1. Shop With A Timer: Avoid wasteful and expensive browsing by marching into stores with firm deadlines. Looking for a single item? Remind yourself it's time to leave by setting your cellphone to ring after five minutes.

2. Reward Your Effort: Need a little extra motivation to research that insurance you should have bought months ago? "Just like diet and exercise, slogging through the details of dreaded, uninteresting purchase decisions is hard work and requires some investment of time and energy. Set up the amount of time as well as the actual time, such as 2:30-3:00 p.m. on Sunday, that you will solely use to focus on evaluating the purchase details. Note this in your calendar along with a "treat" for sticking to the details and honoring your time commitment. Knowing that you have a reward for a job "well done" (or at least, "done") will help motivate you through the nitty-gritty of this kind of shopping situation."

3. Enlist An Expert: Alpha Consumer recommends enlisting an expert before making a large purchase, paying for outside help if necessary. Most of the "expert advice" available for sale is already hiding on the internet. Don't open your wallet without first training to become an armchair expert.

3 Ways to Be a Smarter Shopper [Alpha Consumer]
(Photo: goodrob13)

1. ACCLIMATE. If you’re going to be gone longer than a couple of days, begin acclimating your body to the new time zone by altering your eating schedule three days before your plane takes off. If you’re heading west to San Diego from Boston, for example, three days before you leave, eat an hour earlier each day. Flying from San Diego back to Boston? Help reverse the acclimation and get back on home time by eating an hour later each day for three days.

5. HIT THE LINGUINE. Or any other carb-dense food at dinner on the night before your flight. Scientists have been arguing for some time about whether or not this decreases jet lag and increases your potential for normal sleep, but recent research on clock genes has uncovered subtle effects that indicate carbs boost your ability to sleep—particularly when you fly westward. No one’s quite figured out how they help, but they do know that carbs provide your brain with a source of tryptophan from which it can make the sleep-inducing neurotransmitter serotonin.

6. REFRIGERATE. If you’re flying during what would be night hours at your destination, try to get some sleep on the plane. Use earplugs to eliminate noise, an eyeshade to kill the light, and turn the air-conditioning valve on high. A third cue your body uses to set its internal clock is temperature. A lower temperature lowers your body’s core temperature and signals it’s time for sleep. A higher temperature raises your body’s core temperature and signals that it’s time to wake. To keep from getting too chilled, bring along one of those silk blanket-and-pillow sets that are sold through airline and online travel catalogs.

7. AVOID AIRLINE FOOD. A fourth cue your body uses to set its internal clock is food. Since airline food is served onboard according to the time at your home base, eating it can sabotage efforts to reset your clock to the time zone to which you’re traveling.

8. CONSIDER THE MEDICAL OPTION. Short-acting sleeping pills can help you sleep through an overnight flight. They can also help you sleep during the first couple of nights at your destination. That said, keep in mind that if a sleeping pill is taken just a little later than it should be on local time, it can exacerbate the effects of jet lag. Even worse, if the drug lasts longer than the flight, you’ll arrive drowsy at your destination—that’s not good if you have to drive or negotiate local transportation home.

Check out the Reader's Digest article for the full list.

In our experience, jet-lag remedies are like cold remedies in that everybody has a different one. What are some jet-lag remedies that you find to be effective?

15 Smart Ways to Beat Jet Lag [Reader's Digest]
(Photo: Getty)

A lot of these gestures and positions may strike some readers as obvious, but chances are you subconsciously lapse into them in various situations. If you can somehow master your body language and strike a pose that's splayed out, legs crossed, arms akimbo, with your fingers pressed together in a steeple, you'll probably be able to haggle anything successfully. (Please send us a photo of yourself in this position.)

"What We Say Without Words" [Washington Post]
(Image: Washington Post)

Barcelona - Is pretty safe in the tourist areas. Be aware of overly-friendly people who try to hug you or distract you, since these are techniques commonly used by pick-pocketers.

Cancun - Street vendors often sell jewelry that they claim is real silver and costs around $20. The fake silver will often turn yellow or lose its sheen within a few weeks.

Las Vegas - If your cab ride from the airport to the strip takes longer than 20 minutes, you may be a victim of the "long haul." Police advise that anyone who feels they have been taken advantage of by cab drivers should file a complaint at taxi.state.nv.us.

London - Scotland Yard recommends taking the city's old-school black cabs which are licensed by the city instead of the "mini-cabs." According to recent data, 10 women a month are assaulted in mini-cabs.

Montreal - Theft of electronics out of vehicles is a big problem in Montreal, so much so that there is a $30 fine if you don't lock your car door. Police advise to keep any laptops, GPS units, etc. in your trunk.

New Orleans - The article says, " A common scam in the French Quarter goes something like this: A man approaches you and says, "Bet you $5 that I can tell you where you got your shoes!" Whether you accept the bet or not, he adds, "On your feet on Bourbon Street," and demands the money. Authorities say some people pay up just to avoid a confrontation. If a stranger tries to entice you into a bet, police officer Shereese Harper suggests you keep walking and don't say a word —responding encourages the scam artist to harass you."

Orlando - Beware of multi-day theme-park tickets from the shops on International Drive near Universal Studios or outside Disney World or in the city of Kissimmee. These shops often procure old tickets that have a few days left on them and sell them to you. Parks prohibit the resale of passes and will turn you away if they think you have one.

Check out the full article for more tips.

Tips to avoid being victimized on vacation [CNN]

1. I love, love, love this car
Even if you fall in love with a car, maintain your composure and don't let the salesman realize it. It is easy for salesmen to manipulate you when they know that you will do almost anything to own the car.

2. I need to get a car by tomorrow
Even if you need the car quickly, act like there's no desperate need for the car. If he senses your desperation he will realize that you won't be thinking carefully about your choice and will accept most anything.

3. I need a monthly payment of...
The monthly payment is only one part of the equation. A salesman can give you that monthly payment and still rip you off in another area such as in the number of payments or trade-in value. Ideally, you should calculate what you can afford based on your monthly budget and expected trade-in value and negotiate that big number. Now, agree on a monthly payment and then negotiate any trade-in value.

