Businesses have it right. They know how to survey their customers and employees with 360 feedback surveys. They get the responses and they can change their operations to make everyone happier and they can work more effectively and efficiently. I think the same thing needs to happen within the home. You know; a great, anonymous way to let people know what should probably change or updated without hurting anyone’s feelings. This would help the whole family be able to function better and work together better. Sounds good, no?! Please let me know if you have figured out a way to do this without offending anyone, but able to make an effective change within the home.

I just need to say that I am insanely jealous of my aunt right now. I just found out that she is going on a trip to Europe…again. She loves to travel and takes advantage of being single and not having to worry about taking care of a family. I might just toss out her clothes in her suitcase and get inside. Maybe she won’t notice how much heavier the bag is. So, after spending the whole day dwelling on the fact that I am stuck here and my aunt is going to have a great adventure in Europe, I came up with a few thoughts about the whole traveling experience.

• How does it work with an international payment? Can you pay with a regular credit card or do you have to carry loads of cash or traveler’s checks with you everywhere you go? I can’t imagine that it would be very safe carrying around the equivilent of hundreds of dollars in cash.
• Do the residents hate how many tourists are constantly there? I would imagine that it would get incredibly annoying to have people walking around, not knowing where they are, and refusing to speak anything but English. It just doesn’t seem fair, I guess.
• Is it common for tourists to look at consumer reviews of restaurants and hotels before they go, or do most people just kind of pick one without much research? Do they have the equivalent of Motel 6 in Europe?
• In the more touristy areas, do they have luxuries like Toto toilets? Or is the United States the only place OBSESSED with that sort of thing?

Random questions, I know. One day I will be able to go to Europe and find the answers to these questions on my own. Until then, the green-eyed monster lives on.

I love looking at new technologies and try to figure out how they will revolutionize their respective markets. Here are some that I recently have come across:

• All-Seeing Helmet: When modern explorers are making their way through smoke, haze, or just dark areas, the helmet packed with tons of sensors, will be drawing up a map for future reference.
• Transparent Car Door:  Well, technically, the car isn’t transparent. There are a few mini cameras that will reflect common “blind spots” when you wear a certain headset.
• LiveWire: There is now technology that can detect intermittent faults in higher-noise environments. It can find these issues pre-flight, thankfully! That way, they can fix the problem and avoid a potential disaster.
• Code Nutrition: Even though vitamins aren’t new, this is. Vitamins based on your DNA. You just take a simple cheek swab and Code Nutrition will analyze what your body needs.
• Online Survey Software: This is a great benefit to businesses everywhere. You can customize these surveys and find out if there are any issues in the workplace. This way, you will be able to solve these issues before they disrupt the work environment.
• Information Tracking:  Just like the online survey software, information tracking is a great benefit for companies. This will guarantee that your company is Sarbox compliant.

Can you believe that it is already towards the end of the year? We have Halloween, my birthday (of course!), Thanksgiving, and then Christmas. And that’s it! That is all we have left. So, I am already thinking ahead when I should probably just be thinking about the rest of this year. But the future is always exciting. Here is my list of ways to have a better 2009 than my 2008 (not that 2008 has been bad).

• New tennis shoes come January. You know the feeling of your shoes starting to get tired and need to replaced with fresh, brand-spanking new ones. I can’t hardly wait!
• Just like the boy scouts’ motto: “Be Prepared”. That is the plan at least. I am working on researching the best and most cost effective data backup plans. Last year, my computer crashed and I lost everything. I won’t let that happen in 2009.
•  I really need to stick to my fitness regime. I need that motivation. And I will find it somewhere, gosh dang it! I’ve been considering a weight loss pill. That just might be the ticket.
• Get a fantastic new wardrobe. The only problem is the moolah. So, to combat that is to just shop wholesale. I love wholesale!

Isn’t it interesting how the dating world has evolved? Now, online dating is completely acceptable and sometimes even the preferred method of meeting your potential soul mate. But even though it seems pretty safe, you should keep your guard up and keep yourself safe. Here are some tips/advice if you want to start dating online:

•  The entire time you are talking to the other person, look out for red flags. Usually they come in the form of a passing comment that strikes you as odd or just not quite right. Your best bet is to take note of these and move on to someone else.
• When meeting them for the first time, make sure it is in a public area and your loved ones know when you are meeting the person and where. It doesn’t hurt to make sure you will be safe.
• Make sure you are completely comfortable before agreeing to meet them in person.
• Don’t do anything that makes you feel uncomfortable. If they force the issue, dump them and move onto someone else who won’t pressure you. You deserve respect.
• When you are looking for an online dating site, there is a myriad to choose from. There are sites especially for vegans to those for singles with herpes. Whatever your lifestyle is, there is an online dating site to match. It must be true what they say, “there truly is someone for everyone”.

