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Company Picnic Ideas and Planning Tips

The company picnic is a beloved tradition at many firms.

It's an opportunity for employees to mingle and "let down their hair."

A well organized company picnic with planned activities can help integrate employees with each other. This is particularly important if the company has undergone recent reorganization. As such it functions as a "team bonding" mechanism.

A company picnic can be held for an entire firm of thousands or for a single department of 30.

In my role of party entertainer (and prior to that corporate employee), I have attended countless such events. Here are some observations, tips, and ideas I picked up along the way.

General Considerations

Like any other type of event, you need to decide what you want your picnic to be like and how much you want to spend.

As with any event, it is important to keep the needs and tastes of your attendees paramount.

Allow yourself sufficient time to book your venue if the picnic is offsite. Demand for some venues is at a premium during peak periods. It is not uncommon to make reservations several months or more in advance of a given date.

You'll need to plan food and beverages, and activities and entertainment and, in some cases, transportation to the picnic site.

Allow enough time so you can give your employees sufficient advance notice to include the picnic into their plans. This is especially important if you'll be inviting family members or if it is held on a weekend.

Company picnics and company picnic ideas can range from the very simple to a pull-out-all-stops extravaganza. My observation is that people have a good time at both.

Do you want to have a theme? A theme is fun! Plus it makes it easier to organize food and activities.

WHEN do you want to hold you company's picnic?

Here, in the Philadelphia area, companies hold their picnics beginning in June through early October.

Considerations such as your company's workflow, availability of a desired venue, etc., will help you determine the date. Employees are less apt to be away on vacation in June or September, but they will really enjoy the chance to kick back in July or August.

There are pros and cons to weekday picnics versus weekend picnics.

Company picnics held during a workday will ensure a greater attendance for employees when they would normally be in the office. And, they don't cut into precious personal time.

But spouses and children are generally more available for a weekend date.

WHOM do you want to invite?

Staff only? Members of the employee's immediate family? What about significant others, friends? Decide where to draw the line.

Family picnics are a great way for employees to meet co-workers' families. It humanizes co-workers by allowing them to relax their at-work personas.

On the other hand, single or divorced employees can feel like the odd wheel at a very family oriented event. That can be overcome by planning activities suitable for people of all ages.

Activities that require participants to form groups can help integrate the attendees. And it keeps your guests occupied.

WHERE do you want to have your company picnic?

While many picnics take place under a tent in the company's parking lot, offsite venues can make people feel more relaxed. If you're on a strict budget, one option is a nearby state park. Many have large pavilions ideally suited for such events.

I've also been to company picnics given at the home of the firm's CEO or owner. This kind of setting adds a homey touch to the festivities. In some instances, facilities were set up so that the guests attend to their needs without entering the host's private home.

An excellent option to consider is a venue that is set up especially for hosting the company picnic. Generally these picnic parks come complete with in-house catering and lots of games and activities for kids both big and small. Some day camps rent out their facilities on weekends when they are otherwise not in use.

Amusement parks and river cruises are other options.

Tip: Have a Plan B in the case of rain.

Some Plan B options include:
o A tent with walls or access to an on-site building
o Event insurance
o A rain date

Keep in mind that if you opt for a rain date, your vendors and entertainers may require additional payment to reserve the second date. That is because they have to turn down other clients during the busy summer season to keep that time open for you.

Food and Beverages

If you choose to have the food catered, you don't have to worry about preparation or cleanup. Many venues such as picnic parks have in-house catering. And many caterers specialize in handling company picnics.

The best part of picnic fare is that it is simple and satisfying. Hot dogs and hamburgers are extremely popular at picnics. But they are not compulsory and caterers will cater to your every whim.

Keep the menu flexible enough to accommodate those with special needs and preferences. These days you'll find many meat eaters and vegans, not to mention devotees of Atkins, South Beach, and other diets. Muslims and Jews may not wish to eat pork.

So having at least one non-pork and non-meat option is an excellent idea. If your picnic has a theme, your menu can reflect that.

Decide whether you want to permit alcoholic beverages. If so, make sure there is a way to ensure that anyone who drinks a bit too much makes it home safely.

Have age appropriate activities and games

Some venues such as picnic parks make it a point to supply many activities. Nonetheless, you may want to supplement them. Entertainers such as DJs, caricature artists, Tarot card readers, magicians, face painters, clowns are some popular additions.

Door prizes are a cherished company picnic idea at many firms. Door prizes work both as employee appreciation and an incentive for the employees to linger.

Examples of some prizes I've seen include certificate good for a dinner for two at a local restaurant, gift certificate at a local department store, a day off with pay, even a free vacation complete with round trip airline tickets.

These are some company picnic ideas and planning tips to get you started.

But the most important tip is the one I save for last. After you've worked so hard to organize and plan your event, be sure to go and enjoy the festivities yourself!

Want to learn more? Visit my blog, http://coolpartyhost.com where you can find cool party tips and tricks and observations of author, Ellen Zucker, who has entertained at hundreds of parties and special events of all kinds for over 15 years.

mailto:Ellen@facesandfortunes.com or (215) 722 2453

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Singapore - The Fine City

Singapore is famous for being the cleanest city in the world. Tourists will be astonished and impressed by the strict rules and regulations formed by the Singapore government. There are many posters in buildings and parks telling people what they should do, what they shouldn't do and how much they will be fined if they break the rules. That is the reason why Singapore is called "the fine city".

The Singaporean government wants to establish a clean and green country where all citizens are well educated and are considerately to others. Therefore they have set many strict rules as well as put a lot of instructions and reminders in public places so that people always remember what they aren't allowed to do and everything is orderly. Children are taught at school and in their family, right from very early ages, about what they should do and how to behave in this society.

If you are a tourist visiting Singapore, you should be considerate and pay attention to every one of your actions. There are many things considered normal in your country but which are illegal in Singapore. You will be fined heavily if you litter or smoke in public places. Also remember to flush public toilets after using it so that you aren't fined S$500.

It is summer and you enjoy lying on the beach sunbathing. However, if you are in Singapore, you mustn't go nude or topless when sunbathing, even if it is your own back yard. It is forbidden in Singapore and you will be fined if you're caught doing that.

Chewing gum is not forbidden in Singapore but bringing gum into the country in large amount is illegal and the gum seller can be sent to jail. Therefore, be careful with what you bring to Singapore. You can find more information about what is not allowed to be brought into Singapore by visiting the Singaporean customs' website.

Drugs are strictly forbidden in Singapore. People trafficking, manufacturing, importing or exporting more than 15g of heroin, 30g of morphine, 30g of cocaine, 500g of cannabis, 200g of cannabis resin and 1.2kg of opium are sentenced to death. Possessing these amounts is also regarded as trafficking and equals a death penalty. Therefore you must not get involved in drugs in Singapore by any means.

Thanks to the strict laws of Singapore, this country is very safe and orderly. There is virtually no crime, no corruption and you are safe even when walking alone at night. There may be some pickpockets in crowded places. However, they are rare unlike any other Asian countries.

Every year a large number of tourists are fined during their stay in Singapore because they are unaware of the strict rules and regulations. You should read about its rules and regulations carefully before going there and be aware of every board, poster or sign you see. Being a decent person and showing your respect to others, you won't encounter any problems and will have an enjoyable stay in this clean country.

Michael Russell Your Independent guide to Asia

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How to Pick Winning Scratch Off Lottery Tickets Unveiled!

Are you looking for ways on how to pick winning scratch off lottery tickets? If so then, just continue reading, for this article can be of great help to you. But before anything else, you should first be aware on the real meaning of a scratch off ticket. Simply put, the scartch card or scratch off is a simple token or ticket which is most of the time made of cardboard and contains obscured information which is typically being covered by a latex substance that can be scratched off. This is a lottery ticket game wherein all you need to do is to obtain a ticket and scratch it off to unveil the result.

Playing the scratch off lottery tickets is very exciting since you are unaware of your chances of winning. As a matter of fact, this sort of lottery game does not require for a great playing skill but rather for a great luck. Thus, if luck is on your side then, you can be certain that you have higher odds of winning. But of course, it is also not ideal to rely too much on your luck since it is somewhat unpredictable. Instead, the best thing which you can do is to select meticulously the scratch off tickets which you intend to play.

The following are some of the most outstanding ways which you ought to take into account on how to pick winning scratch off lottery tickets without much trouble at all:

Determine the state where you reside. It is in reality a common fact that each state has its own available lottery games. And this only means that each state will sell a diverse series of scratch tickets.
Locate your state's official lottery site on the web. You can in reality carry this out by simply utilizing the Google search engine. After locating the site, you then have to look for the scratch off information part on the site in order to figure out your needed budget for scratch off tickets, to determine your odds of winning, and to successfully pick the winning scratchcards.
Compare the accessible scratch off tickets. This is vital so that you can identify the scratch off tickets with better odds. In point of fact, you can compare the available scratchcards by plainly evaluating their actual costs. You have to remember that scratch off tickets which have higher costs usually have better overall winning odds than those tickets

One of the exciting lottery games in these days has something to do with scratch off tickets. It may require more of luck than skill, but it can definitely bring you huge winnings. You only need to be knowledgeable on how to pick winning scratch off lottery tickets. In fact, some of the most excellent and yet simple ways on how to select the winning scratchcards have already been unveiled above. It is now just up to you as to whether you are going to adhere to the aforementioned ways or not. After all, it is going to be your own lottery game and not anyone else's game of chance.

