tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-86726854137061950762024-03-13T00:05:36.945-04:00Tales From the RoadDuring an eight hour shift, I ring 30 doorbells, spend 6.5 hours in my vehicle, wait for traffic lights to turn green, and have a lot of time to think. These thoughts are spewed out here in paragraph form.LGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17101665816484904856noreply@blogger.comBlogger17125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8672685413706195076.post-64961829613050466212010-08-31T22:33:00.002-04:002010-08-31T22:40:53.874-04:00'Til Death Do Us PartI had an entertaining run tonight. Normally, I only deliver Friday and Saturday nights, but I picked up a shift.<br /><br />I went to a trailer park with a large 4 topping pizza. The only reason I mention it was a trailer is to set the scene, not to look down on people that live there or make fun of them. This was a double wide trailer. The extra side of it was completely unfinished, and made the people that lived there a prime candidate to appear on the show "Hoarders". I knocked on the door, an elderly gentleman answered, with his wife lurking in the background. I told him his total, $19.00. He happily handed me a $10 bill and generously (at least, from his perspective) told me to keep the change. I said "sir, this is a $10 bill" and handed it back to him. His wife yelled "WHY DON'T YOU GET IT RIGHT?!?!?!?, to which he responded "WHY DON'T YOU SHUT UP!?!?!?!" After this sequence, which eerily reminded me of George Costanza's parents screaming on "Seinfeld", the man handed me a $20 bill, still told me to keep the buck, and the couple acted like nothing ever happened.<br /><br />At least they agreed on pizza toppings.LGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17101665816484904856noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8672685413706195076.post-51620763995173565602010-07-25T19:39:00.002-04:002010-07-25T20:08:14.865-04:00I Miss ItIn the past few months, while keeping 2 nights of pizza delivery, I've picked up a fancy full-time day job with a fancy title for a prestigious firm. Pay is about what you'd expect for an entry level Bachelor's degree job. The benefits are great, the time off is generous, and I like most of the people I work with. But it's not the same.<br /><br />Delivery is always exciting to me, days are never the same, and I control my income based on my performance level. Contrarily, my day job is comparable to Bill Murray's experiences in "Groundhog Day", in that every day is the same. The job was exciting at first, but now that I have the hang of it, it's pretty monotonous. Unlike delivery, there is an undertone among my coworkers of "don't work too hard, or they'll give you more work" or "don't work too hard or you'll make us look bad". That attitude clashes with my beliefs.<br /><br />The hardest thing to get used to for me, though, is that I am always being watched. In delivery, I am in my own car, able to pick my music, talk on the phone all night, eat wings, and stop for a beverage if I want, while things are slow of course. When I'm in the shop, I can do much of the same, plus I can play games on my phone. In the "real world", they monitor internet usage on your computer, have you notate every task you perform (even the most mundane), and it feels like there's always somebody scrutinizing you over your shoulder. This is a challenge that I will have to get used to if I am going to make this work.<br /><br />In delivery, I had two fantastic jobs, I worked about 50 hours, and I typically brought home $900-1000/wk after gas. I don't make nearly that at my new digs, but the potential is there to double or even triple it. Patience is not always my strongest asset. Especially when I work 12 hours in 2 nights and make $350 at the pizza shop, after having a particularly rough Friday at work.<br /><br />This post is probably well-timed because it's Sunday night, and I am dreading my Monday morning. In my delivery days, I typically worked very hard Tuesday-Saturday, and rested up on Sunday and Monday. But I always looked forward to going back to work, because I loved my jobs. I miss that.<br /><br />I often tell myself that the 40-year-old version of me would kick the 28-year-old version of me's butt if he was still delivering pizzas at 40. But would I? Sure, I have nights off now, and that will be important to me over the next several years as my son grows up. Plus the paid vacation will be more enjoyable, knowing I am not missing out on pay to take a trip. But in delivery, I never felt like I needed a vacation. Plus I could always get a shift off when I needed one.<br /><br />Several people this weekend have told me some version of "you don't seem like my normal self". Well you're all right - I have come to the realization that I don't enjoy my work. On Friday, Jon Kissner posted this on Facebook: <br /><h3 class="UIIntentionalStory_Message" ft="{"type":"msg"}"><span class="UIIntentionalStory_Names" ft="{"type":"name"}"> </span><span class="UIStory_Message">"You've achieved success in your field when you don't know whether what you're doing is work or play." - Warren Beatty</span></h3>That used to be the case for me. Now it only is the case every Friday night, Saturday night, and every other Tuesday night. I am choosing delivery over bowling in a league this year. That's how much it means to me. Do we need the money? The cash comes in handy, but we could certainly do without it. It's fun, I love everything about it (besides the effect it has on my car and the hours), and I miss it.LGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17101665816484904856noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8672685413706195076.post-76208520995863198322009-10-01T23:08:00.002-04:002009-10-01T23:36:36.865-04:00GPS<span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:100%;">Let me preface this post by saying that I pride myself on my navigation skills and knowledge of my trade area. I love to be the guy who can answer any question anyone has: "2450 Westwood? 3rd house on the left, yellow house with a detached garage, white Trailblazer and orange Wrangler in the driveway."<br /><br />That being said, there was a craigslist ad that irked me: <br /><br /><a href="http://columbus.craigslist.org/fbh/1401586805.html" target="_new"><span style="color:blue;"><u>http://columbus.craigslist.org/fbh/1401586805.html</u></span></a> <br /><br />Local Pizza place looking for delivery driver to work evening and weekends. Must have gps and reliable vehicle. If interested please reply to posted email with contact information and phone number. Thanks<br />--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------<br /><br />So I responded with an ad of my own: <br /><br /><a href="http://columbus.craigslist.org/fbh/1401663657.html" target="_new"><span style="color:blue;"><u>http://columbus.craigslist.org/fbh/1401663657.html</u></span></a> <br /><br />Real delivery drivers don't use GPS. We use maps for a couple weeks to a month, and then we have our areas all but memorized. We laugh at GPS delivery drivers. You typically only have a 2-3 mile radius to learn, so a simple area map will do the job.<br /><br />GPS slows you down and stops you from learning the best route to your destination. By the time you have your address programmed into your GPS, I am already at the house. I look at an ad like this and I see "Person needed to add 2 digit numbers together. Must have TI-84 or above graphing calculator".