Remembering Businesses to Rate!

Having a hard time thinking of businesses to rate? No problem! Take a look at some of the places other Check a Biz members look to spark their memories. 

• Online Bank Statements/Checkbook 
  Quickly see the places (and dates) where you've spent money. This is the easiest way to see a history of your spending. Just go down the list and pick the places you want to rate!
• Look Around Your House
  Try to remember when/where/why you bought all those groceries, gadgets and golf clubs that are sitting around your home.  Services performed on your home (electricians, handyman services, landscapers, etc.) are commonly overlooked purchases, as are car-related purchases (e.g. oil changes, car washes, gas fill-ups, etc.)
• Write It Down!
  More and more people have smart phones with writing capabilites on them. Why not use that device to log the businesses you use by writing a note to yourself? Heck, you could text yourself or even snap a picture!  This recommendation comes courtesy of Peanut33. Thanks!
• Major Purchases
  Purchases such as homes, cars, home appliances (refrigerators, washers, dryers, dishwashers, etc), major automotive services, wedding gifts and so forth are great businesses to write reviews about.
• Check out the Check a Biz Categories Page
  We've tried to do the brainstorming for you and have collected a variety of business types. Click here to see the Check a Biz categories.
• Consult the Professionals
  Try to remember what professional services you've used. Dentists, accountants, banks, mobile phone service providers, optometrists and chiropractors are all commonly overlooked professional services that can be rated.

NOTE: If any of you have any interesting pictures (whether they are cell phone pics, digital photos, etc) that you want to attach to the businesses you've rated, send them over to us and we'll attach them to that business's main page.  Simply email them to info[ at] checkabiz.com (replace [at] with the @ symbol).  

Tipping Tips (courtesty of Wikipedia)

Tipping in the United States is theoretically optional, but has become so ingrained in the culture that it is considered mandatory. The wide variety of professions, in addition to the varying percentages and amounts which are expected of each profession, arguably gives the United States the distinction of having the most common (and complicated) tipping culture in the world.

• Waiters/Waitresses (15-20%; 20% if it is a 4-star restaurant or for large parties; more if service is exceptional)
• Bus Person (Tip generally not expected, as tip sharing with the waiters sometimes occurs)
• Hotel bellman/bellhop/porters ($1 to $2 per bag)
• Hotel maids ($2 per day)
• Hotel room service (15-20%; Same as restaurant gratuity below.)
• Hotel concierge ($5 to $10)
• Hotel doorman ($1 per bag for help with luggage; $1 for hailing a cab)
• Sommeliers (15% of the cost of the bottle)
• Bartenders ($1 per drink or 15% of bar bill)
• Restroom attendant ($0.50 to $1)
• Taxicab/limo drivers (15%)
• Valet parking attendants ($1 to $2 upon both arrival and departure)
• Hairdressers/barbers (10% in small towns, 15-20% in cities; Tip is expected whether the stylist is the proprietor or not.)
• Manicurist (15%)
• Spa service (15-20%)
• Pizza (and other food) deliverypersons (10% of total, at least $2. Remember he must pay for his gas. Many drivers are contractors who receive no hourly wage.)
• Curbside luggage handlers at airports ($1 per bag)
• Coat checker ($1 per coat)
• Ski instructors (sometimes, especially when giving a private lesson)
• Piercers and tattoo artists
• Movers ($5 to $10 per mover)
• Large or heavy deliveries ($5 to $10 per person)
• Shoe shiners
• Tour Guides/Tour Bus operators (only private guides)
• Karaoke disc jockey ($1 per song)