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The Relationship of Inflation to Interest Rates

Why ever do interest rates exist? Who in the world invented such a torturous tool that makes your initial loan more expensive than it really was? After all, aren't we borrowing money for the simple fact that we are short of it? Heck, such opportunism really can buy you an express ticket to the netherworld.

But are interest rates really the work of the devil as some people say? Before we come to understand interest rates, we must first understand the factors that affect it. One of these factors is "inflation".

Inflation can be described as the power of your one dollar to purchase items. It is related to the Consumer Price Index or CPI. Now the CPI measures the percentage increase of basic commodities through a pegged year. The pegged year is normally a year in which the economy for that country performed exceptionally well. Now the list of these commodities is entirely at the discretion of the nation's economic managers. Why? Because the world is full of different cultures. Some cultures are heavy rice eaters, while others prefer corn. Some are heavy wheat consumers, while others aren't. What is a basic commodity in your country may not necessarily mean that it applies to another.

Anyway, back to inflation. When prices increase, your dollar gets to buy less. Over time, prices tend to steadily increase. Hence, your one dollar today is not necessarily equivalent in value to your one dollar tomorrow. A case in point: if you could buy four comic books with your one dollar when you were younger, guess what, Batman? You can't even buy one these days at that price. That is inflation.

So how is this related to interest rates? Investors, try to preserve the value of their money by investing in activities that have yields that are either equivalent or higher than the inflation rate. Let's say that the local interest rate is pegged at 6.5%; the money that you earn, save and invest, should be able to at the very least, match that rate. Why, because at the end of the year, if your money stayed inside the piggy bank, its value would've been eroded by that rate. So if you save 100 dollars at the start of the year, at the end of the year its worth would've been shaved by $6.50 leaving your $100 worth only $93.5.

In developed economies, bank savings interest rates normally equal that of the inflation rate. If competition is fierce between banking institutions then you will get higher interest rates thus more yield for your money.

So who decides on the interest rate to be used? Normally, it is the central bank of the country. Bear in mind that the rate they will declare is not something that needs to be followed. It is a benchmark, thus anything below that level automatically is a loosing proposition for your investment.

So to wrap up, inflation is one of the factors that affect interest rates. When inflation moves up or down, the tendency is to increase or decrease the benchmark interest rate as well.

Michael Russell Your Independent guide to Interest Rates

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Stihl Chainsaw Prices - The Truth About Stihl Chainsaw Prices

Price is a big consideration when purchasing a chainsaw especially for a first time or part-time user. Stihl chainsaw prices may scare a few non-professionals off but that's only because they are looking at the wrong models. One of the biggest mistakes newcomers make is to head for the heavy duty section and look at the biggest and most powerful machines on the market. Why? If you are intending to use it spasmodically then why not consider heading to the other end of the spectrum and looking at the smaller machines.

For use around the home, the smaller machines are extremely effective in fact, don't let size put you off. For example, Stihl's new MS 192 C-E model is ideal for the work-at-homer. It features the advanced easy-to-start system and is comfortable for just about anyone to operate.

Comparing Stihl chainsaw prices - at around $300, the MS 192 is ideally priced for someone not really hell bent on making a living with a chainsaw. Compare $300 to over $1500 for the top of the line models and you can quickly get a guage on the difference between between the lightweight and heavyweight models.

Stihl Electric Chainsaws

One of the best pieces of advice a newcomer can get is to compare the electric chainsaws against the noisier, more expensive gas-powered models. The ideal situation is have have both electric and gas-powered but consider how much use you are going to put your new saw to and you may find an electric model under $100 may just be the ticket.

Don't worry though, while these electric models may be priced low, they have the necessary capability to perform well on minor jobs around the house. If you're comparing Stihl chainsaw prices, then buying a Stihl electric is stepping up a level again. While you'll be parting with anything up to four times the price you would for an electric saw at one of the main department stores, the Stihl models such as the MSE 220 are loaded with extra features.

What you need to decide is it could be more cost effective to purchase a good gas-powered model for the price you would outlay to buy the top electric model on the market.

Want more chainsaw tips and advice including Stihl chainsaw price tips? Get reviews on major brand chainsaws like Stihl and Husqvarna plus the latest chainsaw news.

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Authorization Letters - How to Legally Authorize Something

Authorization Letters authorize someone to do tasks for you that normally require your presence to get them done. These tasks are more than picking up dry cleaning. They are used to authorize someone else to make important decisions for you. Take writing these letters very seriously. In order to have many important errands in life accomplished by others, a professional authorization must be written. Examples such as signing for important documents on a professional level or picking up children from day care on a personal level will definitely require these letters. Many establishments will have their own but some may ask that you draft one for them.

Wording

1. Our example above words this letter professionally ensuring that whoever the reader happens to be will understand that this is strictly business.

2. In our letter, after the opening paragraph and list of items, we've remarked that the named person can make decisions for us but we gave a contact number for us in the event unforeseen events arise.

Format

1. Use the Full Block format arrangement for Authorization Letters:

a. to the left margin of the letter header place the return address

b. make two carriage returns

c. directly below the return address, place the date

d. make two carriage returns

e. directly below the date, place the reader's address

f. make three carriage returns

g. if necessary, include a reference line

h. begin your letter

i. begin each paragraph at the left margin

j. place the closing, signature and typed signature at the left margin.

Tone

1. Ensure your tone is professional and straightforward throughout the letter.

Email

1. With time being as critical to everyone as it is, sending an Authorization Letter via email is now becoming increasingly more accepted.

a. Send your letter in the same format as you would for snail mail - this conveys to the reader that you took the time to create a professional correspondence.

b. Depending on the circumstances, send the message from the appropriate email account: personal email account for a personal correspondence, professional email account for professional correspondence.

Printing

1. Before printing, decide on what paper to use. For Authorization Letters, common bond paper will work.

2. Print your letter and envelope on the same printer using the same font and an envelope that matches the stationery.

Signature

1. Make three carriage returns between the closing and your typed signature. Inside this space, sign your name for professional correspondence. For personal correspondence, there is no need for a typed signature. Simply, sign your name.

For samples of Authorization Letters, take a look at...

LetterRep.com.

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Univera MLM Business - Opportunity Or Scam?

Univera Life Sciences is a network marketing company that provides a variety of nutritional supplements and services. They have established themselves as a leading network marketing company, and are quickly becoming known for their business opportunity.

However, there have been some concerns about the Univera business opportunity. In this article, we will go through and give an unbiased review of the pros and cons of promoting a Univera business, and see if Univera is truly a great business opportunity...or a great scam.

1. Univera - The Good

Univera was founded in 1998 by YunHo Lee, a Korean businessman that had long-suffered poor health. As the story goes, Mr. Lee tried all the tonics of conventional medicine with no results. One day, a friend gave him some juice from an Aloe vera plant, and made a "miraculous recovery".

In fact, Univera is one part of the ECONET conglomerate, which consist of

Univera

Unigen

Aloecorp / Russia Biomass

NatureTech

The flagship product for Univera is their AgelessXtra nutritional supplement. They are also have a well-structured compensation plan for their associates. As a network marketing business, you earn up to 15% on direct signups, and up to 5% on your downline, depending on what rank you achieve. They also have a 2% profit sharing program for distributors that reach a certain rank. They also have a BMW car program that allows their reps to bank an additional $1,600 per month toward the payment of a BMW. Not too shabby.

2. Univera - The Bad

The Univera business opportunity looks really good at first sight; however, flags start to appear when we see their marketing plan. Like many network marketing businesses, Univera recommends that you grow your business with "relationship" marketing, i.e. selling product to friends, family members, and others that you know. Their program focuses on leveraging your "warm market" to grow your business which worked really well...50 years ago.

We live in a very different society today than we did in the 1950's, when network marketing first got started. These days, most people do not have large warm markets, and even if they are large, most people do not like to be sold items from their friends and family members.

3. Univera - The Ugly

Another issue is the concept of marketing the business first, the product second. Like many compensation plans, Univera gives out the most generous bonuses for the recruitment of other associates, so form a distributors standpoint, they are compensated for finding distributors first, product-users second.

The problem comes when a new distributor (who is not making any money yet) approaches their warm market with a business opportunity to make money. There is a credibility issue that arises when someone who is making no money is telling other people how they can make a whole lot of money. Many network marketing companies try and resolve this issue with "3-way calling", where the distributor calls their upline (who is supposedly making money) to talk to their prospect. Unfortunately, this only positions the distributor as a gopher instead of a legitimate business builder.