<br /><br />As a 50 hour/wk delivery driver, this is just a pet peeve of mine and I hope I have trained a green owner/manager how to better run a shop. Have a nice day, all.<br />--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------<br />I see my post lasted about 5 hours before it was flagged for removal. Oh well, I posted my opinion, and I know I'm right. I've worked with people that had GPS. Over a two month sample when I worked at Pizza Hut, I averaged a 16 minute trip time. Of the GPS drivers, none averaged better than 19 minutes during that time. 3 minutes per delivery might not seem like much, but over a night with 20 runs, I've beaten Joe Technology by an entire hour. That's a butt kicking.<br /><br />I've found the best way to learn a trade area is to start with the main roads and numbering system/parameters. Just knowing this will be of tremendous help. Then learn what the main drags are in subdivisions and learn the side roads. This is where it ends for many veterans. But this is where I just begin to get my edge. Once you have the normal way to get somewhere, it is time to start experimenting. Slow days like Mondays and Tuesdays are great days to do this, as losing a few minutes on a gamble won't be detrimental to getting an order to its destination on time. I also learn the timing patterns of the traffic lights, which lights use a delay, what routes have fewer traffic lights, what routes involve more right than left turns, and which neighborhoods I can cut through to escape rush hour traffic. GPS won't do any of that for you. If this seems excessive, just remember that the 15 seconds I wasted could mean the other driver gets the Arlington triple with 3 known great tippers, and I get the single to BFE.<br /><br />I need something snappy to go out on: Put that in your GPS and smoke it?<br /></span>LGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17101665816484904856noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8672685413706195076.post-63620173186604081742009-07-25T22:57:00.004-04:002009-07-25T23:38:30.447-04:00I Wish You Would Order From Someone Else"Here's a dollar. I wish we could give you more."<br /><br />I smirk, take the dollar, and say "take care". Behind the smirk, there is a lot more going on in my mind.<br /><br />Yes, $1 is better than nothing, and yes, a buck was a good tip during the Carter administration. But don't tell me you "wish" you could give me more. Not when you made me wait 3 minutes and I got to survey all your toys. The 50" HDTV is a nice touch. The late model F-150 looks awful nice. But my favorite is your RV. Amazingly, your budget allows for these extravagances, but you "wish" you could give me more than $1. Awesome.<br /><br />Here's your food. I wish I could have gotten it here sooner. Unfortunately, the good tippers got theirs in <30 and yours took almost twice that. Here's your two-liter of Mountain Dew. I wish I took it from the cooler instead of dry storage, and I wish I didn't shake it up in my car. Here's your pizza. I wish I ran the cutting blade all the way through it and put enough cheese and pepperonis on it.<br /><br />If the lady wants to tip more, she should just do it. If she doesn't, she should just give me the dollar and not make things worse by saying what she says. No reason to rub salt on my wounds. If it were just one time, I might overlook it. But this has happened several times now, increasing in annoyance each time.LGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17101665816484904856noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8672685413706195076.post-65794780968477786882009-04-25T01:13:00.005-04:002009-04-25T02:43:25.337-04:00Ode to StiffersThe rims on your Escalade cost more than my car, but you "can't afford to tip me since times are tight". I hope you learn what "times are tight" REALLY means.<br /><br />It's the first of the month, and you are using your welfare money to buy 2 large pizzas, 40 hot wings, and 12 bleu cheese cups (true story). I hope you run out of bleu cheese and don't realize it and eat the hottest wing in the bunch, meanwhile you don't have a beverage, the refrigerator and freezer lock, and the water goes out, causing you to weather your burning tongue. You lose your voice for the next several months and are unable to ask for taxpayer handouts to support your frivolity.<br /><br />Your parents sent you to the door to pay and you pocketed my tip. I hope the money falls out of your pocket in front of your parents and Daddy finds the biggest paddle and the firmest belt in the house, and unleashes a whipping that Chuck Norris would envy.<br /><br />You gave me a religious tract and told me that it was way more valuable than earthly money and expected me to be grateful instead of being furious that we are part of the same religion. I hope you start some sort of selfish charity and everyone sees right through it when you ask for donations. Catching wind of your cheap habits that you justify with religion, I hope they send you nothing but pizza menus in the donation envelopes you provide.<br /><br />You are greedy and live in a McMansion and decided to buy another Tahoe instead of giving me a few bucks. I hope you forget to open your garage while you are yapping on your BlackBerry and drive your Tahoe into your McMansion causing both of these symbols of wealth (and debt) to collapse. And I hope you were also being miserly when it came to auto and homeowners insurance, leaving you with nothing but a pile of bricks and an SUV that needs a nose job.<br /><br />You look down on pizza drivers and decide they are beneath you. I hope you lose your job and fill out an application at my pizza shop so I can look down on you when I tell you that we are not hiring drivers at the moment, but please feel free to check in periodically in case something opens up.<br /><br />You somehow determined that the delivery charge is a replacement for the tip to cover your cheapness. I hope your phone number and address find themselves on a "special list" of customers who now pay a $7 delivery charge.<br /><br />I feel better.LGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17101665816484904856noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8672685413706195076.post-63994716680621441332009-02-06T08:49:00.002-05:002009-02-06T09:08:06.210-05:00"Is a Dollar Cool?""Is a dollar cool?"<br /><br />I was faced with that question 8 days ago at Conway Trucking around 5:30 pm, after brilliantly navigating Hilliard rush hour traffic, waiting 3 minutes for the guy to come out, and persevering through the aftermath of a violent snowstorm in the preceding 48 hours, which was essentially an area-wide skating rink.<br /><br />Before I could muster out a seemingly graceful answer to a horribly dumb question, the trucker's coworkers heckled this cheapskate mercilessly over his tipping habits:<br />"A dollar, he drove all this way and waited for your a--!"<br />"Come on man, a dollar???"<br />"What is this, 1975?"<br /><br />Okay, I threw that last one in myself. During all this, I kept a smile on my face and let the heckling truckers say what I wanted to say, despite the fact that Conway Trucking is on the very edge of our delivery map. To my surprise, the penny pinching trucker held firm and wrote $1 on the tip line on the credit card slip. Joy.