumbling Composter solves both problems by utilizing a drum that's lifted off the ground & sealed with a sturdy sliding door. [$190; gardensupermart.com]
Root Blaster - when weeds dare pockmark your manicured lawn, use the Fiskars UpRoot Weed & Root Remover to snatch them out. Drive it's stainless-steel claw into the ground near the weed, step on the pedal to clamp the claw shut, and pull the handle to drag the pest out, taproot and all. Pump the telescoping handle, shot-gun-style, to send the infiltrator sailing. [$35; fiskars.com]
Grip and Rip - spend a couple hours tending to your yard in stiff, old gardening gloves and you'll end up with more callouses on your hands than a teenage boy with unrestricted Web access. Designed by an orthopedic surgeon, the cabretta leather Bionic Elite Gardening Gloves features just the right amount of padding while maximizing grip. Silicone on the thumb and fingertips provides an extra layer of protection against stick stabbings, and ventilated webbing prevents sweaty mitts. [$30; bionicgloves.com]
NEW Restaurants opened in the past year - 20 To Try!
www.blinkerstavern.com
www.grubatcopperblue.com
www.firehousegrillcincinnati.com
www.geishabistro.com
www.hebronbrewhaus.com
www.theindianbistro.com
www.jrtable.com
www.lunar-cincy.com
www.meisterhausgermanlodgebar.com
www.mellowmushroom.com
www.nakedpizza.biz
www.patriotsteakhouse.com
www.pholangthang.com
www.smoqbbq.com
www.sultanscincinnati.com
www.taqueriamercado.com
www.tonysofcincinnati.com
www.walnutstreetgrill.com
www.flipdaddys.com
https://www.facebook.com/#!/visitkingsisland?sk=app_57675755167
SMILE, SMILE, SMILE - ENJOY YOUR EASTER HOLIDAY WKND & BE NICE TO ALL :)
Friday, April 15, 2011
net briefs II...
FACE TIME SELLS! - Analysts from eMarketer are forecasting that Facebook's display advertising revenues will jump nearly 81% this year, easily overtaking Yahoo for command of the online ad universe. That's not to say that Yahoo's display revenues are going away, either. The company stands to post a 16.4% gain of its own to bring in $1.65 billion in display earnings. The Facebook's unstoppable trajectory will allow it to grab 21.6%($2.19billion)of all U.S. display ad dollars this year-up from 13.6% of the market last year and 7.3% in 2009. Google, meanwhile, is also expected to overtake Yahoo and settle into the second position with 16.7% of the market in 2011.
ANALYZE THIS! - Social media marketing and measurement has become a necessity for success on the Web, forcing many companies to expand their staffs, outsource to expensive firms or both. HootSuite has been an effective and affordable option for many for many online businesses in the short time the space has existed, and the recent launch of a new analytic platform has been welcomed by more than a million users. Updates to the Web-based dashboard include a brand new interface, much-improved reporting capabilities and new metrics that allow for deeper monitoring of Twitter, Facebook, Google and other services. The demand for social media management and analytics tools is rapidly approaching the supply, and companies such as HootSuite, Radian6, Involver and Sprout Social are doing their best to keep up.
THE EXPRESS LANE! - According to a recent Ipsos Public Affairs report, 83% of e-commerce merchants say their sales have increased since offering Express Checkout from PayPal. Of the online retailers that are able to track their revenues, sales have increased an average of 18% since adding the service. Among that group, 84% of the merchants said that their sales increased within the first three months or longer after offering PayPal's service, while 8% said it took four to six months to longer to notice an increase in sales. Express Checkout is PayPal's one-stop payment option intended to streamline the checkout process for online shoppers, similar to the ordering options now offered by Amazon and Google Checkout.
APP STORES GALORE! - We wrote here last month about the enormous potential for revenues in mobile apps, estimated by Forrester to reach $38 billion by 2005. Now Opera Software and Appia have announced the opening of a new mobile apps store for the more than 100 million Opera users. Given the excitement surrounding the market, this may indicate a trend in which independent app stores start competing with Apple's App Store and Google's updated and much-improved Android App Market for attention not only from consumers but also developers. In addition to Opera and Appia, Verizon and Amazon have each recently launched their own app stores and others include GetJar amd AppBrain.
