Cruising for great deals – cheap travel
Find conferences around the globe in your profession and you travel to an exotic local as a tax deduction. The IRS allows 1 international conference a year. Some people have gotten terrific travel deals by using local travel agencies in foreign locales. They use frequent flier miles to get to Europe, Asia etc and have a native agency make all of the interior arrangements and save big bucks. As a single mother with a passion for international travel, I have to get the most bang for my buck. If you are retired or on a routine yearly schedule, such as a teacher, here is a great tip. Book your trip over a year ahead of time and take advantage of 2 for the price of 1 specials. We have taken several European river cruises on Viking River Cruises and paid the price of one passenger for two of us per cabin. All meals and shore excursions are included, so it is a big money saver for me. Ocean cruises, such as Holland America and Cunard also have better deals, the farther out you book. With ocean cruises, you get another discount if you book, while still onboard for a future cruise. Another trick a learned from two sweet elderly ladies who live around Southampton, England, is to keep a travel bag always packed and call cruise companies the day of or day before a ship’s departure. Southampton is a major hub for various cruise lines, so they often get unbelievable deals at the very last minute. They are both retired and have family that can watch their flat and house when that happens. If you live near a cruise ship terminal, this could work for you. Bon Voyage!
Skin cancer
People sometimes put off having moles and freckles checked, because they think that they are too young for skin cancer. If you have a lot of freckles, having an all over body exam, by a dermatologist is a good idea to establish a baseline. Two years ago, some very dear friends lost their son to melanoma. He was out in the sun a lot, playing golf and other sports and didn’t wear any sun screen. Here is a guide to determine if you should see a dematologist for skin cancer. This is an easy way to remember what deadly moles look like. ABCDE. Asymmetry. Is the mole perfectly round (normal), or a different shape? Border. Are the edges sharp (normal), or more blurred? Color. Is the mole one color ( normal), or a variety of black, brown or red? Diameter. Is the mole under 6mm (normal) or over that size? Expert. If your mole/s fall in these second categories, then see an expert (dermatologist). This is the guide that nurses use, and I want to add, if your mole is bleeding, also have it checked. Sometimes a cancerous mole may stick up more (such as on the scalp) and you notice it that way. An acquaintance started feeling a small bump on her scalp when she was doing her hair. This sun-loving woman had the bump checked out and it turned out to be cancerous (she was in her early 30’s at the time). Scalps can get sunburned too, so wear a hat in the intense sun.
Diversify your Assets
In these crazy economic times, don’t put all of your financial eggs in one basket. Diversify! For example, one of our esteemed American financial institutions played a big part in wrecking havoc with Britains’ economy. Londoners lost their high paying financial jobs which trickled down to other parts of society. Some experienced London investment advisors did not do what they preached. When they received bonuses, they took it in stock options and other bank plans, instead of putting their money in other types of investments in different venues. These people lost their retirement investments and life savings in one blow, along with their jobs. Pick more than one financial institution for your investments. I have done well recently in intermediate bonds. I also keep some money in my bank, for easy access. I am investing in a plan which has a multitude of stocks, to minimize risks, although less of my money is here. I was shocked that one local bank only offers .10% on savings accounts, almost nothing. Look to see if a bank now owns an investment house that you are considering for investments. One bank that I loathe, bought out the one I was with, so I withdrew my money and found a much safer, higher paying venue. Another way to diversify, is with real estate. It’s a buyer’s market now. If you have the money to purchase an extra, smaller house, you can rent it out for years and enjoy the income. Your house would eventually appreciate and you can sell it at a much later date.
Professional Home repair tip
Here is a tip dealing with home repair, that I learned the hard way. Don’t pay for the entire job upfront. Hold some back for a final payment to make sure the job is completed. I paid the entire fee to a workman to redo my outside courtyard area in front. When he stopped in the middle of the job and disappeared, I tried to track him down. He disconnected his cell and I called the person who had recommended the workman. That person refused to take any responsibility for the referral and explained that the workman was a drunk and currently in jail. 1. Get better references than I did. Do a word of mouth survey and see if several people recommend the same worker or company. Ask someone in the business, such a former construction worker, who he would hire. 2. Get a signed receipt for all payments, especially if you may be going to a small claims court down the road. 3. Hold the final payment until work is done to your satisfaction. 4. Check with your local Better Business Bureau to see if there are any complaints. Post-divorce or with other life transitions, you may be stressed, but taking more to make sure you have the right worker will save you money and frustration in the end.
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