<br /><br />Fast forward 1 week:<br /><br />I check my tickets and see that I have a stop to Conway Trucking. I get to said destination and inform the multitasking dispatchers who my customer is and have him paged. After 2 minutes, my customer comes out and greets me by saying "is a dollar cool?" I immediately recognize him as one of the hecklers from last week, and I share a good laugh with him before giving him his total, $18.60. He hands me a 20 and a 10 and says "this is to make up for that cheap bas---- last week". I said "Sir, you don't have to do that, but I greatly appreciate it."LGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17101665816484904856noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8672685413706195076.post-89408157910967942172008-09-28T02:56:00.003-04:002008-09-28T03:17:42.683-04:00Rule-Breaking EuphoriaIt was my first delivery of the night at Sparano's, and I was already feeling great. During the 40 minutes between the end of my Pizza Hut shift and my first delivery at Sparano's, I got my $2.00 after 2 pm Mocha Frappucino, and Michigan had turned a 19-0 deficit into a 19-14 mid-4th quarter gleam of hope.<br /><br />When I pulled up to the beautiful Marble Cliff condo with 4 pizzas that totaled $64.50, I had a good feeling. The mid-50s lady at the door asked me if I could bring the pizzas downstairs for them. I jokingly told them that they seemed like pretty safe folks, and the crowd of baby boomer Buckeye fans roared with laughter. Before entering the condo, which was probably built in the last year or two, I astutely noticed the very light carpeting. As I kicked off my trashy, old, pepperoni-grease lined walking shoes, I told the McCain voters that I did not want to ruin their beautiful carpeting. They all commented on what a nice gesture it was, not realizing that it was an obvious attempt to pad my tip. As the lady handed me 4 crisp $20 bills and told me to keep the change, I smiled, thanked them for their generosity, put my shoes back on and left. <br /><br />I walked back to my CR-V thinking of the 'delivery driver safety' sign at Pizza Hut that states "NEVER enter the customer's house" among other arbitrary rules. As if the sign could hear my witty reply, I thought to myself "Yeah, never enter the customer's house...unless you want a tip big enough to buy lunch for you and your wife after church the next day". As I got into my car, I quickly noticed that the display on my SIRIUS Sportster said "WISC 19 MICH 20". I did a quick fist pump, hit rewind, and listened to Frank Beckmann's call of John Thompson's Pick 6.<br /><br />Now that is how I like to start a shift.LGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17101665816484904856noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8672685413706195076.post-50525160225637035252008-09-11T02:32:00.002-04:002008-09-11T03:00:19.142-04:00Dear SIRIUS, I love you.SIRIUS Satellite Radio,<br /><br />You've been in my car for a year now. Please forgive me for giving you the smell of anchovies, onions, and flatulence when you've clearly given me so much more - where do I begin?<br /><br />A year ago, I thought new rock meant sprinkling in a couple new songs by Beck and Red Hot Chili Peppers with the large standard dose of 10-15 year old songs by Stone Temple Pilots, Pearl Jam, and Alice In Chains. Now, I like "Even Flow" as much as the next guy, but it's good to get a break from songs like that and here some music that's been released this decade! Artists like MGMT, The Arcade Fire, Carolina Liar, Flight of the Conchords, and Atreyu would have slipped under my radar if it weren't for you. But if I do want a steady diet of Jane's Addiction and Filter, Channel 24 is only one preset button push away.<br /><br />It's also nice to listen to music without being interrupted by people telling me why I'm missing out by not consolidating my debt, checking out the new bar that just opened (and will close in 2-3 months), enlarging my genitalia with their pill, and saving money on my car insurance.<br /><br />Let's talk about artist and song alerts. You really came up with a winner on this one. I could be listening to 1 of the 2 NPR stations, but you will bring to my attention the fact that Avenged Sevenfold's "Beast and the Harlot" is about to play on Channel 20 with several seconds of notice so I can listen to the song in its entirety. Brilliant. And when I want to listen to the song a second, third, and fourth time, you give me the option with the rewind button.<br /><br />But you don't end with merely the rewind button. If I am in the middle of a captivating Dave Ramsey call and I pull up near my customer's house on a delivery, I no longer have to decide whether to lay low and listen to the rest of the call or miss out on Dave's brilliant advice. Instead, you give me a pause button, and I can come back after getting my $2.52 tip and find out that the caller should not have a car payment of $650/month on a $2000 monthly take home budget.<br /><br />You cost me a little bit of money ($400 for the lifetime subscription, $150 for the receiver), but you've already paid for yourself and then some. Why, you ask? I have not bought one CD since I got you, and I have worked more hours than ever before and actually enjoyed it! It never feels like work when I always have the aforementioned entertainment at my disposal, as well as a 24 NFL talk network, any musical genre I've ever wanted to explore, every NFL and NBA game, some very funny and thought-provoking talk radio, multiple stand up comedy channels, and the ability to get an alert any time any artist I like is on any station.<br /><br />I prefer to take my 150k mile CR-V on long trips with the wife instead of her comfortable, nearly new, highly fuel efficient Accord Hybrid, and I owe it all to you.<br /><br />Sincerely,<br /><br />LanceLGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17101665816484904856noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8672685413706195076.post-22811655732620101482008-09-09T02:24:00.003-04:002008-09-09T02:38:26.731-04:00The Party's Almost OverBefore I get into the key points of this post, I want to discuss why I despise the 2 run rule. The 2 run rule, the brainchild of some overpaid Pizza Hut executive, limits drivers to doubles. Even if 3 neighbors order at the exact same time, the arbitrary 2 run rule typically applies...unless the drivers are running the show, which is currently happening at my shop. :) More on that later. Here is what's wrong with the 2 run rule:<br /><br />-In the era of $3.00+ gas, it cripples the driver's opportunities to beat the costs of gas by picking up an extra run reimbursement for the delivery.<br />-Maybe my biggest pet peeve scenario for delivering: Driving by a house and not delivering there, despite their order being ready to go...coming back to the shop to deliver right back to the same house...wasting gas and the customer's time in the process.<br />-<span style="font-weight: bold;">I took a quad in 17 minutes tonight.</span> (Made $15 in tips on that run, my hourly wage, and $5.20 in reimbursement, I might add) For a point of reference, drivers are expected to take 3 deliveries per hour. Multiple runs can catch a busy store up during rush, which increases business. ("How long for delivery? 