This is a guest post by Karen Ho Fatt.

Winter is the season of treachery – dark nights, cold temperatures and slick surfaces increase the risk of injuries from falls and accidents. Indoors, the risk of fire goes up from heating sources, and seniors are three times more likely to die or be injured in a house fire than younger populations, according to MSN News.

This winter, make a plan for staying safe, warm and dry. You’ll enjoy winter more and reduce the risk of injury.

1. Prepare for Ice

One nasty fall can change your life, causing broken hips and months of rehabilitation. Install rails along porch steps and walkways, and buy generously-sized non-skid mats to keep ice in check.

Keep a bag of rock salt or gravel in your garage or on your front porch, as well as an ergonomic snow shovel. Better yet, make an arrangement with a teen to shovel your walks and driveway after any snow storm. Expect to pay between $10 and $20 for this service, which may seem like a lot until you consider the health costs of a fall. Twenty dollars to ensure your safety is actually a bargain.

Store outdoor tools and equipment, safely away in the shed or garage.

2. Practice Safe Winter Driving

The most common reasons for deaths during the winter are car accidents and hypothermia when drivers leave their cars after becoming stranded on icy roads. Pay attention to weather reports, and plan errands and outings around good weather. Stock up on enough groceries to last you at least one week, and keep a small supply of canned goods on hand. Some grocery stores offer delivery for a nominal fee or alternately use senior home care services to assist you. Use these services during bad weather, rather than risk an accident.

If you must drive, take a cell phone and use well-traveled routes that are more likely to be plowed. Drive slowly and avoid high-traffic times of the day.  In the wintertime I slow down to 20 km under the posted speed. As George Herbert once said, “Every mile is two in winter.”

3. Use Heating Devices Safely

Space heaters are a common cause of house fires during the winter. Avoid their use, or use them with caution. Turn them off before you go to sleep, and keep a 3-foot area clear around them.

Have your furnace serviced each fall before you turn it on. You may also be able to get a free inspection from your gas company so you may want to consider this prior to calling the furnace man.

If you call the furnace company, cost for this service is usually under $100 with seniors’ discounts, and will add years to the life of your furnace. Additionally, a heating expert can recognize serious problems, such as cracks in the system that may leak carbon monoxide into your home.

Wood stoves or fireplaces can put out a lot of heat, efficiently warming a smaller home and saving you money on heating bills. Use them carefully, though. Always open the damper on a wood burning fireplace and avoid stacking more than one or two logs in the fireplace at a time.

Don’t burn cardboard boxes, wrapping paper or charcoal. These materials can produce toxic fumes or carbon monoxide, and cause creosote build-up. Green wood is also a no-no. It produces a lot of smoke and little heat. Store firewood for six months to 1 year before burning it.

Have your wood fireplace cleaned at least every two to three years by a certified chimney sweep, especially if you use it frequently. Creosote, a flammable, greasy film, builds up on the walls of the chimney over time, and can cause chimney fires.

These precautions for winter won’t cost you money but will bring you some peace of mind during the season.

Author Bio: Karen Ho Fatt lives in the countryside of Alberta, Canada, and knows all about treacherous winters. To warm up your own winter, you can find a fire pit table patio set or a propane outdoor fire pit as well as safety information at her website.

PHOTO CREDIT: iStock Photo Jean Gill

Post from: Senior Money Memos

Winter Safety Tips That Won’t Cost You A Pretty Penny

Technorati Tags: driving, propane, safety, wood fire

Related Posts

• June 22, 2011 -- Tips for Seniors Downsizing to a Smaller Home (1)

If you are a frequent visitor to this blog, you may have noticed the small panel in the left sidebar that indicates this blog is for sale.  I thought you deserved a few words of explanation.

Why Does Anyone Sell Their Blog

Some may find it surprising that anyone would sell a blog they have created.  Isn’t a blog a kind of personal journal of information and thoughts on a topic of interest?  That probably is true for 99% of blogs, but clearly not so for the biggies like the Huffington Post or TechCrunch, which are akin to online newspapers.

Thinking of the other 99%, what is going on when someone wants to sell one of these blogs.  It clearly depends on the extent to which the blog is reflecting the personality of the author.  A highly personal blog is probably not saleable as an ongoing concern.  On the other hand, a blog which has been built as a way of chronicling some topic with minimal linking to the personality of the author is clearly saleable.  Senior Money Memos is such a blog.