Growing a Univera business can be a great opportunity. They appear to have some good products, but there are plenty of companies that have great products, and many people that market great products never make a dime. There are also plenty of terrible products that generate millions of dollars in revenue (anyone remember the pet rock?) The difference is the marketer, and their ability to target their market effectively.

In closing, I would say that starting and developing a Univera business is lucrative if you know how to use the telephone, the Internet, and other effective marketing tools to grow your business. It is not a scam, but like any business, success will be determined by the skill-set of the marketer. Univera is definitely not a lottery ticket or a stock option - meaning, you do not just buy in and wait for a payout.

If someone does not have the first clue on how to market effectively, then I would suggest they either learn how to be an effective marketer, or else just use the Univera products as way increase personal health.

This article can be freely published on a website as long as it is not modified in any way including the author bylines and active hyperlinks.

Joshua Fuson is a professional marketer, and has marketed dozens of different products and services. He has participated in the generation of over $14 million dollars of revenue in network marketing in past 4 years alone. To find out how, you can go...here

To learn more about growing a Univera Business, you can get the Univera Success Blueprint

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How To Ask A Guy Out - 3 Hints To Asking A Guy Out On A Date

Long ago were the days of a woman patiently awaiting Prince Charming's approach. Now, more than ever, women are beginning to take some initiative when it comes to their success in the dating world. There's actually nothing wrong with actively pursuing Mr. Right. You just have to know the right way to do it.

So, in order to have more successfully in asking a guy out, then you need to consider another few important factors that will dictate the outcome of your actions. Here are the three helpful hints on how you can ask a guy out on a date.

1). Be Confident

No matter how well you can smooth talk a person, if you are just not confident enough, then your whole act of asking a guy out will not end up successful.

You need to believe that you can and show it to the person you are asking out, in order to make him say 'yes' to your proposal. Just be confident about it! Remember, guys are "supposed to" ask girls out, but any girl who defies this "rule" is worth considering!

2). Be Direct

Remember, don't beat around the bush. If you want to ask a guy out, then ask the guy out directly. Most people have a tendency to not understand what other people are trying to say if they just keep diverting the subject, expecting the other person to read between the lines. Most people, men and women, aren't good at reading between the lines - they either get it wrong, or don't get it at all. You need to make it plain in the simplest terms possible, be frank, and tell them exactly what you want to say.

For examples:

"Frank, if you're not doing anything this weekend, do you want to go out with me?"

"Jason, how about catching a movie with me this Friday?"

"Tom, if you don't go out with me you're a fool and you're missing out on the greatest thing since sliced bread".

"David, what are you doing this Friday night at 8pm? I have two tickets to the New Kids On the Block Reunion Concert, and I'd love for you to come with me."

The thing is to make it clear to them that you want to hang out, just the two of you. This part is very important! You don't want him to bring his sister or his mate Sarah along. One more things, if it is possible, try not to ask him out over the phone or get a friend to do it. Boys like a girl with courage and someone that is not terrified of talking to him.

TIPS: Before you ask him out make sure that you are face-to-face and alone together. Never ask him out when he is at a table surrounded by guys. They will usually influence him to say no or only say yes because of wrong reasons.

3. Don't over do it.

While guys appreciate a woman that is able to speak her mind and express her interest, there are still limits to the amount of aggressiveness that a man can and will accept. The solution is to smile and use gentle tones while asking him out. This allows you to be aggressive, while still maintaining your non-threatening posture.

Finally, you have nothing to be nervous when asking a guy out. Just be cool and relax! Actually, guys typically love being asked out, since they're the ones usually doing all the work in these situations. If he says no, then it is not the end of the dating world for you. Just one guy is not a big deal!

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Secrets to Passing the California Insurance License Exam

Like most States, California requires that you pass a government administered license exam before you can hang your shingle to sell insurance. In addition, you must take up to 52 hours of pre-license training, which thankfully, can now be done online. Separate license exams and training courses are required to sell property and casualty insurance versus life and health policies. And, there is mandatory continuing education required every two year renewal period as well as additional, special training classes needed to sell specific insurance products like flood insurance, long term care insurance and/or annuity investment policies.

If your plan is to thoroughly study the State handbooks, read and read again all the materials from your license course and take a cram course on test-taking, I can almost guarantee you still won't pass the California Insurance Exam. These exams can be tough, since they are riddled with confusing and convoluted questions . . . the trademark of most government or quasi-government license exams. So what does it take to pass? Well, that's what we cover in this article. And, there is a method to the madness.

First Off, Be Wary of Advice and Crazy Tips
Here is just some of the "buzz" around taking the State Exam. For the most part, ignore these rants and tips:
"Taking a cram class is all you need to pass" (Not true. See cram courses below)
"I was told to skip every question on the state exam. That way, these same questions are locked in and the computer will not spit out more difficult ones." (A crazy conspiracy theory).
"A live teacher is the only way to pass. They pinpoint the "buzz" words you need to pass. They tell you things that can't be put in writing" (Bunk . . . classes are monitored by the State. And, you need more than buzz words to pass).
"Use common sense to answer the exam questions." (It won't work).
"By process of elimination, you can get to the right answer." (Works sometimes, but you would have to know the subject to eliminate the wrong answers).
"I earned 90% on my online practice exams . . . I'm ready". (A lot of these 90 percenters still fail. There are practice exams and there are practice exams. See below).
"People who take online courses always fail". (Bunk . . . our online school has a very high passing ratio . . . it's what you do with the material that counts).
"Study the course materials . . . you will pass" (There is a lot more to it. It may be a variation the material you learned that is being asked).
"Just look for certain "buzz" words for the answer." (The State knows all the buzz words . . . you' won't beat them this way).

California Specific
It may seem obvious to many, but be sure that the courses and exam prep materials you are studying are California specific. There are a lot of generic practice exams and courses available online that won't prepare you for the State Exam or won't allow you to even sit for the exam. Sign up with an approved California provider and make sure you are taking the right course for the license you want.

The State Exam
The State requires that you complete specific pre-license training BEFORE you can sit for the State Exam. The Certificates you earn from these courses are your "ticket" into the State Exam which are currently given at state office locations in San Diego, Los Angeles and Sacramento.

On the day of the exam, you need to bring proper identification including a current valid driver's License, passport, military ID, etc. The State Exam is computer-based. There are 75 questions for the Life Only License; 75 for Accident & Health and 150 for Fire & Casualty.

You must score 70% or better to pass. If you fail, you can retake the exam 3 consecutive times for a fee of $41 each. Your 4th try requires a 30 day waiting period. Of course, if you follow the advice of this article you won't need to worry about failing.

You can schedule the State Exam online at any time . . . just fill out the required license application. But, you must complete the required pre-license training courses needed for the license you want BEFORE taking the exam. And, you need additional time to tackle the remaining procedures we recommend to prepare yourself. Bottom line? Leave at least three weeks before scheduling an exam date.

Test Taking
There are some universal rules to taking any license exam. Basically, you need to become familiar with the testing mentality.
· Make sure to read every single word in both the questions themselves and the provided answers! There are people who fail simply because they didn't read the question properly!
· Make sure that you understand the gist of the question itself...what are they getting at in the question? In order to answer a question properly, you must understand the idea behind the question!
· Be familiar with the format of the exam. The State Exam is taken on computer. See a sample of how it works on the State's website here . . . http://www.insurance.ca.gov/sample-test/Sample_Questions-General.htm
· Don't rush the exam. You have up to 3 hours for the Casualty or Life/Health Exam. Answer all the questions you know. Flag questions you are unsure of or skip them until later. Watch for words like except or not.

Studying Books, Course Content & State Publications
The State Exam is very broad in coverage. There will be many questions on codes, ethics and other insurance topics that you may never need or experience throughout your insurance career. Nonetheless, you have to know them to pass.

Then there are hundreds of pages of pre-license course materials (your 20, 40 and 52-hour training courses). In fact, the State dictates what needs to be covered in all pre-license courses and they publish "Educational Objectives" for each. Now, you would think that if you studied these courses and the "objectives" real hard you would be prepared for the exam. . .right? NOT. Don't spend a lot of time here.. Sure, you need to read the materials to earn your Pre-License Certificate(s) and there are basics you can learn from these courses, but it is highly doubtful they will play a major role in helping you pass the State Exam.

Cram Courses
There are also dozens of generic guides and cram courses which say they are designed specifically to help you pass the State Exam. Save your money and time. Sure, some may provide some guidance, mostly on test-taking techniques I discussed above, but you still have to know specific learning points to pass. That cannot be condensed into a small book or even an 8 hour cram course. I know, I have taken these classes and wish I had spent the time studying instead.

An Exam Prep Workbook Is KEY!
OK, we're down to the key to passing the State Exam. Find a proven Exam Prep Workbook. We cannot emphasize how important this is to passing. It's almost too simple, yet license candidates tend to dismiss the effectiveness of practices exams. DON'T.

