The Addison Cafe

While there are plenty of four letter words I could blog about, I thought I would go after one that isn’t normally considered “bad”. In fact, it is almost always considered “good”. We love to talk about it, brag to our friends about it, and as a matter of fact, we even crave it. No, it’s not “Coke” (I’m a Pepsi guy myself). The four letter word I am talking about is “Sale” (shudder).  That simple word has been know to rob people blind, cause conflict in relationships, and create mass hysteria (remember the day after Thanksgiving Sale??).

We all know that sometimes sales can be a great thing, and often times we really do save a lot of money. But like Pavlov’s dog, we are conditioned to drool every time we hear or read the word “sale”.  One of my close friends graciously gives a large percentage of his paycheck every year to so called “great deals”. We don’t stop to think that we still might be paying too much, or that the sale price is barely less than the original price and still includes an outrageous markup.

Make sure to examine whether or not you really are saving money next time you see that four letter word. Just something to think about as we head into the holiday season.

Charity. Most everyone I know would agree it’s a good thing (hopefully).  It is definitely a nice theory, people helping people, sharing the things we have been blessed with. But when do you say “no”?  The fact of the matter is that there is no shortage of people asking for money. But saying no to a charitable organization can make you feel like a jerk (and I am convinced some of them play on this).

For instance, last night while eating dinner (of course during dinner…when else?) there was a knock on my door. Naturally I had just taken a big bite of an enchilada (from Trader Joe’s). I opened the door and before I could blink some young guy started talking a mile a minute with a sales pitch.  I made an obvious act of my chewing hoping he would take the hint. He didn’t.

Turns out he was a self-labeled “underprivileged” student (wearing very nice clothes) with a high GPA hoping to sell me a newspaper subscription so he can get “points” for college. And if I don’t like the paper during the trial period, he suggested I “lie” to get my money back. I tried to explain that it is hard for me to justify paying for someone else’s college education while I still owe 20k towards my own, not to mention the fact that I don’t read the paper (I am gen Y…c’mon, I get everything online). He didn’t like that. He also didn’t seem to realize that Stanford (only 10 miles away) recently decided to allow Californian residents whose parents earn under 100k a year free admission to the school (someone correct me if I am wrong…I know they offer something close to that). He shook his head like I was some sort of jerk and walked off. Sorry, I give to several charities, but not to potential scams where people are disrespectful of me, my time, and my money. Where do you draw the line on charitable giving?

If you want a great reputable place to find a charity that matches your heart or passions, check out http://www.charitynavigator.org.

They are some of the most skilled salesmen and women you will ever run into, able to psychologically and emotionally woo even the toughest of skeptics. “Ah!” you scoff, “nobody could break my iron will!” But I am not talking about mere cellphones, cars, or jewelry. Oh no. I am talking about selling dreams. The ultimate experience. Unreal relaxation. Paradise. Heaven on earth. What are these people selling? Timeshares.

“All” you have to do is go listen to a 45 min presentation and you “get” a free breakfast! (By free breakfast they mean like the kind a cheesy motel sets out for you in the morning. Like green eggs and ham?) “What a great deal!” you think, as you walk into the dimly lit room repeating in your head the phrase that Nancy Reagan made famous: “Just say no. Just say no.” Leaving the room 6 hours later you dance towards the bathroom from the excitement over the sweet deal you just got. How did they do it?

Don’t get me wrong, sometimes timeshares are a great deal (like when your friend’s rich grandma has one she isn’t using and you get to go instead). Like everything for sale in this world, some things are of value and some aren’t.  Vacations are certainly no exception. Right now my wife and I are trying to figure out what to do next year and the more we think about it, the more overwhelming it becomes. Luckily we have the internet so I can sit surfing at my computer eating a Poptart instead of listening to a rhetoric-packed lecture over fake eggs.

We are still figuring things out, but it made me wonder what everyone else does. Can timeshares be a gold mind? Travel agents? A lot of people have a favorite spot they go back to year after year. Do you have one? Have a favorite website to get deals off of? Any money saving travel tips? Word of mouth is tried and true for passing around hot vacation spots and good deals. Anyone willing to share?

It’s beautiful. Steadfast. Never changing. Always there for you when you need it, providing comfort on a bad day. It will wait for you as long as it takes. No, I am not talking about a significant other or a pet. I am talking about Trader Joe’s Turkey Chili. I am talking about the best canned chili you have ever had (dare I say it might even be better than your moms?).

Why do I bring this up? Because I used to not care where I grocery shopped. I would pick the closest place to my house and go there because it was convenient.  Then when I got married, my wife wanted to start shopping at Trader Joe’s. The “weird” store I thought. Had I even been in there before? No. I just judged it because it wasn’t some generic Safeway-type store.  It wasn’t long before I swallowed not only my pride but also things like mini-mint mouthfuls, Spiced chips, and bowl after bowl of steamy hot deliciousness a.k.a. Trader Joe’s Turkey Chili. However, the great food was only one reason my wife shopped there. The second was the pricing.  At least where we live, it is around 2/3 of what we would spend at the local Safeway. And to offset the “convenience factor” of the closer grocery stores, we only go once a week.

Do you care where you get your goods and services? Are you currently offended by paying a buck for a can of sorry-excuse-for-chili at your local grocer? Take a minute to shop around. You never know how much you will save or what great new things you might find.