Thanksgiving Specials

It's that time of the year again where post-Thanksgiving, bargain hunters celebrate. They call it Black Friday. It's when most US shops shell out great deals in time for the holidays. Discounts are everywhere if you know where to look for it.

Catch the Black Friday fever and shop smartly. We, Pinoys, love such bargain escapades, and share these goodies with our loved ones.

Chat Rooms

Chatrooms are parts of our online experience. Apart from email, chatting is easier and quicker but isn't it troublesome to have friends with different messaging accounts?!

Meebo is probably one of the niftiest solutions. There, you can instant message anyone through AIM, Yahoo messenger, Google Talk and MSN. What's more, you don't have to download anything to chat. You just need to register with the site (once).

Well, I won't get anything from Meebo but I think messaging becomes more portable anywhere you are through their site. No downloads, no applications, no fuss. Makes sense.

Five Habits of Millionaires

According to a study of college students at the Ernst & Young International Intern Leadership Conference in Orlando, Florida, 59 percent of these young leaders expect to be millionaires within their lifetime. What's more, 5 percent of them expect to hit the million-dollar mark while in their 20s.

And the super-rich are a growing group. The top 0.1 percent of the population's average income was $3 million in 2002, up two and a half times the $1.2 million, adjusted for inflation, that group reported in 1980.


Earned Money vs. Easy Money
Easy money usually comes from inheritance or luck, such as winning the lottery. The track record of people who get their money through the lottery or other windfalls is usually very different from those who created their wealth themselves or who planned for an expected inheritance. Lottery winners are often a sorry lot; more than 90 percent use up their winnings within 10 years -- some go through their money in weeks or months.

But there are some consistent patterns among those people who earn or plan to inherit their money, and these five strategies may be worth emulating.

Avoid The Earn-to-Spend Mentality
Michael LeBoeuf, author of The Millionaire in You, points out that to increase wealth, it's essential to emulate millionaires who view money as something to save and invest, rather than income to spend. Many wealthy people live quite simply, he points out, choosing less pretentious homes than they could theoretically afford and opting for financial independence over material showmanship.

Focus
LeBoeuf also counsels resisting the impulse to be scattered in your efforts and interests: "Winners focus; losers spray." And goals that are clearly written down are easier to keep in focus.

Do Whatever Is Necessary to Meet Your Goal
People who earn their millions are able not only to focus but persevere in the pursuit of their goals. One single mom entrepreneur, Melissa Clark-Reynolds, started her first business, a health and safety consultancy, when she had a young son. En route to her goal of being a millionaire by age 35, Clarke-Reynolds and her son ate lots of pizza, did homework late at night and often slept at the office. She is now a chief executive mentor for Empower New Zealand, a global business consulting firm headquartered in London.

Take Calculated Risks
You have to take strategic risks to earn and grow money. And a little rebelliousness seems to help too. One interesting study found a majority of male millionaire entrepreneurs had been in trouble with school authorities or the police during their adolescence.

Be Generous
And why doesn't it surprise us that millionaires are often very generous? Sometimes it's for the tax breaks, obviously, but often it's not. One Jewish Swiss millionaire, for instance, flew to Israel to give $5,000 in cash to a waiter at a Jerusalem café who foiled a Palestinian suicide bombing. Among the most generous of millionaires are those from North America, who are, according to a Merrill Lynch Cap-Gemini report, two to five times more likely to give to causes they value than their European counterparts.

These five millionaire habits are a pretty good prescription for living happily, whether or not the money follows.

But LeBoeuf insists it's not so unusual to be a millionaire. As of 2004, there were 8.2 million households with a net worth of more than $1 million. And are the folks in those households happy? Yes, says professor Andrew Oswald of the University of Warwick in the UK. After studying more than 9,000 people over eight years, Oswald concluded that people who come into money are happier. The happiest among them, he says, seem to be "highly educated, well-paid women who have jobs."

And how much money does the professor say it takes to be happy? "About $1 million, give or take a little."


by Barbara Reinhold
Source: Monster.com

Packing for the USA

While the thought of packing your bags for your new life in America may be a daunting one, here is a smart guide to packing to help you decide what you definitely need to bring, what to leave behind and what to buy once you arrive at your destination.

Essential documents you need to bring:

1. Passport(s)
2. Application for immigrant visa and alien registration. One copy for each applicant must be fully completed.
3. Birth certificate (long version with parent’s names) for yourself, spouse and any unmarried children under 21 years of age
   One original
   One photocopy
4. Adoption certificate (if applicable)
   One original
   One photocopy
5. Deed poll (if you have changed your name)
   One original
   One photocopy
6. Marriage certificate (if applicable)
   One original
   One photocopy
7. Divorce decree (if applicable)
   One original
   One photocopy
8. Military service record (for any service in any country)
   One original
   One photocopy
9. Police certificate(s) (required for each applicant over the age of 16—one for each country where applicant lived for at least one year after 16 years of age)
   One original
   One photocopy

What to pack

Each person is allowed two large suitcases with a total weight of 80 pounds (about 37 kilograms). You will most likely be charged extra for a third bag or any bags over the airlines’ weight limit. With these limits in mind, pack only what you really need and purchase the rest once you arrive in America.