4. My trade-in is outside
If you let him know it is outside he will want the keys. If the deal starts to go south, your keys may be somehow misplaced in which case you will be forced to listen to his sales pitch longer than you want to.

5. I don't know anything about leasing
Even if you don't plan on leasing a car, you should learn about leasing to help make you impervious to the salesman who may try to sell you the idea. Usually, leasing only makes sense if you know that you won't be keeping the car for several years. If you do plan to lease, you should be familiar with the costs of leasing beyond monthly payments. You should also be aware of how many miles are included in the lease and any money that needs to be paid up front or at the end of the lease.

6. My credit is a little spotty
Often, consumers underestimate their own credit score. Ideally, you should try to secure a loan you can use for "plan B" in case you don't like what the dealership has to offer. This gives you bargaining power and lets you know more clearly where you stand with your credit rating.

6 things never to tell a car salesman [CNN]

1) When possible, Verizon buries the "drop line" (single fiber that leads to your house) - smart, right? No. Usually they're only buried 6 inches underground, and typically with no conduit or protection beyond the insulation around the fiber itself. Dig and break the fiber? Whoops, that might cost you a few thousand dollars to reconnect if the junction is too far away! Did we install your fiber connection over the top of the lid to your septic system and you can't have it pumped out? Better call us and pay out the ass (ho ho!) to have it moved.

2) We are only supposed to support setting up a wireless router if it has line of sight to your computer. That's right, within the same room. My trainer said their are exceptions you have to make, such as if your install tech stuck the thing up in a cupboard or strapped it to the optical box we install, but otherwise out of luck.

So, PRO TIP: if you want help with wireless, "yes, my router is in the same room as the computer" or "but the Verizon tech installed it that way" will be required verbiage for help from us if you're a normal person that wants to use wireless IN OTHER ROOMS!

3) If we determine you have an in-house wiring fault causing your home phone to not work (only fiber up to our optical box, you still have copper wiring in your house) our repair techs cost $90 just to show up - just to roll up to your house! and then $180 an hour. So if we talk about calling "copper repair" and you don't have a wiring service plan, hang the hell up and find a local guy.

4) One good thing is that FiOS agents have no barrier to the DRC, the people that control dispatches. In DSL, if your truck tech just up and left, or knocked and ran, you're screwed. FiOS agents can call directly and find out if your tech left to do an off-premises repair or get a tool and when he'll be back, or turn a "no access" dispatch around if a lazy tech didn't knock hard enough.

(Photo: davidbivins )

Consumer Reports offers a lot of valuable advice in their recent piece, Spend Less on Everything. Some suggestions: Use shopping bots and online coupon sites to find the best deals, consider using VoIP, and check Consumer Reports's website for advice on insurance, electronics, and cars before purchasing them.

Some broader, common sense tips come from Survive a Recession: making sure you don't get fired, having or building an emergency fund, trying to eliminate debt, living frugally, and pursuing additional means of income.

The Simple Dollar lists Forty Ways to Reduce Your Monthly Spending, including insulating your hot water heater, reviewing and reducing your subscriptions, and starting a garden.

Although we wrote about this in 2006, it's just as valuable today: Free Money Finance gathers 301 of its money-saving tips, including guidance on choosing car insurance, cutting your own hair, and saving money on babysitting, into one cornucopia of frugality here.

For even more useful advice, check out Consumer Reports's comprehensive recession guide: Smart Moves for Tight Times

Lastly, we would advise against just throwing away bones with plenty of meat still on them. Instead, take them home, throw them in a pot, add some broth, a potato—baby, you've got a stew going!

1) I don't need any extra features or accessories, so don't bother trying to sell them to me.
Cellphone sales reps are under a lot of pressure to sell features and accessories. Go ahead and use this information to your advantage. Avoid expensive accessories, but go ahead and see if you can't use extra features as leverage. Need that data plan anyway? They don't need to know that. Let them convince you.

2) I'm under contract with you guys, can I have a better phone anyway?
The answer to this question is "no." If you're under contract, the sales reps have no reason to give you a deal on a phone, unless you're close to your contract expiration date. Even then, you'd be better off waiting until your contract is up and shopping around for the best deal.

3) I've been a loyal customer for many years! There's no way I'm switching! Reward me!
You can try calling your cellphone company and asking for a "loyalty credit" before heading over to the store to begin your negotiation, but keep in mind that sales reps tend to get less commission for retaining customers than they do for getting new accounts. You're probably going to get the best deal from a company that considers you a new customer.

4) Yes, I would like a 2 year contact!
You ideally want no contract. If that's not possible, you'd like a one year contract. Cellphone reps tell us again and again that there's no real benefit to you, the consumer, for signing up for a 2 year contract. Sometimes you can't avoid it, but you owe it to yourself to try.

5) I have not shopped around, I do not know what your competitors are offering, and I have no idea what the hell is going on right now.
Shop around. Look at each company's website. Check out the phones. Read reviews. Learn about the plans. Then go around to each company and ask when they're willing to offer you. Write each offer down. Now you can start your negotiation. Don't believe this is possible? Check out this letter from a reader who used tips from Consumerist to save lots of money on his new cellphone plan.

Bonus Tip: Go cellphone shopping at the end of the month, when some reps are under increased pressure to meet their quotas.

We know you have lots of cellphone shopping tips. Add them to the comments and help your fellow man.

(Photo: medalian1 )

Before You Leave

• Set Goals: Set a daily budget to restrict extraneous spending. Account for food, hotels, transportation, entertainment, and a little extra for those adorable tchotchkes.
• Know How To Exchange Money: Know exactly where you can exchange currency, how much it will cost, and if your credit card is planning to slap you with foreign transaction fees.

