Home Security For The Holidays

The last thing anyone needs to spoil their perfect holiday is to come home to find their possessions damaged or stolen.  



The following simple tips may be all that makes the difference between a great holiday and a not so great one and are an inexpensive way to give you the peace of mind for your holidays.

• Make sure all windows and doors are locked in your home/garage/shed.

•  Have your mail collected by a friend or neighbor, or have it held or redirected by the post office.

•  Don’t leave a message on your answering machine, or a note on the door that tells callers you are away.

•  Turn down your the volume on your phone so it can’t be heard ringing unanswered.

•  Ask a neighbour/friend to put your rubbish bins out as usual.

•  Consider using automatic timers to turn on a light, television or radio at different times.

•  Leave a key with a trusted neighbor or friend and ask them to rearrange blinds, switch lights on and off at different times, etc. to make your house look “lived in”.

•  Lock away tools, ladders and anything that could be used to get into your house, garage or shed.

•  Ask a neighbor to park their car in your driveway occasionally to give the impression that someone is coming and going.

•  Make sure all your valuables are stored securely.

•  Have your lawn mowed while you are away. 

These tips may seem simple and common sense, but can make all the difference

If you are traveling for the holidays (or for any reason :-) I recommend checking out the new guide written by Henry Rustkirk, ex Airline reservation agent, entitled "Insider Secrets To Cheap Flights".

Henry has thrown in four bonus guides that come with Insider Secrets To Cheap Flights

Insider Secrets To Cheap Car Rentals
Insider Secrets To Cheap Hotel Reservations
Insider Secrets To Cheap Flights: Guide To Airport Security, and
Lifetime Updates To Insider Secrets To Cheap Flights and All Bonus Guides

All the information contained here will more than cover the cheap price, and make your holidays so much more enjoyable and cost effective. 

Have a safe and happy holiday experience :-)

England Vacation Guide

With the XX Commonwealth Games being hosted in Glasgow , I thought some info on England might be fuel for thought....

 

Arrival and Departure
 
When arriving or departing to and from England, you will probably land at the Heathrow Airport, the largest airport and one of the busiest airports in the world. It is located 15 miles (24km) west of central London; or at London Gatwick Airport, the second largest airport in the England, which is 28 miles (45km) south of central London. (No departure tax.)

Both airports are connected to London by an underground railway network. The city can also be reached by taxi that is available outside each airport's terminal.

Flight to England
 
It takes more than 8 hours if you are traveling from the US.
Quickest at present from Australia, is 1 stop at either, Bahrain, Singapore, or Hong Kong ,depending on airline. Expect 22 hours minimum, if the winds are favorable, up to 26 hours if the wind is against you. 

Time to visit
 
The best time to visit England is during the months of July to September, when the weather is at its best and daylight hours are the longest. However, this is also the time when tourists visit England so the rates are higher, the streets are more crowded and the queues are longer. Low season is from November to March. If you do not mind the chilling cold of England winter and would like to take advantage of the cheaper rates, then take your pick from these months. Shoulder season is from April to June and the month of October.

Where to go
 
England may be a small country but it offers a lot of attractions, museums and world renowned sights that you should not miss visiting. Visit some of the following sites: the Buckingham Palace, the Westminster Abbey, the British Museum, the Houses of Parliament, the London Eye, the National Gallery, Shakespeare's Globe Theater, St. Paul's Cathedral, Sir John Soane's Museum, the Tower of London, the Tower Bridge, Notting Hill, the Trafalgar Square and the Admiralty Arch, among others.

Where to stay
 
Hotels are abundantly available especially in major cities such as London, Manchester, Birmingham, Newcastle and Liverpool. However, hotels in these cities are very expensive especially during the high season. Premium price is paid for rooms with bathrooms.

For a budget traveler, Bed and Breakfasts are the preferred choice. They are cheap, clean, convenient, comfortable and hospitable. Bathrooms are often shared with other guests but the rooms are generally comfortable.

Getting around

• Renting a car – If you are traveling as a group and planning to explore the country side, then renting a car is a good choice. But pass on car rental option if you will spend most of your time in the city.

Note: The driver seat is at the right hand side of the vehicle like here in Australia.

