Lesson 13: Using Gift Certificates Wisely

A while ago I was given a gift certificate for $25 for Aveda. It just so happens that I will be needing a brow wax and hair cut in the now, so I have decided to use it. Here are my calculations. A brow wax and hair cut combined at Aveda will create a total of

$25 for brows + $50 haircut= $75 minus the $25 certificate which will bring you back to $50

If I use my gift certificate there I will only pay for the hair cut, but there is still a calculation of tips. Tips are 15% so I will take 10% of $50 which is $5.00 and divide the $5 in half to get my 5% which will come out to $5.00 + $2.50= $7.50 in tips owed for the hair cut. But when you tip at a salon you don't want to look gauche by using pocket change so that comes out to $8.00 total. Then you have to take into account the brow waxing tip. You might have got the service for free but the associate still expects a tip. In Calculation, %15 of $25 is $3.75 for a tip, but that is rounded out into $4 - 5. So your equation will look something like this:

-$25 + $50 +$8+$5 = $63 total for everything not including tax

Then I thought about it. I don't have a uni-brow, so there obviously isn't that much of a problem with them for me to spend $25. No matter if I will be getting the service for free, the price exceeds the maximum threshold I am willing to pay for the service. I just need them to be groomed not excavated to perfection. So I decided to go with Paul Brown, which charges $16. I would then put the $25 certificate to use in decreasing the cost of my hair cut. Now my equation looks like this:

$20 brow wax + $50 hair cut - $25 certificate = $45

We still need to add in the tips so I will re-write the equation like this:

$20 wax + $4 tip + $25 discounted cut + $8 tip = $57 total for everything not including tax

If I compare the two prices $63 - $52 = $11 savings total

So by figuring out the maximum threshold I am willing to spend, then distributing the services by cost, I can create an opportunity to save. Anyway, my font and spacing is all wacky, I'll try to fix it later. Wow even blogger (my service provider) is anti-math!

An opinion of the political work climate in Oahu

Interestingly enough during night school, someone made a comment about trouble in the work place. One of my class mates commented that the work persona in Hawaii is different that that of the mainland. In Hawaii things are more passive aggressive and it's all about who you know not necessarily what you know. This is a bit disturbing. It shows that people here would rather go about sabotaging others in a sneeky way rather than be upfront about the real issues. It shows that people here are a whole would rather hire their good friend kimo who will probably do a so-so or not so great job rather than joe who might be an excellent worker. These claims are not new, but they frustrate me. It's extremely annoying to have to deal with this type of climate that exists when you are trying not to be apart of it. In psychology I learned that one of the tests psychologists use to measure sanity is a group picture exercise. A psychologist will show a picture to a group of people and solicit individual answers. If a person continually answers differently than the group they are prompted for further evaluation. So, because I refuse to be apart of this climate does this make me abnormal? Having a different opinion can be educational. Having a different opinion can change the way things are done. Having a different opinion can create better methods of doing things. I know from experience that it is very hard to get people to envision change, especially adults. As a consumer I want to explore all options fully before spending my money on something. As a person I want to help others see it that way too. I want people to see that they don't have to be passive aggressive, because that type of behavior never promotes a solution. I want to help people give others a chance, not just because of familiarity, but because they have quality services or products. If I can do all of that then maybe things could be better, because I sure don't want to be known as coming from Hawaii the USA's most passive aggressive state. Speaking of being angry here is a fun little thing that combines anger and humor; its great. (not a pop up link)

Intermission

Another tape that I like to listen to. It has mostly 80's pop music.

How to read Financial Statements

Being able to read Financial statements is useful if you plan on getting into investing in stocks.

Lesson 12: How to Detect a Crappy Accountant

According to my professor there is only one existing accounting joke in the whole world. I think there are more, but she was just trying to make a point that accountants are stereotypically quiet, un-humourous, and serious people. Stereotypes are all fun and games, but when you start to use them as a point of measure in the hiring process or in standardized testing, I object. When running a business it is essential to motivate your employees by allowing them access to their score. Business is like a basketball game, if you don't know how you are doing based on the numbers, then it is impossible to play the game. Well, perhaps you could still play the game, but it would much resemble Drew Carry's "Whose line is it Anyway?" In order to have an accurate score you should be familiar with basic accounting principles and hire an accountant. Finding a good accountant is essential to score keeping. Here are some tips that were imparted to me by a veteran accountant, professor and established owner of her own firm:

1. If you ask them how they got the numbers and they tell you that it is too complicated for you to understand, fire them.
2. If you ask them for an analysis and he or she says they will get back to you in a week, fire them.
3. If you ask them for advice on improving your numbers and they just shrug their shoulders, fire them.