80 minutes? No thanks, I'll call Donato's.) Without multiple runs, shops have no way of keeping up with the rushes, other than overloading the schedule with drivers, which is expensive and bad for morale.<br />-It takes away from the skill function of the job, and neuters drivers with mad skills.<br /><br />Now, why is the party over? We are about to get a new general manager at Pizza Hut. A former McDonald's multi-unit manager, this man undoubtedly achieved his 'suit' status by following the letter of the law to a tee. This means that he will likely be very adamant about hiring a bunch of new drivers (eww...), and enforcing the 2 run rule (blah...).<br /><br />I couldn't have picked a better time to cut down to 2 nights at the Hut and go to 4 at Sparano's, where the 5 run rule is liberally enforced.LGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17101665816484904856noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8672685413706195076.post-6371255826543137092008-08-30T11:13:00.075-04:002008-08-31T19:08:33.109-04:00Frickin' Ragers Season 3 Fantasy DraftRound 1 (First 4 rounds include keepers, for any lurkers that thing we are awful at drafting)<br />Farvebugr Scurvy - Tony Romo<br />Lions for the Win - Joseph Addai<br />Il Trill - Clinton Portis<br />Sofa King Awesome - Eli Manning<br />Columbus Claymores - Adrian Peterson<br />Jon Kitna's Revenge - Larry Johnson<br />MAMC Warriors - Ben Roethlisberger<br />The Indy Surprise - LaDainian Tomlinson<br />Makin' It Rain - Derek Anderson<br />Tropics Football - Tom Brady<br />fraud - Steven Jackson<br />rojo - Michael Turner<br /><br />Round 2<br />Farvebugr Scurvy - TJ Houshmandzadeh<br />Lions for the Win - Edgerrin James<br />Il Trill - Peyton Manning<br />Sofa King Awesome - Marshawn Lynch<br />Columbus Claymores - Maurice Jones-Drew<br />Jon Kitna's Revenge - Torry Holt<br />MAMC Warriors - Marvin Harrison<br />The Indy Surprise - Marion Barber III<br />Makin' It Rain - Willis McGahee<br />Tropics Football - Terrell Owens<br />fraud - Larry Fitzgerald<br />rojo - Frank Gore<br /><br />Round 3<br />Farvebugr Scurvy - Darren McFadden<br />Lions for the Win - Carson Palmer<br />Il Trill - Brandon Jacobs<br />Sofa King Awesome - Wes Welker<br />Columbus Claymores - Antonio Gates<br />Jon Kitna's Revenge - Steve Smith<br />MAMC Warriors - Laurence Maroney<br />The Indy Surprise - Reggie Wayne<br />Makin' It Rain - Braylon Edwards<br />Tropics Football - Brian Westbrook<br />fraud - Jamal Lewis<br />rojo - Andre Johnson<br /><br />Round 4<br />Farvebugr Scurvy - Chad Johnson<br />Lions for the Win - Marques Colston<br />Il Trill - Kellen Winslow<br />Sofa King Awesome - Earnest Graham<br />Columbus Claymores - Plaxico Burress<br />Jon Kitna's Revenge - Ronnie Brown<br />MAMC Warriors - Willie Parker<br />The Indy Surprise - Ryan Grant<br />Makin' It Rain - Reggie Bush<br />Tropics Football - Randy Moss<br />fraud - Drew Brees<br />rojo - Calvin Johnson<br /><br />Round 5<br />Farvebugr Scurvy - Jason Witten<br />Lions for the Win - Brandon Marshall<br />Il Trill - Santonio Holmes<br />Columbus Claymores - Anquan Boldin<br />Sofa King Awesome - Chris Cooley<br />Jon Kitna's Revenge - Roy Williams<br />MAMC Warriors - Tony Gonzalez<br />The Indy Surprise - Roddy White<br />Makin' It Rain - Greg Jennings<br />Tropics Football - Jonathan Stewart<br />fraud - Dwayne Bowe<br />rojo - Thomas Jones<br /><br />Round 6<br />Farvebugr Scurvy - New England Defense<br />Lions for the Win - Lee Evans<br />Il Trill - Donald Driver<br />Columbus Claymores - Hines Ward<br />Sofa King Awesome - Lavernaeus Coles<br />Jon Kitna's Revenge - Matt Hasselbeck<br />MAMC Warriors - Chris Chambers<br />The Indy Surprise - Dallas Clark<br />Makin' It Rain - Lendale White<br />Tropics Football - Jeremy Shockey<br />fraud - Jerricho Cotchery<br />rojo - Javon Walker<br /><br />Round 7<br />Farvebugr Scurvy - Selvin Young<br />Lions for the Win - Matt Forte<br />Il Trill - Santana Moss<br />Columbus Claymores - Donovan McNabb<br />Sofa King Awesome - Bernard Berrian<br />Jon Kitna's Revenge - Todd Heap<br />MAMC Warriors - Joey Galloway<br />The Indy Surprise - Rashard Mendenhall<br />Makin' It Rain - Anthony Gonzalez<br />Tropics Football - David Garrard<br />fraud - Kevin Smith<br />rojo - Marc Bulger<br /><br />Round 8<br />Farvebugr Scurvy - Jerry Porter<br />Lions for the Win - Minnesota Defense<br />Il Trill - San Diego Defense<br />Columbus Claymores - Fred Taylor<br />Sofa King Awesome - Julius Jones<br />Jon Kitna's Revenge - Patrick Crayton<br />MAMC Warriors - DeAngelo Williams<br />The Indy Surprise - Nate Burleson<br />Makin' It Rain - Jay Cutler<br />Tropics Football - Ted Ginn Jr.<br />fraud - Vernon Davis<br />rojo - Felix Jones<br /><br />Round 9<br />Farvebugr Scurvy - Brett Favre<br />Lions for the Win - Heath Miller<br />Il Trill - Amani Toomer<br />Columbus Claymores - Kevin Curtis<br />Sofa King Awesome - Aaron Rodgers<br />Jon Kitna's Revenge - Reggie Brown<br />MAMC Warriors - Chicago Defense<br />The Indy Surprise - Jon Kitna<br />Makin' It Rain - Donte Stallworth<br />Tropics Football - NY Giants Defense<br />fraud - Pittsburgh Defense<br />rojo - Owen Daniels<br /><br />Round 10<br />Farvebugr Scurvy - Isaac Bruce<br />Lions for the Win - Darrell Jackson<br />Il Trill - Kurt Warner<br />Columbus Claymores - Vince Young<br />Sofa King Awesome - Indianapolis Defense<br />Jon Kitna's Revenge - Ahman Green<br />MAMC Warriors - Matt Schaub<br />The Indy Surprise - Jacksonville Defense<br />Makin' It Rain - Seattle Defense<br />Tropics Football - Vincent Jackson<br />fraud - Justin Gage<br />rojo - Dallas Defense<br /><br />Round 11<br />Farvebugr Scurvy - Nick Folk<br />Lions for the Win - Chester Taylor<br />Il Trill - Derrick Mason<br />Columbus Claymores - Devin Hester<br />Sofa King Awesome - Sidney Rice<br />Jon Kitna's Revenge - Tampa Bay Defense<br />MAMC Warriors - Bryant Johnson<br />The Indy Surprise - Jabar Gaffney<br />Makin' It Rain - Tony Scheffler<br />Tropics Football - Shayne Graham<br />fraud - Chris Johnson<br />rojo - Mushin Muhammad<br /><br />Round 12<br />Farvebugr Scurvy - DJ Hackett<br />Lions for the Win - Jake Delhomme<br />Il Trill - Chris Perry<br />Columbus Claymores - Philip Rivers<br />Sofa King Awesome - Reggie Williams<br />Jon Kitna's Revenge - Jeff Garcia<br />MAMC Warriors - Justin Fargas<br />The Indy Surprise - Ahmad Bradshaw<br />Makin' It Rain - Deuce McAllister<br />Tropics Football - Deion Branch<br />fraud - Jason Campbell<br />rojo - Matt Ryan<br /><br />Round 13<br />Farvebugr Scurvy - JaMarcus Russell<br />Lions for the Win - Adam Vinatieri<br />Il Trill - Kenny Watson<br />Columbus Claymores - Benjamin Watson<br />Sofa King Awesome - Nate Kaeding<br />Jon Kitna's Revenge - Alge Crumpler<br />MAMC Warriors - Stephen Gostkowski<br />The Indy Surprise - James Hardy<br />Makin' It Rain - Bobby Engram<br />Tropics Football - Ricky Williams<br />fraud - DeSean Jackson<br />rojo - Eddie Royal<br /><br />Round 14<br />Farvebugr Scurvy - Chris Brown<br />Lions for the Win - Donald Lee<br />Il Trill - Phil Dawson<br />Columbus Claymores - Josh Scobee<br />Sofa King Awesome - Leon Washington<br />Jon Kitna's Revenge - Jason Hanson<br />MAMC Warriors - Mark Clayton<br />The Indy Surprise - Dave Olsen<br />Makin' It Rain - Jerious Norwood<br />Tropics Football - Tavaris Jackson<br />fraud - David Patten<br />rojo - Ronald Curry<br /><br />Round 15<br />Farvebugr Scurvy - Charles Ali<br />Lions for the