While Away

• Track Your Expenses: Either keep all your receipts, or write down your expenses in a notebook. At the end of the day, see where you can cut expenses the next day.
• Separate Your Cash: If you change currency in bulk, separate out the mass of cash into chunks that match your daily budget. Wallets brimming with cash scream "Spend Me!"
• Understand The Conversion Rates: "You’ll do a better job of reining in your purchases if you know how much you are spending. Your rule-of-thumb doesn’t need to be exact. For example, at today’s rate of 1.57 US Dollars to the Euro, I would multiply any price I saw by two and then subtract 20%. (Meaning a 30 euro item is approximately $60-$12=$48.) This accounts for any transaction fees, and slightly overestimates the cost of each item so that there aren’t any nasty surprises when I return home."

How to Track Travel Expenses and Stick to a Vacation Budget [Get Rich Slowly]
(Photo: Rory Finneren)

Perhaps most people use their ATM cards all the time, or already know this, but I was surprised and disappointed to find out that I could not use my card when I needed it.

Lucky for me this wasn't a dire emergency, but it was still enough to leave me temporariliy frazzled.

(Thanks to l i!)
(Photo: DarthMullet)

Erin was the recipient of a recent scam attempt from Moreno and Woods, a debt collection agency that—according to her account and others found online—uses abusive tactics and fraudulent claims to try to con people into paying off debts they never owed to avoid things like wage garnishments and lawsuits. Erin fought back, and shared her story with us to warn others.

I received a voicemail today (5/27/08) out of the blue from a man who identified himself as David Cooper from Moreno and Woods. He said he was calling regarding Case Docket #93659, and that I must return his call immediately or else "the matter" could result in wage garnishment, denial of credit, or closing of existing lines of credit. He gave his number as 866-928-3160, ext. 109. Since the voicemail didn't provide any information that would allow me to discount the matter out of hand, I returned my call.

Cooper retrieved my file, asked if I was Ms. [redacted] - I said I was - and asked me to confirm the last four digits of my SSN - I did not reply to that. I asked him what the call was regarding, and he said that they had a "judgement" against me from Bank of America regarding an outstanding balance of $20,000 on Visa account ending #1181 that was opened in 2001 and closed in 2004. (To the best of my knowledge this account never existed, let alone belonged to me - even supposing someone else had opened it in my name, there should have been some contact regarding it at some point, or a record of it on my credit report). I asked in what court the judgement was obtained, and he said they had the judgement "in the office." I asked again what that meant, and what court of law had entered a judgement against me. He said that technically there was not a judgement yet, but three debt collections agencies had tried to get this money and so the claim was being filed in [redacted] County (where I reside - looks like they're smart enough now to Google area codes before they get on the phone) on May 30.

I said that I had no recollection of that account, had never been contacted by a collection agency, and that I have done business with Bank of America regularly over the past several years. I asked if he thought it was odd such an issue would not have arisen in that time. He said it was odd but he wasn't making it up and if anything someone might have stolen my identity. I said that I check my credit report regularly, and said that if someone has accumulated this debt by using my information, it would be extremely odd that it had not shown up on my credit report, and that neither BofA or a debt collection agency had contacted me in the intervening six years since the account was supposedly opened, or the four years since it supposedly defaulted. He agreed and said he was just trying to figure it since "the judgement" was against me for $20,000. At that point I told him that there might be people who fall for this sort of thing but I wasn't one of them.

He again tried to say that it wasn't up to him, there wasn't anything to "fall for" because he was looking at my folder right there, and there was a judgement against me in court. I asked in what court the claim had been heard - he said again it was going to [redacted] County and would be entered there. I said I understood that, but he had already referenced a docket number (93659) and I wanted to know what court of law had provided that docket number, since a docket number would not have been generated unless a claim had already been filed against me somewhere. He said, "The docket number is here - it's number 93659." I asked again what court of law had provided that docket number. He could not answer (obviously, since it is a scare tactic and no claim has been filed against me anywhere).

Finally I said he had already told me so many falsehoods I had no reason to believe anything he had to say - he asked, "What, falsehoods?" I said, "You called my home, you left a threatening message saying that a claim had filed against me in court and that I could face financial penalties, then when I called you said a judgement had been entered against me - none of that is true!" He asked me to hold on (sounded like he was trying to get a supervisor on the line or something) and I refused, saying "And I'm going to ask here not to call here again," and then hanging up.

Immediately following this conversation, I went online and obtained my credit reports from the three credit agencies (I had not obtained them in just over a year). Everything was in order - I printed off the reports - but while I was printing the last one an inquiry showed up on it from Marshall & Ziolkowski, a well known rip-off company who are now apparently using Moreno and Woods as a front. I immediately put a fraud alert on my reports as well. Hopefully this is the end of it, but I'm prepared to take legal action if they continue to contact me or try to report this fraudulent debt to the credit agencies.

I am just disgusted. The attitude would have been bad enough even if the debt existed, and since it DOES NOT EXIST, it's even worse. And as mad as I am, I'm glad they called me instead of someone who might have believed their scare tactics and paid them - I've worked in the legal field before (specifically, I have worked with creditors on debt consolidation and relief for the disabled and injured), I know my few debts down the cent and I am current on all of them, I am not easily intimidated over the phone, I know how to check my credit report, add a fraud alert, and dispute fraudulent claims, I know my rights and I know what information a legitimate company would have to prove any real debt - how absolutely terrified would I be if I didn't know any of those things? If I thought maybe there WAS some huge bill out there that I now had to pay or face legal penalties? These people should be in prison.

Erin points out that, should they call back, she has several options open to her:

The next steps, if they pursue this, could include me sending a demand for debt validation and/or cease and desist orders; reporting them to the BBB and relevant AGs [Attorney Generals]; and suing them for any violations of FDCPA or FCRA.

RELATED
Moreno and Woods [800notes.com]
"Report: Moreno And Woods"[Rip-off Report]

Anyone who signed up for the HotSpot @Home feature that allows you to make cell phone calls over your wifi network should go online and switch to the identical service that was 're-rolled out' and called 'HotSpot @Home Talk Forever Mobile'.

They are exactly the same service except that the old version was $19.99 and the new version is $9.99. So basically I will be saving $120 a year without any contract extensions or change in service.