If you are interested in the details of the sale, then you should check the This Blog For Sale web page.  If you’re interested in the reasons behind the sale and why it might make sense for you to buy it, then please read on.

Reasons Why I Want To Sell

Not Enough Time

This is the principal reason why the thought of selling this blog came to mind.  A number of new interests are taking up time and this is crowding out the time I would normally devote to this blog.  There is no diminution of interest in the topic, which is still a growing factor as society evolves.

Focus, Focus, Focus

Here I must confess I have not been taking my own advice.  Those three words of Peter Drucker are ones I have repeated many times to others.  Put all your energies ideally into a single cause and you will be much more effective in achieving your goals.  As Michael Porter said strategy is about saying no.  You cannot pursue every enthusiasm you may have and do it effectively.

Benefits To The Purchaser

Hot Topic with Growing Interest

Seniors are a growing proportion of the population.  This creates interesting challenges for society and for the seniors.  Seniors are healthier and are living longer.  This can stretch whatever financial resources they have.  To enjoy their later years they must be more resourceful with what they have. They have a keen interest in finding out all they can on how best to achieve a long and fulfilling life.

Building An Authority Website With A Good Reputation

A large number of websites are coming online to meet that senior appetite for useful information. Senior Money Memos aims to be an effective entry point to what is available.

Search Engine Visible

Search engines such as Google and Bing can bring the majority of visitors to a site such as Senior Money Memos.  The sheer volume of content provides a strong magnet for such search engine interest.  Most posts have been created so as to rank well in appropriate keyword searches.

Effective Technology Gives A Mobile Device Friendly Website

The blog uses WordPress software and has a child theme from the latest default theme, twentyeleven.  This gives excellent rendering on desktop PCs and is fully mobile device friendly for iPhones and Android smart phones.  With the increasing share of Internet visitor traffic that are using mobile devices, either iPhone or Android, this is a very important strength of the Senior Money Memos.

Monetization

Personal finances for seniors is a topic that is of interest to major financial institutions and of course to the seniors themselves.  Both display ads and Adsense ads can perform well, particularly as volumes grow through time.

Avoids all the problems and frustrations of starting a blog from scratch

If you would like to be running your own blog on personal finances for seniors, then Senior Money Memos is a great opportunity for you.  You don’t need to go through all the challenges and frustrations of starting a blog from scratch.  Instead you can manage a successful blog and tune it to reflect your own preferences.

How To Proceed

If you would like to know more, then you have two choices:

A.  Make Contact Now

You can contact Barry Welford to find out whatever information you need.  If it sells prior to auction, you are likely getting this blog for a lower price.

B.  Participate in the Auction

Unless this blog is sold prior to auction, it will be auctioned shortly via Flippa.com for a period of 30 days with a Buy-It-Now (BIN) price of $4,000. There will probably be further information provided on the auction website. Drop us a line if you would like to be informed when it goes live on the Flippa.com website.

Post from: Senior Money Memos

This Blog Is For Sale

Technorati Tags: auction, blog, sale

Other Posts From The Archives

• February 16, 2009 -- UK Banking Meltdown Consequences (1)
• February 11, 2009 -- Banking As Usual (0)
• April 6, 2010 -- Senior Label Or Senior Brand (0)
• April 3, 2009 -- No Banking Bonanza And No Bankers Bonuses (0)
• December 25, 2008 -- A Cheaper Mortgage – Now Could Be The Time (0)

This is a guest post by Sam Peters

If you have been watching any daytime television over the past fifteen years, you know there is strong competition for your mobility dollar. Your government sponsored healthcare is willing to spend big money on your increased mobility and companies are in a marketing war to receive those benefits. Gone are the days of walkers and manual wheelchairs and in are the days of power scooters and wheelchairs. It is easier than ever to keep an active lifestyle.

Medicare Fraud

While there are many options in the electric powered mobility market, there is even more fraud taking place amongst Medicare. While seniors do not need to fear increased bills or any other financial burdens when receiving these devices, the taxpayers are paying over $700 million a year for these power wheelchairs when they could be spending it on better things.

