Secret Cash Stash

According to balancedweightmanagement.com, the average American family goes out to eat 50% of the time. During the holidays, it's also customary to dine out more frequently with friends, family, and co-workers. Unfortunately, dividing the bill among large groups can prove to be a hassle. The restaurant may split the bill, but usually somebody gets stuck paying more than their fair share. In the spirit of Christmas, phrases like "I'll get you next time" and "mine is only 8.99, so here's $10" are nonchalantly exchanged like cheap white elephant gifts until those with only credit cards are left to make up the difference. After table negotiates, the waiter is presented with an array of cards resembling a jigsaw puzzle with vague instructions like"$25 on my card, $47 on his blue Visa, and here is the rest in cash." Most people forget to add tax and tip when adding up their menu items. Needless to say, friends are begrudged for having to cover for others, and the waiters almost always get screwed.

Having personally been on both sides of this transaction, my advice is to always carry a secret stash of cash in your wallet. Keep the stash separate from your regular spending cash, and use it specifically for these kind of situations. When the bill comes around, look at it carefully. Make sure to contribute enough for all of you consumptions, plus tax, plus tip, and maybe a little extra as a friendly gesture. By using cash responsibly, you won't be forced to pay for everyones elses meal, and you won't be placing a burden on others at the table.

10 Great Movies That You Never Knew Existed

Below are some of my favorite indie films of all time. Don't be surprised if you've never heard of them. Many of these movie never made it to main stream theaters, but they are definately worth renting.

Surely there are more that I forgot, but this is off the top of my head.

Quick Trick: Keep Toilet Paper at Your Desk

Take a roll of toilet paper from the bathroom at work and keep it in your desk drawer. It will come in handy for blowing your nose, cleaning up spills, or as an eraser for a dry erase board. Best of all it's free. No more spending money on a box of kleenex. Just a quick trick.

The Cost of Clutter

When buying a house, we want to maximize the amount of space for our money. Real estate agents commonly do this by determining the "cost per square foot" when comparing homes. Determining the cost per square foot is simple, just divide the price of the house by it's size.

• Price ÷ Square feet = Cost per square Foot
  
  According to census.gov, the average price of a new home in the U.S. is $292,600, and the average size is 2,215 sq ft. This means that a square foot of space on your floor deems a value of $132.00. I don't know about you, but junk filled boxes occupy many square feet of my garage floor and the contents of each box are not worth $132.00. Now try to imagine all of the surface area of clutter in your house. How many boxes could you fill? Think of each box costing you $132.00. All the space you worked so hard to buy is currently being wasted by clutter.
  
  Clutter is simply a poor allocation of resources. Would you allow a stranger to occupy a room without paying rent? Of course not, so why waste a room storing junk that will never be used. In either case you are paying rent or a mortgage for unusable space.
  
  So don't ask yourself if the clutter "is worth keeping", ask yourself "is it worth paying $132.00 to keep?"

Send Your Finances on a Camping Trip

Ever wonder why we spend our precious vacation time camping in the woods? Why we voluntarily sleep on an uncomfortable inflatable mattress inside a dirty tent? Well...Its because it makes our regular bed feel that much more comfortable when we return home. Camping gives us an appreciation for the modern conveniences that we normally take for granted.


Our spending habits, are another thing that many of us take for granted. With Christmas just around the corner, now is a perfect time to send your finances on a camping trip.


Financial Camping
After paying your mortgage, credit cards, utilities, and any other regular bills, try temporarily living off only 10% of your paycheck. This experience can be humbling, and only leaves room for the bare essentials. You may be spending more time at home living off rice and beans, but remember its only temporary.


While "Financial Camping" you may also have to pass up a night out with friends, and the sweatshirt on sale at the mall. You will have to prioritize your trips in the car, and pack a lunch to work. You will have to scrape to make artificial ends meet, but after its over, you will be left with a large amount of unspent money.


Unexpected expenses like car repairs and medical bills happen to all of us. We some how find a way to get past them. I have faith that you can survive a Financial Camping trip, and you'll be better off for it. Plan a Financial Camping trip on your calendar today, you won't even need time off from work.

