I just had a wonderful experience, as wonderful as dealing with a car repair can be. The auto shop that I sent my car to for a diagnostic test actually left me with good feelings despite the fact they told me I needed a new engine. So when I initially contacted the shop they told me the test would be over a hundred dollars. What was I charged? A cool 52 bucks with a written assessment of what was needed. If you are like me, you probably don’t have much faith in auto repair shops. But anytime you can walk away with an assessment, not be sweated about making an immediate decision and can even leave the car for over a week without it being the end of the world, well that is an auto shop I can learn to love. Thanks Chicago Import Services for renewing my faith in mechanics.
Archive for the ‘Rate Businesses’ Category
Mechanic Needed
Tuesday, February 23rd, 2010Guess Who!
Sunday, January 31st, 2010Okay, so I’ve been absent for a while. Trust me it’s not due to my lack of passion, actually the opposite is true. I’ve been struggling with my personal issues. Yes, like pretty much everyone, I have them. I admit it. Everything I do lately has been with the desire to stick it to someone to prove that they underestimated me and messed with the wrong person. While that might work somehow, somewhere, as a life focus not so much. I have found myself consumed with things that I deem turning points in the vision that I had for myself and sadly, find myself regularly picturing those who I hold responsible in my personal and financial downfall. Though I have been trying to channel myself in positive ways, tae-bo just isn’t enough. Maybe I just don’t do it frequently enough, something I have vowed to correct in this upcoming year. No, I’m not going to call it a resolution we all know those don’t usually go so well. Yeah, okay it’s kind of a resolution but again, I’m not going to call it that because of the way “resolutions” work out. I know you understand. So anyway, I guess my intention is to use this blog to along with imparting my wisdom that I know undoubtedly you will come to know and love, to hopefully help myself by removing anger from the decision process with the objective of ultimately reaping more success. I kind of sound like Oprah don’t I. Really the truth is I am ready to get back on the track with the plans that I had for myself before all of the outside intervention, we’ll just call it, that impacted the direction I have gone. That “intervention” is an unfortunate reality in my life and with my husband technically laid off and no insurance, this is all the therapy I can afford but we’ll save that for another day, another time. So I guess what I’m saying is “I’m baack”!
Tis The Season
Wednesday, August 19th, 2009Okay so I went on and on before about attending all the weddings this summer but it doesn’t end there. There is a seeming never ending list of engagements to occupy my time and money throughout the summer season. Honestly I need a vacation from summer, there’s just too much going on. Okay so there is a new trend at least in my family to shower the graduate heading off to college. Not entirely a bad idea since setting up an exciting beginning for a college student can be expensive. So here we go, first we have the graduations, honestly I am happy and proud of the accomplishments but by the fifth one be it from grammar, high school or college, I am about spent, money and attention wise. Then of course we have the party or celebratory dinner that follows, which is not necessarily the same as the pending “college shower” that usually follows shortly thereafter for the college graduate. Did I mention the frequent enough baby showers, birthday parties and barbeques, out of town friend visits and of course weddings that happen throughout the season too. Om. Don’t mind me, I’m just going to pause for a second because I’m exhausted and well just a little bit broke and I haven’t even put my own children into the mix, both of whom have birthdays this time of year. Om. I think I am going to take up Yoga because I need to work on my relaxation techniques. Om. And we thought the holiday season was budget breaking, summer is quickly coming along for the ride. Om. Tis the season.
Wedding Bells
Monday, August 17th, 2009Wedding Bells are ringing for my younger brother and actually for a good amount of other family and friends this year. This summer I will have attended four weddings with each costing a shiny penny just for having been invited. There’s the dress, the shoes, the jewelry, the hair, the gift for the wedding and if you’re an honored member a gift for the shower, and let’s not forget that always fun money dance. I really have to take a deep breath here because the list just goes on and on. Despite my delight for the various people, most of whom I do believe will live in marital bliss, sorry I’m not naming any names or pointing any fingers, the expense of a wedding is big business. The flowers, the pictures, the cars, the dresses, the pre-wedding parties, it all adds up and gets to be pretty overwhelming. I have to say whatever my thoughts of their future, and irrespective of whether I’ve shed tears of joy or sadness, I will truly be happy when my dance card can be withdrawn from the all this wedding business at least for a while. Oh wait, I have two more weddings before the end of the year. I’m afraid it will never end.