According to The Office of the Inspector General, in 2007 61 percent of power wheelchairs given to those on Medicare did not provide the correct documentation necessary to warrant the devices. Out of those claims, about 9 percent of the wheelchairs were deemed medically unnecessary while 52 percent had errors and misstatements on the claims.

Power Wheelchairs

While the power wheelchair devices cost around $3,000 each for every unit issued, they are rarely, if ever necessary. As recently reported by Fox Business commentator John Stossel, the power wheelchairs, while a novel innovation, are far less effective than cheaper scooter models which can also be subsidized by the government. Doctors and medical suppliers are often in cahoots to increase profits for specific brands and take advantage of tax payers and insurance companies to make their money.

How to Report Abuse

If you believe that you are being used as a pawn in a medical supplier’s scheme you should report abuse as soon as possible. The Medicare website gives some excellent tips on how to spot abuse and fraud first hand. If any of these scenarios happen to you, contact the Medicare hotline at 1800-Medicare:

• Suppliers try to cold call you and offer you a free power wheelchair or scooter out of the blue
• You find charges for medical equipment that has been returned or never received at all
• You are offered to have your copay taken care of by suppliers or your doctor

Just because you are offered a free electric powered device doesn’t mean that it actually free. Think of all the tax burdens you had to pay while earning money as a young worker. Too often there is nothing to show from it but government waste and corruption. By fighting this scourge you can help make the country’s infrastructure better and save money at the same time.

Bio: Sam Peters is a blogger with interests in financial and senior topics including retirement calculators.

Post from: Senior Money Memos

Avoid Fraud In Your Power Mobility Purchase

Technorati Tags: Medicare, mobility, power wheelchair, scam

Related Posts

• November 15, 2011 -- Do Reconditioned Stairlifts Provide a Saving (0)
• October 17, 2009 -- Online Lottery Scams Target Seniors (0)
• September 1, 2009 -- Cheque Over-Payment Scam (1)
• June 23, 2009 -- Drug makers admit taking too much money (0)
• March 25, 2009 -- Grandson Scam (0)

This is a guest post by Teena Celis.  Although it applies to US citizens, citizens in most other countries will find the ideas useful.

The rising costs of everyday commodities are causing people all over the world to cut back on their expenses. Disposable incomes are getting limited; it’s getting tougher for people to make ends meet. 59% of available senior income is going towards housing and health care. This means there’s not much left over for food, transportation and other needs. How does a senior person save money in this kind of scenario?

Look For Senior Discounts

1. Don’t be afraid to ask for senior discounts for airline, bus, train, boat and other fares. Check online on the transport website for discounts.
2. Apply for an AARP card (http://www.aarp.org/benefits-discounts/) to become automatically eligible for accommodation discounts.
3. Check with credit card companies if you can get 50% off on interest rates, with no annual fees for your age.
4. Call your power company to ask for discounts for turning up the heat, adding insulation, and weather stripping, free energy assessment and so on.
5. Check for local grants for home improvements, infrared heaters and space heaters to keep your home warm.
6. Combine home and auto insurance with the same agent to obtain lower rates and ask for a senior discount on top of it.
7. Buy your fluorescent bulbs from Home Depot and Costco to enjoy rebates and a 6 pack for the cost of 2 bulbs.
8. Many stores and restaurants offer special discounts for seniors on certain days of the week; be sure to check.
9. Offer to pay your bill for 6 months at a time and obtain discounts for services such as your phone, cable and internet bills.
10. Take a defensive driving course and check with your auto insurance company if you can raise your deductibles.
    

    Save On Medical expenses

11. Medicines cost similar rates for dosages that are close, such as 5 mg and 10 mg. Invest in a pill splitter and split higher dosage meds in half and save money every month.
12. Buy diabetic and specialty supplies online to save money. Check auction sites for better rates when it comes to medical equipment.
13. In case your medical insurance does not cover certain expenses, ask your doctor if you can get a discount for paying in cash.
14. Check your insurance plan to see if you can avail discounts by ordering six months’ worth of routine medications at once by mail.
15. If you are not medically insured and are not eligible for Medicare, check if you are eligible for state-administered Medicaid programs. See http://www.cms.hhs.gov/MedicaidGenInfo for more information.
    