If you are still being billed for the old version, T-mobile will not switch you over to the cheaper, identical service until you do it yourself.

Bring a magnet. Many grills are made of a mix of grades of stainless steel. Our tests have found that 300-series stainless is less likely to rust than cheaper, 400-series stainless. Magnets will usually stick to cheaper grades, so bring a magnet with you to test the metal.

More grill shopping tips at Consumer Reports.

Tip of the Day: Shopping advice for gas grills [Consumer Reports]
(Photo: Getty)

• Simplify Your Investments: Let day traders slave over charts and dodge heart attacks. Stash your cash in an index fund and watch your money grow effortlessly.
• Occasionally Pay For Help: Investing is one thing, but taxes and other potentially complex arrangements sometimes call for professional help:
  

  Perhaps the best thing a versatile professional — whether it is a financial planner, accountant, stockbroker or lawyer — does is provide discipline. It is difficult to get most of this stuff right. And to get it done at the right time. Professionals help make sure it all happens on schedule.

• Read Consumerist More Often: Especially to research companies before making large purchases. Use this guide to see how editors research topics we've already covered.

  And take a bow, commenters: "both the blog posts and the comments" are a valuable source of information.

• Automate Everything: Auto bill bay is an adorable skunk, cute until it stinks. Auto bill pay makes paying your bills oh-so easy, but any errors are immediately charged to your account. For those who want the convenience of auto bill pay without remaining liable for someone else's mistake, consider directing all your bills to your credit card. You'll pick up rewards and build your credit history, while retaining the power to fight errors with chargebacks.
• Talk!: Talk openly about your finances with your family. "If we do not know what is coming, we cannot help them plan for it." Ask your parents about their retirement plans and adjust your savings accordingly. Likewise, imbue your children with an understanding of finances so they can catch you if you slip-up down the road.

What principles guide your financial decisions? Share your pillars in the comments.

Five Basics for Building a Solid Financial Future [NYT]
(Photo: Dr. Hemmert)

Food's getting too expensive, leaving us with two choices: lose our lead on per capita obesity, or find new ways to save money. We're not the type of nation to give up a first place position on anything, so that leaves us with saving money, and one way to do this is to make your own stuff. We know, it's crazy! Apparently early settlers somehow created their own Cheetos and Frappuccinos, but we're not going to get that primitive. Instead, here's a quick rundown of some interesting Do It Yourself tutorials we found that might give you some ideas on how to cut costs the next time you go grocery shopping.

Make Your Own Baby Food
The process is pretty easy—puree the food and strain it. This post suggests you spoon individual servings into an ice tray, then cover it with plastic wrap and freeze it. "Then, put the frozen blocks of food into a freezer bag." The author doesn't go on to mention thawing out the food, which leaves us with images of her babies sucking toothlessly on foodsicles, but we assume you're supposed to reheat the food when you're ready to use it.

Of course, if you need advice on how to make your own baby, you can head over to our sister site Fleshbot.

Make Your Own Instant Oatmeal
Trent at The Simple Dollar makes his own instant oatmeal packets. Instant oatmeal is a simple recipe, which means even the kitchen-phobic can accomplish this without ruining anything. Trent writes that the initial batch actually comes out to slightly more per serving than prepackaged, if you factor in the purchase of one-time supplies like reusable baggies and salt. Batch #2 is the same price as pre-packaged, and batch #3 is where the real savings kick in.

While this is a great idea, we think you can go one better and forego the plastic bags entirely, which drops the cost per serving immediately. Baggies are good if you have to eat your breakfast in the break room at work, but otherwise the "recipe" is so simple that you can assemble it on the spot each morning in less than 30 seconds. If you follow Trent's advice to grind up some of the oatmeal to make the final product thicker, simply grind up a predetermined amount and keep it in a plastic container.

Make Your Own Ice Cream and Sorbet
Real ice cream requires cooking a custard first, and you'll have to purchase eggs, heavy cream, and milk, which are exactly the sort of ingredients that are going up in price. Since the point is to save money, you're better off buying in-season fruit and trying your hand at sorbets.

This is maybe the funniest/laziest sorbet recipe we can find: freeze a can of fruit, then puree it in a blender with a little liquor. (We're going to try this over the weekend.)

If you're too lazy to puree and blend, go even simpler and just make ice pops.

Make Your Own Hot Dogs
Just kidding.

The Big Question: Is This Really Worth My Time?
If you're asking yourself that, there's a good chance you already know the answer: you probably feel your time is better suited doing something more productive and/or entertaining.

However, Trent the Oatmeal Guy writes that he made his instant oatmeal packets while talking on the phone with his mother. We've discovered family phone calls are the perfect time to multitask with housework and kitchen activities, especially if you have a hands-free headset.

(Photo: Getty Images)

This was sent to us as an, "oh, this is gross and bad customer service," but I actually think it's a good tip for something to try if your credit or debit card won't swipe, and there's no plastic bags around.

Today, at the Costco in Rancho Cordova, California, a Costco employee licked my ATM card. When I tried to scan my card, the usual happened. It wouldn't scan. I tried several times, to no avail. The cashier, "Victoria A.", then took my card from me. I thought she was going to scan it at her register, but I was wrong! Instead, she licked her index finger, rubbed it on the magnetic strip on my ATM card, then ran it through the scanner. To be fair, the scanner DID read the card once the card had been licked. I think Costco should have a policy about employee licking. What do you think?

Rubbing the card through a plastic bag to build up static electricity also works well. Just based on my own personal experience, there's usually a large reservoir of plastic bags available in the general vicinity of the checkout area.

Costco employees should not lick ATM cards [Splash's Training Day]
(Photo: Ninha Morandini)

Arbol Cafe does give tips to the employees, and was giving tips at that time 'John Smith' was in training. John Smith was in training and she received $25 for each of her three, 3 hour shifts. We opened in January and she worked a few days in February. If people think that we do not tip employees, they are only feeding off of one of our first employees in training as well as repeat bloggers/posters who now seems out to slander us at every chance they have. While we can't continue forever defending ourselves without further criticizim from people who like to post negative comments, we do feel that it's important for our customers and future customers to know that our employees are, and have been, and will continue to be treated with respect and the tips have been, are currently, certainly will continue to be forwarded to them as they pass the training period and can competantly work the front desk.