• Bus, taxi and the Tube –Buses, taxis and trains are the most popular means to get around the city. London is popular for its double-Decker buses. All cities and towns have bus services as well. All cities have taxi services. Taking the underground railways system in London (or what is commonly referred to as the Tube) is a good experience. Suburban rail services are available in Manchester, Birmingham, Liverpool and the cities in Newcastle and South Yorkshire. Tram routes are available in south London.

• Boats – Commuter and leisure boat services are available on the River Thames. 

Eliminate your Accommodation Expense

Save thousands of dollars by providing home security and pet care. Opportunities for housesitting are available around the world from House Carers. 

Immediate registration and real time updates allow instant viewing of your profile by owners.

Access here for Instant Registration 

Finding the best hotel deals

When it comes to hotels, things boil down to a tradeoff between low cost and convenient location.  In many cases, especially when traveling to major cities and popular attractions, the closer the hotel to the city or attraction the more you can expect to pay.  The best way to save money, particularly in large cities, is often to stay in the suburbs.

Of course, this means that you will spend more time getting to the places you want to visit, and this will mean spending additional money on gasoline, etc.  It is important to compute all these costs to make sure that you will really be spending less on a less convenient hotel room.

There are of course a number of ways to save money on hotels and motels without compromising quality.  For one thing, a membership in an auto club also entitles you to discounts on hotel rooms, as does military service and senior citizen status.  When inquiring about a hotel room, always inquire about discounts that may be available.

The following brief video gives a number of websites to look at for accommodation deals and freebies.




In addition, shopping early for a hotel room can often yield the best deals.  That is because hotels often reserve a block of low cost rooms, and when they are gone they are gone.  Thus the last room at a hotel may be much more costly than the first.  Getting the best hotel room deal is often a matter of timing.

Of course getting a great deal on a hotel will mean nothing if the place is a dump.  Shopping for a budget hotel should not mean settling for a hotel that is dirty, poorly run or in an unsafe location. 

Fortunately, finding a good budget hotel has been made much easier with the help of the internet.  What used to take weeks or even months to research can now be done in a matter of hours or even minutes.  Many hotels, even budget properties, feature pictures of the property and the surrounding area, so be sure to research the property you are considering if you have never stayed there before.

It is important to research the area in which the hotel is located as well.  Be sure to check out things like restaurants and attractions within walking distance of the hotel.  Doing some research on the area will help ensure you do not end up staying in a dangerous neighborhood just to save a couple of bucks.

As shown in the above video, the internet also provides a number of review sites where those who have stayed in various hotels share their experiences and their impressions of the hotel properties.  These review sites can be very useful for travelers, particularly those traveling to a new location for the first time.

In addition, the internet hosts a number of comparison web sites where travelers can easily find and compare hotel properties for their individual dates of stay and destinations.  These web sites offer a number of ways to search, including distance from a particular tourist attraction, price, star level and more.  The only caveat to consider when using such a web site is its independence.  

Some comparison web sites feature only properties that pay an advertising fee, so using a comparison site does not necessarily guarantee the best price.  It is best to use a number of such web sites to get a true picture of the lowest prices available.

Introduction to budget travel

The world of budget travel is one of the most exciting and interesting, and in today’s world traveling on a budget is becoming more and more of a necessity. 

 Keeping costs low while traveling is important, whether you are a solo traveler seeing the world for the first time or a family with a carload full of kids heading for the beach or the theme park. 


When it comes to coming up with a travel budget, the first step should be to decide what is important to you and where you can cut back a bit. For instance, some travelers are comfortable spending a bit more for a better class of hotel, while others prefer to save money by using budget accommodations and spend the money they saved on sightseeing or a special meal for the family.







As with other aspects of finance, it is a good idea to create a travel budget. Determine a budget for the various aspects of your vacation, such as hotel, airfare, rental cars, sightseeing, gasoline, etc. Once you have a good idea of what each element of the vacation should cost, it is time to start shopping around for the best deals. 

Once you have determined what is most important to you, it is time to start determining how to get the best deals. Often, admission deals on area attractions are the easiest to come by, since many theme parks, museums and other destinations run specials to attract out of town guests. 

