Manners for the Modern-Day Woman

FIVE TIPS FOR STAYING OFF CO-WORKERS’ NERVES Be More Jim and Less Dwight

Much like the television show, The Office, one can get on a co-worker’s nerves by being thoughtless. No one wants that to happen to them, so here are five suggestions for being a good colleague at work.

• Don’t microwave smelly foods at work. I once worked with an English lady who microwaved a plateful of kippers at the office. No one could look at fish – or her – for a month. If you must eat something smelly at work, prepare it at home and try to eat in a more secluded area. Better yet, consider enjoying more fragrant things at lunch such as bananas, edible flowers and Earl Grey tea.

• Refrain from sending frou-frou emails. Emails saying only “Thank you!” or “:)” are ghastly and will win you no friends among the co-workers who find them jamming their email inboxes. On a related note, sending business texts should be limited to one hour prior to the start of the workday and two hours after close of business. state of mind, including lack of eye contact and vague replies. Above all, don’t gossip.

And always remember, dear hearts, a good day is a well-mannered day. ■

• Use care when eating grape tomatoes. A friend once bit down on one during a business lunch and squirted me right in the eye.

• Don’t be late for meetings. While one should not be late for work ever, being late for meetings disrupts others and can be an even poorer reflection on you. As I always say, “When you’re on time, no one notices; when you’re late, everyone notices.” According to townandcountrymag.com, one should strive for two minutes of advance notice for every minute you expect to be late. So, if you expect to be 10 minutes late, try to give 20 minutes notice. This spares everyone from dashing off to the meeting to learn that the bad news is your late, but the good news is they now have plenty of time to talk about you.

• Don’t be a Chatty Cathy (or a Chatty Charlie). Most of us enjoy a good conversationalist, but no one wants their ears chewed. Try to keep chitchat brief and limited to casual places in the office such as the water cooler or kitchen and watch for clues to your co-worker’s

YOURS, Phyllis

Teece Aronin is a writer and career coach. She works with individuals from all walks of life, including people with disabilities and career-changers. Contact her at teecearonin8 @gmail.com, and read her blog, Chipped Demitasse, at chippeddemitasse.blogspot.com.

MEET LIKE A LOCAL

Michigan’s Capital City offers unique event space, premium lodging and oneof-a-kind dining and entertainment options all served up in an environment that somehow feels just like home. It’s time to take another look at Greater Lansing, Michigan. When you do, we promise, you’re going to love it like a local.

ALL YOUR FRIENDS ARE DOING IT, SHOULD YOU? BY MISTY GAUTZ

The concept behind leasing is that you are basically renting the vehicle for 2-3 years. Unlike buying, your monthly payment is not determined by the full purchase cost of the vehicle. It’s nice to have that new car feeling every few years, isn’t it? After a few years, it can be so convenient to just turn the car back in after it starts to age a little. Or, if it’s the perfect car, you may decide to keep it and buy it for the lease-end value. This gives you the chance to decide if this is the vehicle, you’d like to have in the driveway for the next five years, or if it is time to switch to something that fits your needs better.

Leasing generally results in lower maintenance and repair costs, and you are not investing in something that is depreciating in value. Leasing also limits your risk of financial exposure. We all know not to buy a vehicle with an accident reported on its Carfax.

If you happen to have an accident in your leased car, you have it repaired as usual but get to turn it in at the end of the lease. This means you are not taking the financial depreciation of that accident on the value of your vehicle. Also, be aware that if your car is totaled in an accident before the end of your lease, you may be liable for additional costs not covered by your car insurance unless the lease includes gap insurance to cover any deficit. Most

lease companies include this in your lease, so check with them before you sign on a lease. On top of all that, your down payment and monthly payment will probably be less than if you decide to purchase a vehicle.

But Misty, I don’t want to pay all those mileage fees …

When you sign your lease, you have quite a few different options of mileage choices you can selectsometimes even up to 30,000 miles per year. If you make sure your lease is structured correctly you won’t have to worry about unexpected fees in the end.

But Misty, I like to own my cars …

Most of us need to take out an auto loan in order to purchase our vehicles. 83% of Americans have a payment on the car they are driving, and 51% of those people trade in their cars before they are paid off. This means they could end up in a situation where they owe much more on their car than what it is worth, so they’re stuck with it. Leasing helps you avoid this by only paying for what you’re driving.

But Misty, I don’t want to worry about a big bill for damages at the end of my lease … Yes, you are responsible for any excess wear and tear charges at the end of your lease. But most manufacturers have a generous policy for what is considered normal wear and tear. So that little scratch from your kid’s bike or that small coffee stain on the seat won’t affect you. If you are still concerned, all manufacturers offer a protection plan that will waive wear and tear charges, usually up to $5,000 in damages.

Most experts agree that the cost of buying and leasing is about the same for the first few years. There won’t be many repair costs and the various fees and insurance costs come out to about the same. The difference starts after the new car is paid off. Will you have your car for a few years after your average six year car loan is paid off? If so, it typically makes sense to buy the car rather than lease. Check with car review publications to make sure that the car you want will last beyond the years for which you’re financing it. If not, leasing would be the best choice for you.

Buying versus leasing is not exactly a black and white decision. Both leasing and buying have their advantages and disadvantages, just like renting versus buying a house.

THANK YOU

Lexus of Lansing’s first ever Women Empowering Women event was a huge success. We want to thank everyone for coming and making it such a fun night! We look forward to continuing to build relationships with the wonderful women in the Lansing community. Keep an eye out for our next event coming this summer.