Money Saving Travel Tips
So you are planning your big dream travel vacation, but are concerned about the cost? Although the when and where of the plan are the main points, it is the little details in-between that can really make a trip worthwhile. By utilizing some of the following travel tips, you may be able to achieve memorable trip while saving money and precious vacation time.Transportation* Fly “open-jaw” – If you are going to travel to multiple cities during the course of your trip, instead of a purchasing a round trip ticket, it may be cheaper overall to fly into your 1st city and fly out of your final city. This can save in transit costs between destinations. For example, if you are planning a trip to Rome, Bologna, Florence, and Milan, it will most-likely cheaper and definitely less time-consuming to fly into Rome, take a train between points, and fly home from Milan.* Use Rail and Local Transit Passes – For extended multi-city trips, an inter-city/country rail or local transit pass can be a big saver. In Europe, Eurorail offers multiple-use rail passes within and between many countries for a fraction of the cost of buying multiple individual trip tickets.* Take Regional Airlines – For short multi-city travel, small regional airlines can be a convenient and lower-cost option to the big carriers.* Turn layover cities into destinations – Instead of just providing a “fly-through” tourist experience, desirable layover cities can also become part of your vacation itinerary. For instance, you can break up what is normally a round trip route to Bangkok via Hong Kong into segments. Buy the round trip to Hong Kong instead and then use a low-cost regional carrier for the short round trip to Bangkok. The cost difference may actually be minimal and worth the net-gain of an extra regional tourism experience.* Take advantage of off-season and weekday discounts – The travel pricing laws of supply and demand apply are very well illustrated by the noticeable discounts that can be acquired by flying to certain destinations outside of the peak tourist season and during weekdays.* Last minute cruises – A week-or-two before launch, cruise lines are usually very aggressive in trying to fill vacancies. If you have an open vacation time-frame, seek out these last-minute bookings for great cruise bargains.* Fly into cheaper nearby cities or airports – The busiest hub airports are often more expensive to fly into. For instance, Paris’s Orly can sometimes be a cheaper and less-hectic alternative to the busy beehive of Charles de Gaulle.Lodging* Private homes instead of hotels – Instead of a hotel, it may be cheaper to rent a private home or condo in your target destination. To protect yourself in the case of a dispute, use a credit card and book it through a reputable vacation rental organization or website. Just like an eBay user, if a private owner wants repeat business, they will be diligent in protecting their seller rating.* Travel and sleep at the same time – You can sometimes save time and money during multi-city trips by using booking overnight rail or boat routes and sleeping along the way to the next destination.* Search for discount codes – You can sometimes find good deals on hotels and rental cars by searching online for discount codes. Popular sites like couponmountain.com and retailmenot.com specialize in listing current promotional codes on a wide range of items and services.* Bargain with hotels directly – Call area hotels and ask to speak to a manager when trying to negotiate a good nightly rate.* Take advantage of membership discounts – If hard bargaining is not your forte’, you can still take advantage of pre-negotiated group discounts by mentioning your membership in organizations such as automobile or senior discount associations.Shopping & Dining* Often, the best deals can be found just off of the beaten path – Even a few blocks from a major tourist attraction or district can make the difference between paying tourist prices versus shopping and eating like a local.Sightseeing* Use taxi drivers as tour guides – For the right price, private taxi drivers may sometimes be able to personally transport you to various sights over the course of a day. This is especially mutually beneficial in countries where a tourist can pay a fraction of a normal tour price and a driver can make more than they would for one normal day’s work.* Casual eavesdropping – If you are at a major tourist attraction and within the vicinity of a tour guide speaking loudly in your language, you can often enjoy the collateral benefits of a professional guided tour without the expense.Currency* Exchange currency at the cheapest location – Instead of using airport currency exchanges or a bank in your home country, going to a local bank in a foreign destination city or using an ATM may actually yield a better exchange rate.
