Business Cards: Great For More Than Just Networking!

(Photo: Military.com)

Everyone should have business cards for networking, no matter what field they are in.  But, beyond networking, having business cards can get you free stuff!  We all love free things, don't we? So here's my sales pitch as to why you should order some today and take them with you EVERYWHERE you go. 

1.  People are going to remember you if they have something to remind them.  It's so simple.  You don't need to be at a networking event or a business meeting to run into possible clients or other people that need your contact information.  If you have a card on you, it makes it much easier to get your name out there and for people to remember you.  Whether you are looking for business or just want to keep in touch, having a business card to hand out is the easiest way.  Even if you are a student, it is good to have cards on hand.  You may find someone looking for an intern or someone looking for a future employee.  The one thing I regret not doing my first two years of law shool, was having business cards made.  I ran into people on the train, at the Thompson Center and even at a family reunion that were interested in my contact information.  I realized that these people will never remember who I am or why they have my number if it's on a piece of paper or in their phone.  The best thing is to give them something to hold onto. 

2.  You can get free stuff with your cards.  And who doesn't want free stuff?  In the past two months, I have won 10 free burritos from Chipotle and dinner for 10 at Buffalo Wild Wings.  Beat that.  All I did, was put my business card in the fish bowl thing that they have out.  It helps me by giving me free stuff and helps their business by getting their name out there to other people.  (Believe it or not, I found someone that had never been to Chipotle and they fell in love.  You're welcome, Chipotle)  It is so simple to carry around a few business cards with you everywhere you go, there's really no reason to not take advantage of it.

(Photo: 2expertsdesign.com)

3. Now that you are all convinced that you should get business cards, here's some tips:  I am a firm believer in making your cards stand out. You don't want to get too crazy, but do something a little out of the ordinary with your card. That way people can identify it easily when they have a whole stack of cards to go through.  For example, my firm's cards run vertically and are grey.  Clients often say they like that they can spot our cards easily.  You can order cards online from many different places, or stop in an office supply store.  http://www.vistaprint.com/ always has good deals, I just don't know about quality as I've never ordered from there.  I've also found some good deals on daily deal sites like buywithme.com, eversave.com and even http://www.woot.com/.

So when you win something by using your business cards and then invite me to join you...

Weekly Bet Ya Didn't Know: Coffee, Tea, Soda, Energy Drinks...Which has the Most Caffeine?

(Photo: laboratoryequipment.com)

As a former law student, I consumed my fair share of caffeinated drinks (Although, I always stayed away from energy drinks because they scare me).  So, today, as I was thinking about all of those that are taking the bar exam next week, caffeine filled drinks came to mind.  "Is there even a lot of caffeine in coffee?" I wondered.  As always, only thoughts about pressing issues going on in this brain.  Here's what I found.

Coffee:  In my opinion, unless there's caramel or mocha in coffee, there is no point.  But I seem to be the majority, as so many people drink regular coffee constantly every day.  It looks like coffee drinkers get their fair share of caffeine, as an 8oz cup can have 25-200 milligrams of caffeine in it.  Specifically, a 16oz cup of coffee from Starbucks or Dunkin Donuts will get you about 150-200 milligrams.  It should be noted that most decaffeinated coffees still have some caffeine in them, just significantly less.   

Tea:  Black tea looks to be the winner of common teas, with about 120 milligrams of caffeine in an 8oz cup and Lipton Brisk iced tea has a much smaller amount of only 7 milligrams in a 12oz bottle.  All the rest give you approximately 25-100 milligrams of caffeine in an 8-12oz cup.  It appears you can still get your caffeine fix by drinking tea. 

(Photo: blogs.trb.com)

Soda/Pop:  There's nothing quite like the sound of a new can of Pepsi being opened.   Ahhh.  This was my drink of choice during the bar exam, and it seems I wasn't getting as much caffeine as I thought.  Soda comes in at the bottom with only 35-38 milligrams of caffeine per 12oz.  Barq's Rootbeer has even less with 23 milligrams and Mug Rootbeer, 7up and Sprite all have no caffeine.  Mountain Dew and Code Red have a bit more, with about 54 milligrams.  I guess that's why the boys in school all used to down "The Dew." 

