Recall Alert: Do You Buy Frozen Foods from the Big Box Stores?
Hello readers! I have received a notice that the FDA has announced a recall on certain frozen fruits and veggies – including organic – that have been purchased at stores such as BJs, Costco, Trader Joe’s, Walmart (Sam’s Club), etc. The title of the FDA announcement is: “CRF Frozen Foods Expands Voluntary Recall to Include All Frozen Vegetable and Fruit Products Due To Possible Health Risk” – and the foods may have been contaminated with the organism, Listeria monocytogenes.
You may have heard of this in the press in the past. This recall was posted at the FDA site on May 2, 2016. You may have received a telephone call originating at the phone number: 844-483-3866 about this if the affected stores had some record of you possibly having purchased a potentially contaminated item. I received this phone call this morning, and they did leave a recorded message about this – if you see this number on your caller ID, definitely check the message, since the only reason you would get it would be if there was some record of you purchasing a potentially contaminated item.
It occurred to me that I had, indeed purchased some frozen berries as well as frozen spinach, and a few of the other items involved with the recall at one of the stores – fortunately, we were not affected by this, and no longer have the items.
However, here at MyFavDeals.org, we want to be sure that we help spread the word since we know that many of our readers, friends, and family might also be affected by this.
Here is the link to the FDA Recall, dated 5/2/16: http://www.fda.gov/Safety/Recalls/ucm498841.htm – There you will find an extensive list of the products involved, as well as what actions you can take.
In the meantime, stay well!
Quick Money Saving Tip – And Possible Scam Prevention!
We have a money saving tip for you today – and one that could also possibly prevent you from being a victim of a scam. We were having lunch at one of our favorite restaurants in town here in Florida, and because we’re frequent customers, we often hang out and talk with the owner. In this case, we had just paid for the meal, and the owner reminded us to take our receipt. We had paid by credit card, and didn’t think we really needed the receipt – however, he insisted.
He proceeded to tell us that there are a few restaurants whose staff will take a credit card transaction and change or add the gratuity on the credit card transaction. We asked why, and he proceeded to explain that some of these staff members will feel it’s justified if the customer was unreasonable or didn’t leave what they considered a big enough tip.
In other cases, there are simply some dishonest folks out there.
While he doesn’t think it’s widespread, he said that what has happened is that they’ll change the amount of the tip if the person hasn’t taken their receipt, and there is nothing to back up a dispute if the customer sees a discrepancy on their credit card statement.
Also, our friend said that a number of people don’t check their credit card statements against the receipt, and never notice if there is a dollar or 2 or 3 added to the line item since a lot of folks don’t necessarily remember every penny they spent on a meal.
So, he said that it is his restaurant’s policy to insist that the customer physically take a copy of the final receipt with them, and that he also encourages people to be on the lookout for this type of practice.
Because we live in a hugely popular and densely populated tourist destination that has hundreds of thousands of visitors for every event week, and there are hundreds if not a thousand restaurants of all levels of quality and service, it makes sense to be aware of one’s surroundings anyway – and this is just one more thing we can be aware of that could potentially save us a few dollars – not to mention reduce the potential for being scammed while trying to enjoy a nice meal out.
Hopefully this tip is helpful! I can tell you that from here on in, we certainly shall be a bit more aware!
Hump Day Shenanigans – Is Yahoo Down?
This could just be my browser, but I haven’t seen this before. When I go to yahoo.com, I am getting this screen:
Anyways, maybe they are down, I don’t remember seeing that in the past. I have no other connection issues, including Yahoo email is working fine.
The Uber Transportation Phenomenon
The word “uber” describes something that is more than “super” or “extra” amazing. When a program is “uber” exceptional, it’s beyond what you have come to expect. The founders of Uber Transportation believe their program fits that description. You won’t really be driving for Uber if you sign up, though: this is a driver referral system. It more or less functions as an affiliate program. People who join also get the chance to earn an Uber driver referral bonus. A lot of folks are doing this, so let’s learn a bit more.
How It All Began
Garrett Camp and friend Travis Kalanick couldn’t get a cab one cold night in Paris. They wondered how to prevent this situation from happening in the future in Paris or another city. What if you could simply place a request using an app on your phone to receive a lift to the airport or your hotel? That’s what happened: they designed an app. Soon they were able to sign up drivers: men and women looking for a way to supplement their income. People are driving their own vehicles and supporting themselves or upgrading their lifestyles in over 370 cities around the world.