Home Buying Advice for Young Los Angeles Couples
Most homebuyers enjoy looking at real estate, particularly in character-rich Northeast LA. But first you should get your financial ducks in a row.It is no secret that Northeast LA is a hot real estate market. For many years, real estate in Highland Park, Eagle Rock and Pasadena have consistently been in high demand. Homes in Glassell Park, Hermon and Garvanza continue to fetch top dollar. Everyone is trying to take his or her slice of the American dream of homeownership.But some interesting data on home prices, rental prices and home ownership rates with younger people in the Los Angeles area should be given serious consideration by young individuals and couples who are sitting on the house-buying fence in 2017 and 2018.The short story is prices for owning and renting are going up, ownership rates in LA lag behind the rest of the country, and low interest rates mean mortgage payments are actually less right now compared to other periods in the recent past.Since 2007 home ownership dropped from 52.3 percent to 47.8 percent (in 2016), according to data collected by Apartment List. Those least likely to be homeowners today are African-Americans, Hispanics and people under the age of 45. (For what it’s worth, ownership rates overall dropped by 8.1 percent in San Diego.)Another set of statistics (compiled by Lending Tree) found that 36 percent of Millennials were homebuyers. Ownership largely correlates with income and savings, so for those who think they might be able to do that, here are four critical steps to take to make it happen:Time it to when you are most employed/credit worthy- You want to show a lender your best credit worthiness, which is a function of total income (both earners), debt-to-income ratio and your overall credit score. If either member of the couple plans to take time off or scale back their work schedule, such as to have children or go back to school, it’s wise to get a mortgage before making that move.Know your financial parameters – Simply, you need to know what you can afford. List your monthly expenses, your monthly income, and pay special attention to what your monthly housing expenses are (calculating for utilities and insurance). Then meet with either a mortgage broker or a realtor to use that information to calculate what size of a mortgage you can afford. There are various terms in every mortgage (i.e., number of years, interest rates, size of down payment and closing costs) that will affect the size of your monthly payments.Find your down payment – This will be 10% to 20% of the purchase price, or more if you have it. On a $600,000 home, that means you’ll need up to $50,000. We will leave it up to you to determine where it comes from (often it is from parents or grandparents who understand the good sense of owning over renting).Plan for 4-6 years out – Because there are transactional costs associated with home buying, there is a breakeven point for all purchases (assuming an appreciating market) where you will be able to see a profit should you decide to sell. The real estate valuation firm Zillow calculated in 2015 the “breakeven horizon” in the Los Angeles region to average at 5.1 years. But this comes with variation. The Zillow analysis found numbers for several Northeast Los Angeles neighborhoods that hover around this average:Eagle Rock 6.3 yearsHighland Park 4.8 yearsHermon 4.5 yearsGlassell Park 5.5 yearsMount Washington 6.1 yearsNote that other areas have longer breakeven points, including Atwater Village (7.4 years), Silver Lake (8.3 years), Los Feliz (8.9 years) and South East Pasadena (9.1 years). No numbers were available for Garvanza, another popular NELA area.Without question it’s a process that requires planning, saving and organizing. But for most people a home is also the biggest investment of their lives. There should be a little work involved.
The Importance of Buying Life Insurance
It is essential to buy Life Insurance to provide financial protection to the family of the policy holder, in case he expires unfortunately.Majority of the people try to ignore the topic of death. Though, it is necessary to plan properly for securing the financial status of the family of the deceased. Financial security is provided to the dependants of a policy holder by an appropriate Insurance plan, in case of unexpected death.The reason discussed above explains the rationale behind purchasing Life coverage. It is more important for the people having a family. The following article aims at making the prospective buyers of Insurance aware of the fundamentals of Insurance plans. The information provided below will certainly help the prospective customers to opt the most appropriate Insurance Policy according to their requirements.Term Life Insurance and Whole Life Insurance are the two essential kinds of Insurance policies.The key features of Term Life coverage policy are – providing Insurance cover for a fixed time span, lower amounts of premium, and they may or may not be renewable. Insurance plans with a time period of 10 to 25 years basically have higher premium amounts than the Insurance Plans with a time period of 1 to 5 years. Like individual Life Insurance plan, term life coverage also provides cover for a credit or mortgage. One may secure the payment of the constant expenses for the whole of his lifetime, by purchasing the Cash Value plans. In addition, it also offers the benefits in case of unexpected death of the policy owner. Policy owners are permitted to withdraw against the cash value for a particular amount of Interest.Hence, Life coverage holds more importance for the people who are the sole working member of their family. Those who do not add to the family income may carry on without any Insurance.Now a day, the importance of Life coverage has increased manifold. Insurance covers are used with salary packages, to attract new recruits in a company. Companies get corporate Life Insurance at cheap rates in comparison with personal Insurance plans which are relatively costly. Individual Life coverage is essential even if one’s employer provides Group Life Insurance cover. It is because the payout amount proposed by the worker’s Insurance may be inadequate according to employee’s requirements. In addition if the management chooses to lessen the costs, or the employee leaves the job, the employee will be uninsured. One should also keep in mind that if one purchases Insurance at an older age, then one needs to pay higher amount of premiums.
