We save on entertainment in several ways. For dining out, we take advantage of coupons and senior pricing. On the rare occasion when we go to movies at the theater, we go to early showings of movies for the matinee price or use the senior discount, whichever saves more. We bring our own snacks and water. I have also purchased theater gift cards at a discount. For outings to the zoo and museums, where we go often with grandkids, we purchase a family membership. This saves money per visit, and we bring picnic lunches along. We also keep our eyes open for free or low cost things to do, such as touring the farm that supplies our CSA box or attending concerts or movie nights in the park.
I live in a rural area so saving on entertainment is tough, there's barely any entertainment. Mostly I use rewards for entertainment, like cashing in MCR points for AMC theaters and Live Nation Cash, we get restaurant gift cards from relatives on holidays, look for free and discounted days and coupons for the zoo and museums, and have a lot of pot luck type parties and barbecues in the summer. My local mom and pop drug store also sells discounted tickets for the local not-a-chain movie theater, and the local library has sponsored events like magicians for the kids.
Our kids have a big pile of bath toys for when they get washed in the tub. Every so often they start to, well, smell, and we'll run them through the dishwasher (on the top rack) and they come out pretty much as they did when first opened.
Years ago, when the cost of our internet and cable kept rising, we did a brave thing and cut off the cable, and switched to a DSL line. We saved about 60%, and used that to subscribe to Netflix streaming, which is all we use now. Maybe once a month we'll go out to a movie, but we rarely rent from stores anymore -- it's all through streaming. That gives us a nice opportunity to read more, too, with the occasional purchase, but mostly based off of the local library.
To allow some variety, we still go out to live shows -- maybe once a quarter, and we try to keep it local rather than going up to the big city.
I absolutely won't buy a thing at any store that charges me a fee to pay for its goods. This also goes if they offer a cash discount (same thing).
They'll lose a good customer if they try it.
Putting your major cross streets in the add or ballpark item location is almost as important to me as the price. There are some items that even if I want them I simply am not going to drive 30 miles to buy. Wasting my time finding out your all the way across town is painful.
I lived in a condo complex many years ago. When I first moved in, I introduced myself to the neighbors in my immediate atrium. Several of them were like "why are you telling me you just moved in?" and one was friendly. He was the oldest guy, who had been there forever and was like the mayor of the building. He was the one I talked to the most during my eight years there.
Now I have a house and try to be friendly with everyone but I am closest with my next door neighbor. I wave and say hi to everyone.
Think of us poor souls in Australia. We have been paying credit card fees for at least 3 years. It's not really the storefront retailers who are the problem (although some of them charge a fee for AMEx, Diner's etc), it's the phone companies, the utility companies, insurance companies, etc. Really anybody you pay via online banking. And since there is no real competition, we just get socked. The 4 big banks here own this country. And they call the shots. Making billions and billion every year. Sorry 'bout the rant - but cc fees are really annoying.
I'm Becky from first grade, and I'd like to register my lack of enthusiasm for that particular idea (#8). It can be nice to hear from old friends, but at the end of the day, it's a bit of a nuisance to have to take the time and correspond with yet another person, especially a virtual stranger who wants to reconnect. I barely have enough time for my close friends and family, and I'm afraid the long lost friend is only going to be disappointed.
But otherwise, this list is great, and I'm happy that #17 reminded me to start organizing my seeds.
This is incorrect. The settlement didn't "give" anybody "rights" (rights are inalienable). I remember in the 1990s when it was common for gas stations to charge 5% for credit, or give a 5% discount for cash.
I don't want to be one of those people who is far away in the same room but think I'm at a pretty high risk of going that way. I can't get away from all the digital stuff at work but I have a couple of simple rules that keep me sane at home.
1) No screens before work or between work and supper. This makes mornings and getting into family mode at the end of the day much easier.
2) While I'm home my phone stays in my jacket pocket and my jacket stays out of my sight. I have a landline so people can still contact me.
3) Email is set to check once an hour, no more. If it's urgent people can call.
