Word of the Month…

Studies have shown your income and wealth are directly related to the size and depth of your vocabulary. Here is this month’s word, so you can impress your friends (and maybe even fatten your wallet!)…

Gig Economy (gig ee-kon-oh-mee) noun

Meaning: a labor market made up of a sizeable number of short-term jobs and freelance work instead of long-term jobs

Sample Sentence: She made her living in the gig economy by working on freelance writing contracts during the week and driving for a rideshare company on the weekends.

How to Avoid Default On A Car Loan

Struggling to pay back a car loan? Don’t fall behind on payments. Do this first:

• Talk to the lender and discuss your options. Can they extend the length of the loan? Is there an option for a different interest rate?
• Look into a peer-to-peer lease on an exchange site like SwapaLease.com or LeaseTrader.com.
• Sell your car or trade it in. You may be able to get a lower payment or use any equity you’ve built to find a cheaper car you can pay off sooner.

Work Perks

Every employee at Ben & Jerry’s headquarters in Vermont gets three free pints of ice cream for every day they work.

Quotes To Live By…

“Spring is the time of the year when it is summer in the sun and winter in the shade.”                    –Charles Dickens

“My way of joking is to tell the truth. That’s the funniest joke in the world.”

                                –Muhammad Ali

“The advantage of growing up with siblings is that you become very good at fractions.”                –Robert Brault

Avoid Food Poisoning

     We know that raw or undercooked meat and seafood can cause food poisoning. But beyond meat, there are a few problematic foods that might surprise you. Find out what they are, and how to steer clear of food poisoning.

Raw cookie dough: It may be tempting to lick that spoon after mixing up cookie dough, but don’t do it! Raw cookie dough contains two problematic ingredients: raw flour and raw eggs. Wait just 15 minutes and you can enjoy a warm, thoroughly cooked treat instead.

Eggs: Speaking of eggs, there is a chance to pick up salmonella if you eat them uncooked or undercooked. Bypass the sunny-side-up option and choose scrambled, hard boiled, or over-well eggs instead.

Produce with thick skin: Bacteria may be hiding on the outside of that thick skin, which contaminates the inside of the fruit when a knife cuts through the produce. Before you cut into that ripe watermelon or mango, thoroughly wash the outside with a produce brush and clean water.

Homework Help For Teens

     When kids become teens, they will probably be balancing homework with a more active social life and new hobbies. While school subjects are important, it’s the skill sets teens learn along the way that will serve them throughout life.

Skill: Organization. Help by: Making sure your teen has tools to keep work in order, including a file box to store graded papers and notes. Also buy a paper planner so you can both get an overview of all obligations (school and beyond) several weeks out.

Skill: Time management. Help by: Using that paper planner to help your teen plan everything in a busy schedule. Don’t save a major assignment until the last minute; use the calendar together to plot out smaller deadlines and goals.

Skill: Asking for help. Help by: Encouraging your teen to ask for help when needed. Suggest a check-in with a teacher during office hours or a visit to the school’s tutoring center. Do not to do your teen’s homework, even if it doesn’t get done in time. Dealing with and learning to move forward from failure is a life skill, too!

 www.rudyperkinsrealty.com

Free Consumer Help is Just a Phone Call Away

Learn valuable secrets for saving thousands and avoiding costly mistakes when buying, selling or refinancing a home. Best of all, it’s FREE. Ask about my “Insider’s Free Resources” by calling me at: 12032433820

DID YOU KNOW…

Unlike most real estate agents, I DON’T spend my time pestering people with phone calls or bothersome interruptions to find good clients. Instead, I dedicate 110% of my time and energies to providing such outstanding service, people naturally think of me when a friend or family member needs help buying or selling a home. THANKS for your referrals!

Brain Teaser…

I have 13 hearts that never pump.

What am I?

 (See page 4 for the answer.)

Real Estate Question?

Maybe you want to know how much your home is worth. Or maybe you just need a recommendation for a handyman, carpet cleaner or plumber…Either way, I love hearing from all of my good friends and clients. And I’m happy to help answer questions you might have about anything relating to real estate or home-ownership.

If you have a question, tip or idea, email me at [email protected]. I’m here to help!

Tipping the Scales

In a single day, a cow can vary in weight by 75 pounds!

Have Allergy, Will Travel

Yes, you can travel safely with a food allergy. Here’s how:

• Keep a food allergy card detailing your allergy in the local language(s) with you at all times.
• Carry a back-up supply of safe meal options and snacks.
• Pack extra allergy medicine in your carry-on, even for minor allergies.

Bad Math

Q: Why did the geometry teacher take a day off school?

A: Because she sprained her angle!

Online Greeting Card Websites

Never miss another birthday, anniversary, or special occasion.

www.HallmarkEcards.com – A subscription site with hundreds of cards for every occasion from the classic card maker.

www.BlueMountain.com – Brighten someone’s day with greetings from one of the first e-card providers.

www.PaperlessPost.com – Customize cards, and invitations, with photographs and event details.

