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Hate to Cook After a Long Day? Try This!

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You’ve had a long day at work and now you have to cook dinner and you’re tired. And you don’t want to go out, either. So, what to do?

Maybe try a meal delivery service! I worked for one for a short time last year, delivering meals directly to people’s homes along a route.

Yes, these services do exist, offering different plans for different needs. The company I worked for featured fully cooked dinners. No drinks are included and people sign up and can choose which days they want meals delivered, and can also have special consideration for food allergies and dislikes. The company also provided insulated bags on request. It provided a good service. Other companies will provide drinks or other variations of service.

Of course, there is a charge, and most companies have customers create accounts. And it may not be for everyone, either. But I can see how it can benefit those who have long workdays or just plain hate to cook.

Some may think this is only for senior citizens, but my clients included all types of people, young, old, families, single, and other multiple living arrangements.

So, if you don’t like to cook, or just don’t have the time, you may want to check out a meal delivery service. Bon Appetit!

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Stay Prepared! Keep the Charge and Gas Up!

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A blog post, “It Took an Earthquake to Teach Me Preparedness and Priorities” from The Idea Bucket, regarding the recent earthquake in Nepal, brought something to mind. Namely, the things we often overlook when planning for an emergency.

Two of these are: Keeping your cell phones adequately charged up, and keeping an adequate amount of gas in your car.

I usually charge my phone if the battery level falls below 80 percent by day’s end, barring unusual circumstances, and when I travel; I always bring my chargers with me. And, I have a car charger for the phone, as well as one for my home. And this is a good idea, because you never know when you may need to use your cell phone at an unusual time. See Lesson 4 in “It Took an Earthquake to Teach Me Preparedness and Priorities” from The Idea Bucket.

I also keep my other electronics charged up as well, even though they are less likely to be needed in an emergency, possibly. If they are, I know I’m prepared.

And the car? Yes, I have read once or twice in the past that one should keep at least a quarter tank of gas in the car for emergency purposes. I usually fill up when my car’s gas gauge reaches the quarter tank level as it is. Occasionally, I do go past this, but most of the time, I do fill up at the quarter tank level.  Again, you never know, no matter how remote the possibility, when you may have to evacuate your town or city in the middle of the night due to some disaster and your car is the only ticket out.

So, don’t overlook these items when planning for emergencies. You have planned for emergencies, haven’t you?

Be safe!

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Unknown's avatar

State of the Art is Always Moving

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Here in the Portland area, antiques are a big business, and you can find lots of antique shops and you can also find antiques at flea markets as well. I like looking at antiques to see the things people used, as well as the precursors to many things we have and use today.

One of the things I’m struck by as I get older is, when I’m in an antique shop, I see more and more things that were once “state of the art”.

Last week, I was in an antique shop and saw this orange phone, pictured below, with a clear plastic dial. It was from about the early 1970’s. And I remember when these phones came out, as an upgrade from the phones which had a dial the same color as the phone and looked more antiquated when compared to the “clear plastic” dial phones. They, the clear plastic dial phones, were state of the art of that time and I remember thinking they were forward-looking.

Phone at Portland antique shop. Circa 1971

Phone at Portland antique shop. Circa 1971

Ah, but how time has really marched on. Push button phones came soon after, followed by hand-held phones with a central base. Then the first useable cell phones, like the large black Motorola phones of the early and mid-1990’s, arrived. Then smaller cell phones came out, each new version able to do more and be less bulky, followed by the blackberry and smart phones after that we now have.

(Yes, I know smart phones have gotten larger, but, they have stayed thin and light, and no doubt, one day, maybe sooner than anyone thinks, a smart phone that can have changeable size will be invented!)

And now, the smart watch has come out, though it may be too small to make a big splash just yet, however, with improvements, and technology that we haven’t thought of yet, it still can make a splash later on, even if it doesn’t now.

And the thing is, one day, even these, along with smart flat screen TV’s, tablets, kindles, dual purpose laptops, and the top of the line home theater systems now available,  will all find their way into antique shops, replaced with something we possibly can’t even imagine yet!

Today’s “state of the art” is tomorrow’s antique.

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Unknown's avatar

Why I Now Prefer Pre-Owned (Used) Cars

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I am now a believer in buying used cars. (Yes, I know, the term now is “Pre-Owned”, but I’m still hard-wired to say “Used”!) I bought my first, and current, used car in December, 2012, a 2007 Toyota Corolla, and it’s still going strong.

