With a little bit of research, one can find cabins that sleep eight for the same price as a luxury hotel room. One just needs to know where to look. For large families or parties traveling together, booking a vacation rental is more affordable than renting several hotel rooms or suites. Here are some helpful tips to help you find the best deal.

Check out Vacation Rentals by Owner

The vacation of a lifetime awaits with bank acccounts in tact by simply logging onto Vacation Rentals by Owner. Click on the state in which you’d like your vacation to take place in. For example, if the Bay area in California is appealling, click on California, then click on San Francisco Bay Area. Next, select a city in which to visit, and a whole host of vacation rentals will appear on the screen that vary in size, amenities, and price ranges. It’s very easy with this website to find off-season deals in luxury resort areas.

Pt. Reyes Vacation Rental

One vacation rental inPoint Reyes Station, rents for $600 for the weekend. However, during the off-season, this property rents for $150 a night during the week. It sleeps 6-8 comfortably, has a washer/dryer, a fully stocked kitchen, a wood burning fireplace, and two full bathrooms. Not to mention that deer roam the property daily and meander the grounds without a care in the world.

Vacationers with a family would undoubtedly be more comfortable in accommodations such as these rather than being stuffed into a cramped hotel room. Vacation Rentals by Owner literally offers thousands of vacation rentals accross the United States, that appeal to a wide range of tastes and needs. One simply only needs to log on and look for what suites them best.

How to find Rental Cabins

Checking out travel guidebooks is a great way to find rental cabins and vacation retreats, along with recreation ideas. A recommended travel guide for Northern and Southern California cabin rentals is: Foghorn Outdoors, Cabins and Cottages, Great Lodgings with Easy Access to Outdoor Recreation by Stephani and Tom Stienstra; published by Avalon Travel Publishing, Emeryville, CA 94608; ISBN 1-56691-378-0, or ISBN 1-56691-588-0. These travel guides outline hiking, fishing, horseback riding, boating, winter sports, and other activities for families.

Cabin Rentals in Big Sur and The Cental Coast

The chapter on Big Sur and the Central Coast in Foghorn’s Cabins and cottages introduces travel along Highway 1, and various places to spend the night including cabins perched along picturesque rocky sea cliffs or those nestled among secluded Redwood groves such as Deetjen’s Big Sur Inn, a rustic compound of sixteen cabins and a restuarant. The place was built in the 1930’s as a road stop for travelers. Today, it’s a quintessential inn among the giant redwoods and ferngroves.

While staying at Deetjen’s, visitors can plot their trips along Highway 1 to take advantage of viewing whale migrations, collecting jade rocks at Jade Cove, to visiting Juliet Pfiefer State Park. The nice thing for travelers is that all of the work and research on where to go, and what activities to do has been done already. One only needs to consult their travel guide for details.

Get Hotel and Restaurant ReviewsAfter choosing a travel destination, and before a room is booked, be sure to check out Trip Advisor for reviews. Candid travel reviews on hotels, cabins, and restaurants are posted by other vacationers for most destinations. There’s nothing worse than putting in the effort to plan and prepare for a trip only to arrive to a shabby room with lousy service. Trip advisor will help to determine which accommodations offer the best service, along with the best prices.

Find Online Resources for Luxury Hotel Deals

Typically, online websites like Expedia will have the most up to date deals on flights, hotel reservations, and rental cars. One recent trip to the Embassy Suites Mandalay Beach – Hotel and Resort in Ventura, California, yielded an ocen view room at $129 per night. This was a sharp discount to the regular rates charged at well over $200 per night. These accommodations included a King Suite, with two bathrooms, dining area, wet bar, pull out sofa bed, and of course a phenomenal ocean view.

Vacation Rental Checklist

Check out vacations rentals by owner for great deals on vacation homes and cabins.
On your leisure time read travel guidebooks such as Foghorn Outdoors, Cabins and Cottages. This will give you ideas on your next travel adventures with resources to websites and rates without having to do the work yourself.
Get Reviews on hotels, restaurants, and attractions from Trip Advisor online. Detailed customer feedback will help travelers whittle down the list of places they wish to visit based on prior customer reviews.
Consult online websites like Expedia for the best rates and accommodations possible. Check for off-season discounts, travel packages, and travel coupons to make your travels even more affordable.

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Checklist in best whitewater kayak for beginners

File a float plan – File a float plan as part of your routine River Trip Planning. File it with someone you trust will call if you are late.

