Police call them Hugger-Muggers. Very friendly - pat on the back, even a big hug, and "Hey Mate! How's it going?" Just as you depart a pub, coffeehouse, or bar late evening. Meanwhile, the accomplice picks your purse or pocket, empties your wallet, and drops it on the sidewalk behind you.
Coordinated thievery, without the slightest signal between hugger and accompanying mugger.
Attention Road Warrioress! Women are prime targets! Top items sought: cash and credit cards from purse or wallet, cell phones, and small electronics.
Primary venues: London - especially Camden and Westminster; Stockholm. Most commonly late evening or night. Don't expect this type of crime to be limited to these two cities or this time of day for long. Just because there's a sharp rise in police reports from these two cities in particular does not mean this is simply a "local phenomenon." It can happen anywhere anytime.
Safety Tips & Prevention:
* Don't let strangers "hug" or touch you. Stop them! They'll try to lead a merry dance around you. Evade and speak loudly enough for passersby to hear: "No! Get away from me!" or "Don't touch me! I don't know you!"
* Wear your shoulder bag strapped diagonally around your neck and under your arm, then slide the bag toward the front of your body. Keep your forearm along the top of the bag with your hand gripping the strap.
* Use a security-cabled bag. Use tiny luggage locks. Secure the phone - don't keep it in an open pocket without Velcro or zipper close. Anything to slow them down! Make things more troublesome for the pickpocket, Hugger-Mugger, or other assorted villain.
* Keep ID, credit cards, and other valuables in a hidden body belt or bra bag which attaches securely to clothing. Use the interior pocket of your jacket, then zip up both pocket and jacket to prevent a hand sneaking in. Stitch up an extra interior pocket inside your jeans.
May your road rise to meet you - and may you remain safe along the road!
Ann
Showing posts with label credit cards. Show all posts
Showing posts with label credit cards. Show all posts
Monday, May 13, 2013
Friday, July 13, 2012
What's Your ROI on Hotel Rewards Programs?
I spent the afternoon checking up on my various hotel rewards programs, and I'm not too happy! E.g. Hilton Honors - despite following up a few times after my last stay at a Hilton, I never got any points posted to my account. Ticked me off enough that I have not stayed in any Hilton since. It's been at least 2-3 years.
Starwood Preferred Guest (spg.com) I had not checked up on for awhile. Silly me! Especially after spending a small fortune (at least to me) on my last 2-night stay. Got my points, no problem. But when I started digging into details on redeeming awards, I found the same hotel where I last stayed requires 7,000 points for one free night. At a mere 2 points per dollar spent, that means spending $3500 to get a free night, when their coupon-book rate on weekends is just $79.00, and regular rate is around $119. Even the program's elite members merely get 3 points per dollar. That really amounts to such a negligible payout that it is hardly worth the bother.
Wyndham has me royally ticked! I spent quite a few nights in various member hotels on a long trip last winter, and not one point accrued to my account. Yet I know I gave my membership number to each of those hotels. Gross incompetence on their part is the only reason I can come up with. Gross neglect on my part for failing to check up on them immediately after each & every stay.
Moral of that story: Check up on your hotel & airline programs religiously! However, even that does not always work, as witnessed with Hilton.
However, I have one that seems to be working pretty well. Red Roof Redi-Card! The chain is really quite modest, but so far, always clean, decent condition, friendly front desk staff. Far from luxury, but perfectly acceptable. They're good on all the basics, and sometimes that's all you need or want. The ROI on their Redi-Card program is worth checking out! You get 10 points per dollar spent, and 6000 points (expenditure of $600) results in a free night. Return on your investment comes out a bit over 10% using room rates of, typically, $60 and up. Sounds like this organization really wants its customers to keep coming back! I love luxury (who doesn't?!), but cleanliness, courtesy, and just keeping everything - including the rewards accounting - straight do count for a lot.
Better a very modest but well managed hotel, nice people at the desk, and such than high bills and nothing to show for it.
Check your rewards programs if you have not done so recently. Really investigate their program - surprises can come up with a little serious digging through the website. E.g. finding out which "category," therefore points-cost for a reward, a particular hotel falls within can take some research on the spg.com website.
To make these reward programs pay off better than bargain coupon-book rates or last-minute "fire sale" bookings, you need to make your money do double- or triple- or quadruple-duty. Check out your credit cards to see if you get cash back on what you spend. Or whether you can get airline miles or free hotel nights through your credit card as well as your hotel/airline rewards program.
Got any more ideas for maxing your money? Tell, tell!
May your road rise to meet you!
Ann
Starwood Preferred Guest (spg.com) I had not checked up on for awhile. Silly me! Especially after spending a small fortune (at least to me) on my last 2-night stay. Got my points, no problem. But when I started digging into details on redeeming awards, I found the same hotel where I last stayed requires 7,000 points for one free night. At a mere 2 points per dollar spent, that means spending $3500 to get a free night, when their coupon-book rate on weekends is just $79.00, and regular rate is around $119. Even the program's elite members merely get 3 points per dollar. That really amounts to such a negligible payout that it is hardly worth the bother.
Wyndham has me royally ticked! I spent quite a few nights in various member hotels on a long trip last winter, and not one point accrued to my account. Yet I know I gave my membership number to each of those hotels. Gross incompetence on their part is the only reason I can come up with. Gross neglect on my part for failing to check up on them immediately after each & every stay.
Moral of that story: Check up on your hotel & airline programs religiously! However, even that does not always work, as witnessed with Hilton.
However, I have one that seems to be working pretty well. Red Roof Redi-Card! The chain is really quite modest, but so far, always clean, decent condition, friendly front desk staff. Far from luxury, but perfectly acceptable. They're good on all the basics, and sometimes that's all you need or want. The ROI on their Redi-Card program is worth checking out! You get 10 points per dollar spent, and 6000 points (expenditure of $600) results in a free night. Return on your investment comes out a bit over 10% using room rates of, typically, $60 and up. Sounds like this organization really wants its customers to keep coming back! I love luxury (who doesn't?!), but cleanliness, courtesy, and just keeping everything - including the rewards accounting - straight do count for a lot.
Better a very modest but well managed hotel, nice people at the desk, and such than high bills and nothing to show for it.
Check your rewards programs if you have not done so recently. Really investigate their program - surprises can come up with a little serious digging through the website. E.g. finding out which "category," therefore points-cost for a reward, a particular hotel falls within can take some research on the spg.com website.
To make these reward programs pay off better than bargain coupon-book rates or last-minute "fire sale" bookings, you need to make your money do double- or triple- or quadruple-duty. Check out your credit cards to see if you get cash back on what you spend. Or whether you can get airline miles or free hotel nights through your credit card as well as your hotel/airline rewards program.
Got any more ideas for maxing your money? Tell, tell!
May your road rise to meet you!
Ann
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)