#Roseville housekeeping

[jodilinbio]

We spent about six hours loading the rental truck we would drive down to Sacramento, attaching a trailer to pull our own vehicle behind. By 3:00 p.m., we finally left Oregon for the last time on July 25, 2007.

Moving such a long distance without unlimited funds made me anticipate some challenges, but I didn’t expect the journey to be a near-disaster that would threaten our lives. It began as nothing like I’d envisioned; my expectations had never included poverty, hunger, homelessness, or sheer chaos. Had I known what lay ahead, I’d have felt sick to my stomach on the spot. The hardships we endured would make my previous challenges seem minor. It would end up being the third most scariest moment of my life.

Though the drive felt endless, I was excited to see the first palm trees as we approached Sacramento. We stopped to eat in Redding and didn’t reach the Clarion Hotel until 10:00 p.m. There, a group of youths played loud music in the adjacent room and practically took over the hallway.

Exhausted, we moved to an Econo Lodge. The room was spacious but pricey for a place with no amenities. After two nights, we transferred to a different Econo Lodge downtown, storing our belongings in a 10x10 storage unit. This motel had internet, but it was unreliable, making it a struggle for Tom to apply for unemployment online.

Our worst decision was spending a week at the Motel 6. The noise level was unbearable, reminiscent of a past experience I’d had in the projects 15 years earlier. The flimsy floorboards trembled whenever someone walked by, waking me up constantly. Someone seemed to be dealing drugs nearby, adding to the chaos. The frustration reached a boiling point, so we relocated to Best Western in Roseville. Though expensive, this hotel offered a spacious room with a mini-refrigerator, microwave, and coffeemaker.

Amid this chaos, two bits of unfortunate news surfaced. First, our property management withheld our $450 deposit, citing bogus repair charges. We had left the house spotless aside from a few minor issues, so I was disappointed that my instinct to leave the place “as is” was overruled by Tom’s wish to leave it clean. Second, Tom’s unemployment claim was denied. He had left his job to find work in a city with better access to doctors for my medical needs, but they didn’t give a shit.

With no deposit refund, no unemployment, and Tom still jobless, my stress turned into fear.

On August 12, Tom found a temp job at a warehouse in Rocklin. Although the pay was only $10 an hour and his coworkers were unpleasant, his boss was supportive. Two days later, we settled in the best extended-stay motel we could afford, though it wasn’t in the best part of Sacramento. The room, on the top of three floors, had a full-size bed, recliner, dresser, small table, and kitchen. While the space was cozy and functional, the decor was drab, and the walls were thin. The air conditioner malfunctioned, the microwave carousel didn’t work, and the refrigerator leaked. Noise from slamming doors and blaring TVs was an ongoing nuisance, along with frequent disturbances from the friendly but overly active staff performing maintenance and inspections.

Had we been in an end room, things might have been quieter, but that larger room was more expensive. I had no idea we’d end up living there for over eight months. Although we could come and go, it felt little more than a glorified jail cell.

Our expenses were astronomical. Gas prices had skyrocketed, the room cost $320 per week even at a discounted rate, and our storage unit was $87 monthly. While I enjoyed the warmer climate and proximity to stores and restaurants, I disliked the crowds.

Shortly after settling at the motel, we lost our beloved Tinkerbell to a tumor, which only deepened my despair and anger. I loved that rat dearly.

Over time, we became familiar with the motel staff, though a few, like one office worker and a housekeeper named Prasaad from Fiji, weren’t our favorites. Prasaad, originally friendly, became a bit cold, making me wonder if something had happened. Seeing someone immigrate here only to treat the natives poorly just wasn’t right.

Nonetheless, two of the people we met there became my favorites: Michelle and Kissum.

Michelle worked days in the office. She was a year younger than me. Although it was dyed, like my own long black hair that reached past my waist, I admired her fiery red hair and friendly eyes. Michelle was a bit heavy, but overall, she was good-looking. She was always quick to help us in any way she could, and I looked forward to seeing her whenever I went to the office, whether to drop off mail or for anything else.

Then there was Kissum, my favorite housekeeper, who was also from Fiji. I never would’ve guessed she’d become one of my favorites since she was so quiet the first few times she cleaned our room. But over time, she turned out to be quite chatty, and I looked forward to her visits. Her upbeat energy and humor did wonders for my otherwise sour mood.

There were a few other housekeepers as well: two from Thailand, one from Mexico, a new one hired right before we left from India, and Josephina, who was originally from New Zealand. Josephina was young and attractive and even tried to help us when things were at their worst by attempting to get us into a rooming house. But eventually, she called to tell us she hadn’t been able to reach anyone there. She worked on rooms during our first few months but later moved to the laundry department and I never saw her again.

Satish, another one from Fiji, was the head maintenance guy and friendly, though he deflated our hopes almost as quickly as he raised them. He had offered to rent us his three-bedroom house in the city for a thousand dollars a month. But when housing prices started plummeting, he backed out. At first, I felt hurt by the letdown, but I couldn’t really blame him—I would have waited, too. Still, it was tough to feel like we were finally close to finding a home, only to be left once again wondering where we could go, who would take us without perfect credit, and how we could escape constant noise, barking dogs, and loud stereos.

Mike, the manager, was also kind and offered us a slight discount on the grand-a-month monthly rate they started offering right before we left. But by then, we were too close to moving on to take him up on it, though the discount would have helped tremendously if it had been available earlier.