Other tips are a little more traditional, like have your kid write down everything he spends money on, or save his allowance for a special purchase, or—and this is probably the biggest stumbling block—lead by example:

Parents can help with the basics, but a lot of them also lack financial education, Levine said. She added that where parents can be very helpful is in giving their kids their first lesson about money.
 
There are concerns that parents aren't setting a good example for kids. The national savings rate has declined since 2001.
 
"Today's kids, just like their parents, are coming up in a spending culture," Levine said.
 
The most important thing for a parent is to make sure that their child's first savings experience is a successful one, she said. Too many people try to get their kids to save for things that are too far into the future or too big. For a young child, saving for next year is an eternity, she said. If the goal is intangible, the money will seem lost to the child.

I always use electronic postage when sending my rebates. This prints the mailing date very clearly on the envelope. Then I make two copies of the envelope itself, I keep one with my copy of the rebate forms and I attach the other copy to the packet I am sending in for the rebate. I also highlight the date on the photocopy of the envelope so that it's very clear to them that I mailed my documents before the rebate deadline. So even if they mis-file your packet or if they lose your original envelope or if they claim it was mailed too late there will always be a record of when the rebate was mailed attached to your packet. When they see this level of detail they know you mean business and that you are diligent. So maybe they are less prone to mess with you? I don't know. But I do this religiously and have had great success.

Tips to ensure you get your MIRs [SlickDeals]

(Photo: ninjapoodles)

The "servers" comment:

The owners of the Arbol cafe do not allow their workers to keep their tips. While getting paid 7 dollars an hour to bus, clean, set, take orders, run food, do dishes, and bleach bathroom/floors, the tips from customers are kept by the owners. Tipping the owner is considered rude and telling servers that they can't is poor practice.
After a four hour shift (28 bucks) with no tips, which one time a server made 30 dollars in tips I was unable to keep it.
The place has all the potential, but has bad policies. NEVER TIP! Your server doesn't see it.

The "cafe" responded:

We regret and apologize at having to respond to such a base, unfair and inaccurate comment made by the waitress, "John Smith". The cafe has been open all of three months and is undergoing drastic rennovations. Prior to our hiring any person, we make it quite clear that they will be paid above minimum wage to start. It is also our clear intent to not have waiters or waitresses but rather, persons who are interested in working and growing as a team and excelling in the project's full potential. Many of our customers have offered their time and skills, free of charge, because they too share in the same spirit of what we have to offer to the community.As newcomers into the Northern Liberties community, we feel a true responsibility to complete a project that is long overdue. A quaint cafe with attached garden seating. Our goal is to bring to the community a relaxed, casual, family atmosphere where tipping is optional for the customers and not needed by the staff. All money generated goes towards financing the rennovations as well as aiding us in being able to pay the workers well above minimum wage in respect to their ability and contributions.We want to thank everyone for their support, generousity and interest in Arbol Cafe. This is a true gift that has been placed in our hands and we vow to remain true to our purpose and sincerity no matter the resistance from those we may never be able to please. Our vision is clear and exspansive, we do hope that you will know Arbol Cafe first hand and understand how the impossible can be overcome against all odds. Thank you again and we apologize for any doubts that may have surfaced, yet we are certain that our heart, actions and intentions are whole and just.

wowwww the fact that you would even attempt to justify this must be one of the most pathetic things I have ever heard. I have been here a handful of times and enjoyed the atmosphere but knowing this my friends and I shall make sure never to step foot into this place. I gave my waiters healthy tips because they were nice and did a great job, not because I believe my food was worth more than menu price. disgraceful

Profit sharing arrangement, Serious Please? What % share of Arbol does a worker receive? When you're at any restaurant or cafe with table service, and you receive the bill from the server, it's an assumption that the tab goes to the house and the tip goes to the server. If patrons knew tips were being seized to benefit the house, people likely wouldn't tip.

If the owners provide the bulk of the service, they're more than welcome to put their tips back toward the house, but operating under the myth that a server is somehow eventually 'profit sharing' in the 'enterprise' is the sort b.s. that I was now the exclusive province of Internet startups trolling Craigslist for content producers.

Even the claim that they'll pay minimum wage at the expense of tips belies their knowledge that the value patrons perceives in a server collectively exceeds minimum wage. Arbol's exploiting that assumption to benefit themselves.

Other posters got it right, there's no way Arbol will be able to maintain servers in Philly's or even Northern Liberties' restaurant worker market.

UPDATE: And in response to this post, Arbol Cafe wrote us:

Arbol Cafe does give tips to the employees, and was giving tips at that time 'John Smith' was in training. John Smith was in training and she received $25 for each of her three, 3 hour shifts. We opened in January and she worked a few days in February. If people think that we do not tip employees, they are only feeding off of one of our first employees in training as well as repeat bloggers/posters who now seems out to slander us at every chance they have. While we can't continue forever defending ourselves without further criticizim from people who like to post negative comments, we do feel that it's important for our customers and future customers to know that our employees are, and have been, and will continue to be treated with respect and the tips have been, are currently, certainly will continue to be forwarded to them as they pass the training period and can competantly work the front desk."


Thank You,
Beth

Arbol Cafe [City Paper] (Thanks, Maurice!)
(Photo:Tracy O)

William writes:

I write in the hopes you will expose the abusive practices of Halstead Communications, the contractor DirecTV uses to install service in New York. As an initial matter, running a search on Google for "directv halstead communications ltd" pulls up many complaints regarding this subcontractor. I am not the only one who have been abused by this company.

I use the word "abusive" because the technician who showed up this morning did not have equipment and had parked his van a few blocks away even though we have a driveway. He clearly was not ready to work, and he asked my mother for a tip upon coming in—she had tipped him when he came in on a service call a while ago. (He cut a DirecTV line and was not able to install a dish on that service call.) My mother said that he would be tipped after he finished. The technician got angry and said that he couldn't work because there was a table in the way. My mother had the table moved immediately, but the technician said to his co-worker, "I can't work like this, let's get the fuck out of here" and walked out.

