Why Do New Hires Have to Wait so Long to Be Paid?

When I started my last job, I was considered a contractor and had to wait 45-60 days for my first paycheck. My current employer, which I started working for at the beginning of this year, is asking me to wait 30 days for a check. The benefit, they say, is when you eventually leave the job, you have an extra check that comes to you two weeks later. I started wondering why companies do this? Does it benefit them to hold on to your cash a little longer? Or have companies realized employees are less upset leaving a job when they know they still have 1 or 2 checks coming? Or is it like a security deposit, where the company can keep your last check if you do something unscrupulous - say if you fail to turn in your laptop?

I'm grateful to have a new job so I'm not complaining, only stating the facts. The last thing someone wants to hear after being unemployed for several months is that they have to wait another month to get paid. When you start a new job, you have an immediate increase in your expenses...for me that includes gas, tolls, lunch, childcare. Sometimes you may need to buy new shoes, get a haircut, whatever you need to look presentable for your first month of work.

I have really struggled through the past month but luckily I have just 4 more days to go. Whew. [END OF POST] Click Here to Read More..

I'm New to Stein Mart

Being from the north, I had never been to a Stein Mart. I've been in the south for almost 3 years and I have to say the name or appearance of the store never made me want to go in. Finally one night I decided to check it out. Most of the merchandise at the front of the store was very expensive. Not my kind of store. But as I ventured to the back, the way back, I finally found some circular racks where merchandise was 75% off. I was able to pick up some great sweaters for work for $8-10 each. So there were some good deals. The inside of this store has a cold, non-trendy feel. I can't say I'd enjoy shopping here - but it seems like a great place to get business clothes. [END OF POST] Click Here to Read More..

Please Subscribe to My Posts

I won't be able to post to this blog as often as I used to, due to the demands of my new job. Rather than checking this website each day to see if I posted anything, please suscribe to my posts - then they will come to you. See the left toolbar to subscribe. This Classy But Cheap blog means a lot to me so I intend to keep it going, even if I only get to write once a week. [END OF POST] Click Here to Read More..

Wow, Target Winter Items are Cheap

I stumbled on some great 75% off winter items at Target. Here's a sample of what I found:

*Children's plus robe for $4
*Children's fall style shoes for $3.74
*Ladies' wool blazer for $10 ( was $40 - wow)

Sometimes I truly wonder who pays full price for this stuff. Of course I stocked up on the things I needed. I can't pass up a good deal. Yes, my child's shoes may sit around until fall but it's worth it. [END OF POST] Click Here to Read More..

The Busier I Get, The More I Catch Myself Wasting Money

I've noticed that whenever my life is crazy busy, two things go out the door: my budget and my diet. I just want to eat, drink, buy whatever is quickest or easiest. It takes some discipline to reverse these bad habits for sure.
I started a new job last week. I'm in a huge office building that has its own cafeteria. Of course, the cafeteria prices are not great. They're not terrible, but over time that money can really add up. $3.50 for a bagel and coffee. $5 for just a sandwich (no side or drink). The first few days I found myself paying for the convenience, then I started feeling guilty. The thing is, my experiment is not necessarily convincing me I should avoid the cafeteria.

*I started brewing coffee and eating bagels from my refrigerator. Okay, here I am definitely saving money.
*I bought a loaf of French bread, some salami, some cheese (to make sandwiches) and some fresh fruit for every day this week. These groceries alone cost $25 (mostly due to the fruit). I was shocked at the price of packing my lunch. Does anyone have good suggestions for packing a lunch? I just can't do the Lean Cuisine thing. I hate carrying any aromatic lunch through the office. Also, when I eat those things I'm so hungry an hour later, I end up snacking. [END OF POST] Click Here to Read More..

I Don't Get Paid to Endorse Anything

I want to let my readers know that I don't get paid to endorse anything. Although bloggers CAN write 'pay per post' product endorsements, I do not participate in this. I write from the heart and endorse products and places I truly love and find to be a good value. Google places relevant ads on my pages and I get paid about a penny if you click on Google ads on the left side of this page. I'd like to think I could make a career out of blogging but for now my blog is a labor of love and I choose not to bias my writing by accepting money for posts. [END OF POST] Click Here to Read More..