Wear a lifejacket and keep it snug – Wear a Personal Flotation Device (PFD) or lifejacket designed for the type of paddling you enjoy and wear it.

Assess your boat’s flotation – Flotation needs to fit snugly and be well secured. Ensure watertight compartments on kayaks are sealed.

Carry a spare paddle – Lack of a backup paddle can complicate a trip. Depending on the activity, some paddlers use a paddle leash that connects the paddle to the boat or wrist. Leash aren’t suitable for whitewater use

Always dress for an unexpected flip – Consider clothing as a system and dress in layers. Using polypro underwear, drysuit or paddle jacket and dry pants will better prepare you for unexpected soakings

Wear a Hat or Helmet – A helmet should be worn in whitewater sized to accommodate a neoprene hood for paddling in cold water. There are obvious benefits to protecting your head while bouncing down the river bottom. Using a neoprene hood in cold water keeps the head warm and prevents the shock of unexpected entry into cold water that can upset equilibrium. Paddlers in calm water should have a hat for protection from the sun.

Chart and Compass or Map of the River – Remain oriented. Learn low technology navigation and map reading before becoming depend on a GPS receiver that can be dropped or run low on batteries

Carry a Whistle or Sound Signaling Device – Consider tying a whistle to your PFD

Throw bags and other rescue gear – Purchase and learn to use a Throw Rope Bag. Take a swiftwater rescue or river safety clinic

River knife – A knife should be within reach anytime there are lines being used near boats

Bilge pump and/or Bailer – Paddlers operating in open water need something to get the water out of their boats

Self-rescue devices – These can be paddle floats for sea kayakers or painters and end loops attached to whitewater craft

Signaling and Communications Gear – Well prepared paddlers should carry several means of communication, lights, mirrors and flares. Consider the purchase of water resistant handheld marine VHF radio to improve trip safety

First Aid and Survival Kits – There are ready made marine first aid kits on the market or you can build your own. Consider assembling a personal survival kit

Duct Tape – The paddler’s friend

Personal Items – Carry this gear for your protection from the elements and use drybags to keep all of your equipment dry:

Sunscreen
Drinking Water
Proper Footwear
UV Eye Protection/Sunglasses with a strap
See the Compleat Kayaker’s Gear List for more ideas on how to outfit your next trip.

Avoid Boating Under the Influence BUI

A quick review of any day’s news reveals a disturbing and widespread boating safety problem, boating while intoxicated:

Conway, South Carolina – Boater faces charges operating under the influence of alcohol after an accident that seriously injured his friend.

Lake Winnepocket, New Hampshire – A man was found dead after the capsize of his canoe. Investigators suspect alcohol played a role in the boating accident.

Palm Valley, Florida – Five people died and nine were injured in a boating accident on the Intercoastal Waterway. Alcohol was found in the boat.

The Effects of Alcohol on Boat Operators

The United States Coast Guard publishes recreational boating safety statistics every year. The agency notes that alcohol use was the leading contributing factor in boating fatalities, with it being listed as the leading factor in 21% of all deaths. A drunk boat operator is ten times more likely to die than a sober one.

While boating drunk presents many of the same risks as driving a car under the influence, there are many other factors at play:

Visual acuity – Peripheral, night, and color vision are negatively effected by alcohol use.
Balance – Alcohol impacts the function of the inner ear and effects balance. This can cause falls overboard and diminish the ability to discern up from down once in the water.
Hypothermia – Alcohol causes blood vessels to dilate and increases heat loss from the body. The false sense of warmth it creates compounds the risk of hypothermia for boaters.
Judgment – Cognitive reasoning and decision making are impaired by alcohol use.
Reaction Time – The ability to react quickly to apparent danger is lowered by alcohol use.
Boating Fatigue – On the water, wave motion, engine vibration, sunlight, heat and engine noise intensify the effect of alcohol on a boat operator greatly impacting performance and increasing fatigue. The effect is often called boater’s hypnosis.
Legal Consequences of Boating Under the Influence (BUI)

Operating a boat with a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) over 0.08 percent is treated as a serious crime by both federal and state governments. In most states, this violation of the law carries the same potential consequences as a Driving While Intoxicated (DWI) convection, with its associated fines and jail time.

The safest approach is to not drink while boating. Safety experts say that there is no safe threshold for alcohol use for boat operators. A person who weighs 160 pounds is near the 0.08% BAC threshold after two drinks and is already impaired as a boat operator.