Buying Chips For Online Gambling
How To Fund Your Internet Gambling Account
Buying chips and credits at online gambling web sites seems to become more difficult with each passing month. Legislative changes combine with policy changes at processing companies to create an environment that is constantly changing and sometimes difficult to keep track of.
The early days of online gambling offered few options for funding your casino or sportsbook account. Prior to the internet poker boom, most sites dealt primarily with credit card billing. A few casinos, mostly using the Microgaming software platform also used a platform by Surefire Commerce, which later became FirePay.
With few options, direct billing of credit cards remained the main option for years, despite the numerous headaches involved. The transactions were considered high risk by banks, so they carried stiff fees, and consumers would often dispute the charges if they did not win. A new alternative was desperately needed, and the PayPal electronic wallet soon stepped up to fill the void.
By the end of 2002, PayPal had been absorbed by online auction giant, eBay.com, and had ceased all internet gambling business. At this time a company called Neteller entered the market to provide an electronic wallet that catered to the online gambling industry. Although many others also entered this market over the next few years, Neteller remained the dominant force in the world of processing payments to and from online casinos, sportsbooks and poker rooms.
In March 2007, Neteller bowed out of the market due to increasing legal pressure from the United States. That is to say that the company stopped processing transactions for the US and Canadian customers that make up the majority of internet gambling customers. Since most people utilized the services provided by Neteller, the move left many wondering exactly what options are still available to them. There are, of course, several methods that are still viable options for funding an internet gambling account.
Credit Cards – It seems that the industry has come full circle, as online gambling sites are once again recommending the use of Visa and Mastercard as the primary method for funding your online gambling account.
ePassporte – ePassporte is an electronic wallet that allows you to send and receive money anonymously to anywhere in the world. The system is based on a prepaid virtual Visa card that is reloadable. You can sign up for an account at epassporte.com
Click2Pay – While ePassporte handles a number of e-commerce industries, Click2Pay is an electronic wallet that was designed specifically for the online gambling industry. This gives Click2Pay an insight into the industry that puts them ahead of the curve when compared to other payment options. Sign up for an account today at click2pay.com
Check By Mail – Old fashioned checks and money orders are always welcomed. The only downside is that you wont have credits in your gambling account immediately, since it takes time for the check to be mailed to the online gambling establishment.
There are other options available for funding gambling accounts. New methods are being added all the time. For an updated list of available options, you can contact the online casino, sportsbook or poker room of your choice. They will be more than happy to tell you the best available option for buying credits to gamble with.
The Issue of Trust and Online Gambling
Trying online gambling requires somewhat of a leap of faith. So before you choose an online casino in which to set up an account and deposit money, you want to check them out thoroughly and find out if their reputation and track record makes you comfortable enough to entrust them with your e-wallet or credit card number.
Fortunately for the beginning online gambler, you can find a lot of websites, portals, and discussion forums all about which sites are legitimate and which have had problems. You would be wise to read several of these before signing up. Learning from other people’s mistakes can be a lot cheaper than learning from your own when it comes to online gambling.
