When I go shopping at stores that are not second-hand, garage sales, swapping, et cetera, I peruse the new items and question myself as to whether I can find the item in a thrift store before I make a purchasing decision. There are certain items I personally want to purchase brand new to fit my own comfort zone. Unless the item is deeply discounted or is a food/liquid item, it only makes my purchase list if it is truly needed and unattainable at a thrift store, on eBay or via trade.

Recently, I went shopping with a friend who is accustomed to purchasing only new items. I saw how differently we thought. Like her, I used to purchase without thinking, and many times regretted my purchase. Now, I’m much more selective because I have become accustomed to paying a certain amount for an item and when I see prices at triple/quadruple what you are familiar with spending, it’s much easier to turn away and save my dollars for a better time.

See Here are two of my best tips about thrifting:

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Good will pile: be hard core here, separate the stuff that you yourself wouldn’t purchase. Don’t include your undies, that’s just not classy. But Furniture is a great commodity at the good will, Arc or any store that takes donations.  Also, you may/may not know, you can use this as a tax deduction if you are a homeowner and you itemize your taxes.

Sellable pile: if big enough, have a yard sale.  Do a Saturday definitely, and only Sunday if you have a lot left.  Rest of the pile goes to good will.  Do not take back in the things you decided to get rid of!  Feel good about being lighter in the “stuff” realm. The one who dies with the most stuff does not win. And it makes you emotionally cluttered.  If you don’t have enough for a yard sale, you can rally for a multiple family yard sale.  Get your neighbors on board, do one day, Saturday.

Otherwise, do a craigslist posting.  It’s nationwide and free.  I’ve sold cars, furniture, air conditionars, and laptops.  Clothes don’t do that well.  If you have lots of books, find swaps or student sites for reselling academic books.  Use amazon for reselling books. 

 You may even have the opportunity to trade some of your items, but this is rare and hard to find.  Regardless, try to get those leftovers out within a month, or they become part of the stuff again. 

You can also choose a specific charitable organization and donate all your items to one place.  Some people like to have a positive impact.  For example, I got rid of a hand made blanket but made sure it was given to a veterans association. 

This approach is green, eco friendly and helping others while you help yourself, a great way to go!

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My friend knows herself well enough that she MUST have a cluttered closet.  It’s hidden from everyone else, but it actually gives her peace to have her cayous be there.  She needs it.

I’m speaking about the clutter that builds over the years:  the clutter that you suddenly have not a clean spot on the floor, because there is so much stuff everywhere.  This clutter is also somewhat of a sign that you have clogged/cluttered areas in your life, so once you realize that you have a horribly messy room/house, it might be a good time to reset and get at least a little area cleaned up.

First:  if you are not able to even think about the clutter without having a panic attack, you absolutely need to get help.  Sometimes its good to solicit an unbiased 3^rd party if you feel it’s too much to bear by yourself or a friend. The last thing you want to do is be judged when you are trying to clean up a part of your life.  This person needs to be organized and good at being strong on moving things OUT.

Second: take a look at the room:  is there a major common thing in the clutter?  Start to pile the common things together.  That helps start to create some kind of organization to the disorganization.

Third: once that happens, hopefully by piling those like things together, you will have cleaned up a spot. Pick that spot and start moving things out of that spot.  The room will practically start to organize itself.  (well, if you don’t give up). 

You must be prepared to let go of some stuff.  Think of it like this: you are creating space in your life for better things, inatimate objects are very replacable. The health of your mind and soul is irreplaceable.

Take a before and after picture.  It will help you when you feel like giving up on a room clean.  Or yourself.

I recently helped a friend clean out their place.  Little did I know that person was feeling so blocked they were completely in depression.  This cleaning actually gave her a little hope. 

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So, how do you find the people looking for what you got to sell?  How do you bring those consumers to your site so they can tell their friends about it and you get lots of free and paying traffic to your site?

This is probably the most difficult thing.  And in having done some internet marketing consultation, I thought I’d make sure and list some of the very most important things before you even consider unleashing your mighty site to the internet world.

1.       QA your site.  Good lord, just do it.  You have no respect for sites that have obvious mistakes and you lose trust if your links and images and everything are broken.