Why Sign Up with Uber
A vehicle costs you so much money yet could actually become a money spinner if you are a good driver and the vehicle is reliable. Whether this is part-time income or a full-time job, set the schedule you want around the life you already lead. Just respond to requests made via app to provide transport in your city.
Meanwhile there are loads of people in all the major cities looking for a lift. Not everyone drives and public transport is not necessarily the easiest way to get around. It’s certainly not direct and buses or trains don’t go everywhere. They tend to stop running after a particular hour too, but Uber is up and running all day, 365 days of the year.
Get Started
If you are in driving mode, you open the Uber Transport app and watch for requests. When one comes along that is convenient for your schedule and along a route you know well log on to pick up that rider. It’s possible to do this once a day or all day long. Passengers are known for their respectful attitude to drivers and vehicles.
Safety Issues
The obvious question is how this can be a safe way to earn money. Even cab drivers, doing this for a living day in, day out say they are vulnerable. News reports prove it: you could wind up with a lunatic in the back seat of your cab. What about Uber drivers and passengers? How can they ensure their safety in this game?
Riders are identified before you pick them up. Drivers can see their first name and a rating next to that name so it pays to be respectful, to settle the bill, and to leave a tip. Drivers will fall all over themselves to be the first one to take highly-rated riders to their destinations and vice versa. Uber is also an insured program so you can feel secure that damages from less respectful customers or unforeseen accidents will be covered. Uber just needs to see drivers’ registration, proof they are insured, a driver’s license, and run a check on each person who signs on. That way they protect riders too.
Payment
Actually, you don’t settle the bill in person. Fees are deposited remotely on a weekly basis. It’s easy to keep tabs on how much you make weekly or monthly. There is also the trip-fee built into your reports so you can see which riders are worth taking. The only fee you pay as a driver is the cost for having the app.
NOTE: It’s definitely a trend worth following – and a service worth trying! I happened to be at a large conference recently, when a bunch of attendees decided to “share an Uber” and they all raved about the service. And, if you are game, you too can get in on the action and earn a Uber driver referral bonus! I think it’s here to stay!
MyFavDeals Adds the AWESOME SAUCE to Your Shopping Experience!
Why is MyFavDeals considered to be “Deals with a Difference?” What is it that we do that makes us so passionate about finding information to pass along to you?
Here is what we do: We CARE. We are buyers as well as writers and reviewers. We buy as much as we sell. We have families and friends that we buy for and recommend stuff to as much as everyone else. Between all the members of our team, there are loved ones in pretty much every single age group from wee ones who are still in diapers to aging parents and everywhere in between.
Maybe it’s just our circle of influence, but part of caring to us is offering value. I mean, real value. When we find a product to review, for example, we don’t just run around and see what other people are saying about it and rehash the same old drivel. We think about who might read our words, and who might really need to learn something about a particular product before they plunk down their hard-earned money to buy it.
And sometimes, we’ll pass on a particular product rather than include it here. My dad used to say over and over, “If you can’t find something good to say, don’t say anything at all.” And a lot of times we’ll look at a product and say, “uh… I don’t think it’s right for our audience.”
Sometimes, because we don’t have a big staff, we don’t write a chapter about every deal that we offer, and that’s okay too. Because sometimes (and we are all like this), we just want the deal without a big writeup. So, you’ll see just about every style of post, discount, article, review, and more.
The big point here is that when we find something that we think that you or another reader may want to know more about, we do our very best to find the answers to some of the biggest questions you might have about certain products.
We also find certain products and vendors that we are just over the moon about, and when we see them, we give them some additional recognition when recognition is due. We do this in the form of our MyFavDeals Stamp of Approval. When you see this, that means we respect and admire them, their product, their service – and usually it’s a mix of all three and more.
So, we’re really pretty stoked to be here. It’s fun for us to find products and services that we think you’ll enjoy or are looking for. It’s fun for us to gather and present informational articles, reviews and comparisons.
And while we’re glad to be here – more than anything, we’re glad that YOU are here. Welcome to My Favorite Deals (MyFavDeals.org) – Deals with a Difference!