Win - Drew Bennett<br />Il Trill - Ben Utecht<br />Columbus Claymores - Baltimore Defense<br />Sofa King Awesome - Shawn McDonald<br />Jon Kitna's Revenge - Mike Furrey<br />MAMC Warriors - Marty Booker<br />The Indy Surprise - Mason Crosby<br />Makin' It Rain - Robbie Gould<br />Tropics Football - Antwaan Randle-El<br />fraud - Rob Bironas<br />rojo - Jeff ReedLGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17101665816484904856noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8672685413706195076.post-42514716438910986172008-08-05T14:17:00.003-04:002008-08-05T14:36:54.275-04:00Pizza Hut's Plan to Decrease SalesOver the past year, Pizza Hut has launched a strategic product line, seemingly with the sole purpose of lowering ticket sales. While this assessment may seem negative, let's closely examine what they have done with 3 products:<br /><br />1. The Tuscani Pasta Line - Don't get me wrong. I love the diversity that the pasta line has brought to the PH menu. Made strictly the way Pizza Hut wants them, the Creamy Chicken Alfredo and Cheesy Mac & Bacon are outstanding. Plus, they give me a rare opportunity to use silverware. Additionally, they allow me to be creative and make different things than I normally do, such as alfredo pizzas, new marinades for wings, and other TBD recipes. But back on topic: the pasta is marketed to a family of 4 (over 3 lbs./feeds 3-4 adults), and costs $11.99 with 5 breadsticks. If everyone family of 4 orders this, we lose. Families of 4 should be ordering the Family Feast (2 med. 1 top, 5 sticks, 2 liter pop $19.99), or 2 large pizzas ($18.99 with coupon). Though the pastas are an extremely high profit item, sales are what is important to Wall Street, management, and the employees schedule.<br /><br />2. Bringing back the P'Zone - A great 1400 calorie meal for one, and sometimes shared by 2. A P'Zone costs $5.99, and 2 cost $10.99. The problem with the P'Zone is that it is not an add-on or a suggestive sell (like Hershey's dunkers or 10 WingStreet wings), it is a replacement for more expensive meal items. I seldom deliver more than 2 p'zones on an order, and it is even rarer to deliver p'zones as part of large tickets.<br /><br />3. The Pizza Mia - The other two items I mentioned were just a warm-up for this one. Seemingly targeted to large families, and sold at a mere $5.00 apiece, this product is attempting to change Pizza Hut's brand image to one that caters to the bottom rung. Instead of families ordering 2 larges, 10 wings, and cheesesticks for the mid-30's, the same family will now order $20 worth of this half-cheese, undertopped pizza. The real shame is that Pizza Hut allows this product to occupy its boxes. This pizza seriously makes the Hot 'N' Ready from Little Caesar's seem like something that a mom & pop shop in North Chicago would sell. This pizza has increased labor demands, over-occupied valuable oven space during peek times, and lowered average ticket prices, profits, and sales for Pizza Hut. I cringe every time somebody asks for this on the phone.LGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17101665816484904856noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8672685413706195076.post-4773967006145792512008-07-24T01:25:00.000-04:002008-07-24T01:49:07.777-04:00Slow NightTonight was a slow night. I could have easily handled the after 9 pm traffic single-handedly, but had another driver with me.<div><br /></div><div>I should take advantage of slow nights more than I do. Here are a few things I should do when it's slow:</div><div><ul><li>Slower nights mean excess dough. I should make pizzas with the excess dough and sell them to bars. "Hot selling" or the less PC "pimping pizzas" are the terms used to commonly describe this practice.</li><li>Set up food trades. I actually tried to with UDF and Steak & Shake. All I wanted was a stupid milkshake.</li><li>Extra cleaning tasks. (just kidding)</li><li>Clean my car. Hey, this would be a cleaning duty if I drove a company vehicle, as delivery drivers do in other countries. I shouldn't be denied the chance to do this on the clock just because my company does not provide me with a vehicle.</li></ul>But tonight, I just wanted to get my work done and go home. I have to be in just the right mood to pimp pizzas, otherwise I feel too much like a door to door vacuum salesman.</div><div><br /></div><div>On a brighter note, I posted this on TTPG today, in the topic "<a href="http://www.tipthepizzaguy.com/discussion/thread.php?num=11535&ip=1">Why do you do it?</a>":</div><div><br /></div><div>I love driving.</div><div>I love working unsupervised.</div><div>I make very good money.</div><div>I get time off when I need it and extra hours when I need them.</div><div>I get free food.</div><div>I can even trade the free food for food from other restaurants or things like oil changes.</div><div>I love listening to music and I get to pick what music is on at work.</div><div>I am out of market for all my favorite teams (Detroit/U-M), but I get to listen to them via satellite radio, which is a tax write-off.</div><div>I always have great stories to tell.</div><div>As LoneStar once said, "pizza delivery is the last great job in America".</div>LGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17101665816484904856noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8672685413706195076.post-23137842241312054152008-07-23T13:51:00.000-04:002008-07-23T14:17:43.795-04:00Blockbuster is Still in Business?As a Guitar Hero enthusiast, I have been coveting the opportunity to play Guitar Hero Aerosmith. On my way back from the gym yesterday, I turned my sweaty head to check traffic and happened to catch a Blockbuster Video location out of the corner of my eye. Although the $8.54 I spent to rent the game for 6 days seemed high, it was a great alternative to paying $50 plus tax, especially considering the way I shredded through the game, quickly beating 30 out of 31 songs on Expert. "Train Kept A Rollin'" is insanely difficult, and I have only made it 52% of the way through it. My gut tells me I will have it beat before I turn the game in.<div><br /></div><div>How is Blockbuster still in business? With so many more convenient alternatives, I wonder how they are doing it. I was the only person in that store besides the cashier, and most of their Wii games appeared to be collecting dust. Netflix is so convenient. Go to any gas station, grocery store or (soon) any fast food restaurant in Columbus, and you can rent a movie out of a machine for a buck a day. Blockbuster tried to sell me some monthly plan for $22, and I pretty much laughed. I know what real estate leases cost around that area, and I wonder how much longer they can stay open with their business model.</div><div><br /></div><div>Speaking of real estate, I noticed something on Craigslist yesterday called <a href="http://columbus.craigslist.org/swp/">"Housing Swap"</a>. I think this is a great idea, and I wish it were more popular. Take this <a href="http://columbus.craigslist.org/swp/761357081.html">ad</a> for instance. A family from New York needing to stay in Columbus for the weekend and offering up their place in Manhattan. Brilliant. More stuff like this needs to happen.</div><div><br /></div><div>Monday night stiff:</div><div>Quoted time: 45 minutes</div><div>Actual time: 23 minutes</div><div>Total: $17.00 (3 Mias on CC)</div><div>Interaction went as follows:</div><div>Me - (reads order back), Sign and total, please.