ON SALE (RIGHT) NOW! - The much-anticipated convergence of the "daily deal" platforms with location-aware mobile services finally appears to be gaining some traction. Called Instant Deals by LivingSocial, Reward Alerts by Loopt and ShopAlerts by AT&T, to name a few, the goal of each new service is to lure mobile users into brick-and-mortar stores by sending them real-time updates about time-sensitive deals taking place in their current locations. A restaurant that is experiencing a slow lunch rush, for instance, can attract customers already in the area by creating an instant special and sending out an alert. It presents an ideal marriage between local and mobile commerce, and it will be worth watching as dozens of these programs roll out across the U.S.
CHECK IT OUT! - Mobile users "checking in" to establishments through services such as Foursquare, Gowalla, Facebook Places and Google Places has proved to be a powerful marketing tool for local merchants, but a new feature from Bizzy puts the emphasis on checking out. The mobile service for personalized business recommendations recently updated its iPhone and Android apps with the new feature that allows users to check out of a business by leaving an emoticon-style description of the experience. The checkout process acts as a future recommendation for friends, as in "Love it", or a negative review such as "No Thx".
T.G.I.F. !!! IT'S FRIDAY - SMILE SMILE SMILE & BE KIND TO YOUR BROTHERS & SISTERS :)
ANALYZE THIS! - Social media marketing and measurement has become a necessity for success on the Web, forcing many companies to expand their staffs, outsource to expensive firms or both. HootSuite has been an effective and affordable option for many for many online businesses in the short time the space has existed, and the recent launch of a new analytic platform has been welcomed by more than a million users. Updates to the Web-based dashboard include a brand new interface, much-improved reporting capabilities and new metrics that allow for deeper monitoring of Twitter, Facebook, Google and other services. The demand for social media management and analytics tools is rapidly approaching the supply, and companies such as HootSuite, Radian6, Involver and Sprout Social are doing their best to keep up.
THE EXPRESS LANE! - According to a recent Ipsos Public Affairs report, 83% of e-commerce merchants say their sales have increased since offering Express Checkout from PayPal. Of the online retailers that are able to track their revenues, sales have increased an average of 18% since adding the service. Among that group, 84% of the merchants said that their sales increased within the first three months or longer after offering PayPal's service, while 8% said it took four to six months to longer to notice an increase in sales. Express Checkout is PayPal's one-stop payment option intended to streamline the checkout process for online shoppers, similar to the ordering options now offered by Amazon and Google Checkout.
APP STORES GALORE! - We wrote here last month about the enormous potential for revenues in mobile apps, estimated by Forrester to reach $38 billion by 2005. Now Opera Software and Appia have announced the opening of a new mobile apps store for the more than 100 million Opera users. Given the excitement surrounding the market, this may indicate a trend in which independent app stores start competing with Apple's App Store and Google's updated and much-improved Android App Market for attention not only from consumers but also developers. In addition to Opera and Appia, Verizon and Amazon have each recently launched their own app stores and others include GetJar amd AppBrain.
ON SALE (RIGHT) NOW! - The much-anticipated convergence of the "daily deal" platforms with location-aware mobile services finally appears to be gaining some traction. Called Instant Deals by LivingSocial, Reward Alerts by Loopt and ShopAlerts by AT&T, to name a few, the goal of each new service is to lure mobile users into brick-and-mortar stores by sending them real-time updates about time-sensitive deals taking place in their current locations. A restaurant that is experiencing a slow lunch rush, for instance, can attract customers already in the area by creating an instant special and sending out an alert. It presents an ideal marriage between local and mobile commerce, and it will be worth watching as dozens of these programs roll out across the U.S.
CHECK IT OUT! - Mobile users "checking in" to establishments through services such as Foursquare, Gowalla, Facebook Places and Google Places has proved to be a powerful marketing tool for local merchants, but a new feature from Bizzy puts the emphasis on checking out. The mobile service for personalized business recommendations recently updated its iPhone and Android apps with the new feature that allows users to check out of a business by leaving an emoticon-style description of the experience. The checkout process acts as a future recommendation for friends, as in "Love it", or a negative review such as "No Thx".
T.G.I.F. !!! IT'S FRIDAY - SMILE SMILE SMILE & BE KIND TO YOUR BROTHERS & SISTERS :)
Sunday, April 10, 2011
net briefs..