One thing you should find out for any casino online that you may want to sign up with is whether their payouts are independently audited. Casinos with independently audited payouts are highly preferable to those that are not, because at least you can have confidence that the payout percentages they advertise are real. You should also find out how well their customer service performs. Forums and bulletin boards are great places to find out about customer service problems. If someone has experienced poor customer service at a given casino, they’re sure to let everybody know about it online.
When you read through forums, reviews, and comments about web casinos, expect to see at least one or two thoroughly glowing reviews and at least one or two horrible reviews for most casinos. Forum posters sometimes have a personal axe to grind, and some posts are written by people employed by the casinos, so you know they’ll be very positive. You’re best off evaluating casinos based on the majority of the non-extreme reviews. Of course, if all the reviews of a casino are negative, you should stay away.
While you are still getting your feet wet in the world of online gambling, you can check out not only the many casino reviews, but also sites that offer free practice games that will give you an idea of the pace and feel of playing online. If you’re used to playing poker in person, you’ll find that the pace is different online, and the same is true of most casino games, including slots.
Gambling portals online offer reviews, tips, information on which software systems sites use, and helpful links to sites where you can read up on techniques, online gambling news, and what new games you can find online. Some of these sites even have reviews and articles about land casinos, which can be very informative if you’re planning a trip to Vegas or somewhere else you can gamble live.
Online gambling can be a lot of fun, and it can provide a bit of the thrill you get from going to a land-based casino from the convenience of your home. The best way to make sure you enjoy your online gambling experience to its full extent is to take the time up front to research web casinos, read reviews, and learn the road rules and best practices. Finding a good online gambling portal site is a terrific place to start.
With so many online casino portals out there you should have the benefit of knowing which casino online sites are trustworthy to give your money for online play. visit our website today where we provide you with a list of trusted online casinos.
Throw The Dice On Online Gambling Sites
The game of gambling has achieved immense popularity in recent times. Card games like blackjack and poker have become staples of many club houses. This trend has also caught the fancy of the internet, leading to many online gambling websites coming up in recent times. The combination of entertainment with lucrative opportunity has proved to be a very attractive concept for many online users. This has grown to become a main mode of entertainment for both amateur and professional gamblers online. For many professionals the use of online gambling websites is a way to convert their hobbies and skills into a profit.
Over the years, growing professional commitments and lack of time have made it difficult for many amateur gamblers to experiment with their luck. The online gambling sites offer them a chance to play their favorite games online. This allows people to indulge in their favorite games like poker and roulette from the comforts of their offices and homes. The users can choose from the top rated gambling sites on the internet to practice their skills on.
Most gambling sites require the player to register and deposit a certain amount of money to begin playing. As a beginner or an amateur player, it is very important for the gambler to read the rules and regulations of the website and its benefits before choosing to register. Unless the player chooses the right online gambling websites, there is an impending risk of losing their money within a few games. This is why it is important for users to access gambling reviews for finding the best gambling sites on the internet. These websites offer detailed information about top rated gaming sites and the benefits they offer to people. This information can prove to be instrumental in the profit making ability of gamblers on these gambling sites.
Most gambling websites have a range of features which are created in order to attract more users to register and play on the website. The reviews provide detailed information about these financial aspects of the game and offer customers better insight into the process. With the help of these reviews, it is possible for users to choose the easiest gambling sites to deposit at, banking options and other facilities available on the website. It is advised that customers choose the right online gambling websites based on the bonus offered to them.
The easy accessibility of online gambling sites is one of their most attractive features. But not all websites offer the maximum benefits to customers. This is why it is very important that people choose to read through gambling sites reviews before opting to invest their money on one particular site. This will help them understand different factors like the bonuses available, registration fees and other transactional details thoroughly before beginning the game. However, it is important that customers choose a credible and trusted review site for their reviews. This will help them in choosing the best site for their gambling needs..
History of the Online Gambling Industry
Gambling has existed thousands of years ago. We, as human beings, have the natural instinct to survive so in order to do this, we need to take the risks or gamble and hope to achieve victory in return. Gambling existed in many forms. People usually gamble on who will get the largest land or who will win the war. People use coins and dices to decide on their fate and these basic notions had led to the development of casino gambling, which is very popular nowadays. With the popularity of casino gambling taking its toll for several decades now, people have learned to adapt to such popularity. Today, casino gambling has embarked on a new journey and this is to share the excitement of casino gambling to the entire world.
