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Markets
The best and worst bargains can be found at markets.
• Before setting out, write a list of things you’d planned to buy at retail stores. The same items may be at the markets at a fraction of the price. The list also will keep you focused so you’re not tempted to buy useless items.
• Take cash. Stallholders prefer it, and it gives you better bargaining power.
• If you’re planning to buy drapery or furnishings, take a tape measure and measure areas before you go.
• Find out what time the market starts and get there early when the best range of goods is on offer. It also pays to be there just before closing time. Items such as flowers and food are virtually given away.
• Don’t accept the price tag figure. Always ask, “What’s your best price?”
• Bad weather shouldn’t deter you, but it will stop less serious shoppers. You’ll have more room to move and stallholders will be more co-operative in lowering their prices.
• Beware of fly-by-night operators. If you have problems with your purchase, you want to ensure the seller is a regular or has a contact number.

Retail sales
• The only way to make sure a sale price is a genuine discount is to shop around first and compare prices.
• These days, retail stores often are open to offers, so it pays to haggle. If you know another store is offering an item at a lower price, ask the shop to match or better it.
• Beware of retailers who display two prices for the same product. If the higher price has a line through it, the lower price often looks considerably discounted. This is called false price indication, as the shop never offered those shoes for $200. It’s an offence and the retailer can be prosecuted.
• Beware of retailers who advertise products at bargain prices, only to inform customers the items have sold out - in reality, they were never available. Known as bait advertising, it is an offence for a store to mislead potential customers in this way.
• If shops advertise bargains, they should ensure they are available for a reasonable period and in reasonable quantities. Otherwise, the advertisement should indicate there is only a limited number available.

Second-hand woes
• Always inspect used items. Look for damage. If there are faults, can they be repaired and at what cost? Do they interfere with the function or safety of the product?
• Don’t buy chipped china or glass -unless you know it’s special and that it can be restored easily and cheaply.
• Beware of second-hand electrical goods — such as white goods, heaters, radios and so on. They may have faults which could be extremely dangerous.
• Does it have a motor? I know of one shopper who bought a food blender at a market and found later that the motor was missing. So always try appliances out for a few minutes. If it needs any additional wiring or plumbing, add these expenses to the purchase price and then ask, “Is it really worth the money?”
• Ask if the motor has been reconditioned - and by a properly qualified person. Is it clean inside and out?
$ Inquire if the original manual is available for an appliance. Many good second-hand dealers supply these with purchases.
• In some cases, used appliances should be labelled to show whether they have been tested for safety by a qualified person. If an appliance has not been tested, you might be liable for the cost of modifications.

Your rights
• Remember, second-hand goods should work properly and be safe, but you can’t expect them to be the same quality as the new product. If you do have problems, check with the Department of Fair Trading, because you may have rights against the seller or manufacturer. For example, in spite of “no refund” signs, if the item has faults you were not aware of before sale which affect its safety and function, the seller may be legally obliged to give you a refund or exchange. This applies to new goods bought in stores as well as second-hand purchases.

Do you sprint effortlessly up the stairs when the lift is broken, or puff and pant your way to the top? Are you as active as you were in your teens, or a couch potato? If you’ve resigned yourself to the fact that declining strength, stamina and muscle tone are part of getting older, think again. Research shows that people who are active well into old age maintain their fitness.

Evidence suggests that decline is not inevitable below the age of 70. In fact, you can be almost as fit in your 60s as you were in your 20s. London, stresses the importance of exercise: We can slow the deterioration that comes with age. By contrast, no exercise early on accelerates your natural decline. The harder it is to exert yourself, the less you do and, as you do less, exercise becomes more difficult.

The reality is that most of us are frighteningly unfit. In a recent health study, 80 per cent of the women and 78 per cent of the men surveyed didn’t do enough exercise to benefit their health. In many of these people, stamina, muscle strength and aerobic capacity — vital indicators of overall fitness — were lower than expected for their ages. Some sedentary 20-year-olds were less fit than active 60- and 70-year-olds.

Sensible, regular exercise combined with a balanced, low-fat diet keeps blood cholesterol down, reduces your heart rate and lowers blood pressure, while strengthening the heart muscle and increasing aerobic capacity.

Looking after yourself now will protect against age-related ailments like heart disease, stroke, osteoporosis and diabetes. It is never too late to start getting into shape.

Whatever your age, exercise and you’ll see an improvement in your fitness and strength. Recent US studies have found that people who took up exercise in their 70s and 80s improved their strength and overall fitness. Exercise makes you feel healthier, you’ll sleep better and have more energy. Some research suggests that exercise stimulates the production of endorphins, our body’s “good mood” chemicals, and that active people are less likely to be depressed and anxious.

If the health benefits aren’t enough to motivate you, picture how much better you’ll look. A lean, toned body beats a shapeless, flabby one every time. Exercise also benefits your skin by stimulating blood flow to the blood vessels that nourish the skin.

Just 20 minutes of exercise three or four times a week will stretch your muscles and strengthen your bones, and you’ll feel the benefits in weeks.