Next For YouTube - Google's announcement in March that it was acquiring Next New Networks has created speculation about YouTube forging into the next dimension of Web video production and programming. Rather than creating it own original content, however, Google's focus seems to be on improving the existing platform that has become so valuable for millions of online businesses. The acquisition has spurred a new program called YouTube Next that will leverage the expertise gained in the partnership by offering training in video production and audience development. The next few months promise to reveal plenty about Google's long-range plans for YouTube and the future marketing value it will continue to provide for Web professionals.
bing's Been Busy - Microsoft's search engine Bing was the subject of several announcements in March that will impact countless businesses on the Web. Most recently, Bing confirmed the launch of its instant search feature that it had been promising since the arrival of Google Instant last fall. Prior to that a partnership between the search engine and travel search aggregator Kayak was announced, and jus t hours before that was Bing's entry into the daily deals space via a partnership with another aggregator, The Dealmap. Perhaps most interesting is the fact that Microsoft has opted for outside technologies to drive Bing in the local deals and travel search categories.
Four for Four - MasterCard has reported that February was the fourth straight month to see a double-digit, year-to-year online spending increase. Web shoppers spent $13.8 billion during the month, marking a 13.2-percent increase from last February and up from the $13.1 billion spent in January 2011. Consumers spent more online apparel was the biggest gainer with a 15-percent increase. What is good news for the e-commerce industry may not be a sure sign of an economic recovery, however. MasterCard attributes much of the boost in online spending to rising gas prices.
Got Widgets? - They come in just about every size, shape and color and they are fast becoming one of the most common sights on the Web. That's according to a company called Lijit, which develops widgets and recently released a study tracking their deployment. Defined in the report as "any regularly occuring functionality on a website powered by an external service, voluntarily installed by the site owner and powered by Flash or Javascript", most users know them as little buttons that ask them to "add this", "share this", Tweet this of Like that. Social media widget adoption has soared by 80% in the past year, and those for Twitter & Facebook alone have nearly doubled--climbing from 6.96% overall usage to 11.86 percent.
Paid Search - As a result of all of the twists and turns the search industry has endured over the past year, the value that Web companies put on SEOs has never been higher. That's according to the data that Crandall Associates released in the 2011 edition of the annual Online Marketing Salary Guide, which reports an increase of 17.5% for average starting salaries in the search field. Starting salaries in the U.S. have gone up to $59,100 from $50,300, while the average salary has reached $75,000 and high-end salaries climbed 2.6% to $87,300. E-commerce directors will earn the highest Web salaries overall in 2011, but the rise from last year was fractional.
BEAUTIFUL DAY!!! SUN WAS OUT STRONG; SMILES ALL AROUND; BE NICE TO OTHERS THIS WEEK!
bing's Been Busy - Microsoft's search engine Bing was the subject of several announcements in March that will impact countless businesses on the Web. Most recently, Bing confirmed the launch of its instant search feature that it had been promising since the arrival of Google Instant last fall. Prior to that a partnership between the search engine and travel search aggregator Kayak was announced, and jus t hours before that was Bing's entry into the daily deals space via a partnership with another aggregator, The Dealmap. Perhaps most interesting is the fact that Microsoft has opted for outside technologies to drive Bing in the local deals and travel search categories.
Four for Four - MasterCard has reported that February was the fourth straight month to see a double-digit, year-to-year online spending increase. Web shoppers spent $13.8 billion during the month, marking a 13.2-percent increase from last February and up from the $13.1 billion spent in January 2011. Consumers spent more online apparel was the biggest gainer with a 15-percent increase. What is good news for the e-commerce industry may not be a sure sign of an economic recovery, however. MasterCard attributes much of the boost in online spending to rising gas prices.
Got Widgets? - They come in just about every size, shape and color and they are fast becoming one of the most common sights on the Web. That's according to a company called Lijit, which develops widgets and recently released a study tracking their deployment. Defined in the report as "any regularly occuring functionality on a website powered by an external service, voluntarily installed by the site owner and powered by Flash or Javascript", most users know them as little buttons that ask them to "add this", "share this", Tweet this of Like that. Social media widget adoption has soared by 80% in the past year, and those for Twitter & Facebook alone have nearly doubled--climbing from 6.96% overall usage to 11.86 percent.