    Leverage Government Discounts and Assistance

16. The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development helps seniors and low income families pay their rents. See http://www.hud.gov/renting/index.cfm for details.
17. You can obtain help from SNAP, the USDA’s Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program to buy nutritious food every month. Check for details on their website: http://www.fns.usda.gov/snap for qualification requirements.
18. The Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program, (LIHEAP) helps pay heating bills, provides energy-related home repairs and weatherization assistance for free. Check their website here http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/ocs/liheap.
19. To know about other senior citizen and low income group aid programs, visit http://www.usa.gov/Citizen/Topics/Benefits.shtml.
20. If you limited income, the Medicare Savings Programs (http://www.medicare.gov/contacts/staticpages/msps.aspx can help you increase your Social Security payment and minimize your medical insurance premiums.
21. Based on your eligibility criteria, you can cut back medicine costs via Medicare’s Extra Help and local prescription drug assistance programs.
22. The IRS helps senior citizens reduce $500 to $2000 from their annual tax  through local abatement, circuit rider and work-off programs. See http://www.irs.gov/individuals/retirees/index.html for more information.
23. Check with your state department if you qualify for a free cell phone plan. Each state has its own rules with regard to eligibility criteria.
24. Visit your local U.S. Department of Health & Human Services Eldercare Locator to find out what public benefits you’re eligible for. You can also get your eligibility screened online for free through NCOA’s BenefitsCheckUp® service.
    

    General Tips And Assistance

25. Look up senior citizen specific personal financial management tips and tools by Visa, at http://www.practicalmoneyskills.com/retirement.
26. Look up AARP insurance recommendations if you’re over 50 years of age, for home and car insurance. You can successfully save more than 25% by increasing your insurance deductibles
27. Sign up for AAA, AARP affiliate programs and leverage member discounts for various things. You can do the same with credit card issuers as well. Keep checking their websites for the latest offers.
28. Many stores offer free customer rewards programs; be sure to sign up for these. You’ll get a store loyalty card and some coupons and discounts as well.
29. Clip store coupons from your Sunday papers, or browse coupon sites online. Through clever couponing, you can reduce your expense burden a great deal.
30. Check your community calendar for free events. You can get free entertainment, free meals and free stuff as well.

Author Bio:  Teena Celis is a freelance writer working for Adrenalin, a gift ideas company from Australia.

Post from: Senior Money Memos

30 Money Saving Tips for Senior Citizens

Technorati Tags: AARP, coupons, discounts, government

Related Posts

• August 20, 2009 -- US Health Reform Irks Some Seniors (0)
• February 18, 2009 -- US Seniors Need Stimulus Too (1)
• February 18, 2009 -- Long-Term Care Concerns Fuel Seniors Home Care Growth (0)

This is a guest post by Kimberly Wilson.

Let’s face it. As we continue the holiday season, more consumers are piling on more debt that they are already having trouble paying. It can be a tough situation because you want to make your loved ones feel special, but sometimes the seemingly best gifts can come at a high cost. Fortunately, it is more than possible to save money over the holidays and make your loved ones feel appreciated; it won’t even have to take a Christmas miracle.

Set Money Aside for Regular Expenses

Essentially what you’ll be doing here is finding out how much money you have to spend on gifts, travel, and entertainment. I emphasize focusing on your regular expenses first when doing this because they are overlooked surprisingly often during the holiday season. When budgeting for the holiday, you must take into account things like rent, groceries, and bills. Subtract that from your budget before considering holiday expenses.

Prioritize Big Expenses

Whether you’ve found the perfect yet costly holiday gift or that incredibly fun yet pricy getaway, odds are you will end up spending a good amount of money on at least one thing over the holiday. Pay very close attention to these possible purchases and choose them wisely according to your budget. Remember that the more big expenses you make, the less you will have to pay for smaller holiday items like decorations, nights out, and smaller gift exchanges.

Scrutinize Smaller Expenses

Once you have mapped out your large purchases over the holiday season, now you should evaluate your smaller purchases and find clever ways to save. For smaller gift exchanges, this could be looking for discounts or creating gifts from hobbies (great knitting skills are always appreciated in the holiday season … just keep the patterns and colors simple). Good cooking and photography tend to be very warming, tender holiday gestures as well.

