How to Avoid Getting Ripped Off for Auto Repairs

Victoria Rumsey felt as if she was being taken for a ride. The brake warning light on her 2000 Volkswagen Jetta was on, so when she was getting her oil changed at the dealership, she asked the shop to look into it. She was told she needed a new suspension, brake pads and rotors. Rumsey didn't want to put a lot of money into the car, so she told the shop to skip the suspension. Then she got a call from the dealership's used-car division telling her that the service department mentioned she might be in the market for a car because hers was not drivable. Rumsey called the shop and found out that a broken knuckle (part of the steering assembly) would add $2,000 to the tab, and she couldn't drive the car without the fix. She decided to have the car towed from the dealership and ask a friend to do the repairs. The cost of parts: less than $150. "I felt as though I was being misled because I was a woman and didn't know too much about cars," she says

Nine in ten women believe they are treated differently at auto-repair shops than men are, according to a national study by the Car Care Council, an association that encourages consumer education. Even I, the car writer at Kiplinger's, have been the target of repair-shop gender politics. Take our advice on taking control -- but keep in mind, anyone can get ripped off. These rules aren't just for ladies.


Get a clue.


You can diagnose what's wrong before you hit the shop by using the CarMD tool ($99; www.carmd.com). Just plug the hand-held device into your car (every model after 1996 has a standard connection port) and it reads the car's computer codes. You can then plug it into your computer for a full report of what problem the codes indicate, the most likely fix, and what labor and parts for the repair cost in your area. The report also lists recalls for your vehicle and summaries of technical service bulletins (recall notices are also available at www.nhtsa.gov).  See More





As a woman I can relate to this story as I have been in a similar situation. After reading this article I looked into this product and purchased it.  I felt it important to share this knowledge with other woman to help them save money and not be taken advance of again. Now, I am empowered with the knowledge of what condition my car is in before I go to the auto mechanic. This product is worth the one time price, to saving me hundred to thousands on unnecessary repairs.

Do Some Job Interview Practice To Make Sure You Get That Job

The key to securing any job is selling yourself in the interview process. The interview is the prospective employer's first and usually only impression of the job applicant prior to an offer of a job being made. Anyone can have a second party proofread their application or resume but when it comes to the interview the applicant is all on their own. One of the best ways to prepare for a job interview is to take part in some job interview practice.



Job interview practice can help ease nervousness and tension when the time of the actual interview arrives. Preparing for difficult questions, making sure to be dressed for success and having a self assured confidence can set a job applicant apart from applicants who go into an interview "cold turkey". It is quite apparent to practiced interviewers whether someone has bothered to do any preperation or not.



It's always a good idea to get a second or even third opinion of things. Job interview practice can help the applicant get a better idea of how they come across in an interview situation, from the quality of their responses to the impression they create in their appearance. The applicant may not see the small details that an interviewer may pick up on and take into account when assessing the suitability of the candidate, so it's best if it is something that can be pointed out before the day of the interview and improved on if necessary. 


Practicing answers such as' What do you feel you can contribute to this company' or 'what would you say your greatest weakness is' can help the applicant come across as confident and self assured. If the applicant has thought out the answers to questions such as these, the answer can be given in a self assured manner without hesitation. The mock interviewer may be able to introduce questions that the candidate has never even thought about preparing for. Being prepared is the best way to prepare for an actual job interview and the best way to do that is with job interview practice



So to reiterate, a job applicant's best chance of securing the position is to give a great interview. A great interview involves being prepared, confident and being dressed for success. It is a statistical fact that those who prepare for a job interview by getting some job interview practice have more success than those who don't. It truly can make the difference between being offered the position or not.

Why Should I Read To My Baby?

Firstly, I think that it is essential to start with the premise that the most important task of parenting isn't teaching your baby to read. You may think that by 'teaching' your baby to read, she will have an "advantage" over other children when she starts school and will thus go on to be a super achiever with a successful career!

No, your most essential task as a new parent (beyond making sure that your baby is fed, clothed and housed!) is to ensure that your baby experiences a healthy and secure attachment with her parents and/or caregiver. This gives babies much deeper "advantages" in life than whether they learn to read early, which include greater confidence and self-esteem, less anxiety, better relationships with childhood peers and healthier relationships as adults.

So what has this got to do with reading to my baby?

Reading to your baby provides her with endless opportunities to bond with you while enjoying the sound of your voice and the warmth of your cuddle. Books provide vital one-on-one time for you and your baby, sending her the message that you value interacting with her and want to be with her. Reading with your baby is a solid, important and wonderful thing to do. Explicitly teaching her to read is unnecessary and research shows that it can in fact be detrimental.

Babies thrive on being held and spoken to. From the first months of her life, your baby will be comforted and soothed by hearing your voice, so the books you choose should be books that you enjoy reading. Cuddle your baby as you read; she won't understand what you are reading, but she will recognize the sounds and rhythm of language and to feel that cuddling with you and reading books is a comforting and enjoyable thing to do.

Are there any benefits beyond bonding?

Yes, there are other benefits to reading which can help your baby to develop a life-long love of reading. Through the sound of your voice and the warmth of your body, your baby will come to think of reading as a pleasurable activity.