As the weather cooled, things worsened.

Our truck was broken into, and Tom’s birth certificate, some tools, a laser printer, and a few other items were stolen.

I started gaining weight and feeling stiffer from spending so much time cooped up in the room, struggling to work on the computer amid the constant noise. I wasn’t winning many sweepstakes, which I blamed partly on the unreliable internet we had for the first couple of months.

Eventually, the DMV stopped giving us temporary permits after our ’79 Dodge failed emissions, and Tom had to drive with expired plates. Later, the truck’s insurance expired, and we couldn’t afford to renew it, which only added to his stress on the road.

Then came October, and with it, a nightmare. To say I felt like we were being taunted is an understatement. Imagine a deranged person holding a gun to your head, saying, “Maybe I’ll pull the trigger, maybe I won’t.” The terror of that uncertainty was exactly what we felt daily, especially between October 4 and October 15—an 11-day stretch that was unrelentingly stressful as hell. Our survival was on the line, and I wouldn’t wish that on anyone. We felt trapped between the streets and despair.

On Thursday night, October 4, I had a dream that we had no money for food or rent. The next morning, October 5, Tom left early for work. When I woke up, I texted him about the dream, saying it had left me with one of my bad feelings, the kind we’d both come to recognize as forewarnings of trouble.

That afternoon, Tom came back to the room earlier than usual, carrying no groceries and looking grim. “Bad dream premonition,” he said, confirming the uneasy feeling in my gut. He explained that his paycheck had been directly deposited as usual, but we couldn’t access our account. Our debit card had expired while we were still in Oregon, and the bank had sent a new one to our old address. When it was returned, they hadn’t bothered to call or email us.

The next day, with no other options, we loaded up the truck in search of a campground. But we couldn’t find any; the directions people gave us were vague and led us in circles.

In desperation, we considered ending it all in the back of the truck by lighting charcoal to produce carbon monoxide. We wanted a quiet, secluded place with no chance of intervention. But even that seemed beyond our reach.

After wandering aimlessly and wasting gas, we began pulling items from storage to sell or pawn: Tom’s Xbox, the GPS, a couple of electric guitars I’d won, DVDs, CDs, and more. I was sick of the humiliation of being reduced to struggling, starving, pawning this, selling that—just to survive. While some items were things we had planned to part with, we wanted to do it our way, not forced in a rush, taking whatever we could get.

The money we raised bought us gas and a little food. Surprisingly, those “little wins” I used to complain about helped save the day. Without anywhere to go, we ended up at a rest stop heading towards Reno, but it was cold, so we turned back and parked in the Thunder Valley Casino lot. Making as much space as we could in the back of our beat-up truck, we spent part of Saturday night there. I climbed in first, and Tom, after making sure no one was watching, followed, pulling the hatch shut behind him. We lay huddled together, shivering, trying to stay quiet. People couldn’t see in well, but we could see them. Did any of them know what it was like to be broke and homeless? Did they take their homes and food for granted? Did they think only the lazy, the alcoholics, and the addicts ended up like us? Did they think their worst fears could never come true? What made them more deserving? We worked as hard as anyone, maybe harder.

Tom was afraid to sleep, worried his snoring might draw attention, and I was too cold, uncomfortable, scared, and angry to sleep myself. When he went to use the restroom in the casino, I lay there shivering, mentally cursing a God I wasn’t sure existed.

Eventually, I couldn’t take the cold and had to pee, so I went inside, used the restroom, and had Tom paged. Without money to gamble, we tried to blend in at the restaurant; he got a soda, and I ordered coffee. God only knew how much longer I needed to be awake. Our waitress, Dee, noticed our situation and told us about Kampgrounds of America, even offering soup on her tab. We declined the soup but thanked her for the KOA information. Unfortunately, it wasn’t free as she’d said, and going to a campground just wasn’t an option without a tent or money. Everywhere we turned, we seemed trapped in a real Catch-22.

By 4:00 AM, knowing we wouldn’t get any real sleep, we left the casino and headed for Walmart, where Tom browsed the store while I mostly stayed in the truck, lying down to calm my nerves. Around 7:00, we returned to storage to pull more things to pawn—the digital camera, a diamond I’d won, and finally, our laptop. While Tom was inside, I managed a 45-minute nap in the truck’s front seat.

The pawnshop didn’t open until 11:00, and as we waited, exhausted, I couldn’t shake the feeling of doom. The thought of not getting enough money to survive until our new debit card arrived was overwhelming.

Finally, when the shop opened, Tom went in first to see if they’d accept what we had. A moment later, Tom returned with good news—the pawnshop would give $65 for the diamond. I used my ID to complete the sale since Tom had left his at the casino the previous day. We’d laugh later about how he didn’t want to mention this in front of the pawnshop workers, knowing they might judge us less favorably if they heard the word “casino.”

We now had enough for one night at the motel. After pawning the laptop, camera, and diamond, we returned to the motel, where I finally met Michelle, the person I’d only spoken to over the phone thus far. Mixed feelings hit me as we re-entered that familiar room. I didn’t want to be there, but we desperately needed to shower and do laundry, even if it meant washing clothes in the tub. Also, it was more comfortable to sleep in a real bed, as opposed to the back of a pickup.