Paid Search - As a result of all of the twists and turns the search industry has endured over the past year, the value that Web companies put on SEOs has never been higher. That's according to the data that Crandall Associates released in the 2011 edition of the annual Online Marketing Salary Guide, which reports an increase of 17.5% for average starting salaries in the search field. Starting salaries in the U.S. have gone up to $59,100 from $50,300, while the average salary has reached $75,000 and high-end salaries climbed 2.6% to $87,300. E-commerce directors will earn the highest Web salaries overall in 2011, but the rise from last year was fractional.
BEAUTIFUL DAY!!! SUN WAS OUT STRONG; SMILES ALL AROUND; BE NICE TO OTHERS THIS WEEK!
Saturday, April 9, 2011
how to save in April..
travel/TAKE A "REPOSITIONING" CRUISE. Cruise lines spend this month relocating their ships(from Caribbean to European ports, for example) before kicking off a new season. If you take a relocation vacation with them, you could save up to 35 percent off the typical fare.
groceries/STOCK UP ON NONPERISHABLES. Most brand-name products are discounted once during the standard 12-week cycle, says Teri Gault, founder of TheGroceryGame.com So it's smart to buy 3 months worth of, say, Barilla pasta if it's on sale now, because it probably will not be again until July at the earliest.
energy/REDUCE YOUR ELECTRICITY CONSUMPTION. You can cut your phantom power usage by up to 85 percent by purchasing the Dexim Visible Green Charger($40, amazon.com)The charger, which can be used with most Apple items(iPhone, iPad, iPod)shuts off once your device is fully powered.
health care/GET NEW EYEGLASSES FOR LESS. Buy your next pair of spectacles from WarbyParker.com Every stylish set of frames costs just $95(including your prescription lenses)and the company offers FREE home try-ons, FREE shipping, & FREE returns. Plus, for each pair sold, another pair is given to someone in need.
ONLINE TICKET MARKETPLACES - missed the chance to buy your teenager seats to Taylor Swift's next arena show? Chin up. Even if the original broker sold out in five minutes, you can shop at these resale sites, which offer tickets to thousands of events--including sporting matches, concerts, & plays. And since sellers adjust their prices daily, you could score a great deal as an event draws near. Here's a fun-seeker's guide.
STUBHUB.COM-service fee:10% of the ticket price:electronic delivery $5: Perks:notifies you when your favorite events fall into your desired price range; pickup areas at most events are staffed with reps to help if your ticket doesn't scan; a free app scans the artists in your iTunes library & sends you notices of their upcoming local concerts.
TICKETSNOW.COM-service fee:15% or more of ticket price:electronic delivery $5: Perks:users who join the site's e-mail list get a promotional offer, such as free shipping or a 5% discount on tickets; ins(which costs 5.6% of your total order + service fees, guarantees a refund if you can't make it to an event.
TICKETNETWORK.COM-service fee:18.5% of the ticket price:electronic delivery $5: offers a 125 percent money-back gaurantee or a better seat if a ticket purchased on the site isn't valid(a risk you take when buying resold tickets); users who sign up for the site's e-newsletter get $15 off their next purchase.
VIVIDSEATS.COM-typically up to 25% of the ticket price:electronic delivery $5:live chat available 24/7 to answer questions; email alerts notify you when your favorite events fall into your desired price range; offers a money-back guarantee or a replacement if a ticket purchased on the site isn't identical to what was ordered.
SCAM OF THE MONTH - AUTO REPAIR SERVICE CONTRACT
The Rip-Off: marketers call or mail letters warning you that your car warranty is about to expire, then offer to sell you a sefvice contract to cover the costs of future repairs. These policies, which can run up to around $3,000 are also advertised on TV, the radio, & the internet, promising bumper-to-bumper coverage that will keep you from shelling out big bucks if your transmission fails or your engine breaks down.
The Tip-Off: some "auto-repair service sellers" have led customers to believe that they are affiliated with vehicle manufacturers. Not so. These companies operate on their own and are infamous for refusing to reimburse claims on car repairs, says Bill Smith, a St Louis-based investigator with the Better Business Bureua(BBB) According to Smith, the sellers often cite loopholes in the contract(ones you would never be able to discern)to avoid paying uo, then void the document, leaving you in the lurch.
