Diane Stresing’s Post

Quality matters, however what quality is depends on what you value. 🙋♂️ My brother & I play softball most Thursday nights. We play at two fields in Dearborn, MI. One is right across the street from this donut shop. 🍩 So, we have made it a tradition that if we play at the field across the street, after the game we are stopping for donuts! My kids in the morning are very in favor of this! 😍 So, what makes this place special? 😚 It goes back to quality! Quality = my (your) standards 🤷♂️ This place has really good donuts! 😁 1) The taste of the donuts are amazing, you know they put care into their ingredients. 2) The texture of the donuts are fluffy, you know they put care into their ingredients. With these being great donuts compared to other places, I will pay a little extra and really enjoy my experience. 💍 Now, I have an In-Law on the other-hand that feels quality is a product or service that is operated and provided at the lowest price. 😵 That can be beneficial to potentially not over-extend on spending. However that means for this hypothetical donut shop we would be going to: 1) The taste of the donuts are edible but not delicious, they cut cost to save you money! 2) The texture of the donuts are meh but not enjoyable, but hey they cut costs to save money! So, we saved a little, a couple dollars, on this experience at the expense of having to look at ourselves in the mirror after and say, "am I even happy I ate this". 🤦♂️ For the In-Law they would say, "absolutely, I enjoyed a donut today". 🤗 For me, I'd rather have a great donut and cut costs in other places that really are not providing me the return I'm wanting to receive. 🤔 So at this point, quality is the standards you expect and what you compare to other alternatives. 🤼 There is no wrong quality if it provides the outcome people are looking for. 👍 However, for the quality you receive, are you getting the equivalent value you are paying for? 👆

Packing can be quite intimidating. And, if you are #packing an entire family, it can be downright stressful. You can go out of your mind just thinking about all that needs to be done. Well, lucky for you, I compiled a list of #tips to help you pack up your home with ease. If you missed last Thursday's post, I talked about how to make your moving process more seamless and less stressful.  I talked about several ways to set up your move process before you actually take action on packing and moving.  Here are some of the tips from last week's post: Purge unwanted items, Pack a week's worth of clothing in a carry with your bag, Pack essentials for your new kitchen, Gather your important papers and carry them with you, and many more tips.  Click here if you missed it. Packing Up and Moving Tips "Before Moving" tips: If you have access to the home before you move in, clean the rooms, especially the bathrooms.  Make a list of things you want to do before you move in. Create a packing box list. See our previous post for examples. All boxes should have a lid unless you are planning on taking it with you personally. Start packing items in boxes from each room that you do not need right away. Starting with attics, basement, garages, closets, etc... will help you with this. Get rid of as much as you can.  Using paper bags with handles help with donating stuff easily to charities. Find a charity that will pick up and schedule a date for them to pick up the items you don't want to move. Click here to view a list of charities. Take pictures of all the cables in the back of TVs and entertainment centers.  Even better, label the cables and pack them in a gallon baggie. "Immediate Use" boxes tips: Pack a week's worth of clothing in a luggage. This is primarily where you are going to go for your unpacking days. Be sure to Visit the blog for more details. #sabrinasorganizing https://lnkd.in/epUiyefz #downsizingyourparents #movingchecklist #parentsmoving

Help! How can I make saving fun for my child? This week we are sharing the Credit Union’s top 3 tips: 1. Play! Turn your living room into a shop and put some price tags on every day food items, as well as fun items like toys. Give them a calculator and a set budget that they have to stick to and send them off shopping. This is great way to teach them needs versus wants. #JuniorSaversWeek #ForWishes #ForYouNotProfit

Help! How can I make saving fun for my child? This week we are sharing the Credit Union’s top 3 tips: 1. Play! Turn your living room into a shop and put some price tags on every day food items, as well as fun items like toys. Give them a calculator and a set budget that they have to stick to and send them off shopping. This is great way to teach them needs versus wants. #JuniorSaversWeek #ForWishes #ForYouNotProfit

Help! How can I make saving fun for my child? This week we are sharing the Credit Union’s top 3 tips: 1. Play! Turn your living room into a shop and put some price tags on every day food items, as well as fun items like toys. Give them a calculator and a set budget that they have to stick to and send them off shopping. This is great way to teach them needs versus wants. #JuniorSaversWeek #ForWishes #ForYouNotProfit

