The reading of tarot cards has been around for centuries. Today they are read by people from all walks of life and all educational, socioeconomic and religious backgrounds. The reading of tarot cards takes place in private homes, at parties, at festivals, in college dorm rooms and in the offices of psychics. Reading tarot cards is both a fun activity and a serious inquiry into one's life journey.
Reading tarot cards is an activity that combines random choice with informed interpretation. The person receiving a reading chooses a number of cards from the deck. The number is dependent on the kind of reading taking place. The choice is believed to be guided by an inner energy - a subconscious level of knowing that the conscious mind can not recognize. The reader then, interprets the symbols on the chosen cards to reveal significant insight to the recipient.
Reading tarot cards has become popular again in the last few decades in modern mainstream culture. It is easy to find a psychic in any community - large or small -0 where you can schedule a private reading. These can cost anywhere from $30.00 to $100.00 and usually last about an hour. In a private session like this, you are free to ask questions that probe deeper into the meaning of the symbols on the cards and find more specific relevance to the circumstances in your life at the time of the reading.
Tarot card readings are also readily available at summer and fall festivals across the country. You can buy barbeque chicken, handmade jewelry, and get your tarot cards read all in an afternoon stroll. These readings cost between $5.00 and $20.00 and usually last no more than 20 minutes. This is because they take place outside, under a canopy, and there is usually a line of people waiting their turn. Though less intimate than a private reading in an office, the insight revealed by the symbols is no less meaningful to the recipient. Even at a crowded festival, the cards can speak volumes through a skilled interpreter.
Reading tarot cards is something you can also learn to do yourself. There are books, online courses, home-study guides, and physical schools where you can gain the necessary information. More than a commitment to study, becoming skilled at reading tarot cards requires practice most of all. The more you do it, the better you become at intuiting meanings which is really what makes the difference between a good and an excellent reader.
I learned the serious art of saving money on power tools from the friendly woodworkers at the WoodNet and FamilyWoodworking forums. I asked both forums recently about the best deals they'd ever gotten on power tools.
These are serious woodworkers and they are downright professional when it comes to getting good deals.
As they told their stories about near-criminal discounts certain patterns began to emerge, certain strategies for getting great prices that every deal-hungry power tool shopper should know about.
So if you're ready to get serious about saving money on power tools here are the top ten tactics I learned from the guys at WoodNet and FamilyWoodworking:
1) vigilance. Getting power tool prices you can gloat about means you have to be ever alert!
I suggest first and foremost that you monitor these three forums, none of which we're affiliated with commercially - www(dot)woodnet(dot)net, www(dot)familywoodworking(dot)org/ and www(dot)sawmillcreek(dot)com/.
FamilyWoodworking has an actual "hot deals" section. The other two don't and you'll have to stumble upon them, though they're usually found in areas where the most woodworkers have congregated.
You'll find some of the friendliest, funniest woodworkers you'll ever meet in these forums, and you might just stumble across deals you can gloat about. Be sure to POST DEALS you find to these forums!
Any unwritten quirks or kinks that Amazon's deals have, such as the fact that the recent 20% off code (2OOFFPTA) for blades, bits and dadoes also applied to router lift, will show up in forums first before they get 'fixed' by Amazon.
2) timing is everything. move fast. Here's a limited time deal for example - Amazon recently offered free certificates to folks buying DeWALT, Black & Decker, Porter-Cable or Delta products:
- Purchase between $150 and $299 and get $25 off a future purchase. - Purchase $300 or more and get $50 off a future purchase.
Many deals that show up don't last long. This ties back into vigilance and watching forums like a hawk. Sounds like work doesn't it? That's what makes woodworkers gloat so much ;)
3) rebates. Another great way to get the power tool price gloat is to hunt for REBATES.
Right now Delta's offering a number of rebates on certain items through Amazon.
If there's a tool you're serious about you're more likely to get that sweet price gloat feeling if you read the forums, read my blog, check the tool's Amazon profile page and look at the tool manufacturer's site for REBATES.
Look closely and be sure to follow up on your rebates! Companies aren't going to track you down and force their money back on you. Go get it!
4) reconditioned power tools. Woodworkers are sometimes mixed about reconditioned power tools. The truth is that sometimes when you get them home you realize that they weren't reconditioned all the way back to 'LIKE NEW.'
