The Well of Tucson

Christmas in July (and August)

Big Jim — Tue, 08 May 2012 23:04:04 +0000

For the biggest fans of Christmas, waiting 12 months to celebrate is too long of a wait. Christmas in July, first celebrated at a girls summer camp in North Carolina in 1933, marks the 6 month interval of this popular holiday, and for those in the Western hemisphere, it provides the rare opportunity to enjoy the holiday in summer-like weather. There are several fun ways to celebrate this upside-down holiday; here are our favorites.

Throw a BBQ

For those in Australia and other Southern hemisphere residents, celebrating Christmas by the pool, with some steaks on the grill and laying out in the sun is the norm. That is why throwing a BBQ for a Christmas in July party is such a great idea. People will serve summer-themed food at a Christmas in July party (ice-cream, BBQ shrimp, Sangria) and sprinkle in some of their favorite traditional Christmas dishes like bacon-wrapped chestnuts, egg nog and fresh-baked Christmas cookies, to give it that extra Christmas-flair. You’ll also want to take out of your holiday decorations, including your lights. Go to a local nursery, buy a potted Evergreen and dress it up with some of your favorite lights. Even putting up an artificial tree on your patio can really enchant your guests.

Go shopping

Shopping of course is probably the most popular way people celebrate Christmas in July. Since there are no national holidays between July 1^st and Labor Day, retailers love to hold “Christmas in July” sales. These sales can be found at any type of store, not just Christmas-related stores. And it can be frustrating to see businesses market what is essentially a religious holiday, the sales are usually too good to pass up. And for those who hate crowds but enjoy Christmas shopping, shopping any “Christmas in July” sales is the perfect opportunity to get all your shopping done before the real holiday comes around.

Christmas is a magical holiday millions can’t help but love. Try something new this year and throw your first Christmas in July, or simply go shopping and save loads. Either way, you won’t be disappointed.

Celebrating TV Milestones

Big Jim — Fri, 04 May 2012 02:31:41 +0000

No one ever forgets their favorite TV show. They’re the heart and soul of television, the stuff that sticks with you for a lifetime. So when an important milestone for a show comes around, whether it’s the 500^th episode or a TV show or its finally going off the air, it’s no wonder fans like to celebrate. Here are some of the biggest TV milestones, as well as some tips on throwing a TV milestone party.

Remember that show

Whether you remember crowding around a TV with family and friends to watch the lights dim one last time at Cheers, or looking perplexed as you watched everyone (in the show) crowd into a church in the final episode of Lost, the most popular TV shows always cause a stir when they hit a milestone. Last year, The Simpson’s aired their 500^th episode (a rare longevity in the world of television) and the news, and fans, went nuts.

Planning a celebration party

Everyone loves a good excuse to throw a party and TV milestones are one of the best excuses in the book. Here are some party ideas:

? If you have Dish TV promotions, it’s easy to record (and find) upcoming milestones, so definitely make sure to look into getting an account with a company like Dish.

? Once you have the cable end of things figured out, a big TV is always a great idea for TV milestone parties.

? Your next step - figuring out what you’ll be serving and decorating. It’s always fun to do a theme with whatever the show is about. For the latest season premiere of Mad Men, fondue pots and other kitchy ‘60s appetizers were a popular idea.

? When decorating for your TV milestone party, go as big as you want. For True Blood fans, decorating their place like Sookie’s place of work (at the restaurant) was another popular idea.

Everyone who loves TV is sure to have an important milestone for one of their favorite shows. Instead of sitting by yourself, silently enjoying a TV milestone moment, plan that party and go all out.

Preventing Car Accidents

Big Jim — Mon, 09 Apr 2012 17:56:32 +0000

There are several ways you can prevent yourself from being in a car accident. You need to of course obey all of the laws, because the laws were designed to keep people safe on the road.

Other Ways To Stay Safe

Your cell phone is going to be a huge distraction, if you are one of those people that text messages, and talks on the phone while driving. The statistics show that those two activities right there are to blame for a great deal of car accidents. That should send a message to you that it is not a good idea to use your cell phone while driving.

A Bad Car Accident

You might have gotten yourself into a bad car accident and are not sure what to do because you have been served with legal paperwork. Getting an auto accident lawyer would be your very next step in order to not get any further in trouble. Your lawyer will be able to smooth things out and start working on getting the case settled.

Even if it is hard for you to stop using your cell phone while driving, it could be the one move you do that will save your life.

Writing Checks Can Help You Budget

Big Jim — Sat, 07 Apr 2012 22:26:42 +0000

Writing checks means spending money. Spending money means that you might go off of your budget.