The room felt enormous compared to the cramped truck. We set up our remaining things, including a desktop computer from storage, and took showers. With only 45 minutes of sleep in over 30 hours, I ended up sleeping on and off for 14 hours, despite waking frequently from stress. The whole time, I wondered if we’d get our new debit card or if we’d be back on the street the next day. I was afraid of what I’d see in my dreams but more afraid of reality. Sleep, however fitful, was my only escape.

The next day, Monday, Tom couldn’t work because he had to figure out a way to get more money. He sold a gun sight I’d won, buying us another night’s stay but not enough for gas or food.

When Tom called the temp agency and card company, they gave conflicting answers, saying a new card could be expedited, but only if it didn’t arrive by Monday. After calling his boss Tuesday morning, she surprised us with her generosity, giving him $100 for gas. But even with the $100, we were far from stable. It bought us a room for Tuesday night, some food, and a little more gas. But after those expenses, we were back to square one—completely broke.

[orange-nj-complex]

Orange, NJ, Has Excellent Schools

Orange, NJ, has excellent schools. South Orange is like many towns in northern New Jersey; it has excellent schools. It's a wonderful place to raise children. A school for children from kindergarten through first grade to higher grade levels is available. Some schools are Marshall Elementary School for children in kindergarten through second grade, South Mountain Elementary for kindergarten through fifth grade, an Early Childhood Center for preschoolers, and South Orange Middle School, the primary school in South Orange. Niche.com ranked Columbia High School, which accepts students from Maplewood and South Orange, is ranked among the best school district in Essex County. Additionally, Seton Hall University, a private Catholic institution, ranked among the 2020 Best Colleges by U.S. News & World Report, which is located in South Orange, a college town.

Housekeeping For Hotels Or Disinfection In Orange, NJ

K&J Pronto Cleaning LLC is the No.1 service provider for housekeeping for hotels or disinfection in Orange, NJ. Their commercial disinfectant cleaning has been tested and is approved for use against COVID-19 and other viruses and bacteria. Also, their disinfection services use sterilization techniques to kill 99.99% of infections, microscopic organisms, parasites, and different microbes. The prepared specialists wear full Private Defensive Gear (PPE) during the disinfection. Your commercial space will be so clean for its occupants. You can instantly view personalized pricing on their website using their live pricing and real-time booking pages to tailor your commercial disinfectant cleaning to your specific requirements. You will also receive an instant text or email confirmation if you book online or by calling them. You can also save money by scheduling regular cleaning. For inquiry, call (551) 2149-555.

Branch Brook Park in Orange, NJ

The nation's first county park, Branch Brook Park, is in the North Ward of Newark, between the Forest Hill and Roseville neighborhoods. I love that this recreation area is situated inside the Municipality of Belleville. The park is famous for having the most cherry blossom trees anywhere in the United States. Multiple points of entry into the park from Downtown Newark are provided by the Newark Light Rail, which runs along the park's west side. The New Jersey National Registers of Historic Places include Branch Brook Park in 198 - 1981; that's why until now, Branch Brook Park is still one of the most visited parks in the country. It stands out because it was the first county park in the United States to open to the public. The park has an average width of 1/4 mile and a length of nearly 4 miles. It is the County's largest developed park, covering 360 acres. It combines open meadowland and small woodland patches on gently rolling terrain.

Orange, NJ, Leap Into Spring

The East Orange City Council, the Department of Recreation and Cultural Affairs, and Mayor Ted R. Green celebrate spring's arrival with many family-friendly events. A complete list of city-sponsored events can be found here. On Sunday, April 2, from 1:00 to 3:00 p.m. at Columbian Park Easter Basket Giveaway, where you can win gift baskets that you can grab and go with lots of treats! Patch provides free, real-time updates about what's happening in West Orange, on Thursday, April 6, from 4:00 p.m. to 6 p.m. at Rowley Park Easter Party with Mr. Bunny photos, an egg hunt, face painting, snacks, and Easter crafts, among other things. Saturday, April 8, at Elmwood Park's "Leap into Spring" Celebration from 12:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. There will be a huge egg hunt, train rides, bouncy houses, rock climbing, music, food, games, giveaways of bicycles and gift cards, raffle prizes, and more! Saturday, April 8, from 1:00 to 4:00 p.m. at Soverel Park, there will be an Easter Egg Hunt with prizes, face painting, music, photos with Mrs. Bunny, and snacks. Read more.

Link to maps

Branch Brook Park & Park Avenue, Lake St, Newark, NJ 07104, United States Get on I-280 W from Park Ave, 1st St and 2nd St 4 min (1.2 mi) Follow I-280 W to Northfield Ave in West Orange. Take exit 10 from I-280 W 4 min (3.2 mi) Take Valley Rd, S Jefferson St and Scotland Rd to Beach St in City of Orange 6 min (1.5 mi)

K&J Pronto Cleaning LLC 545 Beach St, City of Orange, NJ 07050, USA

[goseniorhomecaretipsfan-blog]

Services offered in a Residential Senior Nursing Home

  Nursing homes offer care to the aged such as end of life and hospice care. Nursing homes have a goal of providing dignified. The homes provide comfortable palliative care to individuals and families who are undergoing through the end of their life care. Majority of old age individuals who are unable to take care of themselves during their old age are accepted in these homes where they are cared for. In these homes aged individuals get to be dressed, changed often and all other activities they no longer could do on their own. Since caring for old people tends to be hard especially when family members are busy with their daily doings then nursing home act as the last resort for caring the aged as they undergo their end of life.