A bucket list is a great idea - I love the film, but I think everyone needs a bucket list. It's about making the most of life and not looking back with regrets.. live life to the max..... I also agree that having good friends can be a a great way to reduce boredom. I love food and I love cooking and having friends round for an inexpensive dinner great entertainment - especially if you then get a reciprocal invite!
I am sharing this everywhere I can. Another thing we have to keep an eye on our receipts and at the stores we shop at. Terrible, just terrible is all we can say. Can website's do this for e-commerce?
As a person who has worked Customer Support in various position for over 20 years, let me help you address some of these issues.
1. Assess your expectations.
If you wish to yell at someone, do not yell at the minimum wage employee. Being civil, and angry is valid. Having an issue is valid. Yelling at employees is never okay. If you expect the minimum wage employee to figure out what your expectation are, guess again. I will never go out of my way to help a customer. That may sound rude and horrible, but I assure you that a good deed never goes unpunished. You are probably thinking, like myself, of the customer service of 10 years ago. That kind of customer service does not exist anymore. Employees are not invested in their jobs, and certainly not invested in their employers. Blame the industry and corporate machine. That's just the way it is. Customer service does not mean the same thing it did 10 years ago, and it's not coming back anytime soon. That being said, it is absolutely okay to ask for a supervisor at some point because you feel that you are not being treated fairly (more about fair later). I often don't let the customer complete sentences regarding a concern. I just break in with a "I can see that your are upset or frustrated or whatever. let me get a supervisor for you".
2. Role play & good verbiage
Supervisors in 2013 are paid 15 cents more and hour. They are however paid the extra to listen to complaints and solve issues. The issue is 15 cents. Don't raise your expectations to high. It is 100% valid to ask for a supervisor, as long as you are following rule one and have assessed your expectations. Produce your expectations, and if fair, a supervisor will have no choice but to address your concern. The word 'fair', and the word 'expectations' are like magic. Trust me on this. Use the following formula.
*I do not think I was treated fairly because....
*My expectation was ....
By the was, it is also 100% valid to be angry. Use the following phrases.
*Your store did this...
*Your establishment treated me this way...
*This store...
Do not use the following words.
*You did this...
*You are...
If your not sure then use the compliment sandwich. Seriously.
*I had great service in your store yesterday. (layer one is good)
*Today I was treated unfairly regarding ..... (layer two is bad)
*Your store is clean and well stocked that is why I like to shop here. (layer 3 is good)
You will be astounded by the way supervisors and managers will fall over themselves to provide good service using that formula. Please don't make it personal (even though it feels that way). I support angry customers with valid complaints that want to be treated fairly. I do not support personal attacks. Especially since the person in question is likely getting paid minimum wage, and is quite frankly, not interested in being yelled at. I for one have some simple rules; treat everyone fairly and with dignity and expect the same. Works great.
3. The company president
The president of Verizon (U.S.), or the president of Rogers (Canada) does not want to talk to you (That is not to say that he does not value your concerns). He's the PRESIDENT of a company for goodness sake. I honestly understand that some people do get through, but if we all started stalking the president's of company's, and emailing the president's of company's with all our myriad complaints. I mean come on. Really?
4. Thank you?
Last, but not least, if you take your complaint all the way to the owner then for %&*$@# sake take your commendations to the owner as well. I mean really. I see complaints daily. I'm lucky to have someone go out of their way one a year to say something nice. A simple 'thank you for the good service you provided me today' goes a long way.
As a kid you can mow lawns, walk dogs, wash cars, sell baked goods, lemonade, bottled water (at yard sales). My daughter once bought some large bags of cotton candy, rebagged it in smaller bags and sold them door to door and made a killing! Helps to be cute.
I save on entertainment by winning Redbox codes and watching free movies at home.