Then again, more often than not they are like new. And when they're not you can return them because from Amazon they come with a warranty (be sure to read the next tip regarding customer service).
I know many woodworkers who SWEAR by reconditioned tools. The price discounts are DEEP, usually in the neighborhood of 40-60%. And in most cases these tools are checked more closely than NEW TOOLS coming straight off the assembly line.
If you can stand the chance that you'll have to return it then you'll pretty well guarantee price gloat on a regular basis with reconditioned power tools.
5) make friends with customer service. What? Your new planer has a dent in it out of the box? CALL CUSTOMER SERVICE.
What? Your order is two days late? CALL CUSTOMER SERVICE.
Amazon toll-free in the US and Canada: (800) 201-7575 Amazon from outside the US and Canada: (206) 346-2992 or (206)-266-2992 Another Amazon direct line: (206) 266-2335 Amazon's rebate center: 1-866-348-2492
Another noted method - from WoodNet - is sending an email to get a phone call back. Here's the Amazon login page for customer service if you want to start with an email instead of a phone call.
I'm not suggesting that you look for ways to abuse this, but rather that you get what you have paid your hard earned money for.
Many stories in the forums that involve saving lots of money include a phone call to Amazon's customer service with legitimate complaints regarding shipments and damages to products received.
6) the price match guarantee Amazon offers a 110% price match guarantee. This is not the first choice of serious power tool price gloaters, but it's great if you've got to get a tool or part and there's no rebates or other deals available.
Many restrictions apply - it's mostly obvious stuff though, stuff such as - it doesn't apply to refurbished tools you find elsewhere and it doesn't apply to typos you find elsewhere.
If you've tracked down a lower price you'd like Amazon to match first check out their Price Matching Guidelines and then call them at (866) 876-8073.
7) buy now if you'll use it later Blades and bits. Clamps. Routers. Drills. If someone points you to an incredible deal on something that you regularly use up or burn out - GET IT!
Not only will you get the immediate gloat but you'll have a stock pile of items you use up regularly at a great price. That's smart wood shop economics.
8) free shipping For one, there's a deal on free shipping from Amazon right now through the 14th of February. It's only for some stationary and benchtop woodworking tools, but hey, they cost a BUNDLE to ship.
Click here to see all the stationary and benchtop woodworking tools with free standard shipping from Amazon through February 14th.
Then of course there's Super Saver Shipping. It's good for free shipping on certain products over 25$. Check and check again to see if the power tools you're shopping for have free shipping. Depending on the size of the tool this could save you hundreds of dollars.
9) the 30 day price drop refund guarantee For SOME crazy reason ;) Amazon's not in a hurry to tell you when you qualify for their 30 day price drop refund.
Here's how it works:
1. login to Your Account on Amazon. 2. click on the items in your 'items ordered' invoice to see if the price has gone down below what you paid. 3. if a price has dropped since you purchased it copy your order number and go to the Return and Refunds Contact Form. 4. in that form you may see the price drop item. If not you must paste your oder number into the 'Other' box 5. write in the comments form that you'd like a refund
This is great insurance for the bargain shopper who's forced into making a snap decision on a power tool. And hey, you may actually have money waiting for you in your account right now!
10) the 30$ credit card discount This is a one-time discount when you sign up for your Amazon credit card. Nothing crazy, just 30 cold ones for you, but if used at the right time it could push you over the ledge into ultimate gloat ;)
Bonus Tips: Shopping for Power Tools at Brick and Mortar Stores 1) Vigilance still applies - look discount tables over like a hawk. There's no telling what treasures could be there.
2) Have a strong general knowledge of what power tools go for. Unless you have a mobile device you're not going to know for sure, so it PAYS to know going prices of power tools you're considering for your shop.
3) Always ask about prices - especially if it's hundreds of dollars off. 9 times out of 10 managers will honor the mistake their store made so make sure you're the first in line if you find incredible mistakes in stores.
4) Price matching often applies. Bring in proof of prices and be firm about getting your discount.
5) Make low ball offers once you're talking with managers. You never know until you ask. Especially for close outs and display items. The worst they can say is no, so ASK FOR A LOWER PRICE!
Both Charlie Reese & Garrett French are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.