Good accountants will be familiar enough with how they arrived at their data; so much so that they will be able to explain it to you on your terms. Good accountants are punctual and know how to meet deadlines on your terms with in reason. Good accountants will be open to helping you out on your tax related matters rather than being a tool that just cranks out numbers. If you come to them for advice about improving your scores, they should be willing to help you out with some tips.

I love Ramen!!

One of the restaurants my friend raves about is Gomaichi. They are said to have the most authentic tasting ramen on the island. I don't really know who made this great claim but I ate there twice and can tell you with confidence that it is true to me. They have this special ramen that they serve there that tastes like no other, the name slips my mind at the moment. One minus about the place is the location. Parking is a pain in the neck, so make sure to bring a lot of quarters. Ramen is also a great meal for those on a budget; as the prices there are relatively low. Here are a bunch of links for the ramen fanatics out there! Ramen Miscellanea, Ramen Blog and Go Ramen.

Motivational Tapes and Me

Thanks for the "Massive Love Songs" wendebular. How could I not post this tape, this one has total eclipse! Classic I tell you. Brandon you know you like this song. Another audio adventure I went on consisted of Brian Tracy and his take on Goals. For those who are interested in the main idea, but not actually listening to the whole 3-4 hours I will boil it down for you. To reach your goals faster treat them like your space seat in hyper drive. Imagine that you are a commander of an elite space ship like on Star Trek. Should you need to accelerate to the fastest speed your main concern is to have a chair to strap your self into so you don't have a Space balls scenario. You can hold onto and can visualize your chair. You make sure that it is in working order every day in order to prepare for hyper drive and use it to reach all of your high tech navigating equipment. Treat your goals as if they are as real as an in-animate object. Know about them so well that it is effortless to identify in your mind. I really liked all the filler though. It gave me a lot of profound insight regarding the subject.

Lesson 11: How to Avoid and Atone for "Be-Lated"

I admit it, I forgot. I forgot a birthday and feel terrible about it. Especially when that friend of mine has been a friend for over 14 years now. So now I am working on a birthday present. I figured that since I forgot I might as well do something time consuming and creative in order to make sure I remember for the next round. Plus I was never a fan of splurging just because I feel guilty. That type of behavior is for people worth six figures. So anyway when I finish this project perhaps some secret photos will appear, but for the time being here is a site that might help me and whomever else to remember important dates, it is kind of like having a personal secretary.

Lesson 10: Watching TV with out Owning a TV

Television, can't live with it and can't live with out it. Or can you? I think yes. There are a boat load of sites out there that offer free movies and videos. All in all, having cable television and internet seem like a waste of money. Let me do the math for you. Say that you pay about $50 a month for cable and highspeed internet. That comes out to about $600 a year. But if you cut out the cable and just pay for internet your bill would probably come out to about $30 a month saving you $20 each month. So each year that comes out to $240 in savings per year. Not only does the internet give you convenience, it also offers a wider variety of entertainment. Extricating yourself from cable might sound like a painful process. After all, cable television has become a staple of the American household, regardless of income. But as for me I think I would be much happier with the extra $240 a year rather than a pair of re-runs and cartoons in hand. As a child my family never had cable, and it helped me to develop other hobbies like reading and sports. One thing that is not so good about the internet is that it is a little harder to control. So if there are children involved I would suggest to put some measures on there to make sure they don't watch porno. As mentioned in Lesson 5 and 6, there are a lot of things that you can get for free on the internet, the important point is to remember the meaning of free. Free means that there is no exchange of money for whatever received therefore there can be no exchange based on the quality of the item. A lot of people approach the Internet as if they are entitled to those "free" things because they pay for the monthly bill. However, the Internet seems to work much like a public school. You pay for the schools functions in taxes, but you really have no direct control over the teachers and how the school is run because it is headed by a very large organization the DOE. Complaints can be made, but they are not always taken seriously, because sadly, free education is seen as a privilege not a right. So for those who prefer total and complete control I suggest private school or to keep that cable (or to protest). Money is a way to buy greater control over many situations. Free services offered by a provider on the Internet is simply a way for the site to attract traffic so unless money is exchanged in the process, complaints about that particular site seem just as amusing as the entertainment offered there.