Alcohol use is one contributing factor seen in boating accidents that is 100% preventable and completely within the control of the boater. Nothing is as enjoyable as a boating trip or as tragic as a needless death on the water.

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So here are a few tasks to delegate specifically to the groom to pave the right path towards godly relationships. The first in marriage management is that the bride can unload some of the checklist items. Number two, because grooms usually need explicit direction.

The Early Wedding Planning Stages in Godly Relationships

Marriage coaching or marriage mentoring experts suggest having the groom pick a few wedding ceremony and reception venues he would like to see and include them on the list of places for the couple to visit.

In marriage management, the groom should be the one to ask his parents if they will be contributing financially. If so, how much? The wedding budget needs to be established early on in the wedding planning process, adds marriage mentoring coach.

It sounds tedious to actually list this, but some men actually need to be reminded repeatedly to let their groomsmen know that they are going to be groomsmen. And this should be done as soon as the couple knows who they want to ask to stand up at the wedding.

Six to Two Months From the Wedding Day

The groom needs to have his groomsmen, his father and the bride’s father get fitted for tuxedos. Just like the bride needs to keep up with the bridesmaid’s dress and accessory purchases/alterations, so does the groom with the groomsmen.

The groom can also be responsible for picking up the liquor (if the couple has to supply it at the reception). Come up with a list of alcohol to have, and hand it over to him. Also, have him research liquor stores for the best price and customer service for getting kegs delivered.

Have the groom come up with tasks for his groomsmen leading up to the wedding and the day of the wedding. He also needs to go over these tasks with the groomsmen and make sure they know what their expectations are. Help him with this list, as some of the bridesmaids should have duties as well. Duties include but are not limited to: handling cash tips, the marriage license, seating guests, keeping an eye on the vendors, decorating the getaway car, etc.

Don’t forget to make sure one of the groomsmen is on the bachelor party planning and that it’s to his (and the bride’s) liking.

The groom should call all of his insurance companies to make sure the bride will be on all of the policies. Unless the bride is the one who holds most of the policies, this is a good job for him.

While he’s on the phone with the insurance companies, make sure to take out any policy needed for the wedding day and to add rings and gifts to the home owner’s policy.
Book wedding day transportation. Men enjoy this sort of thing.
Research honeymoon ideas and bring the best contenders to the bride for discussion.

Just Before the Wedding

Get a haircut.
Get his teeth cleaned and polished.
Have him try a relaxing facial (to close up some of those pores as well) and manicure/pedicure, he’ll love it.
Show up and don’t forget the rings.

Planning a Wedding: The Most Popular Months to Get Married

What time of year to set the wedding date can be a difficult decision to make. According to marriage coaching expert, a spring wedding has its charm, but so does a winter wonderland setting. Every season has its specific advantages and disadvantages.

Planning A Spring or Summer Wedding

It is no surprise that most couples opt for a spring or summer wedding. The weather is warm and the flowers are in bloom. This is the perfect time for planning an outdoor wedding in a park or lawn. Spring and summer is also a time when many people are free from work or school obligations, or able to schedule vacation time. The nice weather also makes the spring and summer months a good choice for honeymoon travel.

One disadvantage of a spring or summer wedding is that this is the busiest time of year for caterers, photographers and others involved in wedding planning. Spring is a busy month for most people, especially those with school-aged children. When planning a spring wedding, it is a good idea to pick a date that doesn’t conflict with final exam time or graduation ceremonies. By the end of May, most school sessions will be over, and it will be easier for people with children to travel.

Scheduling A Fall or Winter Wedding

Fall can also be a pretty time for a wedding. Colorful fall foliage can make a glorious background for an outdoor wedding. Or, for the snow-loving couple, an indoor winter wedding set in a ski lodge or hall can be a spectacular event. A lodge or hall decorated with a winter theme can also promote a feeling of holiday cheer.

The biggest problem facing a winter wedding is the weather. If a couple lives in a snowy climate, air flights and highway traffic may be affected, making it difficult for many guests to travel. When planning a winter wedding, it is best to avoid setting the date too close to the Christmas holidays, as many guests have other obligations at that time and may not be able to attend.

Most Popular Months for Weddings

June and July are the most popular months for weddings, with December and November being the least popular. In the United States, according to 2007 statistics, there were 238,000 June weddings and 148,000 November weddings.

Below is a list of the top ten months for marriages in the United States in the order of their popularity:

June
July
September
August
May
October
April
March
December
November

A beautiful wedding can be planned in any season. A wedding tailored to the personalities and tastes of the prospective bride and groom can be a big success, whatever month is chosen.