2.       Any and all of your pages on your site should have your logo on it and the ability to click back to the home page from any internal pages.

3.       There really should be for the most part unless you have an entire content section, a call to action FRONT and CENTER to the eye of the beholder.  The eyepattern for looking at a website is more of an F pattern.  First thing they look at is your logo, so  brand well! Then down, so put the call to action in the pattern framework.

4.       Have at least 4 pages to your site: home, about us, site map, privacy policy and contact us.  Makes your site trustworthy.

5.       Make sure your site fits the niche you are looking to dominate or participate in.  Have other enthusiasts in your niche look and test your site.  It will really help.

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I’m going to give the good and bad.  I’ll deliver the bad news first…..

K, first things first.  At any hotel you are staying at, I feel parking should be free.  It was $50/day.  Wifi was not free, as I feel it should be for hotels.  The concierge was never available and when we were waiting to talk to one of them, they completely ignored us and kept talking to whom they were with.  The key cards actually required that you be some kind of crazy ass card ninja that can slide the card in and out of the slot without being to shaky or slow.  This in of itself was a feat and usually in the elevator (because that’s the only way you can really get to your room), if you didn’t hit your room number within 5 seconds of properly getting the card in and out of the slot in the elevator, you missed your chance, and you might actually be moving to another floor because someone pushed the elevator call button.  The food was mediocre at best and the drinks were nothing to write home about.

Here’s the good:

Most of the staff was very kind and helpful. The W is very pretty, very modern, artistic and posh.  They give you fruit infused drinks at the check in counter that you can get any time.  They actually had a library of DVD’s and CD’s that you could rent and watch/listen to. The rooms were very pretty, with nice bright contrasting yet deliciously perfect together.  The cloud shaped mirrors strategically placed is a signature call and a pleasant addition to the room.  The little toiletries are Bliss product (very nice) and the bathroom wasn’t lacking anything.  The elevator was fast, and getting in and out was an easy process.  Checking out late wasn’t an issue and there were no charges for that.  We easily got directions to places and some of the staff actually remembered our names.

In all, the W is well placed next to the Moscone center, Market Street and the Warf is not too far away. I would look for deals to stay here, because it truly is expensive, but all in all, definitely worth it. 

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We ended up paying $10 for a tour that included just the two of us, which was really nice, since I’m not a huge wine connissour, so I could ask all the stupid questions I wanted without feeling like I was going to be judged.

For the $10 admission, we got to see the following:

The bottling staging and the assembly line that was there:  that in of itself is very small and almost like what you probably saw 40 years ago, as far as how many people were in the line.  It was about 5 people in the room, bottling everything up and boxing it. 

We got to see where they keep the barrels, and got to see the different distillers.  We got a taste of one of their white wines in glasses that we got to keep after the tour.

In all, we tasted 6 different wines, starting from the most mild, ending to their strongest red.  Our guide even gave us a taste of a high end, much older red wine to show us the difference aging does to the palette. 

I learned that fruity flavors come out in young wines and the more oaky, wooden flavors of the barrel come out with time.  The final red I tasted, I actually liked (not being a red wine fan) was delicious, and at a few hundred bucks a bottle, it better damn well taste good.  They also have a connoisseur that mixes different percentages of wines together to make an entirely new wine.  I’m not sure why they do that, but it’s interesting. 

Our guide was nice, not too knowledgeable and never, not once did he talk down to us.  I wonder, were we supposed to give him a tip?  Nothing had been mentioned, so I guess not?  That would be a good thing to find out.  OH< you can get your own private tour for $25, but like I said, the $10 was totally worth it, and their groups never get larger than 8. 

Their reserve Chardonnay was and still is the best wine I’ve tasted.  At $50 a bottle, (of course so much more at a dining vicinity), it’s a steal….