A typical exam prep workbook is jammed with up to 1,000 questions and answers, i.e.practice exams. Of course, there are practice exams, and there are practice exams. As I said, find a proven system and ALLOW UP TO TWO WEEKS TO FULLY COMPREHEND AND RECALL THE QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS IN THEIR WORBOOK. Simply reading the workbook one or two times is NOT ENOUGH. Study and recall EVERY QUESTION at least 10 times or more. If you are getting the same questions wrong, highlight them and study them even more.

Don't Schedule The Exam Early
Don't schedule the State Exam until you have time to study your Exam Prep Workbook Practice Exams. Your boss and others may be pressuring you to take the State Exam ASAP after your online training, but until you can recall the questions and answers, your chances of passing are slim

Well, that's it . . you now know how to pass the Insurance License Exam. But, I have a warning: If your mental focus is just to pass the exam, you need to re-focus. Plenty of people pass their exam only to lose their license or get sued making stupid mistakes. Knowing the answers to a bunch of exam questions is not enough . . . you have to know what you are doing with that license and you need to acquire a sense of responsibility and ethics to win customers and stay out of trouble. While these are not the subject covered here, know that they are as much a part of your career as getting your license. So, refer to your pre-license course materials for basic knowledge and use them for reference often. Always expand your knowledge and keep up on current events in the industry.

I wish you the best of luck in a very rewarding field.

See other Ezine Articles I have written on that how to win customers and avoiding agent lawsuits.

Dave Schoeffler is Director of AFFORDABLE EDUCATORS , a California-approved license preparation and continuing ed provider since 1993 -- the industry's best value, easy online and book systems and great customer service. Contact Dave at (800) 498-5100 or visit the website at http://www.affordableeducators.com

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Essential Guide on How to Book Cheap Airline Tickets

1. Auction sites

A flight auction site is a site which auctions off their available offers to the person who offers the highest price. You put in a bid as to what you are willing to pay and if your bid is accepted you will end up with the flight.

It is likely that the price you will end up with will be considerably cheaper than a conventional ticket to the same destination. However, you can only specify the destination you wish to travel to and the departure and arrival dates. Things such as preferred airline and the flight times are usually out of your control.

2. Apex tickets

You can save up to 60% when you book non-flexible, non-refundable apex tickets. They must be booked and paid for well in advance of departure, varying between seven days and a month, a minimum stay abroad is required and no stopovers are allowed. Ideal for the flexible, committed traveller as there can be up to 12 different fares for the same seat in economy class.

3. Courier travel

A little known way of obtaining cheap flights is by signing on as an air courier with a courier company. The courier company purchases the ticket from the airline and sells it to the courier for a really cheap price in return for their work.

Check the company is officially recognised by a trustworthy source. A good place to check is 'IAATC - International Association of Air Travel Couriers'. They have lots of information and advice on the most trusted courier companies, the best offers to various destinations and up to date information on last minute flights. Alternatively, just look up "courier companies" on the internet or in local directories.

Anyone who is over 21 can become an air courier. Check each company's conditions before signing on. After signing up as a courier you will usually be required to show up at the airport at a certain time to be given instructions as to where to meet the courier agent (the person you are handing the baggage over to at the destination airport).

Couriers can save up to 75% off the regular air fare price. Destinations are limited however and the length of stay usually varies between 14 and 21 days.

This is a good option if you are looking for a unique and interesting way to save money on your airline ticket.

4. Ticket consolidators

Buy tickets through consolidators (ticket brokers) who buy blocks of tickets and sell them at a discount to help an airline fill up all available seats. Check the travel section of the newspaper or online under 'Ticket Consolidators.'

5. Promotional Flight Sales

Budget airlines have free 'flights sales' (or technically $1 or 1GBP) to build up a customer base or promote their newest routes and services by slashing fares and offering free return tickets. Always check the sale price says "includes taxes or charges" though, or it can still add up to $47/30GBP each way. Keep up to date by subscribing to their newsletters.

6. "Code share"

When you find a flight, ask an agent if it is a "code-share" flight. That means the same flight is offered by two different airlines. Copy down the name of the other airline and check into what they are charging. Only one of the airlines will be operating the flight. The actual operator always offers this flight for less, so book with them.

7. Frequent flyer schemes

Several airlines offer frequent flyer programmes as a reward for flying with their airline. Go to the airline's website which you are interested in joining and go to their frequent flyer section. Simply enter your details and you will be issued with your personal number. Then, whenever you book a flight online or through an agent always mention your frequent flyer number so that the reward miles can be credited to your account. This is beneficial for regular travellers.

Many airline-linked credit cards offer you free return trips as an incentive if you successfully apply for a card. So buy something that you would normally buy and pay in full when you get your statement.

8. One-stop shop

Avoid the middleman. If you find a flight through an online comparison site, put the flight details into the airline's own website. Booking directly through the airline will quite often save you up to $23 or 15GBP. Budget airlines aren't always cheapest, you will always get the cheapest fare direct from these airlines own websites, as almost all other ways of booking will charge a service fee.

9. Charter/no frills/standby flights

Charter flights are provided by package holiday companies to transport their passengers. If you're going to a traditional package holiday destination, you may be able to find one super-cheap. As the operator books the whole plane, there's occasionally spare seats, which they can offer very cheaply to flight-only customers. It's worth going direct to charter airlines and asking them for top last-minute charter deals although local travel agents can often beat them.

No-frills or budget airline tickets have to be booked directly via the airline's website. They offer no extras such as entertainment or assigned seating but the cost can be as low as $20/13GBP, depending on your destination.

Standby fares are suitable if you're flying off-season and a reasonable option if you can wait around until a seat becomes available. High season is a bad time to fly standby because most airlines overbook flights, making it difficult to find a spare seat.

10. Flexibility

Vary the airports you arrive and depart from. Check at least three different departure points to the same destination. Check those airports which are in close proximity to your initial departure point and check the prices. Budget airlines often use smaller, less busy airports to fly from and to. Likewise for the destination you are planning to travel to, check secondary airports to the initial destination you plan to go to. Prices differ between airports in the same area.

Travelling through the night and midweek will be cheaper and there will be no weekend supplement. If you fly before June and after August fares drop sharply - typically by 200GBP/$313 a head.

The sale price on an airline ticket is not always the lowest price available. You may be able to find a lower price on a non-sale ticket from another airline. Budget airlines aren't always cheapest, so use a screenscraping comparison site where your trip details are zipped to scores of budget airlines, normal airlines and brokers, to find the cheapest quote.

Low-cost airlines often announce flight sales that offer cheaper flight deals on selected dates. People with flexible travel dates and destinations tend to scoop up the best bargains. They're willing to fly any carrier at any time from any airport in their area.

Call the airlines between midnight and 1 a.m. Monday to Friday to get cheaper tickets. Most people are unaware that at midnight, airline agents revise and load new fares into their computers. The best fares are just after they have done the updating.

According to various travel agents, the best time to book is 11 months before you're due to travel. The flights have just been released and there are plenty of cheaper seats available.

Remember - Whatever ticket price you're quoted, make sure it includes any extra charges. They can bump up a ticket price by $100/64GBP or more. Some ads for low fares don't include taxes, fees etc.

[http://www.best-bargain-flights.info]

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Four Ways A Contract Can Be Discharged

There are four ways in which a contract can be discharged. They are by performance, agreement, repudiation and frustration. When a contract is deemed to be discharged by performance what it means is that the parties to the contract have fulfilled their legal obligation and there is no further need to continue the contract. For instance, Ben offered his expensive watch to Sam for $5000. Sam accepted the offer and Ben delivered the watch to Sam and in return Sam paid him the agreed amount of money. In this case the contract has been concluded as both parties have performed their contractual obligation. Unfortunately, life is not as simple as this as there are circumstances where the parties to the contract might have difficulty fulfilling their contractual obligations. In such situation there may be partial performance only and the question is whether this is acceptable.

Let's say that Simon is a math tutor and he agrees with Mary to teach her math tuition for 10 lessons at $100 per lesson. Simon completes 6 lessons and is unable to continue teaching Mary as he has some personal problems that he needs to settle. The question is whether Mary has to pay for the 6 lessons that Simon already conducted. At one time, the court were of the view that if a party to a contract has not completely fulfilled his/her obligation there is no need to compensate them. However, over a period of time the court have reconsidered this and now there is a possibility that Simon might be able to claim for the 6 lessons on what is called a 'quantum meruit' basis. This is a Latin phrase which means 'payment for work done'. But Simon's ability to claim the partial payment is based on whether Mary has in anyway benefited from the contract. In this case Mary may have benefited from the contract and might have to pay. However, if Simon only conducted one lesson and gave up teaching her, perhaps Mary might refuse to pay as she can claim that she has not benefited from the contract. This is relatively subjective and something the court might have to decide based on the merits of the case, if ever such a case goes to court.