🎂 We just had our little girl's birthday party with some of her classmates. Here are the costs…. 🎀 Event rental: $38/kid + taxes and tip. The total for 9 kids is $450. You can save money by having it at a park or your home. 🍇 Food—We made our own fruit and veggie tray with chips and juice boxes. The total cost was $50 (it could be much more if you are ordering out or letting the venue provide). 🛍️ Goodie bags - Small items from the dollar store for $7/kid. Total $63 🎁 Present - We usually only get one medium-priced gift - A total of $70 🎈 Balloons - We skipped helium balloons, which can cost $40. 🧁 Cake—We made muffins and let the girls decorate them. The total cost was $20. Store-bought cakes vary significantly in price. 🤑 Total: $693. Budgeting $40-$60 per attending child is a reasonable estimate when planning for a birthday party. 🤷♂️ What other costs did I miss or have you seen? #budget #birthdayparty

Despite its "donate" messaging, Savers Value Village (NYSE: SVV) is a private company that last traded at US$16.70. Its e-mail subscriptions regularly send discount codes. "Jennifer* worked at a Value Village in Atlantic Canada in the summer of 2023" "When asked about the company’s standard cleaning procedure, Jennifer responded, “Whoever told you there was a standard cleaning procedure? We did have a spray bottle of cleaner and a rag. They were mainly used to clean the table at the end of our shift. Clothes are not washed, pockets are not searched, and items are not cleaned,” she added" "According to Jennifer, Value Village supports charities by buying products by weight; items are listed at a higher cost, and unwanted items are sold to other countries" "Despite her experience as an employee, Jennifer said she still shops there" "I wouldn’t work there again": Former Value Village employee speaks out about her experience, https://lnkd.in/gqr2Ecv4 Savers Value Village, Inc. (SVV) Stock Price, News, Quote & History - Yahoo Finance https://lnkd.in/gMD9_vUe

"Donut" underestimate a well chosen gift on this #NationalDoughnutDay! One of the best ways to appreciate your team members and clients is to offer them an experience they will remember for years. So why not gift them these classy Donut DIY kits? They will have a finger-lickingly delicious time and will appreciate the extra cotton tote bag and the beautiful red or black apron decorated with your logo. Would you like to hear other ideas on how to gift an experience to your team and clients? DM us for more inspiration! #gifting #experiencemarketing #DIYgifts #DIYgiftkits

Check out these tea towels that are imprinted with your custom design with shapes that are outlined so kids (or adults) can color them in with fabric markers (provided by you or bought by the "artists"). Think about these imprinted with holiday-themed designs...perfect for Sunday schools or religious organizations to use in class or daycare for the kids to give as gifts to parents or grandparents; or sell them as a fundraiser. A school, youth club or team can imprint them with a design created by one of their own or a design themed to their group as a fundraising project. https://lnkd.in/gN_xRjVJ Let us know how we can help with your branded product needs. #promotionalproducts #brandedproducts #brandedtowels

I stand in the que of a unique and vibrant local food service store and look around, soon to be lost to the community, it feels different, something has changed in the past few weeks since my arrival in what was a small rural Otago town, now bustling with growth, imminent closure looms,  I ask if there is any not “not” closing and the woman at the counter gave an emotional response, all hope is lost, nothing more to do, 10th January she says, the CEO has been, we talk some more, the guy in South Africa likely doesn’t even know, I notice the sad little donation pig, written in black marker “Staff End of Med Market Party”. I am curious, hidden behind the veneer of the “Mediterranean Market” is a global corporation, its website talks about vison and values, of corporate strategy, of its customers on a global scale, of acquisitions and its people. If I would have it a guess, I would say the lease is up, much waxing and waning, this store simply does not fit, no room for growth year on year, not our core business, on a global scale, not significant, only 30 people after all, they have been consulted. A step too far, a legacy acquisition in 2006, our customer is not the customers customer, we are a wholesaler, you can apply online. What if this store didn’t have to fit, what if it simply had to pay its way, what if your people could experience your valued customers customers, what if they could be immersed in the end to end value chain, what if managers and valued staff from around the globe came to this place, what if the store actively engaged and shared culinary experiences, what if this place became a centre of excellence, a corporate destination, what if you dabbled on the fringes of the corporate box, the place where magic happens, what if I followed up on my promise to email the CEO, what if not “not in a position to change our proposal” became a conversation, a revelation of an opportunity lost. Full disclosure I have no vested interest, I spent $34 in store, four items were 50% off, I am savvy enough to know the difference between best before and expired, been back again today for bagels, the little donation pig looks back at me, these things are complex, new to town and soon to be looking for a new bagel shop, perhaps in the prime consented development opportunity down the road where consumers live. #bidfood #bidcorpgroup https://lnkd.in/ggXaMEam