 In these senior living roseville mn they have staffs that are extensively trained in memory care as they also assist the aged who majority suffers from dementia. These homes are also responsible in engaging their patients in activities that will assist them in addressing the spiritual and emotional needs that can lead to sense of emotional and spiritual needs. Since individuals are secluded from the usual surrounding and family members they were close to they tend to become very emotional and lonely thus in these nursing home they are able to assisted in going through these stage in the best manner possible.

 Also, assisted living in roseville mn provide onsite medical care and assessment on a twenty four hour basis. They work closely with physicians services that provide onsite visits, lab test thus there are no hassles of transferring individuals to and fro the hospitals since the majority of the aged tend to need medical attention frequently. In case of outside appointments nursing homes do cater for transportation and staffing to and fro when never necessary. Clear communication between family members and clients to ensure that both stay in touch more often with their loved ones is provided.

 Provision of high quality food, laundry and housekeeping are done to clients in the best manner possible. These homes ensure that they offer the best kind of meal that their clients they are taking care of enjoy making them feel at home. There is no limit by family members in bringing their outside foods to their loved ones whenever they need to since the home offers a twenty four hour visit. All clients are engaged in activities such as listening to music, nature walk, reading or playing games that one enjoys. Make sure to check out this website at https://www.ehow.com/way_5151025_crafts-make-nursing-homes.html and know more about assisted living.

[jcunningham916]

Don't forget about our newest offer! Only have 3 rooms? We can clean those too plus your hallway for $79.95!

[itsfinancethings]

When Christine Baker, a financially strapped stay-at-home mom to two little girls, made up her mind to lose 30 lb., she took a cue from a friend who’d gotten fit with Beachbody. The company’s online workouts and diet products cost Baker about $160, but they worked.

“Literally within 30 days, I looked and felt like a different person,” says Baker, of Roseville, Calif., who was so impressed with her 2015 transformation that she decided to become a Beachbody fitness coach herself. She started paying around $135 per month to set up her own online portal and to purchase Beachbody products, and she got to work looking for customers. Yet as she spent more hours trying to sell people on Beachbody and fewer hours working out herself, Baker says the pounds piled back on but the money did not roll in.

“You’re working your ass off. You’re having to check in every day in your group, you’re having to keep everybody motivated, because if they don’t lose weight and see results, they’re not going to keep buying from you,” says Baker, 48. “It was like I was just throwing money away.” By the time she gave up on Beachbody, Baker says, she’d lost several thousand dollars and countless hours that she wishes had been spent with her daughters.

Multilevel marketing companies (MLMs) like Beachbody, which rely primarily on distributors like Baker instead of salaried staff to sell goods and services, have long been eyed with suspicion by regulators, and for good reason. The Consumer Awareness Institute, whose research has been posted on the website of the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), found that 99% of people who participate in them lose money. “Statistically, it is more likely you will win the lottery than you will make hundreds of thousands of dollars selling for an MLM,” says Robert FitzPatrick, the co-author of False Profits, a book about MLMs, and the president of PyramidSchemeAlert.org.

But as the COVID-19 pandemic sends the economy into its worst tailspin since the Great Depression, some MLM distributors are wooing new investors with promises of big money and the opportunity to work from home–seemingly ideal for people who are unemployed. Facebook posts promising jobs are easy to spot, though the caveats that these opportunities do not offer guaranteed paychecks are rarely mentioned. “Worried about the Coronavirus?” reads a Facebook post by a Young Living essential-oils distributor touting its Thieves product line. “Thieves kills germs!” A similar post by a seller for Color Street, an MLM that sells nail-polish strips, urged members to “invest some of that stimulus check in yourself and start making money instantly.”

Evan Jenkins for TIMEAttendees at Beachbody’s Coach Summit in July 2019 in Indianapolis take part in a group workout

Some sellers imply that their non-FDA-approved supplements and essential oils can protect people from the virus. “With the flu and coronavirus spreading throughout the U.S., things are selling out,” wrote a seller for doTERRA, an essential-oils MLM. “If you are running low on these immune boosting protection items, now is a good time to replenish.” TIME reviewed dozens of similar claims made on social media.

The FTC has sent letters to 16 MLMs warning them against making claims about the coronavirus-related health benefits of their products, the potential earnings for investors, or both.

But the FTC is fighting an uphill battle as the $35.2 billion industry rapidly evolves, courtesy of the Internet. Unlike MLMs of yesteryear that relied on door-to-door sales, today’s MLM distributors can reach millions of potential recruits around the world on Facebook, Instagram and other social networks. Included in a distributor’s marketing tool belt are private messages, which regulatory agencies like the FTC can’t monitor. “[Social media] can be like a laboratory for deception,” says Kati Daffan, the FTC’s assistant director for marketing practices. “You’ve got all these members competing with each other to deceive more people. And they can do it however they want if there’s no one watching from above.”

And with so many people out of work, there’s an eager audience. The Direct Selling Association (DSA), the trade group representing MLMs, says that 51% of the 51 companies that participated in a survey in early June said COVID-19 has had a “positive” impact on their 2020 revenue; 59% reported the same in a later survey. DSA president Joseph Mariano says some sellers have inflated the potential rewards of investing in their companies. “You inevitably have a few overzealous people saying things that perhaps they shouldn’t,” he says. “When you have a vulnerable population of people who have lost their jobs or are concerned about losing their jobs, the fact of the matter is … direct selling is generally a modest supplemental income opportunity. It’s not something that is going to make you rich.” Mariano says the DSA has worked with the Better Business Bureau to monitor claims about products’ benefits and sellers’ potential earnings. The DSA-funded Direct Selling Self-Regulatory Council has referred four cases to the FTC this year for investigation of possible falsehoods.

