Issue Date: May 7, 2006
5 ways to get upgraded
Getting an upgrade is difficult these days, but here are five ways to raise your chances:
Become an elite member of a frequent flier program -- you'll get upgraded first. Generally, basic elite status requires flying 25,000 miles a calendar year.
Use frequent flier miles to buy an upgrade. Continental Airlines, for example, lets you upgrade a full-fare economy ticket for just 5,000 miles, one way. But it requires 15,000 miles for a one-way upgrade on certain discounted fares. Cheap tickets rarely can be upgraded.
Buy upgrades, typically in 500- to 1,000-mile increments, at varying prices. But such upgrades often are restricted to full-fare economy tickets.
Purchase a higher-priced "Y-UP" fare. This is a full, unrestricted fare in coach that usually comes with a free upgrade to the next class of service, based on availability.
Get to the airport early and hope for an "operational upgrade." When economy class is oversold, an airline sometimes will upgrade coach passengers to first-class seats.
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Moms need exercise, too
Fitting in fitness can be tough for moms. But the rewards are worth it.
Benefits in 3 areas:
Your body. From extra stamina and strength to better sleep and disease prevention, the physical benefits of exercise are endless.
Your mind. Reduced anxiety and improved overall sense of well-being are exercise bonuses, partly from the physical activity and partly from acknowledging that you need "you" time.
Your child's attitude toward staying fit. Research from the Melpomene Institute, which promotes health and fitness, shows that when moms enjoy working out, their kids learn to value lifelong activity.
How to fit it in? "Every woman is different," says Rachel Seidman, the institute's president. "Some need to carve out time for themselves; others are worried they are not spending enough time with the kids."
Think about what you need. If it's time to yourself, talk to your partner about taking over morning duty a couple of days a week so you can get to the gym. If it's quality family time, consider creative ways to add exercise to the activities you already do: Try biking to school with the kids instead of driving. Or choose a family nature walk over a Sunday matinee. If your kids play sports, plan family practice time on the weekends and join in, rather than watching from the sidelines.
It all counts; just be sure to enjoy it!
Contact Contributing Editor Jorge Cruise, author of "The 3-Hour Diet," at 3hourdiet.com.
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Sit like the stars
What do Steven Spielberg, a desperate housewife and the president of Tahiti all have in common? They sit in the same director's chair. Namely those built by Tom and Joanne Sullivan, founders of Hollywood Chairs.
The company's high-end director's chair has become a regular on TV sets like "24" and "The Sopranos," but now it's also proving to be a popular gift among athletes and celebrities. Barbara Walters buys a few every Christmas.
The signature chair, available at hollywoodchairs.com or by phone (818-765-9000), comes with padded seats and "ergonomically curved" armrests. Most models are built from eco-friendly bamboo, which makes them sleek, lightweight and oh-so-comfortable. Expect to spend $240 to $350 for one of these director's chairs.
Extras, such as your name embroidered on the back of the chair, will cost you more. But, hey, at least now you'll have an excuse to call the shots.
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Learn to "ladder" CDs
Rising interest rates mean CDs -- those once-stodgy certificates of deposit -- are looking good again, with some yielding as much as 5% and an average one-year CD hovering around 3.6%.
"Locking in those kinds of returns should be attractive to investors, especially when returns on bond investments are likely to barely break even," says Greg McBride, of Bankrate.com, where you can search for high-yielding CDs.
"Ladder" your CDs for the best yield: If you have $5,000 to invest and need access to $1,000 every year, buy five $1,000 CDs with terms of one, two, three, four and five years. When the one-year CD matures, roll it over into a five-year CD. In coming years, as each CD comes due, put it into a new five-year account.
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