Energy Drinks:  It's not the caffeine, but all that other weird stuff in energy drinks that makes me nervous.  People drink them everyday and they're still alive, so maybe they're OK.  Caffeine wise, there is about 150 milligrams in 16oz energy drinks like Monster and full Throttle.  An 8.3oz Red Bull has 76. 

Coffee and Energy Drinks seem to be the winners...or losers depending on your view.

Sources: http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/caffeine/AN01211, http://www.talkaboutcoffee.com/how_much_is_too_much2.html 

Taking Advantage of Free and Inexpensive Networking and Social Events

(Photo: coydavidson.com)

There are so many groups that put together afterwork networking and social events that are either free or pretty inexpensive, you might as well take advantage of them.  You get to meet people, and usually get free drinks or some food, and learn more about the establishment where the event is hosted.  It really is the best of "all" worlds.   Here's a list of a few that I've been to and my tips/opinions on each.  I'm from Chicago so my experiences are Chitown based, of course.

Network After Work:  Yes, that is actually the name.  They host events in most major cities, so check them out even if you are not in Chicago.  The networking events usually cost $5-$15 and free drinks will be provided for about an hour by the alcohol company that is hosting and often times a catering company or restaurant that will provide some small bites.  I have been to a few of these events and they are usually fun.  It's nice to meet people in different professions and also possibly people in your own profession and make some connections.  You wear a name tag that is color coded for what field you're in, making networking that much easier.  It is always less expensive when you pre-register and you may also be able to gain early entry.  Definitely do both of those so you don't spend too much money and don't have to wait in line.  I definitely recommend events hosted by Network After Work.  The only down side is that they can get a bit crowded and loud.  Check out their website at http://www.networkafterwork.com/.  That's easy enough to remember. 

Time Out Chicago:  While I enjoy their website and the magazine, I usually cannot stand the events that they host.  All of the events I have known about have been free, which is great, but they allow way too many people to rsvp and the staff is highly unorganized and usually not helpful.  The events they host always sound so fun and tempting, but it is just not worth it in the end.  The first Time Out event I went to was deceiving.  We found a table and chairs in the way back and the only reason it wasn't insanely crowded was because noone knew there was a hidden table area.  So while my table of peole had a nice time, the rest of the bar/restaurant was jam packed and people were bumping into each other trying to balance food and drinks on hand rails.  It seemed unenjoyable for everyone.  The other two events I have attempted to attend have been horrendous.  You stand outside in line for a very, very long time and the staff is not helpful at all in explaining the situation.  They never bothered to tell us that that we were wasting our time standing in line because the event would be over by the time we got in.  The one time I did get in after standing in line for an hour, the place was so crowded you could barely move.  Then when we went up for a drink, the bartender told us they were out of the free drinks that we were supposed to be able to sample, but a cash bar was available for other drinks...sneaky sneaky.  If I'm going to wait outside in line for an hour to attend an event that is supposed to be free drinks, sampling of food and spa services, why would I want to then pay for drinks instead when I finally get inside?!  It was also overly crowded and we could barely breath.  That was the last straw and I have not been to another Time Out event since then.  So my advice?  Do not waste your time going to Time Out Chicago events unless you are going to arrive extremely early and don't mind waiting in line and you're not claustrophobic.  :)  Here's the website, in case you're still interested timeoutchicago.com