There are a number of things which I’ve learned that are better buying used, and I do mention cars being among them in my post, “Used vs New: Which is Best to Buy?” Now, here are the reasons why.

First, used cars are cheaper! This is true for most things, as a matter of fact, but cars are special, in that they are often the most or second most expensive item that people buy, and new cars depreciate greatly from the moment you drive one off the showroom floor.

In my case, for my previous car, which I bought new, I paid roughly $20k. I had the car for 7 years before it was totaled. That comes out to about $2,860 “paid” for each year I had the car. And mind you, I was able to pay the entire amount at that time, so I had no car payments to make and thus saved possibly $5k-10k in interest!

I paid $10k out the door for my current used car, which would have also been $20k when new, and have now had it for about 3 years come this December. At that point, that would be roughly $3,333 for each year. By June, 2016, I will be breaking even in comparison to my previous car, in only 3 and half years! When I’ve owned my current car for 7 years, the same amount of time I had my previous car, it will come down to $1,430 “paid” per year!

And another way in which I come out ahead: I paid $10k less for a good car, than what I paid 7 years earlier, despite inflation over that time! In a way, that’s $10k to the good for me!

Next, related to the first, is that you have less of an investment to lose. I’m given to understand that new cars will have the most depreciation within the first two years. So, with a used car two years old or more, it’s possible you’ve got a car that has had most of its depreciation. So if you decide to sell it down the road (pun intended!), you may recover a much larger proportion of the money you spent to buy the car and, in some cases, you may even come out ahead!

Then, used cars tend to be cheaper to insure. When I got each of my new cars previously, my rates always went up. With my current car, they didn’t.

Now, one thing is, you must do some research and also make sure you get any used car you’re thinking of buying, inspected by a trusted mechanic.  If you do, you’re more likely to reap the benefits I’ve just described.

But, even if you test drive a used car you like and are just satisfied that it starts and runs, you may still be saving money even if you do end up going to the repair shop a little more often in the beginning. (Do note, even if you do your due diligence, the used car you buy may need some work.)

Many say that buying a used car is buying someone else’s problem. But, think about this. If you’re paying $300 or more a month for that new car, month after month for 36-72 months, do you think that you’ll be paying that much every month in repairs for the used car you could buy instead at half the price? My bet is that you will not, especially if you do your due diligence when shopping for that cheaper used car. Just something to think about.

Finally, while I don’t plan on any big modifications on my car, I feel that I can modify the car as I please without that feeling of “messing new things up”.

So, these are my primary reasons for preferring used cars, and have made my motoring a lot happier!

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And thanks for reading!  🙂

Unknown's avatar

Give Them A Break!

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If you are in business, or even if you have the latitude as an employee, there are less obvious ways to increase the chances for more business and a better reputation.

And one good one is? Give customers a break when the opportunity arises! No, this isn’t about offering discounts en masse. It’s about giving breaks in certain, usually individual, circumstances.

For instance, I build resumes for people on the side. I charge $30 for a one to two page resume and usually charge $5 for making changes later on if there are more than one change or if the change is somewhat substantial.

But, one time, a customer sent me his resume and wanted me to make changes as I saw fit. However, his resume was good as it was and I only needed to make a very minor date change that he’d told me about. So, since it only took two seconds, I let him know that there’d be no charge. He was pleasantly surprised by this and I’m guessing he probably told a person or two. Yes, I could have charged him at least my $5 minimum, but I chose not to. Why?

Because it creates good “Karma”. Maybe it won’t lead to more business, but then again it might, even if it’s just from him. You see, at the very least, he knows I’m not this hard case who will charge just for contacting me. And if he needs a new resume, he may just remember me.

When a business, especially a small business, does something like this, they do get remembered, even if it is after a while. And, when those customers who’ve gotten those breaks talk about it, even if it’s just a casual mention, it acts as free advertising.

And, if you’re an employee whose been given the latitude to cut people breaks at times, do it! It can mean a good comment for you on that comment card or online survey, or even a letter of commendation sent to your boss or someone even higher up, leading to a raise, promotion, or both, for you down the line. And, as an employer, it’s a good idea to give a trusted and proven employee just that kind of latitude.