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Why an Affair and not respectful relationships?

So why would he have an affair? When Wood was asked if he loved his wife, the immediate answer was yes but his answer was also in the affirmative when asked if he had an alternate relationship. According to Don-David Lusterman, PhD, a marriage and family therapist and author of Infidelity: A Survival Guide (New Harbinger Publications, Inc 1998), “Infidelity occurs when one member of a couple secretly violates the commitment to monogamy.”

During a relationship checklist when he was asked about the time he spends with the other woman, Wood replies, “I am happy in a place that feels secure, loved and I feel like I don’t want to leave the place I was meant to be,” which according to Lusterman’s definition, constitutes infidelity. He states that he does not love the other woman but he likes spending time with her. He says that since he has been married, he has had two other affairs in which there was sex, but he will always love his wife and that her needs come first. Is these examples respectful relationships?

On the Way to Divorce?

In the Virgin Islands, the divorce rates are rising. According to the Development Planning Unit (DPU) of the Government of the Virgin Islands, statistics from High Court Registry of the Supreme Court of the Virgin Islands show that the number of divorces have increased over a three year period from 53 in 2005, 78 in 2006 to 99 in 2007. While the numbers may seem small, the territories population is approximately 28,882 persons as of 2009 as shared by DPU. While information was not available to share on the causes of the divorces because of confidentiality constraints, it is pertinent to note the increases.

Could Wood also be on his way to a divorce was the next question in his relationship checklist? He said that after meeting his “friend” that he was attracted to her. After beginning a friendship with the lady, he started to develop feelings for her. He also noticed that he wanted to be close to her and also intimate with her. Despite these feelings, he is adamant that his marriage is fine. So why step out and not have healthy respectful relationships with both the women?

When asked if he could be satisfied by one woman, he said no. Wood also said that the cheating was not about sex or boredom and that maybe he has become greedy. Faithfulness in courting and marriage has decreased and even as we look at the icons around us, Tiger Woods, as a best example, fell prey to other women and jeopardized his marriage.

According to marriage coaching expert M. Gary Neuman in his article titled “Why Men Cheat” on Oprah.com, some men cheat because of an emotional disconnection or a lack of attention or appreciation at home. Wood did note that his wife is quite often preoccupied with other things and this may be the core reason that he has stepped into the arms of another woman who obviously has made him feel secured and loved.

According to Michele Weiner-Davis, MSW, a marriage and family therapist in Illinois in a WebMD article “Overcoming Infidelity”, “sometimes (an affair) is purely a case of bad judgment – a person may feel satisfied with their marriage, but a late night at the office with a co-worker and a couple of glasses of wine can lead to lack of impulse control. More commonly, it’s a search for an emotional connection – wanting someone to pay attention to you, flatter you, be attracted to you.”

Deny the Other Relationship

Only his wife could express her true thoughts on the matter. Of course, such an interview would not have ended well because he has not admitted to any wrongdoing. He says that he will always deny any infidelity even if she has strong evidence and information which may prove that he is cheating on her.

Can He Stop the Affair?

Moving forward towards his relationship checklist it is found while Wood feels that his wife and himself are not compatible and that he cannot be satisfied by one woman, he somehow thinks that more communication, having children and better relations would improve his chances of being faithful. He admits that he spends a lot of time out with his male friends hanging out and maybe less of that behavior would aid him in being more committed to his wife.

According to WebMD’s feature article on “Our Cheatin’ Hearts – Men and Monogamy: Fighting the Urge to Have an Extramarital Affair” written by Sean Elder, he quotes Steven Nock, PhD, a professor of sociology at the University of Virginia who states that boredom increases the likelihood of a married person seeing the benefits in their marriage. While Wood is adamant that he is not bored and sex is not a problem at home, he still craves the attention of another woman so there must be other underlying factors that cause him to commit adultery even though having respectful relationships with both.

Wood may need to seek counseling from a licensed practitioner or from a religious figure to assist him with his infidelity issues but this will only work if he really wants to be faithful – which he clearly states that he is not ready for. His only reason for changing this bad habit may be if the other woman dumps him and he will surely find someone else to keep him cheating. Since he says he feels secure, loved and happy with the side relationship and will obviously deny if he gets caught in the act, this cheater will continue with both relationships. The relationship checklist may have more questions but so far it is enough to understand why Wood has an affair.