I contacted DirecTV and all they could offer was the phone number of the contractor, Halstead Communications. I called Halstead and they said they would have the local office call me back. Of course, the local office has not called back. Halstead refused to tell me their address, or the phone number or address of the "local office." It's understandable why they do not want to disclose this information—they'd otherwise be buried in complaints. The consumer is powerless to do anything, and the technicians know this because they would not act like that if we had any power.

It is unbelievable that a large corporation such as DirecTV chooses to do business through such a contractor. I really hope you choose to do a story on Halstead, if only to let DirecTV know that they have to be responsible.

Thank you very much for your time.

Truly Yours,
William

(Photo: SpooSpa)

thanks, Virgin America [Manifest Density]
Virgin America: still evil, but now defeatable [Manifest Density]

This letter is in reference to my purchase of a 160GB Ipod Classic from the Brick, NJ Costco (store #229) on March 29th.  While the packaging and box indicate a 160GB device, I discovered that the box actually contained a 60GB Ipod.  I seek a full refund on my purchase and an apology from the store’s general manager, Leonard for my treatment.

Only one hour after purchasing the Ipod, I opened the box in my apartment in the presence of my girlfriend.   To be certain that the capacity of the device was in fact only 60GB, I downloaded Itunes and plugged the Ipod into my computer.  Itunes confirmed the device’s capacity was only 60GB.  Upon discovering the error, I immediately went back to the store and explained my dilemma.  The issue was quickly escalated to Leonard, the store’s general manager. Before I could even begin to explain what happened, Leonard told me in a stern and knowing voice that “this Ipod did not come from this box”.  He accused me of going home, switching the Ipod with one that I had previously owned, and was attempting to con Costco for a better Ipod.  I felt as if I was being scolded by a teacher in middle school.  I was insulted and humiliated.  I’ve never been accused of committing a crime in my life.  After a few minutes of trying to explain the situation to Leonard, it was evident that his mind had been made up before he even began to talk to me, and my efforts to convince him were fruitless.  I can’t help but think that if my girlfriend or mother were the one returning an Ipod that they bought, they would have been treated differently.  I believe the general manager saw a young man and assumed I was trying to pull a fast one.  Rather than having my issue addressed, I was embarrassed, accused of committing a crime, and escorted out of the store.  

I know from working in customer service that the customer isn’t really always right, and there are plenty of deceitful people out there who would try to pull a scam like this, but I believe that a loyal customer with a perfect track record, who has never returned anything to Costco, deserves the benefit of the doubt in situation like this.  I should not be guilty until proven innocent.  I am NOT a thief.  I am an IT professional and make a decent enough living that I do not have to scam my local Costco to get an upgraded Ipod. Never in my life have I been treated like this at a retail establishment

From talking with Apple (case # XXX) I’ve learned that the Ipod that was in my box is a 60GB Video Ipod (the serial # is XXX) that is not in production any more.  The serial number on the box that I have (for a 160GB Black Ipod Classic) is XXX.  It is also of note that Apple told me that neither of these Ipods has been registered with Itunes, which I believe indicates that neither Ipod has ever been used.   

I honestly have no idea how that particular Ipod got in the box that I opened.  It was shrink-wrapped when I opened it and I did not notice any obvious tampering with the box or contents. (the pouch with the earplugs was unopened).   I’m not sure if Apple is at fault or if it is the misdeed of some warehouse worker along the way who switched out Ipods and re-shrink-wrapped the package.  But I do not believe it is my responsibility to figure that out.  I just want what I paid my hard earned money for and an apology from Leonard, the general manager for treating me like a thief instead of a customer.  Thanks for your assistance in resolving this matter.

Here are some pics

http://img388.imageshack.us/img388/5670/contentswl0.jpg

http://img292.imageshack.us/img292/4096/contents2dt2.jpg

http://img261.imageshack.us/img261/1607/ipodaq4.jpg

http://img169.imageshack.us/img169/5575/wrapzu1.jpg

-SeanMac23

http://www.autoblog.com/2008/03/26/not-over-yet-ebay-buyer-still-trying-to-get-m3-from-bmw-dealer/

Over the last 12-24 months, I've been annoyed with about 3-4 mailings a week from Chase for various add-on services and useless products. Already a customer of theirs, I did not appreciate this onslaught of advertising. Here's a quick opt-out website in which you can cancel all direct marketing letters from Chase... dnmoptions.chase.com.

It's against California law for supervisors to share employee tips.

Starbucks spokeswoman Valerie O'Neil said the company planned an immediate appeal of the ruling, calling it "fundamentally unfair and beyond all common sense and reason."

The lawsuit was filed in October 2004 by Jou Chou, a former Starbucks barista in La Jolla, who complained shift supervisors were sharing in employee tips.

The lawsuit gained ground in 2006 when it was granted class-action status, allowing the suit to go forward for as many as 100,000 former and current baristas in the coffee chain's California stores.

Starbucks Ordered to Pay Back Tips [Yahoo!] (Thanks, Bladefist!)
(Photo:Travelin' Librarian)

Google gets nothing....just affirming rumors that Mountain View wasn't in it to win it, it just wanted to make sure the reserve price was met and open access rules were assured.

[cybercjh.com]

http://cybercjh.com/blog/2008/03/19/target-yeah-we-probably-dont-got-that/

Ah, mine dear Target. How doest thou expect to increase sales and compete with thine arch enemy Hell-Mart when thou hast not in stock what thou hast advertised in thine circular?