Just A Question
Monday, June 1st, 2009Why is it that if as a consumer you “shop” around for credit you reduce you credit score? Aren’t we supposed to have the ability to make choices and seek out the best alternative for ourselves? If so, then why are we being penalized for exercising that choice? Just another system that needs some revamping.
Stand By Me
Sunday, May 31st, 2009In case you haven’t noticed I am admittedly bitter about financial institutions and their ability to question every aspect of your life while feeling no need to disclose anything. And after having been in a situation where credit denial became a major problem, (I explain more about that in What We’re About under Pages on this blog), that couldn’t be properly addressed because of the purported ambiguity, I’m wondering why is it that when you are denied credit the explanation is vague. But then I realize who we’re dealing with. It’s the cover your butts crowd, financial institutions. Well I guess if I’m being unbiased businesses in general are always concerned about protecting themselves and perhaps as a by product each other. So that vague information was supplied purposely. The problem is this, if you ever have to address an issue that results in your inability to qualify for credit because of something specific in your credit report, the vague information supplied about your denial doesn’t help. Irrespective of what the banker or whoever tells you, that letter will be the sticking point and it isn’t enough. When credit carries so much weight in an individuals ability to manage their life, once you’ve gone through the process of gathering every detail about yourself, you deserve a fully outlined explanation not a generic form letter of sorts about why you are “unworthy” of credit. Spell it out, apparently it’s necessary.
They’re Back?
Friday, May 22nd, 2009I have to tell you, I put AIG in the They’re Going Down category but apparently, THEY’RE BACK. This company has received $182.5 BILLION since September. BILLION. Did you hear that? Now thankfully, they are going to do everything they can to not require more money. Well I personally think that is great news! Let me say that despite how ridiculous that whole situation is, death threats are not the answer. Nor is thinking that the entire scope of this mess is going to be corrected overnight. What can be corrected immediately is extraneous spending. News flash, you can’t go on vacation when you don’t have any money. That is the reality of life but apparently, not business
Community Biz
Friday, May 22nd, 2009I don’t know if it bugs anyone else, but it annoys me to see abandoned retail spaces when companies, sometimes the one that vacated the first, are rebuilding often in the same community. Why is that? I believe that before the okay is given to construct new retail space, companies should have to return the vacated property to green space particularly if it is a specialized design that won’t fit most businesses. Perhaps then a little more thought would be given before these stores open a business on every corner.
I’ll Take That
Monday, April 27th, 2009Perhaps I don’t speak for everyone but I have to tell you that I really think that too many aspects of our lives are infringed upon in the pursuit of our dollars. So many things within our society that we have become dependent upon to make life easier, more convenient or simply for entertainment is being used to track everything that we do. Because of the mandate of digital television, pretty much everyone is going to have some system in their home that allows their television viewing to be tracked. Isn’t it sweet of the cable companies to monitor everything I watch and send targeted ads directly to me for my viewing pleasure? Not in my opinion but that’s exactly what they plan on doing. While I am all for technological advancements, why they need to occur at the expense of personal privacy is really beyond me. Oh and I have to say I’m personally tired of being asked for my phone number every time I make a purchase. Seems like in the good old days business had customers and made money without all that.
Rate This
Monday, April 27th, 2009Credit is a tricky thing. You need it for almost everything. From the little conveniences like car rentals to major milestones like home ownership and not to mention that credit now has a determination in your employability. Give me a break. Okay so I understand someone who may have had financial issues in the past may be a bit more of a risk financially than someone who has not but hitting people with excessive fees, outrageous interest rates and lack of employment doesn’t really seem to promote payment. An unforseen financial issue was probably the culprit for the “default” initially anyway. Taking the extra from people ultimately can’t be good for anyone. And allowing businesses to use this scoring system to have an impact on accounts that have been handled properly, don’t raise my car insurance rate because I was late on my phone bill, is really kicking you when your down. Yet these scores affect everything. I don’t know many people who don’t want to pay their bills, although I am sure there is percentage of consumers who fall into that category, I just don’t think that the majority of people are planning on consuming without any thought of how they will pay. So I guess I’m saying that to say that penalizing the broke, unproven or hard times crowd in every possible way conceivable just doesn’t seem right. Sounds more like a legalized hit to the knees.