Out and About – Week of November 28th

Now that Thanksgiving is in the history books for this year, it’s time to get started on the Christmas shopping. Most of the time our shopping adventures go smoothly, but every so often, we hit a speed-bump and need to deal with someone in Customer Service. Should that happen, you might want to check out some of these suggestions so that your visit comes out in your favor.

Get prepped before contacting customer service. Gather the necessary paperwork such as your order number, account number, date of purchase, and if there is a warranty, have that with you. If you are dealing with a certain appliance, have the serial number.
Visiting time is important. Not a good idea to show up at the store just before closing. You’re better off seeing a customer service representative just after the store opens. Customer Service has not had a chance to get busy with other problems. Friday afternoon is not a good time.
Save the packaging. Some merchants won’t take items back unless you have all of the original packaging materials.
Start the return process right away for large appliances and electronics. Some merchants allow only forty-eight hours for you to return an item.
Shop local when possible. Smaller shops often have better customer service than national chains, because the owners may have more flexibility to bend the return policy or make other arrangements to help you.
When it comes to showering, there seems to be a lot of debate about how often you should do it. Some say you should shower every day, while others say that every other day is sufficient. A lot depends on the season, I suppose. During the hot and humid summer, you might want to shower more than once a day, depending on how much you perspire. A shower after working out, or doing something strenuous like mowing the lawn, feels quite refreshing. Some take a bath rather than taking a shower. This is entirely up to the individual. I don’t care to sit in my own dirty water, but that’s me.

There are benefits to showering. A shower can help to improve your mood and mental state. The hot water relaxes the muscles and can be helpful if you suffer from tension headaches. In addition, taking a shower in the morning can help wake you up and make you feel more alert. Showers can also be beneficial for your skin. The steam from a hot shower opens up your pores and helps to remove dirt and toxins. Finally, regular showers can help to improve your circulation and boost your immune system. On a personal note, it feels great to let the hot water beat on my back. I’ve never been a fan of cold showers.

Here are just two reasons to shower every other day, rather than every day:

Keeps your skin’s natural oils. Showering too often can strip away the natural oils that protect your skin, which may lead to dryness and irritation.
Increase hair health and growth. Every time you wash your hair, you strip it of its natural oils, which can lead to dryness and breakage. By giving your hair a chance to produce its own oils, you can improve its overall health and when you expose your hair to water daily, the follicles can become damaged, leading to slower growth.
I’ll have more information in a week later on showering techniques.

See you Out and About!

Submitted by Norm Stutesman