As the recipient of some of these breaks, I do make mention of the good deals and breaks I’ve gotten, as well as a list of people and places to go to where I know I’m going to be treated well, instead of as just another pigeon to pluck! And, I’m quite sure that I’ve gotten some business as a result of my cutting someone a break.

And, speaking as a small entrepreneur, I know that any free advertising helps!

So don’t forget to cut some breaks if you’re able to. It can really help the bottom line, in more ways than one!

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And thanks for reading!  🙂

Unknown's avatar

Our Brains: What We Really Have

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You’ve put the cat in his room and have closed the door, so he won’t get into things while you sleep. All you had to do was to close the door. Then, later that night, there’s the smell of smoke. It wakes the cat, but he can’t get out of the room to warn you. Luckily, something else wakes you and you smell the smoke, locate its source, and prevent the fire.

Now, let’s say you had no cat but a 5-year-old child. And, like the cat, you’ve closed the door to the child’s room. Like the cat, the child wakes up, smells smoke, and opens the door and wakes you in time, something the cat could not do or think of.

That’s because of our brains. We’re so caught up in our lives, that we seldom think about the advantages that our brains give us over the other animals.

Oh, they’re obvious enough to us to the point that we never ask our pets to bring us a glass of water, but we don’t really think about it. Especially when it comes to comprehension, which I believe might be the true 6th sense.

And yet it can be seen in even seemingly unimportant things.

For instance, when I was much younger and living at home, we had various dogs, including 3 greyhounds at one point. It was quite cold one night and my folks put blankets over the dogs so they could keep warm. Of course, overnight, the dogs would move and the blankets would come off.

So, when I awoke first that morning and noticed the now uncovered dogs still sleeping, my thought was that I wished that they could think of grabbing the blankets with their mouths and pull the blankets back up over them.  A human child would have thought to reach for the blanket and cover himself again. The difference amazed me then and still does now. And I realized just how powerful this ability, that we humans have, to think and comprehend really is.

And while chimpanzees and dolphins have shown signs of having greater comprehension than other animals, they still don’t have it to the extent that humans do.

And it’s quite a gift. To see a stick and know immediately that you can use it to pry up a rock, or to see the notepad that you have and immediately know to use it as a temporary shield against the sudden rain as you run to your car.

Just something to think about.

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Unknown's avatar

Friday the 13th – An Unlucky Day?

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Well, today is Friday the 13th, 2015. And it’s the second Friday the 13th this year. It’s generally considered to be an unlucky day. Sure, it’s just superstition, but some people really believe it!

When I was a kid, I knew someone who at least acted like it was an unlucky day for him. If he was riding his bike and it was Friday the 13th, he would crash. I don’t know, in retrospect, if he was just using the date to get attention, or if he really believed in the unluckiness of the date and was inadvertently setting himself up for misfortune as a result.

So, is Friday the 13th really unlucky? I don’t think so, except possibly for those who do believe it. What about for those whose birthday happens to be on Friday the 13th? Well, it turns out that if Friday the 13th happens to be your birthday, it’s supposed to be a lucky day for you.

But in reality, the myth of Friday the 13th is just that. A myth. Just like broken mirrors supposedly bringing 7 years’ bad luck and black cats crossing your path bringing bad luck.

So stop worrying and enjoy your day. Even if it is Friday the 13th.

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Unknown's avatar

Think You’ve Seen All of Your Home Town?

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So, you’ve lived in your current home town for a long time now, and you think you’ve seen all there is to see, right? Well, guess again! Chances are you probably haven’t. Just pick up a local map.

If you look long enough, you’ll probably see lots of little places right in your town that you’ve never really seen. You may have passed by them many times, but you haven’t really seen them. And they can make great local trips. Some of them might be less than 5 minutes away from you!

Kelly Point Park

Kelly Point Park

 

I’ve lived in the Portland area for over 11 years now and I’m still finding little spots, like Kelly Point Park, pictured here, that I hadn’t seen before. Before moving to the Portland area, I lived in the Los Angeles area for over 40 years and there are still places I haven’t seen there!

Confluence of the Willamette & Columbia Rivers from Kelly Point Park.

Confluence of the Willamette & Columbia Rivers from Kelly Point Park.

So, how to find these places and add them to your day trips planner? Just pick up a map from the AAA or your city offices, and really look at it. That’s what I do from time to time, and I always find something new I haven’t discovered before.