Top Etiquette Tips For Today
(And Every Day)

     Society is always changing, and along with that comes new and different societal expectations. Regardless of the situation, keep a few overriding guidelines in mind to gracefully get through any situation.

Respect others.

Nearly every social situation can be smoother just by showing respect for other people. Think about how your actions affect others around you.

With technology, that means not having conversations on speaker phone in public and focusing on the people right in front of you, in real life, to instead of scrolling through social media. At the gym, be open to others working in with your sets, instead of claiming a machine all to yourself. Ask the person sitting behind you on the plane if you can recline your seat. Be on time, and don’t be a no-show when you commit to being somewhere.

Honor diversity.

People deserve to be treated equally. That means there’s no reason to only hold the door open for certain people or exclude people from conversations or activities because of their gender, race, ableness, or age. But it also means being aware that everyone is an individual. Avoid making judgments without fully knowing someone’s story or situation.

Safety first.

In our fast-paced world, we feel the need to do everything and be everywhere, but stop for a moment for safety. Before responding to that text while you’re driving, tuning out the world because you’re plugged into music, and balancing all those cups of coffee for the office staff so you only have to make one trip from the break room, take a moment before you act. Your safety and the safety of others matters above all else.

 www.rudyperkinsrealty.com

Thank You, Thank You, Thank You, Thank You, Thank You.

Every month I recognize all my clients. It’s my way of acknowledging good friends and saying “thanks” to those who support me and my business with referrals, word of mouth and repeat business.

Thanks For Thinking of Me!

Did you know I can help you or any of your friends or family save time and money when buying or selling a home? Thanks for keeping me in mind with your referrals…and spreading the word about my services.

Brain Teaser Answer:

A deck of cards

All About Butterflies

• Butterflies have four wings.
• The female Queen Alexandra’s birdwing, the world’s largest butterfly, has a wingspan of nearly 10 inches.
• Butterflies use their feet to taste. And moths have a stronger sense of smell than butterflies.
• Monarch butterflies migrate an average of 2,500 miles to find a warmer climate.

No Chicken? No Problem

In 1981, McDonald’s Chicken McNuggets were so popular, there was a shortage throughout the restaurant chain. It introduced the McRib to add a new, interesting item to the menu. Today, the McRib is offered year-round only in Germany and Luxembourg.

THANK YOU for reading Rudy Perkins Realty® my personal newsletter. I wanted to produce a newsletter that has great content and is fun and valuable to you. Your constructive feedback is always welcome.

AND…whether you’re thinking of buying, selling or financing real estate, or just want to stop by and say “Hi,” I’d love to hear from you…

RUDOLPH PERKINS

Rudy Perkins Realty

12032433820

[email protected]

_{Disclaimer: The information contained in this letter is intended for informational purposes. It should not substitute as legal, accounting, investment, medical or other professional services advice. Always seek a competent professional for answers to your specific questions. This letter is not intended to solicit real estate properties currently for sale.}

Real Estate Corner…

Q: What are the top three things I need to do to sell my home?

A: Here’s a list of important things you’ll need to do:

• Set a realistic price.  Homes that are over-priced can linger on the market for months, while homes that are priced correctly usually sell faster and for the most money possible.  Look at recent listings in your area and their actual sales prices, and visit homes for sale in the neighborhood before deciding on a price. 
• Get your home ready to show.  Clear out the clutter, freshen paint, and clean up landscaping.  Remember buyers notice everything!
• Review the promotional plan of a Home Marketing Expert.  An experienced REALTOR^® can help you sell quickly by advertising your home in more ways than simply creating an MLS description.  Plus, they can help you avoid costly mistakes on contracts and disclosures required by law to sell real estate.  

Do you have a real estate question you want answered? Email me at [email protected]

  Perhaps I’ll feature your question in my next issue!

 www.rudyperkinsrealty.com

“Who Wants To Win

$50.00 prize?”

I’m pleased to announce the lucky winners of last month’s quiz. And the winners are Ken and Robin Muller…drum roll please, Ken and Robin were the first persons to correctly answer my quiz question.

Which of these cities were destroyed by a volcano in 79 AD?
 

a) Pompeii and Atlantis  b) Micenum and Mt. Vesuvius 
c) Pompeii and Herculaneum  d) Micenum and Atlantis

The answer is c) Pompeii and Herculaneum. Mt. Vesuvius erupted and destroyed those two cities along with a few other settlements. So let’s move on to this month’s trivia question.

What was a 1962 Nobel Prize winner the first to do in 2014?

a) Win the Nobel Prize for the same thing  b) Compete in the Olympics  c) Deny his scientific findings  d) Sell his medal

Email Me At [email protected], And You Could Be One Of My Next Winners!