We don't have a TV service, and watch all shows and movies online for free on YouTube and Hulu
We use the library for movies :)
I use the library for movies and books. In nicer weather, I use beaches and parks. And there's always free concerts in the summer
We save on entertainment in several ways. For dining out, we take advantage of coupons and senior pricing. On the rare occasion when we go to movies at the theater, we go to early showings of movies for the matinee price or use the senior discount, whichever saves more. We bring our own snacks and water. I have also purchased theater gift cards at a discount. For outings to the zoo and museums, where we go often with grandkids, we purchase a family membership. This saves money per visit, and we bring picnic lunches along. We also keep our eyes open for free or low cost things to do, such as touring the farm that supplies our CSA box or attending concerts or movie nights in the park.
I live in a rural area so saving on entertainment is tough, there's barely any entertainment. Mostly I use rewards for entertainment, like cashing in MCR points for AMC theaters and Live Nation Cash, we get restaurant gift cards from relatives on holidays, look for free and discounted days and coupons for the zoo and museums, and have a lot of pot luck type parties and barbecues in the summer. My local mom and pop drug store also sells discounted tickets for the local not-a-chain movie theater, and the local library has sponsored events like magicians for the kids.
Our kids have a big pile of bath toys for when they get washed in the tub. Every so often they start to, well, smell, and we'll run them through the dishwasher (on the top rack) and they come out pretty much as they did when first opened.
Great advice! I would like to add to this 'Don't go to Brazil'! But I'm just bitter because it's so much more expensive that Bolivia was... :(
Years ago, when the cost of our internet and cable kept rising, we did a brave thing and cut off the cable, and switched to a DSL line. We saved about 60%, and used that to subscribe to Netflix streaming, which is all we use now. Maybe once a month we'll go out to a movie, but we rarely rent from stores anymore -- it's all through streaming. That gives us a nice opportunity to read more, too, with the occasional purchase, but mostly based off of the local library.
To allow some variety, we still go out to live shows -- maybe once a quarter, and we try to keep it local rather than going up to the big city.
We grease the bird feeder pole. It provides hours of family entertainment for pennies.
I absolutely won't buy a thing at any store that charges me a fee to pay for its goods. This also goes if they offer a cash discount (same thing).
They'll lose a good customer if they try it.
Putting your major cross streets in the add or ballpark item location is almost as important to me as the price. There are some items that even if I want them I simply am not going to drive 30 miles to buy. Wasting my time finding out your all the way across town is painful.
The article reads "legal right" which is different than "human right"
http://www.businessdictionary.com/definition/legal-rights.html
I lived in a condo complex many years ago. When I first moved in, I introduced myself to the neighbors in my immediate atrium. Several of them were like "why are you telling me you just moved in?" and one was friendly. He was the oldest guy, who had been there forever and was like the mayor of the building. He was the one I talked to the most during my eight years there.
Now I have a house and try to be friendly with everyone but I am closest with my next door neighbor. I wave and say hi to everyone.
Think of us poor souls in Australia. We have been paying credit card fees for at least 3 years. It's not really the storefront retailers who are the problem (although some of them charge a fee for AMEx, Diner's etc), it's the phone companies, the utility companies, insurance companies, etc. Really anybody you pay via online banking. And since there is no real competition, we just get socked. The 4 big banks here own this country. And they call the shots. Making billions and billion every year. Sorry 'bout the rant - but cc fees are really annoying.
I'm Becky from first grade, and I'd like to register my lack of enthusiasm for that particular idea (#8). It can be nice to hear from old friends, but at the end of the day, it's a bit of a nuisance to have to take the time and correspond with yet another person, especially a virtual stranger who wants to reconnect. I barely have enough time for my close friends and family, and I'm afraid the long lost friend is only going to be disappointed.
But otherwise, this list is great, and I'm happy that #17 reminded me to start organizing my seeds.
This is incorrect. The settlement didn't "give" anybody "rights" (rights are inalienable). I remember in the 1990s when it was common for gas stations to charge 5% for credit, or give a 5% discount for cash.
I don't want to be one of those people who is far away in the same room but think I'm at a pretty high risk of going that way. I can't get away from all the digital stuff at work but I have a couple of simple rules that keep me sane at home.
1) No screens before work or between work and supper. This makes mornings and getting into family mode at the end of the day much easier.
2) While I'm home my phone stays in my jacket pocket and my jacket stays out of my sight. I have a landline so people can still contact me.