I found you some MixTapes Enjoy

There is this neat website where you can make and share mixtapes! Since there are so many great tapes, I've embeded them in some old posts. Like easter eggs.

The Cost of Building Blogs

I really like this template, it has served me well. Actually I have tried out wordpress. For some reason the whole look of wordpress seems a little easier to digest, but it is not what I expected. It seems harder to do stuff there because I have to do more html. In Blogger it is basically cut and paste so I never really have to get into the engineering of the site too much. I will keep this site up until I decide if I want to move or not, still debating. A lot of media on the web praise wordpress as being one of the best platforms for blogging or whatever. When I got there I was like uumm ok. I have to pay actual money to do anything CSS? what is that... I don't know. I can't do anything fancy yet. Well, actually I do know, but not to the point where I can just whip it out so easily. Also domain names cost like $5 more than blogger. Blogger charges $10 a year for a domain name and wordpress charges $15 plus the additional $14 or so that you pay so you can do CSS. Oh well. I am thinking. If you are interested in creating your own wonderful blog here are some sites for you 40 free blog hosts and CSS Tool Box.

Tape By kathleen.j.lynch: Magnanimous

Lesson 9: Waste Time Wisely and Help Others

So I figure if I am going to puddle around aimlessly I might as well be doing something while I am doing nothing. This allows me to develop a "kill two birds with one stone," type of attitude and saves me a lot of time. Using time wisely is essential to saving money, because it might be the difference between having enough time to do things for yourself and paying someone else to do it due to the lack there of. Now days, people will pay good money for things that they might not need just because they feel that they have to compensate for the time they didn't spend doing that particular action (ie: not enough time for the kids = new toy; not enough time to learn = a new book; not enough time for the dog = expensive gourmet dog food). Buying things to fill up a void might be the norm in today's society, but time is much better than any material filler. So with that said I propose using your valuable free time to do some good deeds. I have included a list of websites that allow charities to raise money though their websites. Normally when I visit a commercial website I avoid ad clicking like the plague. This action is mainly because I am at the website for it's content, not to get lost in their ads. However, these charitable websites use the ad money to help feed the hungry, fight breast cancer and other noble efforts so for these sites I click everything in sight. These particular Charitable websites make it so easy to give and best of all you don't even have to open your wallet so it is absolutely free of charge. All you really have to do is click links, use their searching services or play their vocabulary game. My favorite site is the free rice one, you get a free vocabulary lesson and you get to feed the hungry all at once. Getting something for nothing can be rewarding when done correctly.

Lesson 8: Going Green, Not Just an Annoying Catch Phrase, But a Money Saving Idea

So when did all of this going green stuff start anyway? I suspect it all started with the enormous increase in gasoline prices. I am not much for following trends as trends = excuse to spend money on useless stuff (ie: pogs, Pokemon, power rangers, 80's glam gym socks), but this trend is definitely a positive one. I hope that it is one fad that never goes out of style. When adopting the planet wise lifestyle the savings are not always upfront. Organic and biodegradable items might have an overall higher cost, but you reap significant savings because you tend to buy less of the product over time. For example, computer companies might sell ink jet printers cheaper than laser printers because they make money when you buy ink refills. Even when you buy refills at Costco its still expensive and perhaps you might need to buy them about 3-4x per year (or more) until your printer stops working. That adds up to a lot of cash over time, far more than what you might pay for the more costly laser model. Hope you all are having a Happy St. Patricks day!

New Short Video I want to Promote

This sounds like it will be an entertaining comedy. I can't wait to see it!


Here is the website for the movie Cheapest man in the Room

Lesson 7: Don't Get Caught

Here is a funny skit about being a cheapskate, done by Poetri, he is in an Arby's commercial. The one with the three construction workers... and the pretty lady that walks by... and then the fat business man with the Arby's sandwich and they all cat call him... that one.