To score big discounts on area attractions, the best place to start is the web site of the attraction itself. Be sure to check the web site for any specials, such as two for one deals, free admission for children, special reduced admission days, etc. 

If you are a member of the military, a senior citizen or a member of an organization such as AAA, there are often additional discounts available. Most AAA offices sell discount admission tickets to theme parks, museums and other popular attractions within driving distance, and most AAA offices sell discounted admissions to popular attractions like Walt Disney World as well. The key to making your travel budget stretch farther is to ask about, and take advantage of, all discounts that may be available. 

If you are driving to your destination, one great way to make your travel budget go further is to make sure your car is in tip top shape before embarking on your trip. Small details, such as under-inflated tires or worn spark plugs can really eat into your gas mileage and end up costing you a bundle, especially on a long road trip. 

A good map can also be a money saver, since it will keep you from driving around in circles and wasting gas. Finding your way easily to and from the hotel and the surrounding area will make your vacation more pleasant and less costly. 

No matter how you save money on your next vacation, having a budget and sticking to it will help you enjoy your vacation more, and worry less about paying for it. 





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The Importance of Comparing Airfares

Do you need to book a flight?  

If you are looking to take a vacation,  you will find an unlimited number of options.  There are thousands of airports around the world, as well as multiple airlines that service those airports.  With these different options, you are encouraged to compare prices before making any official reservations.

By comparing, you will get more travel options.  When comparing flights and airlines, in general, you are likely to come across flights that you may not have otherwise seen or known about.  In addition to getting a better deal, you may also find flights available with a different airline that has more convenient times.

Another reason to compare prices when buying airline tickets is because you can save money.  What many people, especially first time travelers, do not take into consideration is price differences.  Although you will find some similarities, different airlines charge different fees.  

When you spend less money on your travel arrangements, such as your airline tickets, you have more money that you can put towards your vacation.  Depending on the amount of money that you are able to save, you can enjoy a nice meal, add an extra activity to your to do list, upgrade your overnight accommodations, and much more.  

One of your first stops should be online travel websites.  Online travel websites are nice because they let you compare flights from different airlines, all at the same time.  A good benefit of using online travel websites to compare airfare rates is you can pay for your tickets through them as well.

You may also want to visit the online websites of airline companies.  If you have to fly out of a specific area, like Albany, you will want to visit the online websites of airlines that you know fly in and out of that airport.  This process of comparing prices will take a little bit longer than using online travel websites, but many take comfort in knowing that they are doing business directly with the airline company.

Happy Flying...

Tips for a financially healthy holiday season

As we prepare for the festive season, we expect these
celebrations to be a time of happiness and joy. But these
celebrations can be financially stressful.

 Now is the time to plan with these 7 suggestions


Plan ahead - make a list of everyone you intend to buy a
present for and write the amount you intend to spend on
them. Think of alternate less expensive gifting options.

Don’t stop paying your regular bills - Although it is
tempting to do this so that you have extra money for the
festive season - it will only make it harder in January to get
on track. Keep up with regular bills and set a budget that you
can afford.

Beware of interest free deals - these are only good if you
can pay off the entire amount before the end of the interest
free period. Make sure you do the sums yourself and pay
more than the minimum required otherwise you could be
paying a high interest charge.

Shop with a purpose - Take your gift giving list when you
shop. Avoid spending more than you need to or can afford.
Think about groceries in November - there are lots of things
you can purchase ahead of the big day to make it easier. Start
planning your festivities now and see what you can start to
purchase rather than leaving it till the end.

Be thoughtful - chances are you are not the only one
worrying about the costs to be incurred over the festive
season. Your family and friends might be feeling the same.
Consider discussing with your loved ones about how to make
the holiday less expensive and yet an enjoyable time for
everyone (ie: Kris Kringle/pooling money for food/presents
only for kids).

Reuse gift wrapping – Retain any ribbon and gift bags that
you may have received and use them next year... great for
saving the environment too.

Black Friday & Cyber Monday Specials! Send Smiles and get FREE SHIPPING on Flowers & Gifts at 1800flowers.com! Use Code: SHIPFREE2012 at checkout

 (Valid 11/23/2012 12:00am EST - 11/26/2012 11:59pm EST)

"People will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel." - Maya Angelou