But recessions tend to be good for MLMs, and this recession shows no sign of abating as new COVID-19 outbreaks slow reopenings. During the 2007–09 Great Recession, the number of MLM sellers began rising and went from 15.1 million in 2008 to 18.2 million in 2014, according to a DSA report.

Celebrity support helped. Soccer star Cristiano Ronaldo, lifestyle guru Rachel Hollis, former Presidents George W. Bush and Bill Clinton (after they’d left office), and private citizen Donald J. Trump have, over the years, appeared at MLM events or endorsed companies. Many influencers and athletes still back them, as distributors sign on to sell everything from leggings to home cooking products.

Evan Jenkins for TIMEAttendees at Beachbody’s Coach Summit in July 2019 in Indianapolis take part in a group workout

At most MLMs, investors, who are also known as distributors or sellers, make money by selling a company’s products and recruiting others to do the same. They then earn commissions or bonuses based on their recruits’ sales. But after investors have recruited as many friends and relatives as they can find, communities become saturated, making it difficult for new sellers to find customers. Countless distributors end up wallowing in merchandise they can’t sell and sinking into debt as they’re pushed to spend more money attending training seminars and bonding conferences, critics say. “They tell you if you don’t go to a training, if you miss a single training, you will never be successful,” says Illyssa Demarino, 31, a Phoenix bartender who tried three MLMs and spent thousands of dollars without making any money. “It’s so easy to get wrapped up in the cultlike mindset.”

MLMs fashion themselves as alternatives to the gig economy, which has been hit hard by COVID-19; apps like Uber are suffering as people avoid shared transport, while others, like Instacart and Doordash, are flooded with new workers, driving down gig pay. The MLM world implies a glamorous and safer alternative, and its prime target is women, who have been hit especially hard in this recession. Their service-sector jobs were the first to go when restaurants, bars, hotels and casinos closed, and when babysitting and housekeeping jobs ended.

Even before the pandemic, MLMs adopted the language of pop feminism with hashtags like #bossbabe and #momtrepreneur. Some sellers post doctored before-and-after photos for fitness and beauty products online in hopes of selling not just a payday but unattainable beauty.

“I was the perfect target,” says Jamie Ludwig, who in 2014 was convinced by a friend that she could make good money working from home in Kansas City, Mo., while selling weight-loss shakes and other supplements for an MLM called AdvoCare. “A new mom with baby fat I wanted to lose, desperate to be at home with my kids.” New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees endorsed the company, which in Ludwig’s eyes gave it an air of legitimacy.

Evan Jenkins for TIMEAttendees at Beachbody’s Coach Summit in July 2019 in Indianapolis take part in a group workout

She and her husband Josh bought a $79 starter kit, and she scaled back her hours as a hairdresser to devote time to AdvoCare. All they had to do, their recruiter told them, was find enough buyers for the $900 in supplements that arrived on their doorstep each month. “I spent the entire time on the phone trying to sell, giving my kids no attention, working 50 or 60 hours a week, more than I did before,” says Ludwig, 39. She and her husband, who is 41, found only a handful of buyers. They gave up AdvoCare 18 months later, but not before spending about $300 (plus transportation, food and housing) to attend a three-day “success school” sponsored by AdvoCare to learn sales techniques. When their car broke down on the trip, the couple was forced to face their financial straits. For years, Ludwig could not bring herself to look at the boxes of unsold shakes in her pantry.

AdvoCare is one of a handful of MLMs that the FTC has declared a pyramid scheme. According to the agency, 72% of AdvoCare’s distributors made no money in 2016, and 18% made $250 or less that year. After its investigation, the FTC in October 2019 required AdvoCare to pay a $150 million settlement and to stop using the MLM business model. (AdvoCare said in a statement that it “strongly disagree[s] with the FTC allegations” but has changed the way it does business.) One month later, the FTC alleged that Neora, an MLM selling supplements and skin creams, was a pyramid scheme. (Neora asserted that it was “not a pyramid scheme under the law” in its own lawsuit against the FTC, where it accuses the agency of reinterpreting laws to unfairly label it.)

In the past 41 years, the FTC has filed cases against 30 MLMs alleging they were pyramid schemes, according to Truth in Advertising, an independent watchdog group. In 28 of those cases, courts either agreed with the FTC or companies paid settlements or changed their business plans to resolve the cases. But the number of MLMs makes it difficult for the FTC to make sure each one is operating lawfully, especially since the number is always in flux. The Direct Selling Association estimates that 1,100 MLMs are in operation in any given year but cannot be sure. “Many companies may even come and go before they could even be ‘counted,'” the DSA says on its own website.

MLMs are not illegal, but many are at best financially risky. The chances of financial success are so grim that the DSA president, Mariano, has called participating in MLMs an “activity” rather than a job.

The numbers that MLMs report often paint a dark picture for sellers. At Young Living, 89% of U.S.-based distributors earned an average of $4 in 2018, according to an income-disclosure statement. At the skin-care MLM Rodan + Fields, 67.1% of sellers had an annual median income of $227 in 2019. More than half the distributors at Color Street fell into the company’s lowest tier of earners in 2018, with average monthly profits below $12.