So, Tina and I have decided to turn our sitting room into a real sitting room. You know, a comfy place to park your butt after a long day of … uh … sitting and typing … and thinking. Thinking makes you tired. Anyway, we see this in the Target circular:

Oooohhhh, pretty. And, it can also be used outdoors once we screen in the lanai and get the pool and tiki bar installed. (Oh, speaking of the tiki bar … I wrote to Pepsi and asked them if they would like to be the official sponsor of our tiki bar. In exchange, I promise not to serve Coca-Cola products. I have not yet heard back from them but I’m confident negotiations will begin soon.) Anyway, Tina and I talk about it and we decide what pieces of the wicker set we want and off to Target we go to make our purchase. I must say that the Target employee that helped us was very nice and friendly and very apologetic for what was about to happen:

So, we went home with just 4 of the 9 things we originally went there for. I’m going to the Stuart store tonight to see if they have the love seat and the coffee table. Tina is probably going to stop at the Boynton Beach or Delray Beach store on her way home tonight to see if they have the end tables and the other lamp.

With gas prices the way they are, why does Target find it necessary to force their customers to drive all over creation to multiple stores to complete the set that’s advertised in their circular? Seems kinda dumb to me.

Order your pictures on Flickr. Then, try to pick them up at Target. Then, try again. And, again…

On Friday morning, I ordered some pictures off Flickr and I chose to pick them up at the Target store in Stuart. I get there around 6pm and I’m told that the employee who works in the photo lab was out sick and nobody’s pictures were printed. Well, I’m not going to get mad although I can’t understand why that person was the only one in the store who can work the photo lab. I just shrugged it off and said I’d be back next week. Yesterday (Tuesday), I go back to the store and I’m told that the photo lab employee is on her 15 minute break. So, I hung around for a while. Eventually, I end up back at the photo lab where the employee tells me that she has no record of ever receiving an order from Flickr under my name. Ugh. Why not? I got a confirmation. So, I just left and figured I’d go home and e-mail Flickr to ask them what in the hell is going on. Later that night, I get a call from the photo lab employee who said she found my order after rebooting her computer and my pictures will be done by tomorrow. So, I’m going today. We’ll see what happens.

[blogs.clevescene.com]

   I wanted to write about an experience I have had with CompUSA's TAP group.  Now that all the stores are closed, I had an issue with my MacBook Pro's battery no functioning correctly.  When the store had announced it was closed, I immediately ordered the "replacement battery" that came with the extended plan.  Now, My Apple battery finally died.  Opened my battery that they had sent me, only to find out that it was DOA.  Great.   I immediately called the TAP Group, only to find out that they cannot do anything because "it is outside of the re-work" policy.  I had talked to four different departments in total, all of them told me that there is nothing they can do.  Now I am stuck with two dead batteries, and no service plan that will cover it.   Also, just for a laugh I asked him about the "two broken screens" policy, as they had told me that even if you crack the screen, or even put a knife through it, it was covered.   Turns out that CompUSA stores were using a loophole in the system to cover this.  I just wanted to share my story, in hope of maybe this will enlighten other people to never trust a service plan again.

Isaac

What if a store were to sell you merchandise, but claim that the bag and reciept were their property (akin to my University ID stating "This card is University property")?

Could they print a line on the reciept & bag to the effect of "This reciept/bag is WallyWorld propety and must be surrendered on request of WallyWorld or their designee"?  Your merchandise is yours once it's been paid for, and they have no business seeing it, but the reciept and bag were not purchased- they technically still belong to the store.

Any thoughts?

http://www.cardratings.com/creditcardnews/2007/11/chase-will-no-longer-increase-rates.html

Hey consumerist! This is an awfully tiny window you have me typing in here! ;)

Following is a letter I am sending off to Micro Center Customer Ralations regarding a positive experience I had at my local store. It is exceedingly long for your format, so please feel free to edit the hell of it if you'd like to use it. -Aaron

On Saturday, March 15^th, I purchased a $400 digital camera from my local Microcenter (3710 Highway 100 South, St. Louis Park, MN). Considering how difficult it can be to actually exchange cash for goods and services at retail stores these days, I thought I would write this letter outlining my very positive experience.

Micro Center’s March ad showed a Canon Powershot 5IS for $400.00. I have been looking at a number of cameras over the past month and this was one of those atop my list. It was available on the internet for as little as $289, but based on anecdotal horror stories about buying cameras online, I decided to purchase locally.

In my town, we have both Best Buy and Circuit City. Neither of these choices appeals to me, as I have had less than stellar experience at both. Once inside a Circuit City I feel as if I am being literally accosted by no less than six sales people in any given department; perhaps I tend to come in when business is slow. Best Buy is the polar opposite; I generally can’t find an employee to save my life; not that I’d want to talk to one anyway. I do my research and find that I am considerably more informed about a given product than any of their “trained” staff. I also abhor the receipt checking that goes on there. Suffice it to say, I refuse to give either of these chains my money, despite the fact that they both had the camera for $50 less than Micro Center’s advertised sale price. I also avoid Wal-Mart, but that’s based on a completely different set of principles.

I did not consider the $50 a problem; I could just print out the price from Circuit City’s website and ask for the difference.

I wandered into the ridiculously crowded camera/memory/accessories area. With so many customers around, I wondered if I was going to be able to talk to anyone. I found the camera I wanted, but the display case was devoid of anything, not just the Canon. I worried that they might not have much in the way of stock, so I got an associate’s attention and asked if they had the camera. After checking the computer, Brandon indicated they had several. I showed him my printout and he agreed to do match the price, provided that Circuit City had the camera in stock. Apparently it is policy to match prices only on in-stock items. Not surprisingly, he could not get a person on the line at two different Circuit City stores. Since their website indicated that the item was available for pickup, he decided that was enough to adjust the price.

Now, one of my biggest complaints regarding the two previously mentioned stores, is the relentless pursuit of the extended warranty. I never buy them, ever. I did ask Brandon to list the benefits of Micro Center’s, but at a cost of $100-150, it was far too expensive. I told him I still had the six year old camera I was replacing, and it was in perfect condition; I was careful with my electronics. His response? “Okay. Some people aren’t quite so careful, and need a plan to protect them.” That was it, no hard sell. I felt as though he respected that I fully understood the implications of forgoing the warranty, and was making an informed choice.

As we headed for the checkout, Brandon enquired as to whether I need and memory cards; since I have other devices which use SD memory, I did not.

