Have you ever read a glowing review of a great resort or restaurant, only to go and find a totally different experience? Usually the people writing these articles are staying for free and dining for free, so they are compelled to write a positive review. In the travel business, this is a huge ethical issue. Travel books you find in book stores are also written by people who are staying for free. So, when you’re reading these reviews, be aware that there may have been an influence on what was said. A few publications follow strict guidelines including the magazines Bon Appetit and Gourmet. But in general you have to do your own homework. If you’re going to Europe, for example, Rick Steves is a great resource for you. His Web site is ricksteves.com. Trip Advisor and Cruise Critic are other sites that can help a great deal. So, your fellow traveler has become your best guidepost. The number of true 5-star hotels in the country is about 20, by the way. Looking at the travel booking sites, you might get a different opinion. But you want to double check at Mobil's travel guide site.
Clark predicted that it was going to be a bleak hiring season in the retail industry this year. Well, he was wrong. Retailers are very nervous about people buying gifts this holiday season, so they’re doing everything they can to stir up traffic. As a result, they’re hiring more people and they’re hiring those people much earlier this year. So, if you want to pick up a seasonal job, you can make some good money to pay off debts. Or you can use the money to buy gifts for people. As a shopper, the shopping season will be longer this year because retailers are “front loading” sales. They realize energy and heating costs are going to be higher this year, so they’re trying to get you to buy earlier before you get hit.
Are you planning to go visit family members for the holidays? If so, you’ve probably seen that ticket prices have increased quite a bit for the holidays this year. Most sources say prices are up between 25 and 30 percent compared to the rest of the year. Christmas and New Year’s are both on Sundays this year, so prices are extra pricey. When those holidays fall on a Tuesday through Friday, airfare is much more affordable. Fares to Florida are going to be extra high and hard to get, despite the fact that many airlines in Florida are now discounters. So, is it hopeless? No! You can still find deals, especially if you can be flexible on your travel days. As for Thanksgiving, flying on either Thanksgiving Day, or the Friday or Saturday after is the way to go. If you’re not planning to be with family this year, the holidays are a great time to visit convention cities and business centers. San Francisco, Dallas, Boston, Washington D.C. and Atlanta are all great deals the week between Christmas and New Year’s. No matter where you go or what you do, remember that baggage rules have changed. Airlines now weigh everything because they make a ton of money on overweight baggage. So, weigh your luggage beforehand and make sure it’s within the airline’s guidelines.
There will come a time when toll-free calling is a thing of the past. Internet phone calling is growing by leaps and bounds each year. The only problem is that some of these services do not reach 911. Several people have died because 911 could not be reached in the home. Apparently, it wasn’t a top priority of the Internet phone services when they started up and local phone companies have refused to connect people to 911 when they use one of these services. Now, Congress is pushing through a law that requires the four monopoly phone companies to connect people to the 911 centers when they call. Until that happens, use your cell phone to call 911 if you have an Internet phone. In other news, satellite phones are selling like hotcakes since Hurricane Katrina. According to the Wall Street Journal, satellite phones have increased by 1000 percent and have kept at that rate since the hurricane. They were the only phones working in Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama when the hurricane hit. They are expensive, though, at about $500 for the phone and 35 cents a minute. In addition, Sprint is working on a deal that would allow your cell phone to work as a home phone when you’re at home and a cell phone when you’re not home. It basically links up to whatever service is available in your range, and that is where we’re headed down the road. You’ll have one phone that switches between home, cell and satellite.
Clark’s last poll questioned whether it was fair that the IRS decided not to offer free electronic tax filing to those making more than $50,000. Last year anyone could file electronically for free as long as they used one of the services on the IRS Web site. But for some reason, the organization did away with the program. Clark thinks it’s completely backwards since it costs the IRS so much more to handle those complicated returns. And apparently so do you. Almost 90 percent of people said it wasn’t fair. Clark’s new poll is about the city of San Francisco and its effort to limit the number of bags you get at the grocery store. Do you think this should be a role of the government? Tell us in our new poll.
Have you heard of a “social contract?” It’s an agreement that used to exist at companies where workers spent their entire career at one company and got a pension when they retired. Somewhere along the line, companies decided they weren’t going to honor those agreements. As a result, taxpayers end up paying for pension benefits of companies that shirked their responsibilities. And that is causing problems at companies where bankruptcy is a possibility. The airline and auto industry are two that are on the line, for example. And some companies may not make it, meaning the pension goes away. It’s a time when the only entity you can trust with your retirement is you! Many people think of their pension as the cake they get at retirement. Clark wants you to think of it as the icing on the cake. Every dollar you save on your own is a dollar you have to live on when you retire, and that is a guarantee. No one can take that away from you. If you’re under age 50, social security is not going to do it for you. So, if you’re not in a 401k, a SEP or a SIMPLE, get in one today!