Evan Jenkins for TIMEAttendees at Beachbody’s Coach Summit in July 2019 in Indianapolis take part in a group workout

As the industry grows, so does awareness. Data obtained by TIME through Freedom of Information Act requests shows that consumer complaints to the FTC about MLMs have risen in recent years. From 2014 to 2018, complaints against Amway, a company co-founded by Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos’ father-in-law, went from 15 to 36; in those complaints, consumers reported losing a total of more than $380,000. Complaints against SeneGence, a makeup and skin-care MLM, jumped from two in 2016 to 14 the following year before falling to six in 2018; consumers reported total losses of nearly $25,000. Complaints against Monat, whose hair products stand accused of making people’s hair fall out, jumped from two to 30 from 2015 to 2018, with consumers alleging losses totaling $7,572. (Monat says its products are “dermatologist-tested” and that its research indicates they are safe.)

But the resources and time required to determine if a company is operating a pyramid scheme make it impossible for the FTC to investigate every MLM with questionable practices, experts say. “It’s like a policeman trying to stop cars that are speeding on a highway,” says Peter Vander Nat, a retired FTC economist who spent more than two decades representing the government in cases against MLMs. “For every one that it stops for speeding, five roll on by.”

States have taken up some of the burden, with Washington, California, Illinois and others representing plaintiffs in suits against various MLMs. But legal action has become increasingly challenging as more companies insert clauses in contracts that force sellers into arbitration rather than litigation in open court. Even if the MLMs are forced to settle for millions in arbitration, their wrongdoing doesn’t become as public as a court settlement.

According to the DSA, 74% of MLM sellers are women, and 20% of sellers are of Hispanic origin, a demographic that critics say highlights the industry’s systemic targeting of economically vulnerable communities. José Vargas, a 39-year-old from Connecticut, is one Latino man who suffered. After the mid-2000s real estate crisis forced him out of his career in the mortgage industry, he was struggling to support his family as a cable technician. He was also about 25 lb. overweight.

Enter Herbalife Nutrition, which since its founding in 1980 has sold dietary supplements. Vargas started buying Herbalife’s shakes in 2012 and was so happy about his weight loss that he became a full-time Herbalife distributor in hopes of making a better income and helping others get in shape. But as he shed the pounds, his wallet got lighter too. He says he paid about $2,500 for the privilege of calling himself a supervisor, which he was told would help him earn more money faster. He paid roughly $700 a month to rent space for a storefront, which was recommended as a way to build up a clientele. He says he attended mandatory local training sessions and “highly encouraged” national events in faraway cities. By the time Vargas gave up Herbalife in 2014, he says, he had lost close to $10,000.

Approximately 30% of Herbalife’s distributors are Latino, according to the company. Herbalife in particular has faced criticism for targeting low-income Latino sellers in Mexico and California. The company has a 10-year, $44 million sponsorship of the Los Angeles Galaxy professional soccer team, which boasts a massive Latino fan base.

“You have a lot of Latinos that come here, looking to achieve the American Dream and become successful,” says Vargas, who is back to working as a mortgage consultant. “I think it’s a big smack in the face.”

A 2016 FTC complaint accused Herbalife of deceiving consumers and portrayed issues in tune with Vargas’ experiences. Among other things, it said Herbalife banned storefront operators from displaying prices for anything other than Herbalife membership fees.

Herbalife evaded official classification as a pyramid scheme, but only barely. Then FTC chairwoman Edith Ramirez said the company was “not determined not to have been a pyramid.” Herbalife said it believed “many of the allegations made by the FTC are factually incorrect,” but it agreed to pay $200 million to consumers who the FTC said had been incentivized to recruit people to buy Herbalife products–whether or not there was a market for them.

Evan Jenkins for TIMEThe Beachbody summit in 2019 drew thousands hoping to earn money selling the company’s products and fitness routines

Vargas recalls getting about $600 in the settlement but says worse than his financial loss is that he persuaded others to join Herbalife. Herbalife still operates in the U.S., but its biggest regional market is overseas in the Asia-Pacific region, where FTC rules don’t apply. (Herbalife says it has made significant changes since the FTC settlement to better protect distributors, such as compensating distributors based on how much they sell to customers rather than how much they personally buy, and requiring distributors to be with Herbalife for a year before opening a storefront, but some changes are not yet in effect in non-U.S. markets. In 2016, Herbalife said the settlement with the FTC showed that its “business model is sound.” Company officials declined to comment on the record for this article.)

Its website also invokes COVID-19 as a reason to trust its products, which it says have earned Herbalife the designation as an “essential” business.

On April 29, Vargas’ former Herbalife recruiter messaged him on social media after being out of touch for several years to ask how his family was faring through the pandemic. Vargas, suspecting the conversation would turn into a recruitment pitch, stopped responding after exchanging pleasantries. This time, he won’t be swayed. “What they promise,” he says of MLM distributors, “is very undeliverable.”

Beachbody CEO Carl Daikeler, who is 56 and estimated by Forbes to be worth hundreds of millions of dollars, says that achieving his level of success by selling Beachbody’s shakes and recruiting others to do so isn’t easy. “This is not something you jump into and instantly make a lot of money,” he tells TIME. Daikeler says he sounds a warning to those who want to quit their jobs and be full-time Beachbody coaches. “I will literally say, ‘Are you sure? And do you have money saved? Because this is starting your own business, and starting your own business is very hard. Most new businesses that start, fail.'”