Now, I tend to be wary of the inflation of a purchase with over-priced, unneeded accessories, but I really got the impression Brandon was concerned with my having everything I needed, rather than his commission.

He did remind me about batteries, and I discovered a fifteen minute quick charger complete with four Nimh cells. I think it was the car adapter that sold me on the rather high $40 cost.

Brandon offered to meet me at the register while I was off getting batteries, saving us both time.

I paid $427 for the camera and rechargeable kit, and off I went. I was genuinely happy both with my purchase and the experience. I am usually quite ticked off upon leaving one of the other stores.

In closing, thank you, Micro Center for operating a retail store with a consumer-friendly environment. And, thank you Brandon Hoel for respecting me and my time and getting me in and out of your store quickly and smoothly.

I want to mention that I work as a desktop technician, and often I am asked by my customers where they should purchase a cable, upgrade, or accessory. Based on my repeated experience at Micro Center, I have in the past, and will in the future, feel perfectly comfortable in sending customers your way.

My Recent Best Buy experience:

I am a 22 year old computer engineer. I am also a garage drummer. In my garage I have my kit a 4.1 surround sound and a laptop. <a href="http://tinypic.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i30.tinypic.com/1zdi5l.jpg" border="0" alt="Image and video hosting by TinyPic"></a> The laptops built in sound card was terrible so I wanted to upgrade. I head over to my local best buy and look for the Creative USB 5.1 surround sound (http://us.creative.com/products/product.asp?category=1&subcategory=206&product=10702).

Now some background I worked at a best buy for a year, and im well aware that the staff is generally untrained and incompetent. But this leads into something I didn't expect; blunt lying.

On my search around the computer dept I could not find the sound card, In the past I had seen it there and so I figured maybe they placed it somewhere else. So I looked for a sales associate. I find one and he points to the spot that I had just been searching and walks away from me. Ok I am fine with that. I find the dept lead and tell him the product I am trying to locate. He heads over to there computer system and types in “creative USB” it comes up with multiple internal sound cards but no external. Now I expect him to just say “Sorry we no longer carry that item” and I would be on my way, This did not occur. The dept lead turns to me and says “ theres no item like that you cant upgrade a laptops sound card” I politely responded “well there is a usb sound card out there ill just check another store” he responds “ excuse me but obviously I am not making my point, your just going to waste your time going to another store, it doesn't exist.” Now I am a generally mild tempered person but this bothered me. Because had I known any less I may have taken this persons advice and go home unsatisfied, I could just see that he had the mentality to often lie to customers. I finally responded and said “ok, you obviously dont know what you are talking about I am just going to leave.” he then again says louder “you are just wasting your time, just buy a better laptop” Thats it I had enough. I approach the store manager thats walking around w/ a balloon attached to his clipboard and explain the situation. The store managers response was “ our computer sales associates are well trained and if they say it does not exist, it must be true and you are wasting your time.” Appalled I shake my head leave the store and head to our local “micro-center”

At micro center I pick up my creative usb 5.1 as well as a information card on the product. I head home and log onto the creative website as well as new-egg and print out the detailed specs on the product.

I head back to the best buy, with my information in hand on this product, I approach the store manager who was quite surprised to see me again. I show him the product and information that I had collected. He then pages over the dept lead that I spoke to, and I requested an apology for his actions, “obviously the product exists I just want to know why you were so insistent on why I should give up my search for this product” with a stunned look on his face, he says “this is ridiculous I don't have time to deal with this Bullsh&*” Says this in front of his store manager, The dept lead just walks away and the store manager requests me to leave the store. Again appalled I said im sick of this service I want the number to cooperate I am going to file a formal complaint. The store manager responds in saying you cannot do this cooperate does not take complaints. I said ill find out for myself. Again he refuses to give me the number, At this point im getting heated and making a bit of a scene. Security comes over and is now “escorting me” out of the building. I later called the cooperate office and told them of my experience they apologized and said action would be taken, which It probably wont but, for anyone that goes into theses stores expecting a knowledge base, do your research first.

Thank you,

ACR.

I'm sharing my experience with Apple Store. Here's the story.

Recently I got lucky and won a gift card for the iPhone. Since I am not a fan of AT&T and use T-Mobile I used my friend's SIM card to activate the phone and use it for music and surfing. Note that I did not use any 3rd party software, did not unlock or jailbrake or didn't do anything to actually void my hardware warranty.

After couple of weeks of use I noticed that my battery lasts only for 3-4 hours of use - and it should be much longer. So I restored my iPhone in order to get rid of any personal information (didn't bother to activate) and went into the same Apple Store I've bought it in. That, by the way, was the store in Cambridge, MA.

My first attempt failed miserably: one of the Geniuses told me that I have to have an activated phone in order to have my warranty service (battery/phone replacement). So I went home and read closely my hardware warranty (read Apple's Hardware Warranty <a href=http://images.apple.com/legal/warranty/docs/iphone.pdf>here in PDF</a>). And, of course, it doesn't say a THING about iPhone activation as part of the warranty. So I went there a second time.

This time I talked to the manager, showed her printed warranty and asked her to show me where is says "Activation or No Warranty". After about 15 min in the backrooom she went out and stated that BY USING NON-ORIGINAL AT&T SIM FOR ACTIVATION I HAVE MODIFIED MY IPHONE THUS VODING THE WARRANTY. She said that included AT&T SIM card is the part of the phone and must not be replaced. So they refused to service my phone again. She also said that iPhone must be used as a phone and if I don't want to use it's phone features I should buy an iPod Touch. And how is this any of her business, I wonder? So I went home and had some more educational reading and talked to some people. Guess what? AppleCare Service Phone says <a href="http://www.apple.com/support/iphone/service/faq/#ac6">here</a> that SIM card is user-replaceable - thus is NOT part of the phone.

I'm going to print that and go there again. See what happens.

Declined? Yes. Defeated? No! I will fight Apple until they give me a new iPhone and start treating their customers with some respect. Also, I will try to escalate this to the corporate level.