Essentials Items:

1. Money
   ~$5,000 U.S. in cash or traveller’s cheques if you are traveling alone.
   ~$1,000 U.S. for each additional person traveling with you.
   ~Carry your traveller’s cheques with you in a money bag or secure area.
   Note: If bank drafts or money orders are deposited in a U.S. bank, the funds may not be available for up to 28 days.
2. Documentation
   All documents (passports, birth certificates, etc.) should be with you at all times while travelling. Keep them on you or in your hand-held luggage.
3. Credit Cards
   If you have one or more, bring them with you. Credit cards are useful and sometimes necessary for getting items you need.
   If you don’t have a credit card, you will want to get one. To get one in the United States, you will need to establish credit in the U.S. (which will take about 6 to 12 months).
4. Clothing
   Pack lightly.
   Find out what the weather is like in the area you are going to live and pack for that weather.
   Plan to purchase most of your clothes in the United States. Clothing is often less expensive in America than in many other countries.
5. Linen
   You will need sheets for your bed(s). (Bring extra sheets if you are travelling with your family.)
   You will also need to bring one or two bath towels. You can buy extra sheets and towels at stores near your apartment once you arrive in America.
6. Uniforms
   Because hospitals have different uniform requirements, you may want to wait until you arrive before you make any uniform purchases. There are numerous uniform outlets in every major U.S. city or online.
7. Personal Items
   Current résumé
   Skills checklist
   Copies of certifications
   Copies of diplomas
   Copy of your degree
   General reference books
   Pictures of friends and family
   Small items that will make you feel at home

Non-Essential Items:

Pack non-essential items sparingly. Remember, you can purchase most of what you need in America.
Purchase new small appliances once you arrive in the United States. It is likely your appliances will not conform to the U.S. standard voltage. Here is an example of what some household appliances cost:

Hairdryer $10 - $25
Curling Iron $10 - $15
Stereo/CD/Radio/ $50 - $300
19 inch Television $160 - $200
DVD player $100 - $300
VCR $80 - $200

Source: O'Grady Peyton International

Automotive Cleaning Tips

• A broom is the quickest way to clean snow from a car. You can cut the handle down on the broom and store it in the trunk.
• In the glove box, keep a few Handy Wipes to remove gas odor from your hands from filling the tank.
• Remove auto grease from hands with baking soda and water.
• A hubcap can be used as a shovel if your auto gets stuck in the snow, mud, or sand.
• Place a bag of kitty litter in your trunk, in case you get stuck in the snow. Sprinkle some under the tires to get traction.
• Make a drip pan to collect oil drips by placing corrugated cardboard in a cookie sheet. Or fill a cookie sheet with kitty litter. Change as needed.
• Paint a bright color strip or use luminous tape on center of back wall to aim the car down the center of garage.
• If you have poor lighting in garage, place reflector tape on objects that might be hit.
• Use carpet strips, foam rubber, or pieces of rubber tire around support studs or framing that car doors open against.
• Never warm your car in an attached garage and never with the garage door closed.
• When tuning up your car, set the gap on spark plugs using the widest gap that the manufacturer recommends. Your car will run better, idle better, and will give you better gas mileage.
• Apply vaseline to battery posts for better contact.
• Clean hard to reach areas (dashboard, cup holders) with a dampened sponge tipped paint brush.
• If battery terminals are heavily corroded, the quickest and easiest way to clean them is to pour carbonated soft drink over them. It will eat the corrosion away. Baking soda mixed with water will also do the trick.
• Laundry pre-wash liquid removes tar from your car's finish.
• Peanut butter has been known to remove tar from car finishes also.
• Avoid putting air in your tires if the temperature is below 10 degrees F. The valve could stick and let all of the air out of the tire.
• If wipers are beginning to wear down, you can extend their life by rubbing them briskly with sandpaper.
• Clean windshield wipers with a good scrubbing of baking soda and water.
• A radio antenna will slide up and down easier if a coat of wax is applied occasionally. Wax paper works great for this job. Rub the wax paper up and down the antenna, the wax from the paper will coat the antenna.
• Drop a business card (or file card with your name on it) down the window slot in case you ever need to prove ownership.
• Line your car trunk with a plastic rug protector to protect the carpeting. It will make clean up easier if dirty or greasy objects are placed in the trunk.
• Prevent rust by keeping the underside of your car clean also. Place a lawn sprinkler under your car and turn on full blast. Move occasionally so it will reach all areas. This is a good way to remove all salt and road grime.
• Leave one window open a crack to prevent frost from building up on the inside of the window.
• If you chip the paint on your car, clean promptly and apply clear nail polish to area to prevent rust.
• Remove road salt from carpet with equal amounts of vinegar and water.
• Make your own washer solvent that won't freeze by combining 1 quart of rubbing alcohol, 1 cup of water and 2 tablespoons liquid detergent. This formula won't freeze down to 35 degrees below 0.
• Remove tar from rubber car mats by dabbing a generous dose of linseed oil on tar. Let it soak for about fifteen minutes and blot with a dampened cloth.
• If car windows tend to steam up on the inside, carry a blackboard eraser in your vehicle. Wiping the condensation away with the eraser.
• Use newspaper to wipe windows dry after cleaning to avoid streaks.
• Keep an auto maintenance book. Write down dates that repairs, or maintenance was done. Write down where the work was done or by whom.
• On a piece of tape write the mileage down when the next oil change is due. Attach this to your upper windshield or another convenient place to remind you when it's time to change the oil.
• Never wash your car in the sun to prevent streaking.
• A dust mop head, worn as a mitten is great for washing your car.
• Coca-cola® and aluminum foil will clean rust off your car bumper.
• Remove old bumper stickers with lighter fluid. Soak stickers for a few minutes then gently remove with a razor blade.
• Clean headlights, chrome and enamel with baking soda.
• Steel wool pads with soap cleans white sidewalls the best.
• Clean splattered bugs off with baking soda and a nylon net.
• When white walls are clean use a little vinyl top wax to keep them clean longer.