</div><div>IC - (signs slip w/o totaling)</div><div>Me - Can you put a total on there please?</div><div>IC - Oh, I'm sorry, dawg. (writes in $17.00 and 0 on tip line)</div><div>Me - Is there anything I can do to serve you better?</div><div>IC - Oh naw, man. Y'all are doin' great.</div><div>Me - (about to say something else as IC slams door, writes <a href="http://www.tipthepizzaguy.com">http://www.tipthepizzaguy.com</a> on back of receipt and leaves on porch)</div><div><br /></div><div>Sometimes you just get stiffed, even when you make 2 aggressive attempts not to. Fortunately I work at a place where I will not get in trouble for leaving TTPG materials at stiffer's houses.</div>LGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17101665816484904856noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8672685413706195076.post-75175823832015853462008-07-20T23:15:00.000-04:002008-07-21T10:17:09.096-04:0015 Year FixedThere are a few non-negotiables Lindsey and I want in our next house.<div> </div><div>Her: </div><div>-A nice kitchen (according to her very specific list)</div><div>-3+ bedrooms, 2+ bathrooms</div><div>-Hilliard Schools (or comparable, but not Southwestern or Columbus city)</div><div> </div><div>Me:</div><div>-2 car garage (since I get the street right now)</div><div>-Needs nothing: As some realtor on HGTV said, a lot of young people think they want a fixer-upper, but run away when they actually see one.</div><div><br /></div><div>Additionally, it would be nice to have a good-sized yard, a large finished basement that could be converted into a projector/movie room, and walking proximity to local schools. But these would be extras.</div><div><br /></div><div> </div><div>Unfortunately, Lindsey and I live in one of the most heavily taxed areas of the country. A $200,000 house (which looks like the minimum price we will pay for this house) carries around $4,300 in annual property taxes, or $358 per month. The 30 year fixed payment on a 200k loan at 6.5% would be around $1,264, so $1,622 with taxes. Dave Ramsey says people should only have a mortgage payment of 25% of their take home pay. Lindsey and I would be in this range, but Dave says you should forget the 30 year loan even exists and only do a 15 year fixed. The problem with this, even at the lower interest rate of 5.75%, is that the monthly payment goes up to $1,661, over $2,000 with taxes. And even if we did take home over $8,000/mo, I'm not so sure I'd want a 2k mortgage payment. Right now, we're paying less than $650/mo for our condo and building up equity, albeit at a snail's pace.</div><div><br /></div><div>$98,948/$255,090</div><div>What do those numbers mean? The first one is the total interest paid in the 15 year fixed example, and the second is the total interest for the 30 year fixed example. This means that if we can sacrifice, save up $60,000 or so in a combination of equity and savings, we can get Loan A, and save over $156,000 in interest payments. Sometimes, it's frustrating to hear Dave Ramsey say "act your wage", as so few others around me do so. It's very tempting to go out and get that 30 year loan right now, as we could qualify and comfortably make the payments. However, this is the time we need to buckle down, not try to keep up with the Joneses, and live well below our means. It would be really nice to get this taken care of in the next 3 1/2 years. How amazing would it be to have a paid off house by the time our first kid graduates high school!</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div> </div>LGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17101665816484904856noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8672685413706195076.post-40400715547100581802008-07-13T05:04:00.000-04:002008-07-13T06:13:20.523-04:00Delivery: Like Running a BusinessDisclaimer: This will be a lengthy post, and it will be pretty in-depth about pizza delivery.<br /><br />Business owners are faced with tough decisions when it comes to things like cost control, equipment selection, and involvement. In my job as a delivery driver, these decisions can make the difference between running a successful $1,000/week driving "business" or a losing proposition involving $1,900 transmission repairs. And while I am currently enjoying the former and then some, I suffered the consequences of the latter in previous years.<br /><br />The two most important decisions drivers make involve which shop they will work for and their vehicle. An outsider might think a rich town like Dublin would be the best to deliver in. However, when an experienced driver breaks a city like Dublin down, it is only slight favorable compared to a ghetto shop. Let me explain: First, Dublin is a town full of 9-5ers. This makes for a very tight dinner rush and an awful late night. To be successful as a driver, late night hours must be spent on the road, not in-shop. Second, a common misconception is that rich people tip well. Rich people typically became rich by being cheap, not by tipping the pizza guy $7. Per capita, I've gotten more $1 tips from $500,000+ houses than anywhere - except the retirement home. Components of a great shop include management that allow triples and quads, slight understaffing of drivers, smooth traffic flow during rush hour, and a demographic of lower-middle to middle class. A bonus for late night traffic would be a state college campus, and having a lot of businesses in the delivery range can boost lunch traffic, which is traditionally a slow time in Pizza World.<br /><br />3 things are important to a delivery driver when it comes to a vehicle. Fuel efficiency, reliability, and comfort. The first 2 are obvious, but the 3rd can easily be overlooked. To be successful, drivers must work a lot of hours. In addition to increasing weekly income, working a lot of hours gives drivers the chance to get to know the repeat customers, which leads to a higher tip average. If a vehicle is too small, uncomfortable, or not equipped with heat/AC, the driver will not enjoy the job as much, and not want to work as many hours. I can't say anything about fuel efficiency that hasn't already been said <a href="http://www.politico.ws/photos/Mobil%20-%20Charging%20Arm%20Leg%20Nut.jpg">here</a>. An important thing to note is that only the City EPA rating is relevant to delivery drivers, as they typically spend over 90% of their driving on city streets. Reliability is extremely important to drivers. The way I see it, a driver can never go wrong with a Honda or Toyota for a delivery vehicle.<br /><br />Driving style is a big decision for pizza guys. There are three schools of thought here. One is the idea of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hypermiling">hypermiling</a> to save gas. While this is the cheapest way to drive, I personally think pizza guys who hypermile too much will save even more gas by missing out on a lot of runs. Idea #2 is the standard style of driving, what they teach you in driver's ed. This can also include slight speeding. This is basically what I do, but I would also point out that I have developed the skill to cut into traffic quickly over time. This probably gains me more time than excessive speeding ever would. The third and final idea is to excessively speed, drive very aggressively, and hope the cops see your <a href="http://www.nextlevelcustomsigns.com/v/vspfiles/photos/CT-Cartop%201-1.jpg">cartopper</a> and give you a free pass because your shop gives them free food. In the past, I have incorporated #3 into my arsenal, but I do not attempt this much any more because of the cops in Hilliard. It is very important to know about the cops in the town you are delivering. Depending on where you are, cops may be much tougher, much easier, or impartial to delivery drivers. Generally, I feel that no tip is worth a speeding ticket. While it's true that the tip is much lower than the cost of the ticket, the worst parts of a ticket are the added insurance cost and another strike toward delivery ineligibility, as determined by the shop's insurance company.