When I shared how I was taken by a Canadian fake DVD scammer, I asked you all what your worst scam was and the most common response was servers fraudulently putting more tip on the receipt. It’s such an easy scam because what’s an extra dollar or two on your receipt? It’s hard to discover in your credit card bill because the difference is so small.

I’ve always found that tipping, by far, is the best investment you can ever make in almost any situation. Anyone who has ever bellied up to a bar knows that a dollar a drink is all it takes to get the speediest of service on even the busiest of nights. Want a nicer hotel room? I’ll tell you about a risk-free technique you can use to score complimentary upgrades, if they’re available.

The spirit of the holidays is about spending time with family and friends, being thankful for the things that we’ve accomplished and the lives we’ve led, and showing appreciation to everyone who has made the year possible. Sometimes the year ends on a high note, as we celebrate the achievements. Sometimes we simply want to turn the page on an otherwise difficult twelve months. For many, this year will seem more like the latter but it’s important to remember that as difficult as it was for you, chances are there were scores facing much tougher challenges.

Last Friday night I met my wife and kids for dinner after work for the first time in a long, long time.  We do not eat out much, and when we do it is typically fast food, or something we pick up and take home to eat.  As I was finishing up my meal, I noticed our server clearing another table and as he raked the dollar and change from the table he shook his head in exasperation.