Highest Rated Comments


Pg21_SubsecD_Pgrph12116 karma

  • How is your performance evaluated/graded as an employee?

  • How much do you make?

  • What is the corporate culture like of your office?

  • Please walk me through the typical process of rating a game, from the very beginning of when you are notified of it to the very end.

  • How long does it typically take?

  • What is the final "deliverable" of what you do? Do you have to provide a report to the publisher with reasons justifying your decision?

  • How much per game is your company paid for a rating? Do you bill the publisher more if they push back/re-tweak some stuff in order for you to re-rate the game?

  • What kind of opportunity for career advancement is there? What are the various levels (i.e. staff, manager, etc.) and number of years it takes to get to each level?

  • What is the typical educational and experience background of someone who gets into your profession?

  • What is your average day like and how is the work/life balance?

  • What is the your most memorable event, good/bad/mundane, since you've been working there?

Pg21_SubsecD_Pgrph12109 karma

I believe one thing she mentions in her article was that if a restaurant claims to be locally sourced but the menu never changes, that's a red flag since seasonality should affect the availability of certain ingredients.

Pg21_SubsecD_Pgrph12103 karma

Hi. Perhaps I can give you some insight.

RESEARCH.

The dealership plays with certain variables to get the most money out of you. It's in your best interest to fix these variables as much as you can before even stepping into the dealership. These variables are:

  • Total sales price of the car
  • Value of your trade-in (if applicable)
  • Financing terms
  • Cash-down
  • Extra products

So, let's say you drive a hard bargain, and the dealership gives you a lower sales price on the car. Guess what, they're going to give you less allowance on your trade-in or less favorable financing terms.

How do you fix these variables?

  • Sales price -- Research the exact model of the car you want to buy. If buying a used car, look up the blackbook (wholesale) value of the car. When a dealership can't sell a car and wants to just get rid of it (even at a loss), it will take it to auction where it will be sold at wholesale value. Looking up the blackbook value gives you an idea of the minimum sales price to expect. Browse other dealerships' websites in your area to see if they have comparable cars. See what prices they are selling at. If you are not too limited by budget, consider buying a certified pre-owned (CPO) unit. They are usually only a few years old and in good condition, but most of the value depreciation has already occurred in the first few years.

  • Value of your trade-in -- If you are getting rid of your old car, consider selling it yourself rather than trading it in to the dealership. You can use the proceeds to increase your down payment. You will likely get more than what the dealership would have given you.

  • Financing terms -- Obtain pre-approved financing from your bank or credit union. This automatically puts a cap on how much you will spend. This gives you a huge advantage and peace of mind that you will not buy a car you can't afford. Make sure you factor in sales tax, tag/registration fees, and dealer fees (varies by state but dealer fees are around $500-$700). If you decide to finance through the dealership, realize that they will try to make money off the interest spread (difference between the interest rate they give you and the rate the lender is actually financing it at. So if they give you 6% interest rate, the lender might be financing it at 5%. The 1% difference is profit to the dealership). They may also offer lower monthly payments but at a higher interest rate. In the end, I highly suggest obtaining pre-approved financing, especially for the purchase of a used car.

  • Cash-down -- the higher your interest rate is on your car loan, put as much cash down as you can afford. More down payment = less interest paid over the life of the car loan.

  • Extra products -- the dealership will try to sell you extra products such as types of insurance and extended warranties. These aren't all bad, but you probably don't need most of them. Research them and decide what you need.

In the end, do your research (www.Edmunds.com is very informative about the entire process). Try to fix all these variables.

The image of a customer haggling for 8 hours with a salesman and threatening to walk out the door, driving the hard bargain, is not realistic and ultimately won't get you that great of a deal. Don't rely on this method.

Pg21_SubsecD_Pgrph1294 karma

Hi, Laura. Thanks for doing this. Your article was so well-done and researched. By the end all I could think was 'Wow'.

  • How did you get the restaurants to respond so candidly to your investigation? Did you simply phone them up and ask or did you have other means to get truthful answers?

  • Have any of the restaurants responded to the article?

  • Can you recommend Tampa/regional Florida farms that are truly local and don't import from out of state?

  • How has this changed your view of the Tampa food scene and where it's headed?

  • What is your favorite restaurant in town and why?

Pg21_SubsecD_Pgrph1263 karma

So say we all!