There are circumstances however where part performance need not be compensated. What if you were to order a chicken chop in a restaurant and it turned out to be half cooked. Can you pay half price for this? Obviously not!

Another way a contract is discharged is by agreement. This is when both parties agree before the contract is made that when a certain event occurs that the contract will be discharged or that if either party wants to terminate the contract they should give the other party a period of notice. Discharge by agreement is a common feature in employment contract where the parties might agree before hand that if the employee wants to resign, he/she must give a period of notice and vice versa for the employer as well. Another example is the pre-nuptial agreement that couples enter into before marriage.

The third way in which a contract is discharged is by Repudiation. This is where one party deliberately breach the agreement. For instance, Michael agreed to sell his piano to Susie for $3000. Susie agrees to buy the piano and tells Michael that she will pay him the money the following the day. Afterwards, Brad comes along and agrees to buy the piano from Michael for $5000. Michael sells the piano to Brad. By doing this he is in breach of his agreement with Susie as the contract has already been decided between Michael and Susie. Susie is within her right to sue Michael for the breach of contract. There is a possibility that the court might order Michael to buy the piano back from Brad and sell it to Susie at the price agreed or to give some form of compensation to Susie.

The last method of a contract being discharged in by frustration. This means that one or both parties cannot fulfill their contractual obligation owing to some unforeseen event that prevents them from continuing with the contractual relationship. You bought a ticket to watch a famous pop group concert. Before the concert the lead singer of the pop group members died of a drug overdose. Therefore the concert is cancelled as it would be impossible to continue the concert. Therefore the contract is deemed to be frustrated. So you can get a refund on the ticket that you bought. It is possible too for a contract to be discharged when the contract becomes illegal to perform. For instance if there is a product on sale and subsequently the government passes a legislation that ban the product then further sales of the product is considered as illegal.

Once the contract is discharged it brings the contract to an end.

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Cheapest Possible Airline Tickets - Where to Get Insider Pricing on Airfares

Getting the cheapest possible airline tickets can be a hard task to accomplish, with many people out there wanting you to pay more than is necessary for airline fares in order for them to make a big profit. Here I am going to show you how to save more money on airline travel, and some tips and strategies you can use in order to get really great deals on airline tickets.

First and foremost in order to get the really great deals you need to be one of the first notified when such deals become available. How do you do this? Really it is pretty simple in many cases because a lot of the major airlines come out with new specials and pricing after midnight, and since many people are asleep by then it makes sense that you can get some really great deals.

In addition to this strategy you can always focus your efforts on taking the flights times that no one else wants. These flights that leave and arrive at weird times are great for people who are looking for the cheapest possible airline tickets. This strategy alone has saved my hundreds of dollars on airfares.

The final and best by far best way to save money on airline travel is to know someone in the business. Knowing someone on the inside in almost any industry is beneficial to you saving money. If you can find someone at one of the airlines that you know then you have an extreme advantage over everyone else in order to get the cheapest possible airline tickets.

Would You Like To Know The Same Airline Travel Secrets I do? I Have Found An Ex-Airline Employee Who Is Revealing All Of His Secrets On How To Fly For Crazy Discounts [http://very-cheap-airline-tickets.blogspot.com]. You Won't Believe Your Eyes At Some of The Prices You Can Get! Visit [http://very-cheap-airline-tickets.blogspot.com] For More Cutting Edge Information!

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Cheap Cruises

There are a lot of ways to get good deals for less online, and sometimes the only thing that you need to do is know where to look. Doing a web search is the first thing that you can do since a lot of cruise packages are being advertised online.

Some people opt to choose cruises that are off-season. Usually the rates are much lower although you will often have a fewer choices of destinations during off-peak seasons. If you already have a destination in mind, find out the off-peak seasons for these destinations and book your cruise then. You'll get lower rates but you'll still be able to go where you want to go. This option will work better for people who are not fussy about their destinations. The thrill of not knowing where you will be going will surely add to the excitement of the trip.

Also, look at the departure dates and buy your tickets as the departure date nears. This is one trick that has proven effective for seasoned cruise travelers. Cruise tickets tend to decrease dramatically as the departure date approaches, because they need to fill the ship up and fast. This is due to the fact that the ship have to provide the same fixed cost regardless of whether it is full or not. The price usually hits rock-bottom the last two months prior to departure, so buy your tickets then.

Cruise lines usually offer great discounts if you do the exact opposite. Cruise lines usually offer lower deals when the booking is made in advance, like six months prior to departure. This is perfect if you are going on a honeymoon cruise and want everything to be laid out before the big day.

Another great way to have a great cruise on a budget is to go for repositioning cruises. This is when cruises are sent to another destination to fill up a large demand in that location, like Vancouver to the Caribbean. Cruise lines tend to give out lower rates for repositioning cruise so that they can recover the expense needed in transferring the ship from one destination to another.

If you are the type who like to try out new things, then why not try out a new ship? Inaugural cruises usually offer lower discounts when the cruise line wants to attract more customers into trying out their ship. Low rates, excellent service and other perks are just some of the benefits that new customers will likely get since the cruise line will want to put its best foot forward in order to get great reviews from customers.

If you are not satisfied with all the cheap cruise options online you can go to your travel agency and see if they have deals that can match the web sites. Travel agencies will often give you discounts especially once they see that you've been checking out the competition online.

If you are planning to do the majority of your search online remember to be safe. Make sure that the website has a certification from the Better Business Bureau and the Cruise Lines International Association. This is one way to make sure that your cruise turns out to be the dream vacation that you want it to be.

Find out cheap cruise deals at: http://www.cruisescheap.org

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Katy Perry

Katy Perry is the stage name of the American singer, song writer and musician, Katheryn Elizabeth Hudson. Perry shot to fame with the hit song "Ur So Gay." She also had a breakthrough single in the year 2008 - "I Kissed A Girl."

Katy Perry was born to Christian pastor parents and grew up listening only to gospel music. After her freshman year in high school, she began pursuing a musical career. She released a gospel album titled "Katy Hudson" in 2001. She also recorded and album later, but it never released. She signed with Capitol Music Group in 2007 and adopted the stage name Katy Perry.

Katy Perry is known for her unconventional dress sense. It is often bright and reminiscent of many different decades. For some reason, Perry seems to be quite fond of fruit shaped accessories as well. Among many fruits, she is partial to the water melon because you get to see many water melon shaped things as her accessories. Perry's unique sense of fashion is a "concoction of different things" in her own words. Designers also keep Perry on their radar almost as much as her fans do.

In 2008 June, Perry posed with a switchblade in a publicity attempt to give her a "harder edge." This was criticized and Perry responded by posing with a spoon subsequently. You have got to love this girl's sense of humor.

Katy Perry is highly influenced by Alanis Morissette, Freddie Mercury, Cyndi Lauper etc. Since she grew up listening only to gospel songs, so she did not have many references when she started recording songs. When the producer asked her with whom she would like to collaborate, Perry had absolutely no idea. Later, she turned the TV on at the hotel and saw producer Glen Ballard talking about Alanis Morrissette.

Morissette's album, "Jagged Little Pill" had a huge influence on Perry and she told her collaborator that she has decided to work with Ballard. A meeting with Ballard was arranged for Perry. She presented the man with a song and a day later she was called. Ballard mentored Perry for a few years.

Perry, by her own admission, has changed a lot from when she was 15. Her first album was completely gospel music and her musical perspective was enclosed and strict. Her second album was the kind her mother described as secular and did not let her listen. It obviously was a radical departure from her religious musical roots.

Katy Perry, as a musician, is very involved in her projects. She plays the guitar and uses it to the fullest extent. Perry would write songs and play it to her producers. Inspired mostly by specific moments of her life, many of her songs deal with heartbreak, teen adventure and angst.

Perry's songs "Ur So Gay" and "I Kissed a Girl" have attracted a lot of negative publicity. The religiously inclined say that she promotes homosexuality while the homosexuals label her homophobic. There was also criticism suggesting that Perry uses bi-curiosity as a way to promote her records. Well, it seems to work. This girl has guts and is hugely popular.

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Cheap Air Travel

If you are among such travelers who do lots of traveling, then looking out for a cheap air travel is a must. In compare to any other modes of transportation it is the air travel, which allows the passenger to reach their desired destination in a very short time span. Finding information about cheap air travel or any such articles that could help in saving some amount requires lot of researching and consulting. There are numerous travelers looking out for discount air deals but have no clue as to where to look for! No doubt, when we talk about cheap airfare, travelers like to go for a good deal on airline tickets. Travelers tend to look out for cheaper tickets, special offers, discount rates and refundable options. Getting a cheap travel bargain is not about working hard but about working smart and planning smart. A business travelers does not mind on spending some extra cash while buying an air flight tickets, but for an average traveler it does and this is the reason why one should plan smart before undertaking air travel in order to prevent getting hole in your wallet.