Now that spring is just about here, with summer not far behind, it’s time to rediscover your home town area!

Happy traveling!

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Unknown's avatar

Stop Paying to Pay Your Taxes!

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Last year (2014) was the last straw! I went to the same tax preparation company that I’d gone to for the last ten years and ended up paying $608 to have my return prepared and filed!

$608!                    

And this for a relatively simple return!

To start at the beginning, when I used this preparer, a very well-known chain, I paid maybe $250 and was also sent a coupon that took $20 off my bill. But each year, the price kept going up! Last year (2014) it was $608, a steep rise from the year before, when I paid roughly $450! And, to top this off, the preparer stopped sending their discount coupons.

Well, I asked why my return, (which was fairly simple with some self-employment income, but certainly nothing like what a decent sized business would generate),had cost so much to prepare.

I was told that it was due to my number of w2’s and the division of my self-employment income generating more forms, each of which added another $100 to the cost! And I think I only had 3 w2’s and one 1099!

So, did they protect me and go to bat for me with any problems with the IRS? Well, yes, on two occasions. But, it was for mistakes they made! Not for anything I forgot to include or miscalculations I made!

So, this year, (2015) I decided enough was enough! I found a service, partly supported and endorsed by the AARP, which does tax returns free of charge. They also provide resources that can help you if you are audited. And they do a good job!

Luckily, in most of my past years, I had gotten refunds that were enough to cover the cost of preparation. However, I guess that had I gone to a tax preparation business, I may have paid $700 or more this time! With the $200 refund I’m getting this year, I would have ended up $500 in the hole, if not more!

Is there a down side or catch to using this free service? Sure. There are requirements, such as income levels. If too high, then you’re not eligible, although, the threshold is fairly high. Also, there are some things that they cannot do regarding tax returns, mostly things that are in much more complex returns, unless you’re willing to forgo the deductions, but, in many cases, the taxpayer will still save more by not going to a standard preparer.

In my case, the actual organization doing the free tax returns is called “Cash Oregon”, and is endorsed by the AARP. Oh, and by the way, there are no age restrictions, even though the AARP is involved.

And, depending on your area and how the organization you find works in your area, you may have to make an appointment well in advance, or, if they only do walk-in service, you may have to get up very early in the morning, arrive very early, and wait half the day or more. But, it’s well worth it! And unless you have the kind of return that is very complex and has a possibly greater chance of being audited, you should be just fine using a free service.

Just be sure to make sure that it is supported or endorsed by a reputable organization such as the AARP.

Oh, and what about the possible suggestion that I simply find another provider, one of the other well-known tax preparation companies? Well, while I was waiting, another guy came in and told the clerk he was trying Cash Oregon’s service because he was tired of paying exorbitant costs to have his taxes prepared by one of those other well-known companies!

So, if you’re seeing your tax refunds getting chewed to pieces by your tax preparer’s high costs, or even worse, having to pay that high cost on top of any taxes you owe try looking for a free service!

And support the FAIR TAX! (See my post, FAIR TAX! IT’S WAY PAST TIME!)

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And thanks for reading! 🙂

Unknown's avatar

Don’t Drive? Need a License? No! Need an Updated ID? Yes!

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So, you no longer drive or have stopped driving. And that means you have no need of a license, or a need to update it. But, do you still need an up to date ID? The answer is, yes!

Now, we’re not like an iron curtain country where we need “papers”, but there are cases where an up to date ID can really help. And no, not just to enter bars or other adults only places.

I went to do my taxes last week, and, while waiting, a customer appeared who had not updated his ID, so, the expired ID he had was considered invalid. This meant that he had to go and update his ID before he could do his taxes.

There can be other cases where an updated ID is essential. Among these are getting all kinds of services and discounts for senior citizens. Also, one is often needed for banking and other financial transactions. Then of course, you need one if you’re going to fly anywhere.

And lastly, if you lose your wallet and it ends up with the police or other law enforcement authority, you may have more trouble getting it back.

So, what to do if you don’t drive and don’t need a license? Well, you can get just an ID card, usually from the DMV. They are usually good for 10 years, to my knowledge, and are accepted as valid forms of identification. And remember to keep it updated!

You never know when a valid ID can help you.

Be up to date!

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And thanks for reading! 🙂