Yelp:  I love the Yelp.com website, first of all, because it allows me to express my opinion on every place I go to.  And since I give my opinion anyway, I might as well have an outlet to write what I think other than annoy the people that I'm out with.  Yelp not only is a site for people to write and search reviews of establishments and services, but it is also a way to get in touch with people in the Yelp community and check out restaurants, etc in your area.  If you are a member of Yelp, you can rsvp to most of the events that they host.  All of the events are free (aside from tipping the servers, which is a must).  There are, however, a limited number of spots available because, unlike Time Out Chicago, they do not let the events get overfilled.   I've been to events at bars, restaurants, the Shedd Aquarium, markets and even a country club.  Yelp administrators always out-do themselves at these events.  You often get to sample free drinks, food and other ammenities that the specific establishment has, along with meeting new people that love Yelp as well.  I always hope I won't run into any criminals at the events, but pass my business card out anyway when everyone else does!   Check out the site and join if you're interested. http://www.yelp.com/  Then write some reviews and attend the events that they host.  I promise, you'll like it. 


Ok, it's time to get off the computer and meet new people, try new food and drinks, and check out local establishments.  Cheers!

Save Your Brakes and Money

(Photo: redsautoandservice.com)

So I just got new brake pads on my Cavy, and anything I can do to make them last a little longer is worth the effort.  Cars are so darn expensive when they get old.  I have heard so many weird theories about what is good and bad for your brakes, like that men's brakes last longer because they slam on their brakes more or that you shouldn't brake when going over train tracks.  I never know what to believe.  Here's what I found that will give your brakes a break and save some money. 

1. First and foremost, get your brakes fixed immediately.  At the first sign of warning, get your brakes fixed.  The longer you wait, the more money you are going to have to spend because you will have to get more than just the brake pads fixed.  It's not worth waiting, suck it up and get them fixed. You can stay in one night that week.  It's also not safe to neglect your brakes.  You don't want to get injured or hurt anyone else just because you didn't want to spend a few bucks on brakes.

2. Signs that it is time to take your car to the shop to fix the brakes.  Most brake pads will let you know when they need to be changed.  When they wear down and need to be fixed, you will hear a high pitched squeaking noise.  Time to get change your brake pads!  Hurry before you end up needing new rotors as well.  Another sign is when you brake and your car feels like you are going over the rumble strips on the side of a highway. 

This looks just like my car, I swear.  (Photo: vinceparker.com)

3.  When you get your new brakes, make them last.  There are a few things you can do to keep  from having to get new brake pads all the time.  I'll give you the quick list and you can go here for more detailed information  http://www.edmunds.com/.  So the main goal to save your brakes, amazingly, is to stop stopping!  Obviously that's how you wear them out.  So don't stop just because the person in front of you does (unless necessary), feel free to coast instead of hovering over the break, and don't stop from high speeds.  So speeding not only is bad for gas mileage but is bad on your breaks because you are slamming on them when you have to stop. You should also periodically get your brake fluid changed and keep from carrying around unnecessary weight in your car. 

4.  Theories.  I have heard that guys' breaks last longer than women's because guys tend to slam on their breaks more often.  I was unable to find anything that supported that theory and the fact that hard stops as mentioned above wear on your brakes more, doesn't seem to go along with that theory.  I have also been told that you shouldn't press the breaks when you are going over train tracks.  I was not able to find any information on this either and I am skeptical to believe it considering everyone breaks when going over the tracks.  If anyone has info on whether either of these theories is true, let me know. 

Happy Driving.


Sources:  http://howto.macautoparts.net/2011/01/05/give-your-brakes-a-break-mac-autos-simple-guide-to-changing-brake-pads/, http://www.edmunds.com/car-reviews/top-10/top-10-ways-to-make-your-brakes-last-longer.html, http://www.carsdirect.com/car-maintenance/save-your-brakes-maintenance-schedule-and-costs, http://carwoo.com/blog/dont-break-your-brakes-three-ways-to-save-your-stoppers-this-year/
, http://www.ultimate-car-care-guide.com/brake-maintenance.html, http://autosally.com/blog/2010/07/07/economy-beyond-gas-three-things-you-can-do-to-save-money-on-your-cars-brakes/, http://www.driverside.com/auto-library/how_to_save_money_on_brakes-458, http://corp.advanceautoparts.com/english/youcan/asp/ccr/ccr20020201hb.asp