One way of finding cheap and affordable air flight tickets is via air flight consolidators. A flight ticket consolidator in an individual or an organization that buys air flight tickets in bulk or in large blocks and then resells them at a comparatively lower price. There is only one major disadvantage on buying such tickets; the flexibility for exchanges decreases and the customer service will also not be so up to expectations. But one should not forget the flight consolidators are considered one of the best when it comes to getting air travel. You can look up for online consolidator offering flight ticket quotes. Travelers need to visit such online consolidator sites to get comprehensive information about cheap or discount flight rates. So don't waste any more time and start comparing the various flight rates from different consolidators and get the best rates on cheap ticket air travel. Also there are some reliable travel agents who can help you to gather information from the Internet. One rule of the thumb is doing your research properly and refers to all possible websites before you reach a conclusion.

Comparing and browsing the Internet is a good option to buy some great airfare deals. Check out whether the air ticket is actually discounted by comparing different air travel ticker rates online. Generally comparing and browsing is a tedious process for a few and for them the best thing to do would be to refer a travel agent. Go to very reliable travel agents having all information about various cheap airfares, discounted tickets, special offers. A good travel agent has access to various airlines and hence has knowledge of the special rates they offer. Travelers are advised to check out the required advice and travel information from the travel agents.

Sometimes various airline companies' features different strategies in offering cheap air travel. One way of doing this is to implement a simple fare scheme. Generally airfares become higher as the plane gets filled up and the departure date nears, therefore travelers need to book their flight tickets well in advance so as to ensure seat availability. For a passenger who wants to take a cheap air travel, the best thing is to book 20 to 25 days prior to the departure dates. There are many travelers who miss out on great air travel bargains just because they don't plan their trip properly or find out how to travel on a low cost airfare. In order to get the maximum benefits all one needs to do is plan his air travel on weekdays between Tuesday and Thursday as these days see the least business travel. It's always better to avoid weekends, which includes Saturday and Sunday.

Deitz S Brown welcomes you to choose your Air Travel with Globester. Choose airline tickets from your popular locations from US to anywhere e.g. Rome Flights from US to Rome.

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Where To Get Tickets For the Hannah Montana Best Of Both Worlds Concert In Houston

All good things must come to an end. On March 9, 2008 at 3:45, Hannah Montana's Best Of Both Worlds Tour will come to an end at the Houston Rodeo. This will be our last chance to see Miley Cyrus as Hannah Montanna in concert, at least for 2008. She is currently touring with the Jonas Brothers, who are hugely popular in their own right. The Best Of Both Worlds Tour has been a hugely successful, highly entertaining tour that has been popular with both kids and parents. On the heals of the Miley Cyrus/Hannah Montana Best Of Both Worlds movie, the excitement for this last stop on the tour will likely be high.

As every one knows, tickets for this tour have been unbelievably hard to come by. Stories of families camping out to buy tickets only to have the tickets sell out in seconds are not at all uncommon. Many Hannah fans scour the internet in search of whatever tickets they can get and Houston will likely be no exception. Here are the most common places to get Hannah Montana tickets:

Tickets Now: This is a well known ticket seller but they can sometimes be expensive. Currently they have about 14 sets of tickets for sale but most are upper level. They range in price, but expect to pay at least $150 for only two.

Razor Gator: This seller has a bit more variety but again has mostly upper level and runs a bit more expensive.

Ebay: In my opinion, the best way to go. There are many choices of both lower and upper in a variety of price ranges.

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Airline Cheap Discount Ticket Travel - 10 Hot Tips

We all want to get airline cheap discount ticket travel and I have ten really good tips to help you do just that. All of them are easy to do and all are perfectly legal and you could save up to 85% on the normal airfare. So, before you you consider booking any more flights, please use my my ten-step guide to significantly reduce your purchase costs.

1. Buy your ticket as early as you can to get a the very best available discount.
Two to three months in advance can get you up to a huge 85% off the normal price.

2. If traveling to the far east, buy from a travel agent. For some reason few international travelers buy such flight tickets online so, at the time of writing, no great deals exist in the market.

3. Try a country's own airline directly online. You frequently get the best deals as you cut out the middle man. Also the airline frequently has the best seats; the rest are given out to various travel agencies.

4. Traveling to Countries that exist mainly on tourism means you can usually get a discounted flight with your hotel booking.

5. If you are traveling to your villa in Spain but don't want to pay scheduled airline prices, book the cheapest holiday you can find. Just don't use the hotel room. Some of these deals are really great.

6. If you are traveling from the USA to a European capital, don't fly direct. Fly to London and get one of the budget airlines to your ultimate destination.

7. Join clubs that can get cheap air fares. Flight clubs are known to purchase in bulk and, thus, their members benefit from these economies - usually to as much as 70% of the normal prices.

8. Some countries have promotional periods when air fares to their countries are reduced. Search online to get the most up-to-date prices.

9 .Midnight flights on some airlines are reduced as most people don't want to travel then. Peak times are obviously during working hours and you can find a significant reduction after peak times.

10. Book the whole package with your agent: flights, hotels, car, etc. By doing this altogether it should be much cheaper than if you purchased everything separately.

There you go: ten really easy ways to get airline cheap discount ticket travel that anyone can use. I have personally been using these methods for over 10 years and, to date, must have saved tens of thousands in airfares. The money you save can either stay in the bank or, if you feel like treating yourself, could be used to upgrade certain elements of your vacation: a nicer hotel room, car, or perhaps an extended stay at your destination. Happy traveling!

Sunny Jones is the owner and writer of the popular online travel guide and community, Travel Advice Pages, which dispenses invaluable travel advice for worldwide travelers.

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Backstage Passes

Backstage Passes are passes that are designed to grant access to events such as concerts, festivals, plays, performances, operas, fashion shows, conferences, sports events and any type of show.

Usually laminated, they should be worn around your neck and, beside the type of access granted, they sometime feature personalized information such as name, title, organization as well as a picture. To cut costs, some venues prefer to use wristbands as back stage passes; in that case that's the color of the wristband that will determine the type of access granted.

A backstage pass has two purposes: allowing organizers and performers to prepare and rehearse for the event and give some guests a privileged access to the event as well as to the parties that usually follow the performances.

Backstage passes can be divided in 3 categories:

- The all access pass grants entrance to the entire event, from the rehearsal to the performance and the after-parties. It is usually reserved to the performers as well as the organizers.

- The crew pass is distributed to the crew that is responsible for setting up the stage, preparing the venue as well as to outside companies delivering some material for the event.

- The VIP provides limited entrance to the event, mostly focusing on the performance and the after-party. It is usually delivered to guests of the performers as well as to fans and contest winners.

While used for any type of cultural events, backstage passes are mostly associated with rock concerts, festivals and modern music in general. Also considered memorabilia and prized by collectors, old concert backstage passes can become very valuable pieces, most particularly when relating to mythic rock bands from the 70's,

Concert backstage passes are obviously also highly coveted by die-hard fans who wish to meet their idols and by fans who want to have access to shows that are already sold out.
Since backstage passes are free and reserved to insiders, they cannot be bought but there is fortunately an easy method that allow fans to make their dream comes true and get backstage passes.

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Top 10 Best Christmas Gifts 2010 for Him

It is that time again to start looking for holiday gifts for your friends and family that you have included on your Christmas list if you have prepared one. Holiday gifts for the men in your life can be difficult to determine but there are several lists that you can review to help you come up with the best Christmas gifts for 2010 for the men in your life self based on their interests and hobbies. For additional help with Christmas gifts, review the top 10 best Christmas gifts 2010 for him listed below.

1. Kindle

One of the best Christmas gifts for 2010 are e-book readers that are growing in popularity and are an excellent option for any readers of books, magazines, etc. This is the top bestselling item on Amazon and the latest version is faster, smaller and with more contrast making it one of the best holiday gifts for 2010 for men.

2. Weber 10020 Smokey Joe Silver Charcoal Grill

For the men in your life that enjoy grilling, this smaller and highly portable grill is perfect for tailgating, camping, fishing trips, etc, is one of the best holiday gifts 2010 for men. This is also one of the cheaper holiday gifts for 2010 for men that will be appreciated and used frequently because of its portability. This reasonably priced but effective Christmas gift is one of the top 10 best Christmas gifts 2010 for men.

3. iPod Touch 4th Generation

The latest generation of this iPod is perfect for any man especially the outdoorsy man in your life and makes one of the best Christmas gifts 2010. It is a multi-tasker that is a great iPod, game player, as well as being a computer at the tips of your fingers.

4. iPad

The iPad continues to be one of the most sought after gifts and much appreciated gifts which makes it one of the top 10 best Christmas gifts 2010. It allows users to surf the web, send email, photos, video, etc using the latest technology as well as a large touch screen making this one of the best holiday gifts for 2010.

5. Golf Club Drink Dispenser from the Sharper Image

For the avid golfers in your comes this innovative product. It allows golfers to dispense both hot and cold beverages on the golf course and is in the shape of a golf club. One of the best Christmas gifts 2010 for men that will also be a great a conversational piece. Very easy to store and clean making it one of the best holiday gifts 2010 for men.

