Discounted restaurant gift cards at Costco – why?
Our Costco in Port Chester, NY recently started selling gift cards for two popular local restaurants. They are discounted gift cards – spend $40 and get $50 worth of gift cards. Since we go to one of these restaurants on a regular basis, we bought them for Christmas stocking stuffers in our own house. Why not? We’ll be going there anyway, and this way we’ll save $10 on our next visit. But why is the restaurant selling discounted gift cards? Normally I’d assume a restaurant...My resolution for 2013?
Like most people, every New Year’s Eve I resolve to lose weight in the coming year. How well has that worked? Not so well. So what’s my resolution this year? One easy resolution….with a less easy related resolution.
In 2013 I want to use and enjoy what I already have. And, if I don’t use something and/or enjoy it, I’ll pass it along to someone else who can.
The can of delicious duck confit I brought back from Paris? – this Saturday night’s dinner. The perfumes I never wear – I’ll be smelling like Coco Chanel from now on. All those clothes I hope to fit back into some day? – I’ll donate them to women who are a size 8 right now. The books and DVDs I forgot I have? – consider them donated. You get the idea. Instead of “use it or lose it”, it’s more like “use it or pass it on”. These are two New Year’s resolutions I’m looking forward to doing.
How about you? Are you resolving to do something new this year?
Wishing you all a healthy and happy 2013.
Biggest waste of money ever?
I’ve heard various totals, but it’s clear that at least 1 Billion dollars will have been spent on television advertising during this election season. What did all that money buy us? Nothing. What a waste.
NYC Hotels for $150 or less
I’m always stumped when out-of-towners ask for affordable NYC hotel recommendations. Thankfully, the NYTimes’ Frugal Traveler, Seth Kugel, did the leg work for us and found 7 hotels he’d recommend (actually, he suggests 6 hotels, plus the use of Princeline.com). Keep this link handy for future reference. http://nyti.ms/R1kv8A
How do you depend on Government?
Mitt Romney’s now famous quip about 47% of Americans being ”dependent upon government, who believe that they are victims” made me wonder – what government benefits do I receive?
Fortunately, an article in the NY Times led me to the list below of 21 government benefit programs. I’ve used 3 or 4 so far (unemployment insurance, home mortgage interest deduction, a 529 account I funded for my daughter, and employer subsidized health insurance) plus benefits realized indirectly through the tax code (ex: my 401(k) retirement savings grow tax-deferred). What about you?
And what about the larger question: is using government benefits a reflection of your character? Does it depend on the type of benefit?
lso, what about businesses who use tax breaks? Does your opinion of the business change if you know they receive tax breaks? Is there a difference between individuals and businesses when it comes to getting government benefits? Just curious to know what you think.
- Head Start
- Social Security Disability
- Social Security Retirement and Survivors Benefits
- Supplemental Security Income (SSI)
- Medicaid
- Medicare
- Welfare (Temporary Assistance for Needy Families, or T.A.N.F.)
- G.I. Bill
- Veterans’ benefits
- Pell Grants
- Unemployment Insurance
- Food Stamps
- Government Subsidized Housing
- Home Mortgage Interest Deduction
- Hope and Lifetime Learning Tax Credits
- Child and Dependent Care Tax Credit
- 529 accounts (qualified tuition programs) or Coverdell education savings account (Education I.R.A.’s)
- Earned-income tax credit
- Employer subsidized health insurance
- Employer subsidized retirement benefits
- Federal student loans
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