For men, there are delineated checkpoints along the highway of the heart. Gestures or moments you may overlook as inconsequential are in fact a man’s equivalent of choosing to take the express route to commitment as opposed to the scenic “let’s see what happens” path. Ready to analyze some route markers?

Once you can leave a stash at his place — along with a toothbrush, some emergency undies and even a compact EDP — without” it drawing comment or finding its way to the back of the cupboard, chances are he’s embraced the idea that your presence is nothing to hide. From other women he may have the luck to bring home. Yes, it’s a statement of monogamy. To himself. Plus, these utilitarian items can be a source of comfort in your absence. Even if they happen to be hygienically sealed.

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Phone call and Pressure at Work
Take a look back at your calls at the end of a day and I’ll bet you discover that out of 50, only five really demanded your instant attention. The others could have waited.
Take control of your phone instead of letting it control you. Screen your calls or tell callers you’re in a meeting and will call back. Make use of voice-mail, if you have the facility, and use caller ID if your company’s phones have it.

So next time you take a call while you’re trying to do something else, try saying, “I can’t give your query the time it deserves right now so could you put it in an email instead please?” You’ll send a nice clear message that they’ll receive a better response from you online. Then everyone’s happy.

When something goes wrong
Confessing to your boss is a sensible move and will help you avoid that stressful what-happens-when-she-finds-out feeling. And while you shouldn’t underplay whatever that has happened, in case your boss learns the truth from someone else later, don’t beat yourself up either.

And don’t obsess over one mistake. Otherwise, your negative feelings about one failed project would spill over to the other things you’re working on and your career would then seem doomed. To stay positive and focused, write down a list of past successes, since simply writing things down would give you a better perspective.

When you and your friend use the same skincare products, and her skin turns up all nice and dewy but yours starts to resemble a pepperoni pizza, you know you’ve got sensitive skin, With such skin, using certain ingredients can trigger off a reaction similar to an allergy such as rashes, redness, and itchiness, Generally sensitive skins are more intolerant towards fragrances, scents and pore-clogging ingredients like mineral oil and lanolin. So, when you’re out shopping, make sure the products you buy are fragrance-free, non-comedogenic and hypoallergenic.

Can our skins really tell the difference between thermal water and plain old tap water?
There’s a reason why the rich and famous visit spa resorts so often. Dermatologists have found that tap water can strip the skin of its protective lipids and increase sensitivity. On the other hand, using thermal water can help to relieve skin conditions such as dryness and irritation because of its rich mineral content. Minerals like zinc and selenium are known for their skin-loving properties. So if you find your skin getting red and blotchy while you’re outdoors, a spray of thermal water might just reduce the redness.

We’re not talking extreme eating disorders here. This is the less-discussed, but more common phenomenon in which capable, clever women just can’t get their head around eating properly. Why do we torture ourselves? Naturally, as women, there’s no straight answer.

Seeing food as complicated is so deeply ingrained in many women’s minds that it’s hard to remember a time when we ate what we wanted in blissful ignorance.

Any food group could be substituted here (carbs being the current enemy). It’s a classic case of eating a certain way out of habit. Once considered completely bad, we now know there are good fats and bad fats. It’s a constant struggle to de-programme people and to teach them everything in moderation actually works. Fats have a purpose and are essential for good health; a body fed on little or no fat is at risk from cancer, heart disease, eczema, depression, fatigue, infections and poor memory.

It’s tempting to buy into the idea that cutting out a food group works in our quest to stay slim. While effective in the short-term, research shows that you’re doing nothing for your health or your looks over a longer period. Some diet recommendations are sensible - such as eating low-GI foods - but they’re about healthy foods, not becoming obsessive about what goes into your body. If you’re terrified of reintroducing a food group into your diet, see a nutritionist who’ll help you make more informed choices.

No matter how well-adjusted you are, there’s a good chance you’ve developed rules, regulations or guilt trips around your diet. Making an effort to eat healthily is great; what’s not good is creating unnecessary restrictions just so you feel in control.

Eating as much good food as you want, might be scary at first. When you give yourself this freedom, it’s normal to initially overindulge as you adjust to the idea that nothing is off-limits. But you’ll soon lose the desire to overeat, and you’ll also lose those silly cravings that emerges whenever you ban something.

Strategies for Getting Promoted

Dedication and positive attitude
Current status: Freelancer, intern, part-timer or temporary
Next step: entry-level staff position
At this point, attitude is everything. There’s a benefit to being so low on the totem pole - no one expects you to be an expert, so the accomplishments you achieve through your dedication and positive attitude will surprise them at every turn. If you want a full-time job, swallow your pride and do everything your boss asks -even if you think it’s beneath you. Whether it’s fetching coffee, making 100 photocopies or buying feminine hygiene products, do it with a smile and as quickly as possible.

Clue in quickly
Current status: entry-level staff position/assistant
Next step: mid-level job/associate
Doing the job with a smile isn’t enough anymore. Now the boss is watching to see if you’re a quick study, batting home runs on every assignment and contributing fresh ideas.

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