Though the gardening season may be quickly coming to a close, these gifts are perfect for your green thumb enthusiast all year round.

• The Electronic Soil Tester enables you to easily and quickly monitor the soil pH, soil moisture, light intensity, and other critical conditions for healthy plant growth.

• The Forged Cape Cod Weeder is one tool no gardener should be without!

• A mosquito hat is ideal if you prefer gardening during the dusk or dawn hours, the most pleasant times of day. Unfortunately, it’s also when mosquitoes and other bugs are out in full force. The mosquito hat provides insect protection by keeping pesky pests off your neck and away from your face.
  

If you are looking for a way to pay off your house quicker than the average length of 30 years, you have a few options. One of these options is the money merge account through U1st. The average length of time to pay off a mortgage while using the money merge account is 7-14 years. Quite a difference to 30 years. Through their interest-cancellation strategy, United First Financial can set you on the road to true financial freedom.

And if you have a smaller debt amount, there is a program that can help you also. The following text is taken directly from United First Financial’s website about this program:

“If you have less than $80,000 in debt from no more than 10 total creditors, you may qualify for the Money Merge Account Express program, which is specifically designed to cancel smaller amounts of debt. Stop paying unnecessary interest for months or even years on end. Instead, let the Money Merge Account software calculate the best way to pay off your financial obligations in a fraction of the time!”

Look into it; you’ll be glad that you did.

The most honest and candid opinions are often the most important.

It’s finally the time that you’ve been dreading.  You knew it would come but was hoping it wouldn’t be this soon…your washer is making awful sounds that rival nails on a chalkboard as it thumps and clunks during the entirely too long spin cycle.  Time for a new washer.  So before you pack up the kids and head down to the local appliance shop,  you need to do some homework when it comes to finding the best brand and model right for your laundry needs.  But let’s say you need a new camera, or television, or even a new car…how do you find the best ones?  Online consumer reviews. 

When it comes to paying big bucks and feeling like you didn’t get your money’s worth, consumers don’t hold back.  They will tell you every little thing that bothered them, didn’t perform, or functioned poorly - which comes in quite handy if you’re in the market for something similar.  So what are the best type of consumer reviews to consult before you make a big purchase?

• Digital cameras - Learn about the functionality, usability, and quality of a specific camera before you even purchase it.
• Televisions - From Plasmas to LCD to flat screens, consumer reviews will give you the pros and cons of all!
• Refrigerators - Consumers will open your eyes to issues and product problems you would have never considered otherwise.
• Washer/Dryer - Which washer’s clothes come out the cleanest?  Which dryer drys the fastest?
• Grill - Get the most bang for your buck (and flavor) by picking a grill with glowing reviews.

Buying wholesale clothing is an obvious appeal to consumers – you can get twice as much for the same price!  But while many outlets and retailers may advertise “wholesale” prices, you aren’t exactly paying wholesale.

A good example is factory outlet malls, which can give consumers the impression that they are purchasing clothing at wholesale prices; however, this is not the case.  These outlets still have overhead to pay for (such as rental space and employees) which is added to the cost of the merchandise.  Prices will still be better at an outlet than a regular retail store.

In addition, wholesale clubs are not quite what they proclaim to be.  They have the same costs as a retail store including staff, location costs, insurance, etc.  Buying in bulk will certainly save you money but you are not really purchasing wholesale merchandise when you shop at a wholesale club.

In order to purchase wholesale clothing, you must buy from a legitimate wholesaler and buy in bulk.  Furthermore, you may be required to have a vendors license. 

The kids will soon be going back to school–if they haven’t already. And this year it is probably more stressful to send the kids back than previous years because of the horrible economy. The dreaded purchasing of new school clothes can send the parentals panicking. But there are ways to get the clothes your kids need and want without breaking the bank. There are the usual huge department store sales that are great to hit, but there are alternatives. Try looking online for wholesale companies. You can find great quality clothing for your children (and yourself, of course) for a reasonable price–everything from pants to shoes to accessories. Whew! What a sigh of relief.