On an 'educational' level, books provide the perfect opportunity for babies and toddlers to learn about speech patterns, phonics and how to make sounds. Every time you read to your baby, you reinforce basic reading concepts, such as turning pages and following text from left to right. There are numerous studies which confirm that reading to babies not only supports speech and language development, but overall intelligence as well. When you read to your baby, you set the stage for a life-long love of reading.

What books should I read to my baby?

Newborns see things best from about 15-20cm away — or the distance from your face to your baby's while you're holding her. So it's best to select books with high-contrast images (black-and-white illustrations) and patterns, for example stripes, dots, and checkers.

The best books for babies emphasize rhythm, rhyme and repetition, such as nursery rhymes and books with patterned language. Books for babies usually have minimal text and have pictures of other people, especially other babies as they recognize facial features and expressions. Your baby will also enjoy seeing familiar objects like cars and toys, or people doing things that they have had some experience with in their daily routine, such as getting dressed or taking bath.

When reading to your baby, it is important to understand that you are doing two things; helping with language acquisition - which is definitely an important developmental task - and bonding with your baby. You are not teaching them to read, which is a neurological and cognitive task, and one which is not developmentally appropriate for a baby or toddler's brain.

Don't get "stressed" about what and when you read to your baby or if other parents are doing it more often or 'better', the most fundamental task is to create a healthy and secure attachment with her, and reading with her is just one of the many and varied ways that you can achieve this.

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Bernice Kidd is the Founder and Managing Director of online children's bookshop http://2littlegirls.co.za/ and direct-selling company 2littlegirls@home. Both companies are based in South Africa. Bernice is passionate about encouraging a love of reading in young children and aims to provide guidance for parents when choosing the books that will help to instill a life-long love of books.

Be Yourself - Free Yourself To Dance With Life!

"You were born an original. Don't die a copy." - John Mason.



That's what John Mason says, and of course he is right.



I mean, do you know anybody, any parent, any friend, any colleague, who would advise you otherwise? Of course you don't! Of course you have to be yourself, how could you be anybody else?



But hang on there! It's not that easy. There are pressures on you, me and everyone to not be ourselves...



* How about "getting on" in life?



* How about keeping your head down and out of the firing line at work?



* Or how about joining in with all the other kids at school - even though you hate what they do - just so you don't lose any 'popularity'?



Yep, being yourself is not easy! It has consequences that are far reaching and even a little uncomfortable at times.



So John Mason's right, but we need a bit of help here, if we are to succeed in being who we truly are.



"The challenge is to be yourself in a world that's trying to get you to be like everyone else."



Hmm, I'm not sure who said this - think it's anonymous - but I have it framed in a picture in my bedroom.



Y'know, I love these words! But they do sound a bit defensive, don't you think? As if everyone is out there trying to change us. And that isn't true. No, the real challenge is to understand that people are frightened of being themselves, and thus are frightened of others when they try to be themselves. It reminds them of their fear, y'see. And nobody likes being reminded of their fears. And we always, always (instinctively!) "shoot the messenger", don't we!



So our friends and family like it if we like the same things as they do. And if we think the same thoughts as they do, too. Life is just 'easier' that way, isn't it?



Another truth about life - and you're not gonna like this, I'm sure - is that, deep down, we all pretty much believe that life would be so much easier if people were just a bit more 'reasonable', a bit more like us!



So, being yourself - it's obviously the thing to aim for, but it's certainly not easy.



Still...



"It is better to be hated for what you are than to be loved for something you are not." -- Andre Gide



Hmm, yes I do think Andre is onto something here.



So what are the rewards for truly being yourself?



Well, simply put, it's like walking in the direction you're facing.



It's like riding a bike downhill with your feet off the pedals ("wheeeh!"), rather than having to pedal uphill.



It's like, well it's like going with the flow, really...



"Learn to... be what you are, and learn to resign with a good grace all that you are not." -- Henri Frederic Amiel



Hmm, if that isn't a definition of flow then I don't know what is. And in case you're not familiar with the word 'flow', it also means 'dance' and 'laugh', and it definitely means 'life'.



For life is all about flow. Flow up. Flow down. But keep moving, keep flowing.



Learn to be who you are. And accept who you are not. And love both.



Okay, we're nearly done on this light-hearted journey of discovering the importance of being yourself. So let me finish my article with my all all-time favourite inspirational quote. It's a quotation from Galileo Galilei, and Galileo said this:



"You can't teach anybody anything, only make them realize the answers are already inside them."



I really do believe what Galileo is saying here.



He's saying that we have all the power we need, we just need to recognise that fact. He's saying that our life is for our taking. He's saying that we need to trust ourselves more.



And I think if we do this, if I do this, then our lives (my life) WILL be the original it was always intended to be.



Yes, we will fill our lives with mistakes that many others won't make.



And, yes, we can learn from others - we can always learn from others.



But, as Galileo advises, we really must teach ourselves.



And then, armed with this true self-belief, we truly will be able to free ourselves and dance with life.



That's what I say, anyway.



Thanks for reading.



Enjoy being yourself.



Enjoy the dance...

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And if you like these inspirational quotes (and my explanations of what they can mean to us all) then you'll love my Weekly Wonder newsletter. Subscribe here, and get a free inspirational quotes ebook - http://www.selfhelpcollective.com/newsletter.html




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