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Difference between MLM and a pyramid scheme

Briefly, a MLM offers legitimate goods and services to it’s customers- pyramid schemes do not. .

In 1979, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) made a ruling that affected all MLMs:

In re Amway Corp. (93 F.T.C. 618; full name In the Matter of Amway Corporation, Inc., et al.) The FTC ruled that Amway was not an illegal pyramid scheme but ordered Amway to cease price fixing and cease misrepresenting the apparent success achieved by the average distributor.

Although MLMs are legal, the FTC advises anyone thinking of signing up with a multilevel marketing organization to do their research first.

Multilevel Marketing Party

A Suzy Q Party just ended in a home in suburban Denver. Suzy Q is a multilevel marketing company that sells ladies lingerie. During the party, the distributor enthusiastically informs everyone that it’s easy to become a distributor for Suzy Q. A representative can work as little or as much as she wants and be a stay at home mom at the same time. On top of that, she’ll be making lots of money. The distributor’s enthusiasm is contagious. Some guests are hooked and want to hear more. The distributor schedules individual times with interested parties to go over Suzy Q’s business opportunity.

In the meantime, Gloria, a potential recruit, gets on the internet and does a little research on MLMs and pyramid schemes. She takes along a checklist to make sure this isn’t a pyramid scheme. It looks like this:

The start up cost for a legitimate MLM should be small. If the distributor pressures a recruit to pay a large sum of money for the privilege of getting in on the opportunity, she’s looking at a pyramid scheme. The promoters make all the money by recruiting– not selling.

If required to buy an inventory, will the company buy back the inventory should the recruit fail to make money? It should be at least 80%. Although some states require 90%.

Make sure a viable product is being sold. It must be something that people want to buy, and it must be of high quality. Companies that make their money solely on recruiting are pyramid schemes. Stay away or get stuck holding the goods.

Multilevel Marketing Checklist

-Find out who the officers of the Suzy Q company are. Check out its products, and buy back-policy.
-Get written copies of the company’s sales plan and any literature that’s available.-
-Make sure that the goods are actually being sold. That should be the main emphasis of the company: getting the goods to the consumer- not recruiting.
-Talk to others who have experience with the company. Their experience should be positive.
-Check with your local better business bureau, district attorney or state attorney general’s office.
-It looks like our hypothetical Suzy Q is a legitimate multilevel marketing company. Gloria decides to join them, but she reads the fine print first.

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Today the possibilities to apply for small business loans for auto shop business financing are numerous: from state and local economic-development agencies to a number of various non-profit organizations. But regardless of the type of lender you choose for your auto shop business, you still need to be very well prepared for the application process to ensure that you receive the required financing right from the first time. In this article we tried to combine all the basic information about the whole small business loans application process as well as listed the main documents required.

Loan Application Form

When you apply for small business loans for auto shop business financing, all lenders are likely require you to provide pretty much the same information, however the form itself may vary. Be ready to answer the questions below:

• The reason for applying for small business loans
• How will your loan proceeds be used?
• Describe your assets to be purchased and also your suppliers
• Explain what business debt you already have (if any) and who your current lender is
• Personal Background

Be ready to describe your personal info, including previous names, addresses, criminal record details, education, etc.

• Resumes

Sometimes you might be asked to provide a resume, so it is better to have it in advance. It should include information about evidence of management or business experience, especially for small business loans used to start a business.

• Business Plan

You will always need to show a sound business plan. In the business plan small business loans experts advise to include complete set of projected financial statements, do not hide your losses but explain them, your cash flow and balance sheet.

• Business Credit Report

If you already have a business then be ready to show your credit report. Make sure that you have both your personal and business credit reports.

• Income Tax Returns

Most lenders of small business loans require business owners to submit their personal and business income tax returns for the three years.

• Financial Statements

A lot of current loan programs require small business owners to have more than a 20 percent stake in the business in order to submit their signed personal financial statements. Some lenders in the field of Auto Shop Business Financing also require projected financial statements which can also be a part of the business plan. It is not an obligatory thing to have, but highly advised to have it with you when applying.

• Accounts Receivable and Accounts Payable

You will also have to show your current financial position. So before you head to the lender’s office, make sure to have accounts receivable and payable.

• Collateral

This part varies significantly from lender to lender. Some loans programs do not even require any collateral. If you are applying for small business loans and you are of higher risk to lenders, then you will have to have substantial collateral. With strong business plans and financial statements you can avoid putting up collateral. Anyway, be ready for it in case it happens.

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