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This is not for the weak at heart.  It’s not even for the semi determined.  Actually, you need to be in fairly decent shape to even be able to perform some of the workout sessions.  The CD’s consist of a complete variety of different workouts targeted to slim, build, tone, shape and strengthen the already in decent shape body.  Even the stretching and yoga sessions are difficult.  Each workout is about 1 hour (except the yoga (1.5 hours) and the AbRipperX (16 minutes).  You would think the 16 minute ab workout might be the easiest one.  This particular one is the most difficult in my opinion.  It works the core, not just the stomach.  I realized I had a terribly weak stomach the very first time I did it, and it was and is daunting to even consider doing it again.  I did probably 8 out of the 16 minutes and was very weak by the time I was finished.  WOW. 

If you are not already in decent shape, it’s going to be much more difficult for you to get started.  It is an easy one to give up on and if you are not completely dedicated and determined for the 90 days, it’s fairly likely that you will end up bailing on the regime. 

I thought I was determined, but it turns out I really needed a partner to help encourage me to get through it and my partner bailed as well, leaving me waving in the wind, and wondering how I could get through 90 days of hearing the same CD’s over and over again.  There is NO day off and you are supposed to double up after a while.  I have given up on the 90 days, but still use the CD’s along with other forms of exercise.

If you are determined, the results are fantastic.  I even experienced body changes for the 3 weeks that I did stick to it, so I know it’s very good and worthy of taking it on, but you have to absolutely be dedicated.  You can’t “think” you are going to do it, you MUST be dedicated.  Of course results will vary and based on your diet, may take longer/shorter time to see the results. 

If you do decide to do it, know you are going to be tired and HUNGRY.  I definitely suggest a type of recovery drink, giving you the B vitamins and potassium and electrolytes to help you get over the difficult session.  I also suggest doing it in the morning, because if you are anything like me, the last thing I want to do at the end of the day is listen to some dude loving the workouts and all the people showing off their amazing P90X graduation bodies.  But oh, how they sweat.  Just like me, only they actually do pull ups.  I still have not managed to do a single pull up without some assistance of a lonely chair.

I’m encouraged by the results I’ve seen regardless of my lack of dedication.  So I know that if I were dedicated totally, I’d also end up with a great P90X body. 

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When using the train service (local and not AmTrack, so it’s MTA), it’s a really good idea to have a map with times and station stops.  I’ve taken enough wrong trains to know that I will ask and ask and ask again if I’m on the right track.  I’ve gotten on the wrong one and headed the wrong way, and this makes for very long, arduous travel and absolute frustration.  Just ask, New Yorkers may look rough and tumble on the outside, but they are truly helpful. 

Until I started getting a grip on where I was going and the time schedules, I’d purchase my ticket (one way fare, with credit card for receipt) at the ticket counter and ask them when the next train was and which track it was on.  This is crucial, as I aforementioned, you don’t want to go the wrong way or catch an express train where your final destination is somewhere inbetween your start and stop. Keep your schedule close to your heart.  You will have to get it at the station, or ask for it, as they no longer have them in the trains and for most part, they aren’t visibly present at the stations. 

I usually purchase a one way ticket, because I fear that I may lose the little piece of paper that shows my fare, or I’ll end up not using it because I’m traveling a different way.  The hassle of one way tickets is you always have to pre purchase them, where you already have a ticket on your person so you don’t have to make that extra stop.  Note: you can purchase the tickets on the train, but again, it costs almost double.  But it may save you from having to wait for the next train.

Lastly, when traveling with luggage, you can (if the train is empty) set it next to your seating  area.  If not, you have the barbaric opportunity for theft because eyou have to leave it at the train door for any one to see and deal with.  Since you are sitting, you can’t see what’s happening to it.  You can put it on a rack over your head, but for someone whos short and has luggage that is ½ my weight, this is not an option nor a convenience.  So my luggage sits, greeting all the people piling in the doors.

Note:  it is nicer to travel off peak, as you have plenty of opportunity to sit in a comfortable seat all to your self.  (Bring antibacterial hand cleanser)

Always, when traveling in these different situations, planes, trains, and taxis…they are all dirty.  I’ve not yet felt like I was in a clean environment.  Mass transit is NOT clean.  