When Writing Checks Is A Good Thing

Carrying around cash makes it way too easy to spend it. Carrying around debit cards or ATM cards aren’t as easy to spend as cash but it’s easy to get money with them or whip one out when you want to pay for something you really don’t need. Writing checks is a little tricky because not everyone takes checks anymore. When you can write a check however it’s a great way to help keep track of your budget. That check ledger is going to be your key to figuring out where the money went. Once you know where the money is going it’s easier to budget. Who knew that writing checks would actually help you save money?

Banking Costs Money

If you haven’t gone so far as to start keeping your money in your mattress yet and are still using banks, there are actually ways of saving money when banking. Don’t pay for your checking account; there are way too many banks out there that offer free checking for you to have to pay for a checking account anymore. In case you hadn’t noticed banks are in trouble so they’re offering specials.

And if you buy budget checks, you know those fun ones that you can buy online or purchase through the mail; you’ll be saving money by saving money. Confused yet?

Managing Your Finances Every Day

Big Jim — Fri, 30 Mar 2012 04:11:49 +0000

With houses being foreclosed upon, people being laid off or outright fired, companies going bankrupt and the economy in the general state of chaos; it’s no wonder people are looking for quick and easy cash loans from time to time.

Surfing The Web For Information When doing a simple search using the words ‘fast cash or cash loans’, one is deluged with a plethora of options for the same. Page after page of services willing to loan you the money you need are seemingly endless. As with most things, stopping at the first offer you see is not advisable. Compare interest rates and conditions under which you will be expected to pay back the loan; compare reputations and seek out customer reviews whenever possible. Since you’re online any ways this should not be a problem. Not that you can’t still walk into a quick loan store on the street, but with the convenience of applying for and receiving a loan online—why would you?

What Are My Options? Many of the application processes are short and to the point. Some payday loans must be repaid by your following payday whereas other loans can be stretched out over a longer period of time. It all depends on what conditions you are dealing with. Title loans use the title of your automobile as collateral for the loan. There are however emergency loans that classify themselves as easy and fast, with no collateral necessary. Expect to pay ridiculous interest rates on most if not all of these loans. You are after all paying for a convenience, monetary in nature.

Making Everyday Fun

Big Jim — Fri, 23 Mar 2012 14:08:06 +0000

Life doesn’t have to be boring. If you’re searching for ideas or things to do that will make your life interesting everyday here are the top five things that you can do on a daily basis to shake up your life.

Play an Online Game

Thanks to the internet there are literally hundreds of great online games to choose from including blackjack and other Vegas Style casino games. If you don't want to play online you can always work on ways to become a better player the next time you go to the casino. Online blackjack tips can reveal some blackjack secrets to really improve your game play.

Take a Walk

Depending on where you work, you should try to take a walk at least once a day. This will help you to lose weight, get in better shape and meet interesting people too.

Use an Inversion Table

Inversion tables are an excellent solution for stretching out your body and changing your prospective because, in order for it to work, you’ve got to be ready to spend some time upside down.

Help Someone

Before your day starts you should always make an effort to keep $5 dollars in your wallet to give to a friend or someone on the street that needs money. You never know what that $5 dollars can do to help another person and possibly get their life on the right track.

Think About Your Day

Before going to bed at night, think about what the next day holds for you and all of the things that you can do differently. This step requires a little more planning but it’s totally worth it and will help to insure that your next day will not be boring.

Simple Ways to Increase Customer Satisfaction

Big Jim — Sun, 18 Mar 2012 20:09:19 +0000

You want your customers to be happy? There are all sorts of ways to go about it. Having a website online, mobile device accessibility, a quality product or business and having some type of customer service available 24/7.

Who Do You Want To Talk To?

When you have a problem with a business or a product, which would you rather talk to; a recording or a real live person? It’s not too hard to figure out. People are getting tired of automated answering services, pushing buttons, leaving messages and basically being ignored when they have an issue. If you don’t have the kind of answering service where there is at least someone living and breathing that can take calls when you’re not available; you can forget about customer satisfaction.

Please Leave A Message…

Oh to hell with that. Who’s going to hear that message; the receptionist that comes in the next day? What if it’s Friday? Will your customer have to wait until Monday morning for a callback? Trust me, by that time—they’ve already found someone else that can help them or are so infuriated that they’re hunting for a different service with which to deal.