6. LG 32-inch LCD HDTV

Men love their TVs which makes this one of the best Christmas gifts 2010 for the man in your life that he will appreciate. This is a very reasonably priced HDTV when compared to others that are similar on the market. Being an HDTV ensures that the viewing pleasure in second to none making this one of the top holiday gifts 2010.

7. Sporting Event or Concert Tickets

If the man or men in your life are sports enthusiasts, sporting event tickets are the perfect holiday gifts for 2010. If they enjoy a particular singer or band and would like to see them in concert, getting them concert tickets will be much appreciated and will make one of the best holiday gifts 2010 for him.

8. Men's Air Force A-2 Flight Leather Bomber Jacket

A good leather jacket is a must have for anyone and makes one of the top 10 best Christmas gifts 2010. This bomber jacket is made of the softest lamb nappa leather making this one of the best holiday gifts 2010 for him. The manufacture of this leather jacket adheres to the same standards as the authentic A-2 military version making this one of the best Christmas presents for men.

9. Beats By Dr. Dre Headphones

These are some of the best and truly exceptional headphones that allow you to hear music the way it was intended by the music artists and producers making this one of the best Christmas presents for 2010 for men. The exceptional noise canceling makes them one of the top holiday gifts for 2010 for him.

10. Dragon Naturally Speaking Premium 11 with Digital Recorder

This innovative software allows you to speak while the computer types everything that you say making this one of the top 10 best Christmas gifts 2010 for those that hate typing and the related typos from typing are eliminated using this software.

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Cheap Disneyland Tickets - Avoid the Middleman and Get Them For Less!

Everyone who is planning a trip to the Magic Kingdom is looking for a way to get cheap Disneyland tickets. After all, it is natural to want to get the most value for your money in anyway you can, especially when it comes to amusement park entrance fees.

The typical family will purchase tickets from a travel agency. While this is not necessarily bad, in most cases you are dealing with a middle man, the travel agent. One simple way to get tickets cheap is to visit the Disneyland official site directly. You will find loads of great information for planning your trip such as cheap accommodations, dining coupons, and transportation deals.

And the best point is that the official site will provide you with details on finding coupons for entrance tickets as well as a system to purchase them online. So, you can avoid the middle man and save yourself some money.

If you have already reserved your hotel and are just looking for cheap Disneyland tickets, then the next best thing to do is to check out the independent sites on the web that are offering them at discount prices. These types of tickets are usually provided by brokers who have bought them from people who were planning a Disney trip and had to cancel for some reason.

I have found this to be the very best way to get them cheap, but finding these type of sites can be time consuming. However, after hours of searching, I was able to come across a site that was offering them at very low prices.

Here Is Where I Found Them!

My research for cheap Disneyland tickets [http://bychai.net/tickets/cheap-disneyland-tickets/] brought me to the by Chai [http://bychai.net/tickets/cheap-disneyland-tickets/] website. They list plenty of deals for Disneyland Park Hopper Tickets, with some that even include Fast Passes, so check it out!

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Tips to Sell Tickets & Earn Great Profit From Ticket Marketplace

Online ticket brokering market places provide a service for fans wishing to buy and sell hard-to-find event tickets. Secondary ticket holders may resell their tickets to a wide fan base at premium prices. Buying and reselling tickets within the online ticketing market place has many distinct advantages.

Online ticketing market places have all of the benefits of the free market experience. Ebay is an excellent example of the free market platform where millions of buyers and sellers advertise the same products at different prices, thus increasing competition and driving market prices down. This is good news for ticket buyers. With ticket agents, sellers have the flexibility and advantage of changing the price of their ticket listing so that the ticket price reflects the current supply and demand of the ticket in their possession.

How ticket reselling and buying work?

It's very simple.

The seller lists his or her tickets in the marketplace
The buyer purchases tickets in the marketplace
The seller sends the tickets to the buyer
The tickets arrive and the seller gets paid!

Marketing Sources

Email Marketing

News letters via email are some of the most effective ways to keep customers up to date with new events and hard to find tickets going on sale. Email marketing enables fans to buy and sell tickets at fair market prices to a vast selection of sporting, concert, theatre and other live entertainment events including those that are "sold out".

Search Marketing

Search engine marketing using Google, Yahoo and MSN are among the most popular search marketing media. Online ticketing brokers advertise on major search engines, thus increasing the visibility of the site. Sellers who have bought tickets from the official seller and then realize that they do not want or need them may resell the tickets on the ticket brokering site and earn a profit.

Text Message Marketing

Some popular ticket agents provide a text alert service. This allows the seller to be alerted when an event has become "sold out" and their ticket has increased in value.

Why sell your tickets at an online market place?

Online market places are secure and hassle free options to standing in front of the gates to an event waving tickets in front of fans. Instead you are able to sell your tickets 24 hours a day, seven days a week from the comfort of your own home. Many online marketplaces even reward their customers with credit for future purchases. Being a seller on any online market place has the following benefits:.

Fans may resell unwanted tickets for a profit
Online market places eliminate the need of a ticket broker
Tickets are posted directly to the buyer, cutting out the need for a third party (agent or reseller).

Trends

Companies are collaborating with each other in order to create a better ticket reselling environment and have digitized the process, making buying and selling tickets 100% secure. Cutting edge security systems have encouraged ticket brokers to buy hard to find tickets from primary sources and to resell them at a large profit.

"Fans have embraced ticket resale, and the combination of TicketMaster and TicketsNow will allow us to provide a safer, more reliable and efficient resale experience," said TicketMaster president and CEO Sean Moriarty, in a statement. "We are confident that combining TicketsNow's strong resale network with our audience and distribution capabilities will enable us to set a new standard in the resale category."

"We believe that the best we can do for our consumers, clients and the UK live entertainment ticketing industry is to actively engage the exchange and resale sector of the market. We look forward to working with GET ME IN! to provide consumers with the highest levels of choice, protection and service and to keep the value of a ticket as much as possible where it belongs, within the live entertainment industry," said Chris Edmonds, Managing Director of Ticketmaster UK.

Buying a product to sell it is not a new concept, and is indeed the basis for many commercial businesses world wide, but it is an emerging strategy in the online ticketing industry. This strategy is a risk-free stepping stone to build and expand your online ticket brokering business.

Mobility Devices: Effect on Marketplace

The internet has brought dramatic changes to the way companies communicate and people conduct their business relationships. One of the hottest marketing trends for businesses across all industries is fueled by the advantage of mobility that the internet offers. The internet allows one access to all of the information you need to run your business successfully and is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, thus increasing the time one may invest in making their business more fruitful.

Tips to Earn Great Profit

i-Grab the best:

Choosing the right event at the right time is the first and the most important aspect of online ticketing brokering. Buy tickets at face value from the primary seller. Then list the ticket at premium price or at least above the face value. Sometime this tactic is risky because some events are advertised as "sold out" when they are not. If there is a large supply of the tickets on ticket brokering websites, the demand, and thus the value of the ticket decreases.

ii-Choose the right marketplace

The second most important action to take is to choose the best place to sell your tickets. If you are in possession of tickets with good seating but you list them at the wrong place at the wrong time you are compromising your profit levels. Make sure the online ticketing market place you choose is advertising on search engines so that the chances of reaching potential buyers are increased.

Before you list your ticket with any online market place, spend time researching other similar event tickets on the internet to gauge the interest in the event you hold a ticket for. This will help you determine the value of your tickets.

iii-Keep an eye on your listing

Once you have listed your tickets it is imperative that you keep an eye on your listing so that it remains competitive and thus has a greater chance of selling. The market value of your ticket may increase or decrease. Some online market places do keep sellers up-to-date with market prices for their listing.

Popular Ticketing Marketplaces

Below is a list of the most popular online ticketing market places and statements from their websites:

Seatwave

"Seatwave is an online marketplace where fans can buy and sell tickets for concerts, theatre, sport attractions, special events and just about any other kind of live event"

Getmein

"GET ME IN! is the leading open marketplace dedicated to tickets in the UK and Europe. Fans can buy and sell live entertainment tickets for sport, music, theatre and other live events - at open market prices - in a safe and trusted environment on GETMEIN.com. GET ME IN! guaranteed every transaction by vetting sellers, managing shipment of tickets, and withholding payment to sellers until a buyer has safely received tickets. GET ME IN! was founded in 2003 and has served over 50,000 customers since launch. Visit website for more information"

Costcosta

"Coast To Coast Tickets is a privately owned ticket agency. As a ticket marketplace for all sports and entertainment events, we buy and sell tickets on the secondary market at above face value. Prices quoted on this site are often substantially higher than the price printed on the ticket as they reflect our cost of obtaining premium seating. Inventory"

TheOnlineTicketExchange

"The Online Ticket Exchange is the place for buying and selling hard-to-get tickets. We give fans the chance to get their hands on and sell the most sought after tickets at fair market prices. We are a safe and easy-to-use online marketplace for fans and enthusiasts to buy or sell tickets for events all over the world. We sell concert tickets, theatre tickets, sports tickets, festivals tickets, championship tickets, world cup tickets and sold out event tickets with UK and worldwide"

StubHub

"As the leader in the secondary ticket market, StubHub's sales data is an excellent barometer of the secondary demand for the most popular touring acts. We feel it's valuable to provide insight into the increasing popularity among fans who utilize StubHub and other secondary resources to buy concert tickets," said Chuck LaVallee, Head of Music Business Development for StubHub. "We hope the information provided in the report can be useful to those who follow the business of the music industry"

ticketmaster

"Ticketmaster is the world's leading ticketing company, operating in 20 global markets, providing ticket sales, ticket resale services, marketing and distribution through ticketmater, one of the largest e-commerce sites on the Internet, and international Web sites including Ticketmaster.co.uk"

How to pick up tickets at face value and then resell them for massive profits
How to increase visibility and rankings on search engines as possible
Learn how to advertise your tickets for you for FREE.