The Beginnings of Online Casino Industry
It all started in 1994 at a small island in Antigua and Barbuda. This was the same year when the legalization of online gambling was passed in Antigua. Because of Antigua and Barbuda, internet gambling has moved on to the next generation and continues to soar high up to this present date. Prior to the launching of the first online casino, gaming software were developed. Microgaming is the first gaming software provider that was used to power online casinos. Cryptologic, an online security software company, made the necessary steps to make online gaming safe and secure as possible.
The online casino industry definitely didn’t have a convenient start, the industries tackled issues on legality and addiction to gambling. A lot of people never really like the idea of gambling online so they promoted anti-gambling campaigns to battle its approval.
Online Casino Industry “The Present Time”
The internet definitely made great contributions to the development of online gambling. With the evolution of technology, people can enjoy their favorite casino game anytime, anywhere. But many people, especially US officials, seriously detest the legalization of online gambling. Despite the legality issues, many people still want to become part of the online gambling industry. Today, the online gambling industry is definitely on the verge of becoming one of the biggest profitable industries in the world. Online casinos continue to increase in number and various programs to promote online gambling like tournaments and World Series have already been set to provide only the best for every player. The online gambling industry is definitely here to stay and it will continue to surpass all obstacles and rise stronger than ever.
Online Gambling World As Players See It
It is significant to learn where online gambling is in today’s highly commercialized world. This is not an easy discussion and will require us to expend time and effort if we were to seek enlightenment on this matter. But this knowledge is relevant for beginners, players, and casinos themselves. For instance, such information can give you a perception of gambling, not only in the country but in the entire world. Statistics can give you information regarding the kind of gamblers casinos have and the overall gambling behavior of the populace. If you are an interested online gambler, you should keep yourself updated to the latest news.
Looking at the General Picture of the Online Gambling Realm
At the present, gamblers around the world are flustered at the approval of the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act (UIGEA), which prohibits Americans from gambling games online and which seems the most pressing issue concerning the gambling public. Nonetheless, the bill targets only the American citizens and the US gambling and casino market. But the implications of this law spread globally. One of the notable effects is the higher stringency in money transferring procedure and banking options in gambling sites. This started in 2007 though in a vague, confusing manner. The outcome is the closure of online gambling sites as a result of reduction of stocks brought about by diminishing market as the US bans its people to join online gambling. Gambling sites outside United States also forbids registration of US players. Indeed, the effects of UIGEA travelled beyond the bounds of America, affecting worldwide gambling industry, impairing more casino sites than it ought to be.
Gambling on the Internet
So, you may want to check out how gambling is prospering in other nations which have continued the tradition of gambling. American gamblers are not entirely banned from joining the gambling sites and that should be clear. Some states still allow people to gamble despite the presence of UIGEA, which is not fully implemented across the nation. More countries around the globe are promoting casinos to compensate the dire slump in the US casino market. These countries include Barbuda and Antigua in the Caribbean area, where online gambling has been long successful and flourishing. The Caribbean has some of the best licensed online casinos whose boom has been due to low taxes and speedy transactions. Of course, apart from this Caribbean country, there are more countries that allow online gambling and online casinos to operate, such as France, Australia, South Korea, and Germany. These countries have long seen the economic advantage of supporting this kind of market.
Future of Gambling
The stability of both land based and online casinos is a subject of continuing debate. There is much discussion regarding the real economic benefits of promoting casinos and letting them thrive in the commercial scene. There is also an argument regarding the pros and cons of having them around and whether the benefits outweigh the disadvantages or is it the other way around. Nonetheless, experts believe that online gambling and roulette are sure to be around for a while and that this industry remains prosperous no matter what.
The Truth About Online Gambling and Credit Cards
The credit card companies lobbied for laws governing online gambling with credit cards, although one would think that people would be the ones hesitant to their credit or debit cards online.