You want your customers to be happy? Give them some one with a pulse to talk to, even during non-business hours.Status: Draft Edit

Visibility: Public Edit

Getting Into the Tucson Real Estate Markets

Big Jim — Thu, 08 Mar 2012 21:25:49 +0000

Whereas the economy may not be good for people who have lost their jobs and now find their homes in foreclosure; it is a good time for those wanting to buy homes as an investment. Only however, if you can afford it, that is.

Getting A Loan To Buy A Home

Securing loan with which to pay for a new home is never an easy or pleasant task. It’s even harder to get loans for people with bad credit. You will probably end up paying higher interest rates than you would have back when you had good credit; if indeed you ever did. If you know someone in the banking business you might be in luck; possibly they can help you out. If not, you’re going to have to secure a loan from a high risk loan company.

Homes In Tucson Are Going For A Steal

The good news is that you can buy a home in Tucson for a fraction of what it’s actually worth these days. It’s amazing what $100,000 will buy in the Tucson real estate market. You can live in the lap of luxury without having to worry about snow, sleet and salt eating away at your car. Get your loan however you can and get that Tucson home. This could be your way back to a good credit rating.

The Ins and Outs of Gap Insurance

Big Jim — Thu, 08 Mar 2012 08:27:32 +0000

If you own or drive a car, you may have heard about how important it is to have auto insurance. Yet, it is simply not a walk in the park to get insured. Not only are there different types of coverage to choose from, there are many specifics of each policy from each insurer to consider.

For instance, the comprehensive insurance that you hear about with Geico, may not consist of the same details of comprehensive insurance obtained from Progressive. This means that not only do you have to shop around, but you have to make sure that coverage you obtain is the right insurance for your specific car and your specific needs.

One of the types of insurance that many people are asking questions about is gap insurance. Gap insurance is insurance that can be obtained when you owe a lot more money on your vehicle than it is actually worth. If you find yourself leasing a car or have obtained a new loan, the chances are great that the insurance company will deem that vehicle worth less than what you owe on it.

Gap insurance in this case can be beneficial because if you are ever in an accident this insurance will protect your lease on your car. Whether your car has been totaled, damaged due to a natural disaster or have been stolen, gap insurance can protect you and cover the difference between what you owe on your car versus its actual value.

This can keep you from getting stuck with a large bill after the damage has occurred. When you obtain a new loan or lease on a car, the lender is more than likely going to require that you put insurance on your vehicle before you can leave the lot with the car. If it is not given to you with the new lease, loan or included in the purchase package, you can purchase it from the dealer who you get the vehicle from.

When you purchase gap insurance from a dealer, you might find yourself paying a higher premium for it. You can purchase it from auto insurers whether online, by phone or in your area. However, you may be able to get the best deals online considering you are able to see more options and compare the rates of different companies without spending too much money on gas or using up too much of your time.

Another benefit of having gap insurance is that you can add it to insurance that you already have on your vehicle. Also, insurance companies may be able to offer you better deals when you use it in combination with other policies. The only problem with gap insurance is that it can cause your premiums to go up.

Yet, the benefit that it provides you in the event of an accident, natural disaster or if your car is stolen is certainly worth the price that you may pay for it. Filing a gap claim settlement is also very easy. You may have to provide some information such as your car’s VIN number, the dealer’s name, claim number and some personal information.

You may also have to provide other information such as your insurance information, account information, the date of loss, creditor’s information and other information that is pertinent and salvage. There are only a few additional steps that must be followed and afterwards you can expect your claim to be processed quite quickly. If you want to get the protection that you deserve on your vehicle, add gap insurance.

Even if you already have insurance, it can add an extra layer that will give you a peace of mind.

Sam is a blogger who focuses on many different financial aspects and is also an advocate for helping people reclaim their personal property insurance which is something that ppiclaims.org.uk helps people do every day.

Tapping Into Health Through Supplements

Big Jim — Tue, 06 Mar 2012 22:55:03 +0000

Supplements are very important part of the dieter’s schedule. Most dieters take some type of supplement just to keep their body on track. It also helps keep your body refreshed if you have a difficult workout schedule.

The Best Supplement

If you're trying to find the best supplement then you might consider taking a look at ultimate Omega Nordic naturals. This is a fabulous supplement that does great things for your body. If you are dieting and just taking the supplement then you are going to have results but if you add a workout into your schedule you will have even better results.

A Simple Workout

A brisk 30 min. walk is a wonderful workout. It also helps clear the brain if you have had one of those days where you feel overwhelmed. The air is great to clear your mind and also you don't even feel as though you're working out because all you are doing is walking. You might start with a slow walk that is only 15 min. but as you keep up your walking routine you can increase it. Leading a healthy happy life is very important so be sure you take the time to pay attention to being healthy.