<br /><br />There are a lot of additional decisions that can influence profitability:<br /><br />-Buy gas now while I'm half full or wait until tomorrow to see if it goes down more.<br />-Rent a car for $30 while my car is in the shop or give my shift to someone else/call off. (this should be an easy one for any serious delivery professional)<br />-Be frugal on expenses or buy items like <a href="http://tipthepizzaguy.com/pens/">TTPG pens</a> and dog treats to boost tips, and hope the break-even analysis works in your favor.<br />-Take the single run that's close to the shop or take the double that is further away.<br />-Confront the stiffer and risk the consequences or stand there and take your beating.<br />-On a double, take the guy who always tips $5 first or the unknown who will be late if taken second, et al. (There are very few situations where I won't give preference to the high tipper, one happened tonight when I had a known $5 tipper 27 min OTD on a 60 minute quote, and an unknown 42 min OTD on a 40 minute quote. Tough call, but I knew I would still be quite early for my good customer)<br />-Tip out cooks/managers on exceptional nights or keep it all. (see below)<br /><br />A lot of decisions that drivers make may serve no benefit at the time, but will come in handy for the future:<br /><br />-Tip out: If I have a great night, it means the inside staff worked their butts off while I cashed in. Spreading the love is not only the nice thing to do, it keeps these insiders happy to the point where it can hopefully happen again in the future. Additionally, this helps underpaid insiders to root for drivers to have good nights, instead of becoming upset that they are making significantly less money than drivers. My favorite thing to do is buy the closing insiders ice cream at <a href="http://cincinnati.reds.mlb.com/cin/images/ticketing/2007/udf_200x115.gif">UDF</a>.<br />-"Forgetting" the TTPG pen at a stiffer's house.<br />-Buying a first class stamp to send the TTPG letter to a stiffer's house.<br />-Building rapport with customers to sow the seeds for long term business relationships.<br />-Learning how to cut pizzas and make pizzas: While this doesn't seem necessary, just today I got a double that I would have missed if I didn't make pizzas. With just Grant and me as the drivers, I saw an H-10 pop up 9 minutes after a J-10 was already on there, and Grant already had his run allocated in D-9, far away from mine. I rushed the pizza in the oven, the two orders came out 4 minutes apart, and I got them both to the door in under 30 minutes, collect $6 and $4.75 tips for my efforts. The $6 was from the second order that went in. On a close-together double, the second reimbursement becomes free money, so it's like I got an extra $7.30 for knowing how to make pizzas in just that one instance. Breaks like that can mean the difference between good and bad days.<br /><br />I think I had more to say on all this, but I'm getting tired and I've already written a lot. I'm done at Pizza Hut until next Saturday. I'm going to San Antonio with the youth group this week. I will finally get to see my wife as well.LGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17101665816484904856noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8672685413706195076.post-35538762449714574532008-07-11T13:34:00.000-04:002008-07-11T14:38:51.496-04:00Income CeilingOne of the only drawbacks of my job is that it seems I have come close to reaching my income ceiling. I cannot learn the delivery range any better, as I know every street and how to get there upon seeing an address. My demeanor at the door is top notch (IMHO!), I am unparalleled at turning stiffers into tippers and turning low tippers into average tippers without being pushy (or being pushy when the situation calls for it).<br /><br />It's not that my income is too low, my income is great. I average $2.84/tip, $1.30/run from the store, and take 3.5 runs per hour. Add my wage of $7.07 over 50 hours a week, and do the math. The part that I don't like is that the opportunities to improve that are limited. As an extremely competitive person, this is very tough on me.<br /><br />"Climb the ladder"<br /><br />Assistant managers make $28k salary. 50 hours per week with no extra overtime pay. Yuck.<br /><br />General managers make around $35k salary, and can work 45-70 hours per week depending on a variety of factors. They also have an opportunity to make a quarterly bonus if they can overcome the ridiculously tremendous odds, keep labor under control, and put up with all the BS. Basically, they have to keep the store understaffed as the norm and do the work of 4 insiders themselves. No thanks. I don't want to take a pay cut just to be a pseudo-white collar employee who is under constant stress.<br /><br />Area coaches probably make around $50k, and they get all the cool perks like a car allowance. I don't know if I would want to put up with what it takes to get there, namely several years in the 2 previously described positions.<br /><br />"Get a 'real' job"<br /><br />With my 4 year business degree, I could go somewhere and make close to what I make now, with a good chance of passing it in the first few years. The problem with this is I do not think I could sit at a desk all day, I hated the ethics issues in my sales jobs, and I am vehemently opposed to a job that pays hourly/salary and pays no attention to performance. This rules out just about every job. And even if there was a job that didn't fall under this category,<br /><br />I'm spoiled. I sit in a comfortable vehicle all day. I make personal phone calls when I feel like it. I eat <a href="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2047/2234021552_662b5a4098.jpg">wings</a> and drink Diet Pepsi at my leisure, free of charge. I listen to Dave Ramsey, great stand up, NPR, Detroit sports, and the music of my choice on SIRIUS. I get scheduled during the prime hours, but still get Sundays off to enjoy with my friends and family. I can get time off whenever I need it, but seldom do because I actually enjoy and look forward to going to work. I can be rude to a stiffer, and I always get the benefit of the doubt from my boss, despite the fact that I work for a <a href="http://www.tipthepizzaguy.com/discussion/faq.htm#lexicon">Big 3</a> chain. I find it hard to give this up for the "opportunity" to waste away slowly in an office.