As I go through life, I sometimes feel a little obsessive compulsive about checklists. I feel like I live with lists…shopping lists, things to do lists, Christmas gift lists, a generic packing list…even my OWN Evacuation Check List. Yes, don’t judge me…I moved to Florida during a really bad hurricane season and amidst the panic made a checklist to ease my panic. It TOTALLY worked. Well, on tonight’s NEW “Ask Oprah’s All Stars” on the Oprah Winfrey Net, some of our favorite experts added a few more lists to my list. Here is some of their advice and suggestions on a whole range of topics…and a little bit of my take on them.
To Tip or Not to Tip – No-Tip Tre came to our experts to talk about his bad attitude and reasoning behind not tipping…ever. With a little “tip education” from the All Stars and a day at CPK, hopefully, he’s changed his ways. Here is what you need to keep in mind to make sure that your “Tip Karma” doesn’t come back to you in a bad way. First, people that are servers make BELOW minimum wage. BELOW people…like in the $2.25 an hour. (Plus, I think servers also have to PAY taxes on 8.5% of their total gross sales) so don’t be a bad tipper. “It’s a big part of their income,” Dr. Phil reminds us. Just don’t do it.
Tipping Checklist:
- Wait Service: 15-20%
- Take Out: No Obligation (10% extra service)
- Home Deliver: 10-15%
- Bartender: $1-2 a drink or 15% of the tab
- Tipping Jars: No Obligation
- Valet: $2-5
Tip when you get good service people…it’s the right thing to do. Tip Etiquette: 15-20% dine in, 10% delivery, no obligation to tip for takeout.
A Disciplined United Front – “If you are divorced, you and your ex need to be consistent,” Dr. Phil tells us. Here is his simple, but important checklist. Do it for the kids…because you love them.
Divorced Parenting Checklist
- Be consistent: Have the SAME Rules, Discipline and Schedule in each house
- Discuss important issues: Medical, Education, Financial with each other
- Handle disagreements with you ex in a way that shows respect, keep talking, don’t sweat the small stuff and compromise.
What if? Bankruptcy Knowledge – “When you owe as much as you make” is the guideline that Suze gives us for those thinking of bankruptcy and reminds us that “Student loan debt cannot be included.” Here’s a quick checklist…
Bankruptcy Checklist
- Contact a Non-Profit Credit Counseling Service
- Do you Meet the “Means Test”
- List Income and Debt
- Review Alternatives
- Consult a Bankruptcy Attorney
Taking Heart About Heart Disease – Dr. Oz talks about the most important things to remember to lower your risk of heart disease. This may be the most important checklist of your life.
Heart Disease Numbers to Look for Checklist:
- Total Cholesterol < 100
- HDL Cholesterol > 50
- Tryglycerides < 150
Heart Disease Risk Factor Checklist
- High Lipids
- High Blood Pressure – #1 reason that is preventable
- Diabetes and Pre-Diabetes
- Obesity
- Smoking
Heart Attack Symptoms Checklist
- Discomfort can be in your Chest, Back, Arm or Jaw
- Shortness of Breath
- Rapid Heart Beat
- Dizziness
- Sweating, Nausea & Heartburn
- Unusual Fatigue
Playing with Cards and Suze’s Rules – “How many credit cards should I have,” asks a viewer of Suze. Here is her ultimate response and checklist…time to take out the scissors and make some plastic confetti.
Credit Card Checklist
- One One
- Pay in Full Every Month (If you don’t, you are already in credit card trouble)
- Credit Union Credit Card – Cards at a Credit Union, by law, can not charge you more than 18% interest.
- Know your Debit Card Fees
- Department Store Cards – Fees are usually higher. You don’t need them.
To Spank or Not to Spank? – Dr. Phil helps Ashley and any parents who need a little advice and help on parenting. Here is some advice that could not just change your life, but future generations as well. “Spanking confuses the child and it teaches them nothing,” Dr. Phil explains. “You love them, you tell them you love them, then all of a sudden you inflict physical pain on them…this confuses them.” Here is a parenting checklist to help.
Disciplining Checklist
- Commit Yourself
- Give Predictable Consequences
- Be Realistic in your Expectations
- Define your Childs Currency
- Use Child Level logic
Taking a break from your Cell Phone – Dr. Oz has some great advice on cell phone safety guidelines. Time to put the phones away…or at least far enough away for it to be a safe distance. For me, this is not as hard as it appears…since most of the time, I set the darn thing down and can’t find it. I think I call myself more than anyone else! Anyway, here’s some new things to keep in mind with keeping up with technology.
Cell Phone Safety Checklist
- Use corded handset or speakerphone
- Don’t wear wireless headset when not in use. They are antennas and still receiving energy.
- Don’t chat with poor signal
- Keep phone at a distance when possible
- Move the phone away from your bed – Every inch you move your phone away from you dramatically reduces the effect of that radio frequency on your body.
- Men, don’t have your phone in your pocket. This reduces your sperm count.
Having a Mid-Life Financial Crisis? – Suze response to a couple about overspending…and what kind of checklist can help you take back your life.
Mid-Life Money Checklist:
- Get Rid of Debt
- Have an 8 month Emergency Fund
- Fund 401K to Maximum
- Don’t make money decisions emotionally. Change your mindset and attitude. Find your personal power.
Will You Marry Me? Now What…. After the question is popped, where do you go from there? Here are a few things to keep in mind for both the relationship and your life.
Ultimate Marriage Checklist:
- Plan for the marriage, not just the wedding
- Have reasonable expectations
- Create a stong foundation
- Communicate at a mature level
- Be patient and willing to make sacrifices
- Learn to fight fair
- Consider a prenuptial agreement
- and…Lubrication (don’t ask…you just have to the All Stars Episode to understand)
I Wanna LIVE! – 100 years is a great thing! So, with a little Oprah expert advice, maybe we will all make it a little bit closer to that magic number. Here is the ULTIMATE checklist …
How to live to be 100 Checklist
- Train yourself to balance better. Balance is key to longevity and wellness.
- Calories – start now by eating 15% less calories
- Strengthen your bones
- Sleep 7-8 hours a night
- Walk 30 minutes a day – get breathy!
- Find a de-stressing technique that works for YOU!
- Foods – #1 food – broccoli, eggs, red foods, colorful foods, and blue berries = brain berries
- Stay out of debt
- Own your own home
- Own your cars
- Get long term care insurance
- FIND your Passion. Dr. Phil tells us, “If you don’t have a reason to live and get excited about being alive, you will turn gray inside and out. Find something that lights you up. It will keep you young. It will keep you moving. You’ve got to find a reason to get up in the morning!”
Ultimate Checklists to add to your OWN. Like a classroom full of tid-bits to take away. Now, I’m going to work on that 7 to 8 hours of sleep a night…because 100 may be a LONG way away…but everyone needs a goal. Thanks ALL Stars for bringing the bite size bits of information to digest into our daily lives. Now, I can mark this show off today’s checklist. Cha-check!