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Finding Cheap Business Class International Air Fares

If you spend a lot of time flying to foreign countries you know that hours spent in coach class can be a form of paid for torture. Most airlines coach class leg room dimensions are in the 29 inch to 34 inch range and once you take off that dimension shrinks as your cabin mate in front of you reclines his chair into your knees.

As you board the plane you normally get to walk through the first class and business class cabins and if you are like most people you feel a pang of jealousy and wish that just once you could stretch out and relax on that long over ocean flight.

The thing is you don't have to be a business traveler to fly business class, anyone who can afford it can buy a ticket. And that's a problem for most people who can't afford tickets in the thousands of dollar range. Fortunately it is possible to find cheap business class international air fares to just about anywhere you wish to fly.

Here's a little known secret. Everyday at midnight all the airlines ticketing databases are updated with the new days airfares. Here's the secret to this secret. Everyday the airlines run specials that include highly discounted tickets for nearly all their flights, including business class. The problem is they don't actively advertise this fact so the general public doesn't know about them and those who do buy them up fast.

How do you get these tickets? Set your alarm and call the airlines ticketing service centers early in the morning and ask. That's it, you have to ask what kind of deals they have going for their international business class fares and see if it fits your travel budget.

This same thinking can be used with the online travel sites such as Expedia and Travelocity, These sites have deals in place with the airlines which allows them to buy up large blocks of tickets for discounted prices, which they can pass on to you. Much like the airlines databases these websites update their ticketing data around midnight and any deals or discounts are first come first serve.

Another place to look for cheap business class tickets are the less well known airlines. India Air and Iceland Air both have international flights and in many cases are able to offer savings up to 80% less then the more well known major carriers.

If you have been accumulating frequent flier miles and get enough of them you can cash those in and get a seat upgrade. If you can get what is known as an elite status on those miles this will also help you upgrade to business class. Just be sure to use your miles efficiently as possible.

Another good resource for finding cheap business class international air fares is the eBook My Airfare Secrets which outlines hundreds of tips and techniques for finding dirt cheap airplane tickets.

To learn more about how My Airfare Secrets can save your travel dollar please visit the My Airfare Secrets Review Page by clicking here.

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Getting Cheap Air Travel Tickets

It's always good to get a bargain and especially when you are traveling. When you save money off your flights you have more of your budget to spend on comforts and pleasure. In this article we look at a few ways of getting cheap air travel tickets.

If you are looking for ways to purchase cheap air tickets, you won't have to go very far. In fact, you won't have to get up and leave your house at all. Instead of going out to a travel agent's office to book your flight in the hopes of getting a discount flight ticket, you should just log on to the Internet and go to online travel agents and book your flights from there.

Not only do online travel agents offer cheap air travel, they also have the ability to let you compare prices from any and all airlines with each other. That is in real time, without you having to seek the assistance of anybody. In other words, you can do everything on your own and you won't have to wait for anyone to help you. You will also find all of the same travel agents online as you will offline plus many more to choose from.

If you're still not convinced that you should book your flight online instead of trekking around travel agents shops, perhaps you still haven't fully considered its many unique benefits. It is obvious that booking a flight online is a lot more convenient than having to go out to a travel agent's office in the offline world. But to enjoy other things apart from the convenience it brings, you should try to keep a few things in mind.

The first thing is, if you wish to enjoy cheap air travel to just about any point in the globe, you should know exactly when, where, and how you should buy your flight tickets. When it comes to finding cheap airfare, timing is everything. One moment the ticket prices are high as the price of diamonds and the next thing you know they will have hit rock bottom.

As a general rule, flight tickets are best purchased months before the day of the flight. Not only will this let you in on huge discounts, but this will also ensure that you get a seat that you prefer on the plane, since most, if not all seats will still be free if you try to book a flight something like three to six months in advance.

Another thing to remember is that there are savings to be had from buying round-trip tickets instead of one-way tickets. So if you plan your vacation in advance during the off-season and get round trip tickets in one purchase, you're bound to save a considerable amount of money. It is said that you should also look into booking flights that leave during holidays instead of before or after, since this is when the flights are least booked.

There are other things that you should keep in mind when booking your flights online, but these are just a few ways you can get cheap air travel on your own.

You want to find out more ways of getting cheap air travel just click on the link. Or go straight to our travel article directory

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Sport Travel Packages

Do you want to do something different this year? Thousands of fans and sports lovers look forward to going on a vacation of their dreams. Make your vacation a memorable and a special one when you consider traveling to see a live sport event such as Super bowl XLII, NASCAR, and MLB All Star Game. Sports travel packages offers a unique way to enjoy your time and attending a life time sporting event.

Some ticket brokers have understood the value of the selling sport packages besides tickets because of the great advantages it offer and the high demand. Below are the main reasons you should consider buying a event packages:

1) Sports packages provide a great way to enjoy a life time event without compromising the fun part of a vacation. Most ports packages come with hotel accommodations, tickets and even a trip within the area.

2) Sport travel packages prices are affordable. The average price of a package varies between $500 - $2000 depending on the plan you go for and people attending the event.

3) Most sports packages are flexible, meaning that you have the option to upgrade the hotel, add a person, or even extending the trip date.

4) It's really easy to buy sports travel package online or you can call to talk to a representative. Travel packages companies offer a great customer service to help you book the package you are looking for.

5) Sports travel companies save time on you. Time you usually spend looking for the right ticket broker to buy the tickets and the time you waste to buy your hotel and traveling tickets. The package comes with everything you need to make your vacation an unforgettable one. All what you need to do is to deal with the package provider company and they will take care of the rest.

Enjoy your vacation while attending the sport event you love. Take your family to an extraordinary vacation they will never forget. Visit: concertticketssales for more information.

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The Secondary Event Ticket Market

The Internet has become a major playing field for buyers and sellers of event tickets in the extremely competitive $10-$12 billion event ticket market -- particularly for sold-out sports games and very popular music concerts and plays. Called the secondary event ticket market, this is the part of the event ticket market that includes tickets bought by professional brokers as well as extras that season ticket holders can't use. People estimate the size of the secondary event ticket market to be at about $2 billion although the estimates of its size vary widely.

A huge market with tons of small players, the pre-Internet event ticket market was a perfect match for the Internet around 1999, and as we fast-forward to 2006, hundreds mom-and-pop electronic storefronts, auction-based websites and online destinations now resell secondary event tickets. While many of these are smalltime operators, a few major players also exist. As one would expect, eBay members are also in on the act and in a big way. In fact the biggest players of all in the secondary event ticket market are the members of eBay, which as a group sell more than $300 million in event tickets annually and boast by far the biggest community of buyers and sellers.

But members of eBay also offer the biggest potential for fraud. Like everything else sold on eBay, stories abound of people getting ripped off by buying fake event tickets. Although buyers can check out how others have rated a given seller, eBay is largely operated on an honor system and offers fertile ground for fraud.

To work around this event ticket fraud problem, some secondary event ticket sellers offer 100% guarantees. If you get a bad ticket, they replace it for free. Other secondary event ticket sellers take possession of the event tickets and verify them before listing the event tickets as being available for sale.

Online event ticket sales are growing as consumers become more comfortable shopping on the Internet. One source estimates that online event ticket sales will grow by 27 percent this year.

Even professional sports teams are involved in the secondary event ticket market. The demand for Chicago Cubs tickets is so high that the team set up their own secondary event ticket market with a team-owned ticket broker.

Reselling event tickets, otherwise known as "scalping," is not against the law. Selling event tickets, however, is often against the law where the event tickets are sold in the immediate vicinity of an event.

Thirty-eight states, including California, have no meaningful restrictions on the resale of event tickets. In twelve states, the resale of event tickets is regulated. In about half those states, ticket brokers who take inventory must register with the state. In the remaining six states, event tickets cannot be resold above a maximum price premium. In these states a broker might be allowed to charge 20 percent more than the event ticket's face value at a maximum.

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