<br /><br />"Start your own pizza place"<br /><br />This will probably be my next job. I might put in a year or so as a manager, but it surely won't be at a Big 3. For a while, I thought owning a pizza place was way too difficult. I never saw it as an option until recently, and this is mainly because of Pizza Hut's way of doing things. Like any corporation, they have a ton of paperwork, layers of management, and an abundance of rules - all things I am opposed to. After researching successful local pizza joints like Sparano's, I see that pizza shops can be pretty simple, and I know I could make it. Right now, this is not a possibility, as I have a lack of capital, a kid on the way, and uncertainty about the future of the local economy. Plus, I would be committing to Columbus for life, which I certainly am not ready to do. I think this would be an awesome way to make a living, but I want to make sure I have the capital, time, and knowledge necessary to win.<br /><br />As for now, I'll put up with well-meaning people that ask me why I don't have a 'real' job, and I'll keep trying to get that tip average and runs per hour higher.LGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17101665816484904856noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8672685413706195076.post-15293136038463651962008-07-11T00:47:00.000-04:002008-07-11T02:10:36.378-04:00Crazy Caller on Dave Ramsey ShowYesterday, a 50's/60's-ish lady called Dave Ramsey about a car dilemma. She wondered if she should trade in her paid off SUV to save money on gas. With gas obviously at record prices, and her SUV getting 16 MPG overall, the lady had the best of intentions, and wanted to save some money on gas. Dave has been getting a lot of these calls lately, but this one was quite ridiculous.<br /><br />I'm all for saving money on gas, and I think conservation is important, but two things about this call really made my jaw drop:<br /><br />1) The lady wanted to trade in her 2004 Trailblazer for a new CHEVY AVEO. Not only is the Aveo the <a href="http://a332.g.akamai.net/f/332/936/12h/www.edmunds.com/pictures/VEHICLE/2008/Chevrolet/2008.chevrolet.aveo.20120310-396x249.jpg">ugliest car on the road</a>, it has sketchy crash test ratings, poor reliability scores from Consumer Reports, and it really isn't that great on gas for its size at 26 MPG overall.<br /><br />2) The lady bought her Trailblazer new in 2004, and has put 19,000 miles on it. I'll say it again: She has put an average of 4,750 miles per year on the vehicle. Elderly lady + low miles = practically new vehicle.<br /><br />Dave Ramsey correctly told this lady off, and I was happy he did. I did some additional research on the situation, and Kelley Blue Book quotes this Trailblazer's <a href="http://www.kbb.com/KBB/UsedCars/PricingReport.aspx?YearId=2004&Mileage=19000&VehicleClass=UsedCar&ManufacturerId=9&ModelId=66&PriceType=Trade-In&VehicleId=2192&SelectionHistory=2192%7c27236%7c43221%7c0%7c0%7c84364%7ctrue%7c84401%7ctrue&Condition=Good&QuizConditions=">trade-in value </a>at $6,790. And any used car manager with a pulse will try to steal it for $5,000, even though it probably drives like new, as most cars driven 4,750 miles per year by an elderly lady would. Most people are so emotional about getting out of their SUVs that these snakes can get away with it. After taxes, document fees, and title, A new Aveo will cost around $16,000. Here is a break-even analysis of how long it will take this lady to save money on gas with her driving habits:<br /><br /> <table str="" style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 297pt;" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="395"><col style="width: 188pt;" width="250"> <col style="width: 52pt;" width="69"> <col style="width: 57pt;" width="76"> <tbody><tr style="height: 12.75pt;" height="17"> <td class="xl24" colspan="2" style="height: 12.75pt; width: 240pt;" str="Break-Even Analysis (Trailblazer vs. Aveo)" height="17" width="319"><span style=""> </span>Break-Even Analysis (Trailblazer vs. Aveo)<span style=""> </span></td> <td class="xl24" style="width: 57pt;" width="76"><br /></td> </tr> <tr style="height: 12.75pt;" height="17"> <td class="xl24" style="height: 12.75pt;" height="17"><br /></td> <td class="xl24" str="Trailblazer"><span style=""> </span>Trailblazer<span style=""> </span></td> <td class="xl24" str="Aveo"><span style=""> </span>Aveo<span style=""> </span></td> </tr> <tr style="height: 12.75pt;" height="17"> <td class="xl24" style="height: 12.75pt;" str="Fuel Economy Overall" height="17"><span style=""> </span>Fuel Economy Overall<span style=""> </span></td> <td class="xl26" num="16"><span style=""> </span>16 </td> <td class="xl26" num="26"><span style=""> </span>26 </td> </tr> <tr style="height: 12.75pt;" height="17"> <td class="xl24" style="height: 12.75pt;" height="17"><br /></td> <td class="xl24"><br /></td> <td class="xl24"><br /></td> </tr> <tr style="height: 12.75pt;" height="17"> <td class="xl24" style="height: 12.75pt;" str="Gas Costs ($4/gallon, 4750 miles per year)" height="17"><span style=""> </span>Gas Costs ($4/gallon, 4750 miles per year)<span style=""> </span></td> <td class="xl25" num="1187.5" align="right">$1,187.50 </td> <td class="xl25" num="730.77" align="right">$730.77 </td> </tr> <tr style="height: 12.75pt;" height="17"> <td class="xl24" style="height: 12.75pt;" str="Annual Gas Savings" height="17"><span style=""> </span>Annual Gas Savings<span style=""> </span></td> <td class="xl24"><br /></td> <td class="xl25" num="456.73" align="right">$456.73 </td> </tr> <tr style="height: 12.75pt;" height="17"> <td class="xl24" style="height: 12.75pt;" str="Additional Vehicle Cost" height="17"><span style=""> </span>Additional Vehicle Cost<span style=""> </span></td> <td class="xl24" num="0"><span style=""> </span>-<span style=""> </span></td> <td class="xl25" num="9210.1" align="right">$9,210.10 </td> </tr> <tr style="height: 12.75pt;" height="17"> <td class="xl24" colspan="2" style="height: 12.75pt;" str="Amount of Time needed to break even, in years" height="17"><span style=""> </span>Amount of Time needed to break even, in years<span style=""> </span></td> <td class="xl24" num="20.165305541567228" fmla="=C7/C6"><span style=""> </span>20.17 </td> </tr> </tbody></table><table str="" style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 291pt;" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="387"><col style="width: 188pt;" width="250"> <col style="width: 46pt;" width="61"> <col style="width: 57pt;" width="76"> <tbody><tr style="height: 12.75pt;" height="17"> <td class="xl24" colspan="1" style="height: 12.75pt; width: 234pt;" str="Break-Even Analysis (Trailblazer vs. Aveo)" height="17" width="311"><br /></td> </tr> <tr style="height: 12.75pt;" height="17"> <td class="xl24" colspan="1" style="height: 12.75pt;" str="Amount of Time needed to break even, in years" height="17"><br /></td> </tr> </tbody></table>It's not always the correct choice to hold on to your guzzler, but in this situation it is. The phrase "worth more to me than anyone else" is especially true for this lady. Why anyone would even think of trading in their 4x4, towing capable, roomy, comfortable, practically new SUV for a low quality, unsafe, underpowered, subcompact just so they can start saving money on gas in <span style="font-weight: bold;">September 2029</span> is beyond me.<br /><br />For the record, I put about 3,000 miles per month on my CR-V, so I am not in the market for a guzzler. However, there are unbelievable deals out there for businesses who need trucks, large families that do not drive much, and people looking for a good deal.LGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17101665816484904856noreply@blogger.com1