It's Free!

I put this sign out on my front lawn, but literally have no interested parties.

What is the matter with people in New England?
Don't they know a good sale when they see one!

Craigslist Scams

I hate scams! Today I received an email in response to a resume I sent out from Craigslist. The women, Michele B (no last name) from JTL Management said that they were very interested in me and if I was interested in the job to please fill out a credit report. What? Afterall, I hadn't even had an interview yet. Why would they need my credit report.

This is how the email read:

Hello,

Thanks so much for getting back to me.

Let me first tell you a bit more about the position I e-mailed you about.

* You will be answering the phone and taking messages when applicable
* You will be scheduling the company meetings
* Running errands for the company for things such as purchasing supplies and making bank deposits.
* You will be provided with a company car while working.
* While you are running errands, you will also be given one of our company credit card(s) for all business purchases.

I have gone through your previous resume and you seem more than qualified. I would like to take the next step with you. However, before I am able to schedule a formal meeting, my company will require that you acquire a recent credit report. Let's just say the person we just let go, took advantage of having access to a company credit card.

Both myself and the company will prefer that you use this company to acquire your check as they are offering the check at zero cost to you (unlike other places). I have tried their service myself and their scores contain the most accurate information I have seen, but feel free to use any service you like.

Once you submit all of the required information, they will show your personal report. Please print it out and save it for the meeting. Please do not email me the report, as it will have private content. We can discuss it when we meet in person. If you have a lower than expected credit score, it will never prevent you from a position with us.

Once your finished please e-mail me your phone number that you can be easily reached, and your availability to arrange an interview.

I am looking forward to your quick response.

Have a great week,
JTL Management HR Dept.

I have been applying to a lot of job posting over the last few weeks, and hadn’t had much luck, so I thought I’d look into this a little more and I am glad I did. What I found were a bunch of comments on the web from other people who had also applied for this job and who had received the EXACT same email!

This is a total scam that attempts to get you to use the credit services. I'm not sure if it's legal r not, but regardless, don't do it. Be careful of this and all others like it and don't click on the link the provide you either. If they are shady enough to send emails like this one, you'll never know what dangers are lurking behind the click of your mouse.

You can submit such complaints to https://www.ftccomplaintassistant.gov/

Where Have I Been?

I love fall. It is hands down my favorite season. I love the changing leaves; that cool crisp feeling in the air, as I drink my morning coffee in the warmth of the sun; the first day of school, the start of the kids activities and just the genuine newness of what the season brings.

Unlike most who make their resolutions for the new year, I make mine in September. I vow to get more organized; maintain a better schedule; stay on the kids about their homework and projects; help them set their priorities; set and stick to stricter bedtimes rules; help out more with the PTO and Girl Scouts and the list goes on.

As much as I love summer and the lazy days that it brings, I also welcome autumn with all the gusto it brings. It's not that I haven't found time to blog this summer - I have, it's just that I haven't found time to do anything to actually blog about!

So, as I put the lazy days of summer behind me and focus on a new season, I thought I'd share with you some of what I have been doing instead of blogging.

Kids parasailing in Lake George, NY.

Pretty in Pink this summer at Saratoga.

Hannah swimming in our pool.

Hannah in her 1st performance of Oliver!

Now that summer is winding down, I am sure I will find more things to SpoutOut about, but right now, I have 5 more days to do "nothing."

Happy 15th Birthday Casey!

Here's a Shout Out to my little boy!

Happy 15th birthday Casey!

We love you!

Mom, Dad, Victoria and Hannah

Why do we pay auto insurance anyway?

I hate auto insurance! Late in December, I backed into a friend's car in my driveway causing $3000.00 of damage to the other vehicle. Not having $3000.00 in my bank account to pay out of pocket, we had to claim it on our insurance.

What I didn't know at the time was, that the other accident I had in 2007 (where I again, backed into a car) combined with the accident in 2009, took us out of the premium pool and moved us to a high risk pool. These two little 5mph fender benders caused my auto insurance to go from approx $1700.00 a year to over $7,000.00 a year! Let me say that again, over $7,000.00 a year! $7,000.00! You get it, right?

I know you are thinking I don't know what I am talking about, but I called 6 times for clarification, getting the same answer every time, therefore validating that we are officially ~ screwed! And I tell my kids not to talk like that.

Now, let's be fair to Geico. I did add my daughter as a new teen driver and a 10-year old car to the policy, but after hearing that figure, one of them had to go and since I can't get rid of the girl, it had to be the car. I asked the rep about dropping the car and asked how much that would save me. She said that if we removed the 3rd car from the policy that our insurance would go up $474.00. Yup. Up. I asked her to repeat herself and to explain. She said that the coverage on the 1st and 2nd car was higher than the 3rd car and putting the new driver on either the 1st or 2nd would cost more. Good Grief!

Sadly, this is not even related to my teenager. That was only going to be about another $700 for the year.

Needless to say, I have started shopping around. I did find one agency that is quoting around $3500.00 as long as they can write our homeowners policy. If they can come in at that price, they can write whatever they want.

I jokingly told the Geico representative that I was going to relinquish my license and get a bike. However, she quickly informed me that they would charge me for insurance anyway, because I was married and living in the same house as my husband. Isn't that where you are suppose to live when your married? Who the hell makes up these rules!?

Oh well. It's not the end of the world, just the end of the bank account, food, heat, new shoes for the kids and oil, but hey, you need insurance. After all, someone has to pay for those fender benders. Oh yeah, that's right....we do.

But, ya gotta love that Gecko.

The Blessings of Life Long Friends

It's been said that people remember the things they want to remember. I suppose to some extent it is quite true. For me that would be my high school years, which most people just want to forget.

Last week, I got together with two of my three best friends from high school. I hadn't see either one of them in over 10 years, but the minute we saw each other, it was like we were back in high school and had never left.

We went to this great little place in Manchester called Corey's Catsup and Mustard and talked for hours. Well, at least until the band came in around 11pm. Years ago we would have moved closer to the front to be sure we weren't missing any of the action. This time however, we moved further away. Further away, as in straight for the back and out the door...right to a 24-hour Dunkin Donuts. How time has changed us.

We again sat for hours talking about life ~ then and now, our families, friends and the death of all of our fathers. We reminisced about how high school was a time of "firsts," for us -first kisses, first loves, first cars, first jobs. It was a time when we reached many important milestone. I suppose this is why the thoughts of high school are still with me long after high school has ended.

We told story after story and laughed into the morning. Most stories were as I remembered, others were not. Some, I didn't remember at all, but apparently was there! We remembered back to a time when we had a bond so strong, that it could not be broken ~ a time of laughter, tears, broken dreams and broken hearts. We were inseparable back then.

As I drove home alone, I felt sad. Sad remembering a time when we were young and had our whole lives ahead of us, a time where we could dare to dream and take chances. A time where we could map out the rest of our lives and start over if it didn't work out.

Our dinner together reminded me of forgotten memories, great friends and a youth I can never get back. As I turned the radio dial, Trace Adkins sang, You're Gonna Miss This.

I already do.

Olay rebate

I got my rebate check yesterday, $7.99, so now my lotion is offically free! Not to mention, I love it. It is probably some of the best lotion I have used.