3) Email is set to check once an hour, no more. If it's urgent people can call.
A bucket list is a great idea - I love the film, but I think everyone needs a bucket list. It's about making the most of life and not looking back with regrets.. live life to the max..... I also agree that having good friends can be a a great way to reduce boredom. I love food and I love cooking and having friends round for an inexpensive dinner great entertainment - especially if you then get a reciprocal invite!
And, related to 13...they won't steal your packages themselves! I once had a neighbor who did that.
Molly, that's awesome! I'm happy to hear that it's helping.
I am sharing this everywhere I can. Another thing we have to keep an eye on our receipts and at the stores we shop at. Terrible, just terrible is all we can say. Can website's do this for e-commerce?
Nora, Loved it and included it in today's article about "habitat for humanity" and wealth in life :)
As a person who has worked Customer Support in various position for over 20 years, let me help you address some of these issues.
1. Assess your expectations.
If you wish to yell at someone, do not yell at the minimum wage employee. Being civil, and angry is valid. Having an issue is valid. Yelling at employees is never okay. If you expect the minimum wage employee to figure out what your expectation are, guess again. I will never go out of my way to help a customer. That may sound rude and horrible, but I assure you that a good deed never goes unpunished. You are probably thinking, like myself, of the customer service of 10 years ago. That kind of customer service does not exist anymore. Employees are not invested in their jobs, and certainly not invested in their employers. Blame the industry and corporate machine. That's just the way it is. Customer service does not mean the same thing it did 10 years ago, and it's not coming back anytime soon. That being said, it is absolutely okay to ask for a supervisor at some point because you feel that you are not being treated fairly (more about fair later). I often don't let the customer complete sentences regarding a concern. I just break in with a "I can see that your are upset or frustrated or whatever. let me get a supervisor for you".
2. Role play & good verbiage
Supervisors in 2013 are paid 15 cents more and hour. They are however paid the extra to listen to complaints and solve issues. The issue is 15 cents. Don't raise your expectations to high. It is 100% valid to ask for a supervisor, as long as you are following rule one and have assessed your expectations. Produce your expectations, and if fair, a supervisor will have no choice but to address your concern. The word 'fair', and the word 'expectations' are like magic. Trust me on this. Use the following formula.
*I do not think I was treated fairly because....
*My expectation was ....
By the was, it is also 100% valid to be angry. Use the following phrases.
*Your store did this...
*Your establishment treated me this way...
*This store...
Do not use the following words.
*You did this...
*You are...
If your not sure then use the compliment sandwich. Seriously.
*I had great service in your store yesterday. (layer one is good)
*Today I was treated unfairly regarding ..... (layer two is bad)
*Your store is clean and well stocked that is why I like to shop here. (layer 3 is good)
You will be astounded by the way supervisors and managers will fall over themselves to provide good service using that formula. Please don't make it personal (even though it feels that way). I support angry customers with valid complaints that want to be treated fairly. I do not support personal attacks. Especially since the person in question is likely getting paid minimum wage, and is quite frankly, not interested in being yelled at. I for one have some simple rules; treat everyone fairly and with dignity and expect the same. Works great.
3. The company president
The president of Verizon (U.S.), or the president of Rogers (Canada) does not want to talk to you (That is not to say that he does not value your concerns). He's the PRESIDENT of a company for goodness sake. I honestly understand that some people do get through, but if we all started stalking the president's of company's, and emailing the president's of company's with all our myriad complaints. I mean come on. Really?
4. Thank you?
Last, but not least, if you take your complaint all the way to the owner then for %&*$@# sake take your commendations to the owner as well. I mean really. I see complaints daily. I'm lucky to have someone go out of their way one a year to say something nice. A simple 'thank you for the good service you provided me today' goes a long way.
As a kid you can mow lawns, walk dogs, wash cars, sell baked goods, lemonade, bottled water (at yard sales). My daughter once bought some large bags of cotton candy, rebagged it in smaller bags and sold them door to door and made a killing! Helps to be cute.