Why I wanted to send a letter to Oprah

(Scroll down for Mixtape)

So like a dum dum I got myself into a bit of trouble because of some traffic violation. I was lucky enough to be rescued by a nice guy who saved me from the side of the road after I got pulled over and was too upset to drive. And, before the speculation starts let me just say this was all due to the fact that I received my first traffic ticket, I sometimes wish there was a more dramatic premise to my story so I could be on a talk show or write a book; or so people might be like, "wow I can totally understand your pain," but it was just a ticket for running a stop sign. The distraught part was due to the fact that I was already going through some other unrelated stressful event, and this further compounded the weight of negative energy in that situation. Anyway, he took the time to pull over and let me know that the location of my car was in a dangerous place, put my situation in the right perspective, tried to make me feel better by making me laugh, and helped to guide my car out of that tricky highway spot by directing traffic. I think that it is quite rare for strangers to help you during your time of need. Once I fell down while walking down a steep hill and I sprained my ankle. There were tons of people walking by and not one person asked if I was ok. They just like walked by and didn't even look at me on the ground. And no, I don't look intimidating like a gangster or like a homeless person who was just cruising there. I was sprawled on the ground. Oh wait a second, there was like a 3 year old kid that pointed me out to his dad while they were walking up the hill, but the dad was like, "keep walking son," so that really doesn't count. I suppose it is because people just don't want to get involved. They have seen too many Hollywood movies and news reports about good Samaritans getting beat down, and they have this guard up. So anyway I was really moved by how nice this guy was and I had this crazy idea to write to Oprah so she could get all misty about it and hand him a million dollars. Then I remembered that she is doing the show "The Big Give," and I thought oh nuts she might not go for it, because she is already giving a lot of money to random people. So maybe I will and maybe I did, that will be my secret I guess. But, it doesn't hurt to let others know that there are some helpful and nice people in the world. Above is a picture of his business card. I recommend calling him for his services simply, because if someone takes the time to help out another it speaks volumes about their character. And, as a consumer it is best to look for a person that is not only capable, but also someone of good character.

Lesson 6: Life is a Game so Play for the Winning Team

Ugh I cannot tell you how many times I've seen some example of rude-ness on the Internet and in real life. Just because people are protected by a computer screen and an alias, they forget manners. If a donor takes the time to post a video clip, music file or any type of valuable resource there will always be that one complainer. Somethings that I have come across, "can you post this in English," "you don't have any feeling (ie: if someone posts their musical talents)," and "you are a noob." Unfortunately, I have not kept a recorded log of these comments so I will be updating as I surf the net in the near future. There is nothing wrong with complaining about something, I do it all the time. But, I never complain about a gift. No matter how big or small, I know how to receive something and say thank you. It's not that difficult. If people complain about things that they get as gifts it usually is for the purpose of getting specifically what they want the next time around. It might make sense at first, but think about this: why would they ever want to give you anything again if you didn't accept the first gift graciously. There are improved ways of asking for things such as , "I like your video thanks for posting, but I can't understand it as I only speak English if I could find it in that language it would be great," or " I like your song, maybe you need to work on ____ though," its called an affirmation sandwich. Psychology experts use it all the time. There are many ways of soliciting people for the things you want. But, being a total a-hole about it, like others owe it to you, will get you no where. A lot of people who are guilty might be turned off by me telling them what to do or giving them advice. It's ok to think that you are perfect and don't need anyone telling you what to do, but it could be costing you some serious bucks. If you are NOT nice to the people around you, you are less likely to ask them for or be granted favors. What if one person is an expert in something and you want advice, wouldn't it be better to have a trusted friend to help you out. It is way cheaper to build contacts, for things like walking the dog, house sitting, baby sitting or what have you rather than to go to a phone book to try and locate a professional. No matter how great their advertisement might be, you don't know these people, because you don't work there and see their true personalities first hand. In a way it's sort of funny, but then when I look at the big picture it's a bit sad. Also it is best to give as well as receive, if you are the type of person who only receives people are going to figure it out and not want to give you anything. Investing in the balance of give and take it essential. Getting pegged as a "taker" is definitely a market loss to your value as a friend. I wonder if anyone else has encountered such rudeness on the net and in real life? Here are some relevant links. Ungrateful Person Story and Why are People Rude. Here is a link on dealing with Needy People. This is a video of my favorite song from the mix tape. The artist from the tape is Yuri Chika and in this video she is singing with Briohny.

