Sneaky Restaurant Menu Tricks

The next time you go to a restaurant, see if you can spot how many times the menu uses these tricks to get you to spend more: No dollar signs. More restaurants are removing them entirely so you don’t see a column of $$$. Flowery descriptions. The dish sounds so elaborate that you don’t focus on the fact that it’s really chicken with a sauce for $25. Clever placement. Some restaurants will list an expensive item (a $40 steak) after a more expensive item (a $70 lobster tail dinner) so the steak doesn’t seem so expensive by comparison. Bundling. Some restaurants may offer a prix-fixe (fixed price) meal. It may be a good buy, but the cost of individual items is hidden and you’re also likely to get food you wouldn’t normally order.

6 Secrets To Sell On Craigslist.org

If you’re moving or just want to get rid of some extra things around your home, here are six tips to help you make the most of the online marketplace at www.craigslist.org: 1. Look at the “wanted” section to see if anyone wants what you’re selling. You may sell your item before creating an ad! 2. Research competition to see if your price is right. Search for similar items to set a competitive price, but leave room to negotiate. 3. Use your ad’s title to bring traffic. Be specific and state the price to get more people to click on your ad. “Nice brown couch” is not as good as “Lightly used Brown 60 inch Crate & Barrel couch $500.” Research similar products advertised and be more descriptive to make your ad stand out. 4. Include pictures or people may skip your ad. You don’t need a lot of pictures, but use at least one. Also, give specific details in the description (dimensions, attachments, etc.) to encourage serious buyers to contact you. And, specify “cash only,” “pick up only,” “all sales final,” “price is firm” or “OBO” (Or Best Offer). 5. Respond quickly by phone or email. Buyers have a lot of options and may move on to the next seller in the same day. 6. Keep your ad near the top. Every time you post an ad it appears at the top of the page, pushing other ads down. Check again tomorrow and it’s far down the page. Repost the ad every other day, or at least weekly, to increase the chance it gets noticed.

Friends—The Key To A Longer Life

According to Harvard’s School of Public Health, men who have lots of friends, social contacts, and relatives live longer, more satisfying lives. In a study of 28,000 men in their early 40s to late 70s, researchers found that men who were socially isolated loners were 20 percent more likely to die prematurely. The socially isolated group also was 53 percent more likely to die from heart related diseases and stroke. Unmarried men included in the study had markedly higher death rates than married men with a strong family support system did. It appears that making friends and nurturing social relationships not only will make you healthier, but it could make you a lot happier too!

Five Auto Maintenance Myths

Hit the brakes! You may be spending unnecessarily on car maintenance. Here’s how you can save money: For starters...make sure you read your owner’s manual! Most newer cars require a lot less maintenance than your family’s first car. Here are 6 more tips… 1. Oil Change. Some newer cars call for oil changes every 10,000 miles; the industry recommends every 7,500 miles. If you follow the factory schedule, your car will be in good shape well past the warranty period. 2. Lubricating The Chassis. Cars built in the past 10 years don’t require lubrication. Adding grease may end up costing you $$$. 3. Standard Tune-up. New cars have computer-controlled engines making the standard tune-up unnecessary. (No points and rotors...and some don’t have the standard distributor caps). 4. Flushing The Automatic Transmission System. Check your owner’s manual, but most manufacturers say it’s not needed until 60,000 miles. 5. Draining The Radiator. Most cars have closed systems and no longer need the radiator flushed twice a year. A new car’s coolant can last up to two years before it needs changing. 6. Changing Filters. Filters need replacing, but not at every oil change. Check your owner’s manual for recommended replacement intervals For more information, or to find a mechanic in your area, check the Car Talk section of http://www.cars.com.

Why You Should BCC…

Do you send or forward emails with all the original contacts showing? Here’s what you should do instead and why. If you’re sending an email, put your email in the To field and your distribution list in the Blind Carbon Copy (BCC) area. And if it’s a joke or other forwarded email that has been sent to a long list of recipients, delete all the email addresses in the body of the email itself before you hit send. It protects the privacy of people’s email addresses. Some of your recipients may prefer to keep their email address private. And if a person “replies to all,” it can be confusing and annoying. Those long forwarded email lists can be a bit tedious. Save your friends some time. You and your recipients will have less exposure to spammers. Spammers love to get their hands on valid email addresses. In fact, some of those innocent-looking emails (“pass this message on and you’ll have good luck for 5 years”) are actually started by spammers who are using the email as a tool to benefit themselves. Encourage your friends to use BCC as well. That’s what friends are for!

Free Trial? Maybe Not!

The next time you sign up for a free trial offer, be sure to read the fine print. While these offers can be a great way to try out a product, you might be agreeing to buy additional products and services if you don’t cancel within a specified time. It’s called the “negative option feature,” and it requires the customer to cancel or opt-out of a recurring charge for future products. While it’s not illegal, some questionable online merchants pre-check the consent box or bury the details under terms and conditions, making returns difficult. If this has happened to you, you’re not alone. A Visa survey showed 29 percent of American consumers have been victims of this option. The Better Business Bureau says it has received thousands of complaints from people who learned the hard way by signing up for online trial offers for acai berry supplements, detox products, teeth whiteners, free government grants and debt consolidation services. Best advice? Before you buy, read the offer carefully, pay attention to pre-checked boxes and check out the business at www.bbb.org.

Detecting “Unwanted” Visitors

Could you be sharing your home with uninvited visitors – like mice, squirrels, birds, or even termites? Pests are a common problem for everyone, so here are a few tips to spot them and what to do: Where you might find them. Look for animal droppings, signs of chewing, and odor in your kitchen, basement, closets, and attic. Check any moist areas like around air conditioning units. In the case of termites, look for “dirt tubes” around your home’s perimeter, particularly in cracks or crevices. What to do. You know how to trap mice in the kitchen. After you trap them, be sure to clean up crumbs and keep food sealed up. When it comes to larger animals, like squirrels, birds, or snakes, don’t try to remove them yourself. They can be dangerous when cornered. If you suspect you have the larger visitors or tiny bugs like termites, hire a professional animal catcher or pest control company.