The main reason behind the shift in laws is that too many people have made it a habit to create debt that they cannot repay. Lawsuits have pardoned the debt, paid lawyer fees in full and left credit histories untouched. This is good for the people in debt, but bad for the credit card companies who end up losing a lot of money.
Response from Credit Card Companies
Charge card companies have decided to exact stricter regulations regarding credit balances by amending the terms and conditions surrounding receiving a card. Now you find higher interest rates incurred for particular transactions, so hopefully the user thinks twice before creating debt in certain ways.
Avoiding Financial Difficulty
Many people struggle with gambling addiction and online gambling with charge cards make it easier to spend large amounts of money than when gambling at a land-based casino. Many land-based casinos even advise players to leave their cards at home, so that they are not tempted to spend more than they can afford. Visiting online casinos makes this discipline even harder because generally you access these games from home. It is best that you then have someone you trust take responsibility of your credit and debit card while you play so that you do not end up making rash decisions regarding your money.
What Does the Law Say?
Some countries and states have designated areas where gambling is legal and those where it is not. This means that you could easily be breaking the law when pursuing online gambling with credit and debit cards. Online gambling is already illegal in the United States of America and this has led to interesting convictions in courts whereby credit card companies are being persecuted for allowing the activity to take place instead of the player for gambling online.
No More PayPal
You can no longer use PayPal as a direct payment option for online gambling and the majority of accredited online gambling sites have removed any mention of PayPal. This means that players do not have the option of transferring money from their MasterCard or Visa to PayPal accounts in order to gamble online.
Credit institutions each have their own policies regarding online gambling with credit cards and it is best that you familiarize yourself with those that apply to you and your credit card company. American Express, for instance, offers credit services managed independently from other banking institutions, while MasterCard and Visa is affiliated with many different banks around the world.
If you still want to use your credit card for online gambling, some casinos have developed a method that bypasses PayPal and the credit card bans against online casinos. Simply put, you use your credit or debit card to buy a “gift card”. You then use the gift card in the online casino, and MasterCard, Visa or other card company sees a purchase for a gift card.
What Countries Allow Online Gambling
The world of internet gambling is strictly regulated and it is important to first be aware of what countries allow online gambling before you start. Online casinos have experienced a steady growth in popularity over the past few years, with more and more people registering with sites in order to enjoy their favorite casino games.
You will find a few countries around the world where this practice is legal and many of them house servers that are accessible to people residing in countries where it is not. This means that if you live in a country where gambling online is banned, you might still be able to play by dialing into a server that is hosted outside of your country.
The United States of America
It is true that more and more countries are realizing the benefits of legalizing internet gambling and are actively taking steps toward this. However, the law governing the prohibition of internet gambling in America is somewhat unclear. The estimate is that approximately 70 percent of US citizens make up the internet gambling population and suffer little consequences because of it. It may be that the situation is difficult to monitor and regulate because gambling online happens in the privacy of your home and not in the public eye.
Online Gambling Around The World
You can do a simple search online to find out what countries allow online gambling. The list below reflects a few of these where online gambling is legal:
Australia
Belgium
Canada
France
Germany
Gibraltar
Hungary
Ireland
Italy
Liechtenstein
Macau
Malta
New Zealand
Panama
Philippines
Poland
Russia
Scandinavia
Singapore
Spain
Switzerland
Countries like Argentina, Mexico and a few Asian countries have all started the process of legalizing online gambling.
Enforcement and Regulation
Although the internet gambling industry is heavily regulated, experts admit that it is difficult to monitor because of its fairly anonymous nature. This poses a problem where online gambling is banned because it is virtually impossible to pinpoint players in the country who sign on from their homes. This begs the argument that why ban online gambling at all if it is so easily accessible and difficult to monitor? Regulation remains easier than prohibition in most cases and the trend seems to show that more and more countries are realizing this.
It is best to properly investigate what countries allow online gambling to ensure that you are on the right side of the law when enjoying your favorite casino games. This will also guarantee that you get to keep whatever winnings you make online.