I have found apartment locator services to be usefull. The people who work there know of many places and could direct you to what you're looking for. The ones I know of around here do this for free to you. ( the apartment places pay them for sending you to them) , but that might not be of help in some locations, or if you're looking for a private owner. But, they might know of some good info for you. - wouldn't hurt. - To reach one, try calling an apartment property in the area where you intend to move to and ask them for a locator to help you. They tend to be friendly with each other and don't mind giving out the info, even though it means not getting your lease at there place.

May I rant? ;-) My DH delivered pizzas not that long ago, and managed to last two whole weeks before handing in the shirt that Dominos so "kindly" gave him. He was told that if he wanted to wear a jacket during cold months (and who wouldn't, being in and out of a car all night long?), he couldn't wear his own but would have to buy -- paid for out of his own pocket, mind you -- an official Dominos jacket. And it wasn't cheap. Of course, he was also required to use his own vehicle, buy his own gas, and pay for parking out of his own pocket (he worked a downtown beat, where free parking is practically nonexistent). He was never clear on the procedures for reimbursement. His manager was never quite forthcoming on how to go about things like that. The jacket-buying requirement was pretty much the breaking point for him, after several deliveries where he was tipped nothing to very little. If the pizza prep folks were running behind and his delivery thus thrown off schedule, some people were positively irate that he showed up on their doorstep bearing their dinner 15 minutes later than they expected. As though it was somehow his fault, they chose to "punish" him by not tipping one red cent. ("That'll teach that pizza delivery guy to be so slow" -- I guess that was their logic.) He delivered 10 pizzas to an office building that required him to pay for his own parking, carry his heavy load through security, and then when he arrived at the drop-off point, an employee at the office that had ordered the pizzas was standing there with her hand on her hip, wrist cocked to her face as though she were checking the time -- and she wasn't even wearing a watch. For his efforts, he received a 75 cent tip. If you ever want to encounter some of the most hatefully impatient and dismissive people on the planet, do a stint as a pizza delivery person. For every kind and generous soul, there seem to be two who are nasty and for whatever reason, feel it's their place to look down on a person performing what they consider to be a worthless, menial task. It seems that too many people tranfer their feelings about the "lowliness" of the job to the person, and that's a lesson I hope I'll always carry with me ... and behave towards others accordingly. OK -- sorry for that little somewhat unrelated-to-the-original-topic rant. Whenever the subject of pizza delivery folks comes up, I guess I get a bit defensive. ;-)

I won't be tipping anyone this year for Christmas 1. POSTAL Carrier: I did gift something special to Donna who was our only carrier for 20 years. Since she retired last year the rural route I live on now has at least 4 different carriers each week and the mail is delivered more often wrong than right. Tip? I don't think so! 2. TRASH: can pickup man makes $5.35 per hr more and the driver of the truck makes $9.50 more per hr. than I. They also have better benefits. Often I have to chase down the rd for my trash can because it has been tossed down and rolls away down the hill. Tip? I don't think so! 3. HOUSE STAFF/Helpers: YES How much depends on what I can afford a Christmas bonus and a B-day gift. These are people who have been my extra hands for years. 4. STYLIST/manicurist: I tipped each service, so No to holiday tip. I don't have salon services often. My hair nails and such I do myself or we friends and daughters have "gals night" where we help each other, have snacks & drinks and talk, watch movies or whatever. More fun than a night at a bar or the movies. 5. PAPER DELIVERY PERSON: Yes I had a young man for years who delivered regular and everyday. I gave him a nice gift of cash $20-$25 for the Holidays. He had the paper to my front door everyday on time and made sure it would be dry if it rained. When he graduated and moved on a man and wife took over. I got tired of paying for a newspaper and not getting it delivered or wet, tattered, having to search the bushes for it when it was. So now when I want one I go to the store and pick one up. Tip? I don't think so! When someone does regular services for me or goes beyond the expected I try to gift as generously as possible. For many of us the budget this year is slim to say the least. debby_ab said she tipped "because I feel guilted into it." I can understand that sentiment. I have tipped a bad server because I felt guilted into it by the folks I was with. NO MORE, NEVER AGAIN The next time I got a bad server the tip consisted of a pamphlet of "hints and tips" How to Serve Better & Receive a Generous Tip from a Past Server. When you feel that the person deserves a bit of extra, you have the funds available and it feels good to give then by all means do. In these harder times right now don't feel you have to "Holiday tip" because it is customary or others do. Happy Holidays LIL

This is a very old thread and the beginning of summer but will be Christmas sooner then we think. I do tip my mail carrier as well as my refuse service. Sure my mail carrier makes good money and the refuse service charges a fortune. However, they both provide a service. We have a regular mail carrier and what I did last year was buy gourmet chocolates (Toberlone, Godiva, Ghirradelli) and a card with a note of thanks for her going out of her way. She could just leave packages out at the box but she brings them to the door and actually waits for us to answer unlike the Fed Ex guy who knocks and runs, if he even bothers to get out of the truck. As a side note, on Christmas Eve last year a substitute carrier had a package so he came to the door with it and our mail. DH said there is a gift in the mailbox, thinking we'd give that to him and replace for the regular carrier. The substitute didn't take it. I thought that was really nice that he figured he only delivered once and wouldn't take away from regular carrier.