TGI Fridays Give Me More Stripes

I like TGI Friday's new loyalty card program called Give Me More Stripes. You earn points on every purchase in the restaurant. In addition, they send you printable coupons via email. When you initially sign up, you get a coupon for a free appetizer or a free dessert. I received another email offer for a free basket of chips and dip on inauguration night. I like fun ideas like this and if it's a place you occasionally dine anyway, you might as well get some freebies. Friday's also now has something called 'Right Portion, Right Price'. These are smaller sized entrees for lower prices. I welcome this change. It's so nice to get something for a moderate size and price. I tried their tortellini dish and it was great! I was traveling and didn't have a fridge so I didn't want any leftovers. Perfect. [END OF POST] Click Here to Read More..

Target Holiday Merchandise 90% Off

I found Target holiday merchandise for 90% off this week. Now THAT's a deal! Many of the items I selected rang up for full price, though, and I had to ask the cashier to adjust the price. So buyer beware when shopping these kinds of deals. [END OF POST] Click Here to Read More..

I Got a Great Clips Free Haircut Today

Great Clips has a free haircut promotion going on. If you purchase a $50 Great Clips gift card, you get a free haircut immediately. I bought the card for myself and got my $14 haircut free. The gift card will cover my next 3 haircuts plus tips. This deal is essentially buy 3, get one free. You can't go wrong with this deal if you are a regular consumer of a Great Clips haircut. [END OF POST] Click Here to Read More..

50% Off Holiday Merchandise is Not Enough

I went to a few stores today looking for some great deals on holiday gift bags, bows, wrapping paper. I saw some for 50% off but I passed. Maybe I am too cheap but I know the stuff will be on holiday clearance for 75-90% off soon enough. Retailers don't want those items taking up space in their stores anymore. [END OF POST] Click Here to Read More..

Kids Sail Free on Disney Cruise Line

Right now if you book a 3-Night Disney Cruise, your children will sail for free. Visit the Disney Cruise website for the details and enter code 'free' in the coupon code field. The cruise has to take place before schools start letting out in late May. This deal is especially appealing for families with small kids who are not in elementary school yet.

I've taken two Disney cruises and they were top quality all the way. Great service, yummy food, excellent shows. They even shoot off fireworks from an evening deck party.

I've found the best rates on February cruises. The weather was a little chilly when we boarded in Florida but once we got down to the Bahamas it was fine. As always, you get a cheap vacation if you book at the least desirable time of year.

Another cool thing about a Disney cruise, they have 24-hour complimentary soft drinks and coffee on deck... so your kids won't run up a hefty beverage bill. [END OF POST] Click Here to Read More..

Cosmetics for $1

Have you heard of E.L.F. cosmetics? The acronym stands for Eyes Lips Face and their business is selling cheap make-up. If you browse the E.L.F. website, you'll find many of their items are only $1. For instance, nail polish, eye shadow and lip balm can be purchased for $1 each. A friend of mine showed me some of these products at lunch the other day. They are cute and fun. As a bonus, right now if you make a $20 purchase on their website, you get a free one-year subscription to Glamour magazine. [END OF POST] Click Here to Read More..

Job Loss - Block Out the Negativity

I was recently laid off for the second time in 2008. I felt pretty hopeless about finding a new job. Here are the kind of negative messages I heard that filled me with panic and despair:

*The Georgia Department of Labor advised me to forget looking for a job in my salary range (mid-career) and to just take ANYTHING. They had me thinking the only way I'd work again is if I applied at McDonald's or Starbucks.
*The network news bombarded me nightly with news of millions of Americans out of work, seeking work, needing help. Doom and gloom everywhere.
*My in-laws responded with drama when I lost my job. "WHAT will you guys do to survive?", they said.
*Even family and friends close to me suggested I take a job as a bus driver, a lunch lady, a substitute teacher. Nobody seemed to believe I could find a mid-level internet job like the one I had lost.
*Friends and family said, "You'll never find anything during the holidays".

Thankfully I read two motivational books and decided I was going to be a winner. Well, guess what happened? As I worked with head-hunters and pressed on full-force, I landed a wonderful job. The offer came to me:

*During the worst recession our country has had in decades.
*With the highest unemployment rate my state has had in a number of years.
*A few DAYS before Christmas.

The offer was a higher level position and more money than I even knew I qualified for.

Fight for what you want and don't listen to anyone! [END OF POST] Click Here to Read More..