It is months before COVID-19 had become a household term, and thousands of Beachbody distributors have gathered in Indianapolis to be inspired, to be motivated and to learn how they can turn the hours they’ve devoted to Beachbody into a profit–or at least earn back what they’ve spent on the company’s products and on attending this three-day conference.

A fit man with close-cropped gray hair, Daikeler uses the gathering to announce an array of products to sell: an exercise program designed by a celebrity coach, a plant-based chocolate almond crunch bar, a pumpkin-spice protein beverage. “We have 300,000 coaches,” he says to wild cheers. “And we need to find the next 300,000.” The words I can be my own boss had just flashed on the screen behind the stage he’s now standing on.

Melissa Golden—ReduxAuthor Rachel Hollis speaks at a LulaRoe event in October 2018

Rachel Hollis will take the stage at some point, but Daikeler is the person thousands of people in that audience want to be.

One of the people in the crowd is LindsayAnn Hammarlund of Atlanta, a mother of three who left her teaching job two years after joining Beachbody, when her sales surpassed her teaching salary. “We were paying so much in day care, and I cried literally every single day I took them to day care and I went to school,” says Hammarlund, 35. She’s recently gone back to the classroom now that her kids are older. But that MLM income, she says, has enabled her to pay down debt and take “many trips” with her Beachbody team. Dozens of other coaches who attended the Indianapolis convention told TIME they signed up because they liked the products, enjoyed the camaraderie and wanted to get in shape–not because they wanted to make money.

But on its website, Beachbody emphasizes that being a coach “means earning an income while you help yourself and others live healthier.” Except that wasn’t the reality for more than half of its coaches last year: 57% of them earned $0 in commission and bonuses in 2019, according to the company’s income-disclosure statement. Andy Brown, 38, a former Beachbody coach, thought he’d made between $4,000 and $5,000 in 2015, until he did his taxes. “I was starting to estimate how much money I spent on everything compared to the amount of money that I actually made, and that was sort of a wash,” says Brown. “And then on top of the tax hit I took, that’s when I was like, I’m in the red. This isn’t helping me at all. In fact, I’m probably worse off than when I started.”

Christine Baker, who left Beachbody in 2017, says she was paying about $100 per month to remain an active coach, but her highest commission check was $300. (Beachbody says it is possible to remain active by purchasing or selling as little as $67 worth of product per month and paying a $15.95 monthly fee.) Like Brown, Baker says the truth hit her around tax time. She recalls her accountant telling her, “You know, the only reason why you’re doing half good on your taxes this year is because you lost so much money.”

The same year Baker left Beachbody, a judge in Santa Monica, Calif., ruled the company must pay $3.6 million in penalties and restitution after the city accused it of charging customers’ credit cards for renewal fees without consent, and of exaggerating its products’ health benefits. Now, Beachbody must clearly define renewal terms, obtain consent from customers for subscription renewals and support its health claims with “competent and reliable” scientific studies.

Harry How—Getty ImagesThe Los Angeles Galaxy soccer team, in November 2012, wearing Herbalife jerseys

That hasn’t deterred customers. Since COVID-19 closed gyms, Beachbody’s business has been booming. Daikeler tells TIME that April, May and June were the top streaming months for Beachbody on Demand workout videos since the program launched in July 2015: the number of subscribers has blossomed more than 33% since mid-March, and customers are averaging 600,000 fitness classes on the platform per day.

And a lot of these customers are attempting to turn their newfound workout regimens into income streams. Of the approximately 405,000 Beachbody coaches who are eligible to recruit participants and make money off them, more than 141,000 signed up on or after March 1.

With Reporting by CURRIE ENGEL/NEW YORK

[anghealthcare-blog]

Tips To Consider When Hiring Home Care Services in Citrus Heights and Fair Oaks CA

If the loved one in the family needs help in meeting everyday needs, the best solution which is available is to hire an in-home caregiver. A company that offers in-home care services in Citrus Heights and Fair Oaks CA takes care of the loved one so that they can stay as independent as possible. Moreover, the home caregiver can also assist with almost anything starting from essential everyday household chores to medical therapies and procedures.

Following are some of the tips that can help in finding the right home care services:

Keep in mind that in-home care services are not a one size fits all services. Thus, it is very important to determine exactly what type of services are needed. Some seniors may need assistance with housekeeping duties such as cleaning, cooking, or laundry while others may require help related to medical therapies and treatments. In addition, there are certain seniors as well who may need assistance with activities of daily living such as getting dressed, getting in or out of bed, or bathing.

It is important to note that not all find it very comfortable to have a caregiver coming to their homes. Thus, it is always advisable to talk with the adult members in the family at first regarding hiring a caregiver as this gives them time to become comfortable.

Even though cost of the in-home care services should not be the only factor in determining whether the service should be taken or not, but it should certainly be a factor to consider. One can compare the prices that the in-home care services caregiver charge for with other caregivers in order to choose the one who will offer best in class services at reasonable rates.

Prior to starting with the actual search, it is always better to have some idea of the kind of care-giving schedule the loved one will need. Keep in mind that the budget will play a role in how much time the caregiver will spend with the loved one. The schedule may also determine which days or times of day one will need somebody to provide care.

The first thing that one will need to determine is whether one wants to hire the caregiver independently or go through an agency. An agency is likely to be a bit costly but is also possibly much more convenient. So, it is always better to choose an agency for hiring nursing care in Roseville and Sacramento.