How To Protect Yourself: although the Federal Trade Commission has cracked down on the illegal robocalls to sell auto-repair service contracts, many companies, such as StopRepairBills.com, Consumer Protection Services, & Service Protection Direct, are still in business(despite receiving grades of F from the BBB)If you are the target of one of these offers, research the company's history at bbb.org--or to be on the safe side, steer clear of these policies entirely.
BOOKMARK THIS: moneyaisle.com Driving that shiny new red sedan off the lot? Fun. Shopping around for a low-interest car loan? Not so much. Avoid the tedious task by filling out the form on this secure website. Enter the amount you want to borrow & your location, then let banks and credit unions bid for the chance to give you a loan. The auction site will present you with the best offer in less than 30 seconds. Going, going, gone!
Can I check up on my spouse's credit-card & bank-account balances?
Well that depends. Do you suspect your spouse of acting in a fiscally irresponsible manner & running up massive debts? Or worse, committing fraud or some other misconduct? If so, says Anita L Allen, a professor of ethics & law at the University of Pennsylvania, then it's acceptable to pry. If he/she maxes out a credit card on a joint account, for example, you're legally responsible as he/she is for paying off the debt. But if you're just curious about his/her spending, you must ask his/her permission before you peek at his/her accounts. Hopefully, he/she will be open to this. And if he/she balks? Don't think that you can just help yourself to his/hers online statements, even if you know his/her log-in information. "Ethically, you have the right to know, but his/her password to access the information without his/her consent is a form of identity theft. - Ingela Ratledge
Best Time to SHOP AT A THRIFT STORE
To find a wealth of gems, hit up these merchants 'now'. "People tend to clear out their houses in April & May, causing donations of used furniture and household appliances to spike" says Jennifer Byrd, a spokesperson for the Salvation Army. Credit spring-cleaning, too, for the huge selection of clothing that you'll find this month.
REMEMBER TO SMILE, SMILE, SMILE - HOLD THE DOOR FOR SOMEONE & BE KIND TO OTHERS:)
groceries/STOCK UP ON NONPERISHABLES. Most brand-name products are discounted once during the standard 12-week cycle, says Teri Gault, founder of TheGroceryGame.com So it's smart to buy 3 months worth of, say, Barilla pasta if it's on sale now, because it probably will not be again until July at the earliest.
energy/REDUCE YOUR ELECTRICITY CONSUMPTION. You can cut your phantom power usage by up to 85 percent by purchasing the Dexim Visible Green Charger($40, amazon.com)The charger, which can be used with most Apple items(iPhone, iPad, iPod)shuts off once your device is fully powered.
health care/GET NEW EYEGLASSES FOR LESS. Buy your next pair of spectacles from WarbyParker.com Every stylish set of frames costs just $95(including your prescription lenses)and the company offers FREE home try-ons, FREE shipping, & FREE returns. Plus, for each pair sold, another pair is given to someone in need.
ONLINE TICKET MARKETPLACES - missed the chance to buy your teenager seats to Taylor Swift's next arena show? Chin up. Even if the original broker sold out in five minutes, you can shop at these resale sites, which offer tickets to thousands of events--including sporting matches, concerts, & plays. And since sellers adjust their prices daily, you could score a great deal as an event draws near. Here's a fun-seeker's guide.
STUBHUB.COM-service fee:10% of the ticket price:electronic delivery $5: Perks:notifies you when your favorite events fall into your desired price range; pickup areas at most events are staffed with reps to help if your ticket doesn't scan; a free app scans the artists in your iTunes library & sends you notices of their upcoming local concerts.
TICKETSNOW.COM-service fee:15% or more of ticket price:electronic delivery $5: Perks:users who join the site's e-mail list get a promotional offer, such as free shipping or a 5% discount on tickets; ins(which costs 5.6% of your total order + service fees, guarantees a refund if you can't make it to an event.
TICKETNETWORK.COM-service fee:18.5% of the ticket price:electronic delivery $5: offers a 125 percent money-back gaurantee or a better seat if a ticket purchased on the site isn't valid(a risk you take when buying resold tickets); users who sign up for the site's e-newsletter get $15 off their next purchase.