If you haven't already pulled your Thanksgiving turkey out of the freezer, than today is the day. According to USDA the following time is necessary to thaw a turkey:

Let's Talk Turkey—A Consumer Guide to Safely Roasting a Turkey Fresh or Frozen? Fresh Turkeys Allow 1 pound of turkey per person. Buy your turkey only 1 to 2 days before you plan to cook it. Keep it stored in the refrigerator until you're ready to cook it. Place it on a tray or in a pan to catch any juices that may leak. Do not buy fresh pre-stuffed turkeys. If not handled properly, any harmful bacteria that may be in the stuffing can multiply very quickly. Frozen Turkeys Allow 1 pound of turkey per person. Keep frozen until you're ready to thaw it. Turkeys can be kept frozen in the freezer indefinitely; however, cook within 1 year for best quality. See "Thawing Your Turkey" for thawing instructions. Frozen Pre-Stuffed Turkeys USDA recommends only buying frozen pre-stuffed turkeys that display the USDA or State mark of inspection on the packaging. These turkeys are safe because they have been processed under controlled conditions. DO NOT THAW before cooking. Cook from the frozen state. Follow package directions for proper handling and cooking. Allow 1¼ pounds of turkey per person. Thawing Your Turkey There are three ways to thaw your turkey safely — in the refrigerator, in cold water, or in the microwave oven. In the Refrigerator (40 °F or below) Allow approximately 24 hours for every 4 to 5 pounds 4 to 12 pounds 1 to 3 days 12 to 16 pounds 3 to 4 days 16 to 20 pounds 4 to 5 days 20 to 24 pounds 5 to 6 days Keep the turkey in its original wrapper. Place it on a tray or in a pan to catch any juices that may leak. A thawed turkey can remain in the refrigerator for 1 to 2 days. If necessary, a turkey that has been properly thawed in the refrigerator may be refrozen. In Cold Water Allow approximately 30 minutes per pound 4 to 12 pounds 2 to 6 hours 12 to 16 pounds 6 to 8 hours 16 to 20 pounds 8 to 10 hours 20 to 24 pounds 10 to 12 hours Wrap your turkey securely, making sure the water is not able to leak through the wrapping. Submerge your wrapped turkey in cold tap water. Change the water every 30 minutes. Cook the turkey immediately after it is thawed. Do not refreeze. In the Microwave Oven Check your owner's manual for the size turkey that will fit in your microwave oven, the minutes per pound, and power level to use for thawing. Remove all outside wrapping. Place on a microwave-safe dish to catch any juices that may leak. Cook your turkey immediately. Do not refreeze or refrigerate your turkey after thawing in the microwave oven. REMINDER: Remove the giblets from the turkey cavities after thawing. Cook separately.

10 things that you didn't know Google could do!

Everyone knows Google! Even the verb to "google" was added to the Oxford English Dictionary on June 15, 2006. It's the standard for searching information on the internet. But few people are aware of how powerful it really is. Here is a list of tricks that you probably didn't know google can do in addtion to regular website searches, shopping and Gmail.
(Click on Pics to enlarge)

1.) Calculations- google can perform basic math functions.

2.) Conversions-Most units of measure can be converted.

3.) Spellcheck- Just type a word in google, and it will present you with the right spelling.





4.) Correct addresses - If you type a partial address in Google it can correct it for you.





5.) Translate- google has the ability to translate phrases and documents in maost major languages.











6.) Flight Status- You can check a flight Status right from google.







7.) Stock Quotes- You can Type Ticker Symbols Directly into google.









8.) Population- Google can identify populations of Citys, States, Country's, ect.









9.) Bus Routes- Google can provide public transportation info.

10.) Free 411- google has its own free directory service like 411.











And if thats not enough, they also Store Medical Records, create and share online docs, Host Blogging, provide voice over IP chat, a virtual library, and even more.

Now we just need it to make me us toast in the morning. How do you use google?