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When flying into Laguardia, I have to take a train east to Connecticut.  Honestly, I was scared to death because I was informed to take a taxi from LGA to Harlem 125^th street and catch the train there. Because I was not present when Gulliani cleaned up the big apple and Harlem started its “gentrification”, so I thought I was going to a place where my unexperienced self could be hurt and taken advantage of.  Not so anymore, and honestly, although Laguardia doesn’t have a train from the airport, it’s still more direct than going from JFK.

So, in my experience, I actually found that if you take a Taxi (which those guys disappear at night in Harlem, so only do Harlem travel during the day), it’s cheaper and many times you don’t have to pay the toll fare of $5. Usually it should only cost about $25-$30 total (excluding tip).  Not as easy to barter with these guys, but more trustworthy than a towncar with no fare feeder.  I ALWAYS ask about the fare.  Most of the people doing this don’t speak English, and I find towncar drivers sometimes don’t know where they are going.  You HAVE to barter with the towncar guys.  They usually try to charge anywhere between $45 or so and then charge you the toll on top of it, making it a price that you could actually purchase another meal, and that doesn’t even include tip.  I also find they are a bit more lazy, and sometimes don’t even get out to help with luggage.  I even got in an argument with a guy and he ended up dropping me back off where I started because of our fare argument.  We ended up actually agreeing to a price after that, because 1) nobody else was around, and 2) he went down in price but made it sound like he had always spoken the same price.  Yeah, right.

If you take a taxi, you can use a credit card.  I try using the card for the fare and giving the guys a tip (have never had a female driver!) as I know they don’t make much money.  The towncars?  They give you a blank receipt.  Which I guess some view as an opportunity to include additional tip or money they didn’t claim with an actual receipt.  I prefer receipts. I also prefer a car with some reliable electronics, I guess.  The town car is only ONLY if I have no other choice.

(Note: ALWAYS bring enough cash for the taxi fare.  Do NOT rely on your credit card.  Bring antibacterial hand cleanser).

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First and foremost, I set up a single user account with United.  I really think the are probably the best for this kind of travel.  They seem to cater more to business travel (smart move) than to anyone else. I used to go to www.kayak.com and find the cheapest fares with any carrier.  The difficulties I ran into with that is it’s different with every airline.  You sometimes get your tickets mailed to you, and many times it’s non refundable or a very weird time with stopovers all over the place.  It becomes harrowing when you travel all the time.  All my business travel is through United..  Because of that, I also set up a mileage plus account so I accumulate points toward potential free travel or upgrades.  I have now qualified for a continuous discount on checking baggage (which they charge $15 per bag).  I also get the luxury of checking in online at my own convenience, printing out the ticket and bypassing lines at the airport. This alone saves me so much time.  And I’ve found for the most part, with United, I can find fairly competitive pricing.  Because United also has been around so long, I definitely have a good trust factor with them being on time.

When you make reservations online, you also get to choose what seats you will sit in.  From going out to your return, giving you the sweetness (if you do it early enough) of picking a window or aisle seat.  (who would want a middle seat anyway?)

At the airport (Denver International being their main hub), they have created different lines for those checking in at the airport and those who already checked in.  So, if you do check in online, you can do so 24 hours prior to the flight. You can also set up notifiers that will call your phone and send you an email for your reminders.  I have missed flights before, so I have every possible reminder set up.  This checking in online, can save you invaluable time and gives you more time to be relaxed and move at your own pace, not having to worry about the lines.

You get to see free movies when you are on the plane, which is nice and they actually have decent music stations that you can listen to. They do provide different snack sets of your choice, albeit none of them are that great since they need preservatives to keep fresh, however they now only take credit cards instead of only cash, which is wonderful, because everything I expense, I try to put on a credit card so I get a receipt.

The planes and staff themselves are pretty similar to most other planes, so can’t complain or promote them.  There is never enough storage space (seems like they made them smaller? Or did I get bigger?), however, once you get enough miles, you qualify for more legroom space, an automated upgrade (if you go online and make sure you have it).  I don’t know how many miles is required…its quite a few, because I’m close to 30k and haven’t yet qualified.

(Note: picking mid week or outside of Monday and weekend travel make it a lot less expensive.  And carry antibacterial hand cleanser).

Next article, I’ll talk about mass transit: Taxis and finally, Trains. 

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