VIVIDSEATS.COM-typically up to 25% of the ticket price:electronic delivery $5:live chat available 24/7 to answer questions; email alerts notify you when your favorite events fall into your desired price range; offers a money-back guarantee or a replacement if a ticket purchased on the site isn't identical to what was ordered.
SCAM OF THE MONTH - AUTO REPAIR SERVICE CONTRACT
The Rip-Off: marketers call or mail letters warning you that your car warranty is about to expire, then offer to sell you a sefvice contract to cover the costs of future repairs. These policies, which can run up to around $3,000 are also advertised on TV, the radio, & the internet, promising bumper-to-bumper coverage that will keep you from shelling out big bucks if your transmission fails or your engine breaks down.
The Tip-Off: some "auto-repair service sellers" have led customers to believe that they are affiliated with vehicle manufacturers. Not so. These companies operate on their own and are infamous for refusing to reimburse claims on car repairs, says Bill Smith, a St Louis-based investigator with the Better Business Bureua(BBB) According to Smith, the sellers often cite loopholes in the contract(ones you would never be able to discern)to avoid paying uo, then void the document, leaving you in the lurch.
How To Protect Yourself: although the Federal Trade Commission has cracked down on the illegal robocalls to sell auto-repair service contracts, many companies, such as StopRepairBills.com, Consumer Protection Services, & Service Protection Direct, are still in business(despite receiving grades of F from the BBB)If you are the target of one of these offers, research the company's history at bbb.org--or to be on the safe side, steer clear of these policies entirely.
BOOKMARK THIS: moneyaisle.com Driving that shiny new red sedan off the lot? Fun. Shopping around for a low-interest car loan? Not so much. Avoid the tedious task by filling out the form on this secure website. Enter the amount you want to borrow & your location, then let banks and credit unions bid for the chance to give you a loan. The auction site will present you with the best offer in less than 30 seconds. Going, going, gone!
Can I check up on my spouse's credit-card & bank-account balances?
Well that depends. Do you suspect your spouse of acting in a fiscally irresponsible manner & running up massive debts? Or worse, committing fraud or some other misconduct? If so, says Anita L Allen, a professor of ethics & law at the University of Pennsylvania, then it's acceptable to pry. If he/she maxes out a credit card on a joint account, for example, you're legally responsible as he/she is for paying off the debt. But if you're just curious about his/her spending, you must ask his/her permission before you peek at his/her accounts. Hopefully, he/she will be open to this. And if he/she balks? Don't think that you can just help yourself to his/hers online statements, even if you know his/her log-in information. "Ethically, you have the right to know, but his/her password to access the information without his/her consent is a form of identity theft. - Ingela Ratledge
Best Time to SHOP AT A THRIFT STORE
To find a wealth of gems, hit up these merchants 'now'. "People tend to clear out their houses in April & May, causing donations of used furniture and household appliances to spike" says Jennifer Byrd, a spokesperson for the Salvation Army. Credit spring-cleaning, too, for the huge selection of clothing that you'll find this month.
REMEMBER TO SMILE, SMILE, SMILE - HOLD THE DOOR FOR SOMEONE & BE KIND TO OTHERS:)
Friday, April 8, 2011
Sunday, April 3, 2011
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BREAKING NEWS:.The Pity Train has just derailed at the intersection of Suck It Up & Move On and crashed into We All Have Problems, before coming to a complete stop at Get the Heck Over It. Any complaints about how we operate, can be forwarded to 1-800-waa-aaah with Dr. Sniffle Reporting LIVE from Quitchur Moaning Alley. Life doesn't revolve around you LOL!
SMILE! ENJOY LIFE, LAUGH OFTEN & LOUD & TAKE A BREATH OR 2 :)
SMILE! ENJOY LIFE, LAUGH OFTEN & LOUD & TAKE A BREATH OR 2 :)
Facebook Commerce for the Socially Challenged - Website Magazine - Website Magazine
Facebook Commerce for the Socially Challenged - Website Magazine - Website Magazine
VERY TRUE! THIS IS ALSO GREAT INFO I JUST HOPE PEOPLE PAY ATTN TO THIS
VERY TRUE! THIS IS ALSO GREAT INFO I JUST HOPE PEOPLE PAY ATTN TO THIS
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