Most of the in-home caregivers play a vital role when it comes to taking care of the loved one, and one will depend on them to accomplish almost everything. But, unforeseen circumstances may come up from time to time, so one should decide in advance what they will do in case their in-home caregiver is ill, takes a leave, or is not able to help an individual for some other reason.

[floydnewell]

Hotels that make you Bliss in Sacramento Ca

Hotels that make you Bliss in Sacramento Ca

After arriving at Sacramento your immediate requirement will be to find a hotel where you can get rid of your jetlag and relax. There are many classes of hotels in Sacramento, from high end posh accommodations to moderate and economical options. You may choose the size of accommodation, number of rooms, type of facilities and utilities depending on your budget and time comfort levels. Most of the hotels here offer online booking system. You can visit their website, fill up the reservation form and submit it. You may choose to make online payment before you start off from your origin airport. This might help in getting the confirmation.

Luxury Class Hotels

Spacious living space, private bedrooms, fully furnished bathrooms and fitness facilities are said to be the basic amenities you get at the luxury hotels. Large swimming pools, spa and sauna, beauty care and Yoga are some of the added features you can find at the luxury class hotels here.

Citizen Hotel

Citizen Hotel at Sacramento is said to be one of the luxurious accommodations which promises to give you all the above specified features and more. The deluxe class is elegantly split into queen king, double beds, junior suite, single bedroom and penthouse suite. The amenities at the hotel include guestrooms, reception rooms, meeting halls, bar and restaurant. The hotel is located between Roseville and Elk Grove. You may also approach the hotel from Folsom while moving towards Davis.

The Westin Sacramento

The hotel is located on 4800-Riverside Boulevard in Sacramento. One of the most interesting aspects of this hotel is said to be the riverside rooms. You can spend your evening hours near the nature’s vicinity. The rooms are said to be fitted with all the modern high end amenities like showers, heating places, queen size beds and relaxing areas. The option for junior suite makes it easy for you to find your privacy when you come with your family.

Homewood Suites

The Homewood Suites is located very close to the airport at a driving distance. The suites are provided with top class bedrooms, living rooms, guest rooms and fully furnished bathrooms. Heating and air conditioning facilities are said to be among the best rated in this region. If you happen to an art lover, you will certainly appreciate the works of genuine artists displayed on your room walls.

Fully fledged breakfast, lunch and appetizing meals are served to your room at your convenience. You may also opt for going to the spacious food courts along with your family to enjoy a greater dining experience. Alcoholic beverages may be supplied subject to conditions from the hotel management. Fitness center, multimedia and internet connectivity, sports and recreational activities and health centers are made available. Absolutely relaxing swimming pools, spa and massage centers promise you complete peace for your mind and body. It is easy to locate the hotel when you come out from the south exit of the airport. Ask your cab driver to take a deviation to the right from Del Paso East into the Advantage way.

Hyatt Regency

The hotel is located at 209 L Street in Sacramento. The facilities for luxurious rooms with queen size beds, carpeted floor, air conditioning and heating facilities make your stay relaxing and comfortable. This is said to be one of the preferred places for business class visitors. High end convention center with IMAX Theater, park and mini bar make your seminars and conferences great experience.

The rooms are said to be provided with the latest electronic multimedia and high speed internet facilities. You can spend most of your working hours within your room which provides absolute silence and peace of mind. You can have live conferences online which can be connected to the flat screen HDTV. Your leisure time with your family could be made worthwhile by playing the latest movies from Hollywood, live sports and other gala shows.

The hotel staff can make arrangements for your shopping, visits to cultural centers, old Sacramento tour and other family attractions in and around Sacramento.

Hampton Inn Hotel

The hotel is located at 2230 Auburn Blvd-Sacramento. With over 70 specious luxury rooms, business class suites and state of the art amenities, the Hampton Inn hotel is rated as one of the top class Expo hotels in Sacramento. Here you can find good amenities for business, entertainment and fitness purposes.

You can have business conferences, meetings and seminars at the business center. The staff can provide you with the latest gadgets and multimedia equipment for rental.

Meting and conference rooms with large space and latest furniture make it easy for you to conduct your business and marketing campaigns. Breakfast, lunch, supper and beverages facilities are said to be of elite standards.

Your stay with your family is made easy and comfortable with laundry and housekeeping services. All the amenities are marked clearly for you to identify and get eh services faster.

Residence Inn

Residence Inn is located at 1121-15th-St-Sacramento. With over 11 floors of high tech facilities, this hotel is said to be one among the top ranked business class accommodations. The price here might be bit dearer for the high end rooms, but the facilities you get are absolutely great. It’s located around Low Rate Car Car Locksmith Sacramento CA

Large rooms with view and fully furnished bathrooms make it convenient to stay with family, if you have come alone on a business visit, you may opt for single luxurious room with room services for food and beverages. Multi cuisine restaurants serve local foods from Sacramento and continental foods from other parts of the country and the world. Fitness, gym and spa facilities are said to be among the top rated facilities you can find in and around Sacramento.

Double-Tree Hotel

The Double Tree hotel is located at 2001-Point-West-Way-Sacramento. With high end luxury rooms, large swimming pools food courts and barrooms, the hotel gives you all the features you expect to have in business class hotel. The staffs here are said to be very friendly and take care of the smallest of your personal and family needs with absolute care.

Sacramento Locksmith

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