Lesson 5: Watching K-drama Videos For Free on the Internet

The internet is a great resource for free stuff. You can get all sorts of stuff for free legally and illegally in equal measure. General information and popular media are widely abundant and easy to find. But, if you are looking for something very specific and obscure you might need a professional (like me) or some friend of yours who spends 90% of their time in front of a computer on the internet. You could try to find it yourself, but this would be the equivalent of counting beans, watching grass grow or separating your two ply toilet paper as seen in the "Master Savers Video" below. Figure out how valuable your time is before you start. Today's post is about finding Korean Drama videos on the internet. Am I saying not to buy the actual DVD's? No, ofcourse not, buying something means that you are making an investment, therefore consider this research. Also, having the actual DVD's gives you the advantage of better quality and owner status. It's kind of like collecting card's; you can't really swap cards with your friends if your cards only exist on the internet. One reason why I want to publicize K-drama's is because of the emphasis on money that they put in their shows. Japanese drama's are great too! This particular video that I have attached is from the Japanese drama Yamada Taro Monogatari. I put a clip here because it shows a great grocery shopping scene. The story is about a really poor guy who everyone thinks is rich. In the video he is competing for a very cheap beef steak so that he can have a barbeque with his family. He has been trainning with a master bargain hunter (that lady with the thick glasses) and his other friend. This show, among others can be watched at a wonderful site called My Soju (warning: make sure you have good time management skills before visiting any video site)

Yamada03.4
Uploaded by tinkerbell004

Lesson 4: Referrals VS Advertising

(Scroll down for Mixtape) I put amazon ads on my blog because I frequently use the site to buy cheap items. I LOVE books! I have books all over the place, which is why I plan on putting ads for a lot of the books that I've read on this blog. So if you see an ad on my site for something I either use it myself or I have done research to determine that it might help someone out. Advertising is great, but in business it is far better to create a good reputation and be referred to someone else. Yesterday, I was looking for a place to buy a lot of eggs for one of my secret plans. I called about three places and most of the people that I talked to were very nice and polite. People can smell a rant from a mile away so let me just get to it. Everyone responds differently to certain speech styles and I have to say one of the companies really struck me as rude. Eggs Hawaii INC. Ugh what fugly customer service etiquette. The representative I first spoke to was nice, but when she transferred me to her manager to answer some of my questions, the manager was so condescending. I just wanted to know if they did delivery and she threw me into the fire. What is your store? Do you even have a business? Where is your location? What, where? No we don't even do that! Although they have good prices, even if I was a big name store I would never want to do business with them. I want to deal with people who are smart enough to know how a potential customer should be treated. It's okay to be exclusive when it comes to choosing who you want to sell your products to (as I understand that some companies only want to deal with high profile clientelle), but make sure to be upfront about that fact in a professional way. If you dont want regular individuals calling you, make that information readily available, discuss the minimum quantity you are willing to sell and don't treat the customer like they are wasting your time. A high maka maka company should have a high maka maka advertisement with more information that just a phone number. If you put an advertisement in the phone book expect many different types of people to call you. In theory an advertisement is a paid referral, a real referral is created through hard work, a sound business strategy, and a proven track record of success. Anyhow this is just my opinion on the whole thing, since it is a free country and all.

Lesson 3: Watch a Master Saver at Work

The man might know how to save, but does he know how to earn? He makes $15,ooo a year which is not enough to live comfortably even if he did loosen the grip on his pocket change. I must admit that it is impressive that he is able to save so much though. Saving money is great but I saw some ways that he could do it better. First of all, why is he buying paper towels? A cloth rag might be smarter and more economical. Second, I assumed that a man so interested in saving was equally interested in earning large amounts money. What is the purpose of saving if you are not saving to accumulate towards some goal. Just like we eat certain foods to produce a certain outcome, we must also save to promote a certain outcome, otherwise you miss a chance to use that will power to your advantage. Third, separating toilet paper and squeezing ketchup are time consuming activities, it is best to determine how much your time is worth before you mimic those kinds of practices. For more information on saving money at home check out this book by Josh Garskof, "The Cheap Bastard's Guide to the Good House and Home."

Lesson 2: A tip from your Waiter

Actual tips begin at 4min and 58 seconds. I like the clip because it's entertaining not because I agree with everything he says. It's great to see someone being real about issues in customer service. Watch out for the foul language if you are offended by that sort of thing. One thing to never be stingy on is a server's tip. Unless the worker was a complete butt head, a 15% tip is required. Why? you say... "I could be getting away with so much savings if I shave off this 15%." Yes, you are absolutely right, but essentially that would make you the butt head kicking a man/woman when he or she is down. A person working for petty cash taking care of people's demands all day should get a gratuity. I find that it is far better to establish a good relationship with an eating place so that you can become a repeat customer. Repeat customers usually are given free food as a token of appreciation. It is a good idea to target family owned restaraunts where the owner is present.

Lesson 1: We negociate instead of Yell & Complain

A Story about a Cheapskate Gone Wild
The subject of this story should subscribe to my blog he needs it!
(To find on Youtube: Quit bein Cheap yo! by Angel)

Instead of using your anger and outrage to get a lower rate as seen in the "Cheapskate Gone Wild" video clip, we act like civilized adults. One might think that if they make a big enough stink, a representative might give into the pressure, and provide a discount just to end the noise. Yet, one thing people don't realize is that it is perfectly legal for a representative to call the police on you if they feel like you pose a threat to them. Also, do you really want to take pointers from a kindergardener that you saw at a groccery store, crying because his or her mom wouldn't buy he or she a candy bar. If you think your hotel room should be cheaper try to work with the front desk associate by asking if your price can be lowered if you give up certain anemities that are included in your room fee. Make sure that you understand what you are being charged for before you check into the establishment by making a calm inquiry. Do your homework about hidden hotel fees so that you might go in with a sound game plan, instead of hoping to wing it with drama. ALWAYS REMEMBER TO TAKE DOWN NAMES. If perhaps one person says one thing but another person refuses to honor the agreement it is always good to have a name and a document in writing so that you may take your claim to a higher tier employee. Communicate your point nicely, but make sure to be firm about what you want. Also just as the front desk representative has a right to report you, you have a right to report hidden charges that have been deliberately concealed during your check in inquiry. For those who still prefer to be the loudest complainer on the block, make sure to take note that a front desk representative might not have the power to cheat the system for you. Neither does it make any sence that they will help you get what you want if you are degrading them.

What does "PAKE" mean (pronounced "PaaK-E)

(Hawaii residents can skip this intro)
In hawaii this word is used to describe someone who is very cheap or tight with money. In Hawaii the local creole is pidgin english and "pake" or "chang" is used to describe a chinese person in general; just like the word "haole" is used to describe a caucasian person or "popolo" is used to describe an African American person. For those wondering where I am headed while discussing the sensitive subject of race, let me assure you that I am a "pake" and a "katonk" so I am allowed to take pot shots at my own race. So for those of you who are not from hawaii, I dont think you should go around calling people these words freely should you decide to come and visit, as a person could get offended.

(Intro for everyone )
It has been my experience that all races and types of people can be equally stingy, not just the Chinese. Example 1: while I was working for a Japanese owned company one of their air conditioners went out. Workers and customers alike were very hot, but it took them many weeks to get someone to fix it. Although one might expect that there would be significant discounts for employees, we only got 10% off which is like equivalant to a Macy's sale where you might get a discount, but you're not sure if its even worth it to buy anything in the first place. Most of the equipment there looked way past the point of their depreciation value. Example 2: My brother went to a local ice cream bar and ordered a decadent shave ice, the owner was obviously a Korean person as she spoke the language fluently and was listening to a Korean radio station. When he paid her he thought she was offering him an extra straw so he refused but she thought that he was saying to keep the change. When he tried to nicely explain that he had made a mistake and that they had a misunderstanding her whole demeanor turned sour and she acted like it was pure torture to return his change (that was rightfully his anyway). Also, watch any Korean drama and see how many times themes of money comes up. Now I know I am being critical, but for those of you that know me you will agree that I am also a big fat tightwad. I think that if they had a contest like instead of the Cherry Blossom Queen contest they had "The pake" contest where they crown the biggest cheapskate I would probably win hands down. My one complaint with all this scrooging in the world today is that everyone wants to save money, but a lot of people don't know how to do it with class, style and sophistication.


A clip from the Chinese Drama "Frugal Game"
displaying classic examples of penny pinching in the domestic arena