One untapped source of cheap holiday gifts and decorations can be found inside thrift stores. While you won’t always find the sleekest items here, it is very possible to find some unique gems that can actually surprise and impress for a fraction of the department store cost. You may not find the perfect jewelry for your significant other, but you might find a warm or quirky gift for a friend.

Of course, beyond finding ways to cut gift or decoration expenses here and there, you should also diligently restrict purchases that you may not need. Try to make only the necessary purchases first. You can always get the cute decoration or expensive night out as your budget allows.

Sacrifice Normal Luxuries

Most people have things with which they treat themselves on a some-what regular basis. Maybe it’s a fancy night out, but it could be a more casual event like going out to lunch during work. Remember that any meal you are eating that you ordered out will cost much, much more than it would to make something yourself. Cutting back on small luxuries like that for a whole month can make a huge difference in your holiday budget

Byline:

This is a guest post by Kimberly Wilson. Kimberly is from accredited online colleges, she writes on topics including career, education, student life, college life, home improvement, time management etc.

Post from: Senior Money Memos

Ways to Save Money This Holiday Season

Technorati Tags: Christmas, decoration, getaway, gift, luxuries

Other Posts From The Archives

• December 26, 2008 -- Who Wants To Be A Millionaire? (0)
• February 7, 2009 -- Senior Investment Scams (0)
• March 21, 2009 -- US Federal Stimulus Money For Seniors (0)
• January 31, 2009 -- Use your cash wisely (1)
• December 7, 2011 -- Preparing Your Financial Resolutions for The New Year (0)

This is a guest post by Tess Mathews

They say that the only thing constant in life is change and if you feel young and fit now, then it is likely to change as you age. It is one of the reasons why people are afraid of growing old. They are afraid of being cast out, of being sick and tired and lonely. You cannot do anything but accept the change, but there is one sure thing you can do – being brave and facing the life ahead.

If you are going to live in an assisted living facility, then you should understand that it is going to be one of the best things that can happen to you. You will be looked after well, given regular and proper meals and attended to by qualified doctors.

Most of the assisted living facilities offer freedom to the seniors. When you go living in an assisted living community then you don’t have to worry about getting confined in a room or an apartment and that you will not be able to get out on your own. Even if you are living there you can have a great time going out for walks in the parks and visiting the museums or the theaters.

Stay Healthy

To be able to do that you must try to keep yourself in good health. If you can prove to the authorities at the facility that you are quite capable of looking after yourself for a few hours each day, they will make arrangements for you to visit places.

It is very important that you retain your freedom, because when your sense of mobility is curbed you might never emotionally recover from it. If you have to depend on someone else to accomplish all the simple things in life, it might lead to depression. Nobody likes to give up on their freedom, even if they are living in an assisted living community.

Stay Fit

There are little things that you can do to keep yourself fit and healthy so you can never lose your independence. You must always exercise regularly – be it working out with some workout equipment or some simple warm-up kind of exercises – it’s just important that you do. It improves not only your health, but also your confidence.

However busy you might have been in your youth, it’s wonderful if you had allocated some time for your everyday workout; it’s easy to keep the impulse going. If not, no worries, do so now. It’s never too late to start something, even if it’s the dusk of life. And it’s always wonderful to start something.

Eat a well balanced and nutritious diet by keeping yourself away from fast food, cola-like beverages and oily dishes if you still love them.

Stay Free

Remember, it is very important that you maintain your freedom in an assisted living facility. Because, if there is one thing that we can bring with us and hold till the end of our life, it is our freedom. Enjoy your days in the facility; it is going to be fun.

Author Bio: Tess Mathews is a freelance writer. Apart from health and wellness related topics, she loves to write about anything that makes people’s lives better. She also assists her senior at home and recently bought her a mobility scooter.

Flickr image, courtesy of Owner,cobalt123

Post from: Senior Money Memos

Stay Free in Assisted Living Facilities

Technorati Tags: assisted facility, diet, exercise, freedom, independence

Related Posts

• June 22, 2011 -- Tips for Seniors Downsizing to a Smaller Home (1)

This is a guest post by Patty Kleen.

One of the greatest benefits of being a ‘senior’ is the freedom to do more traveling, but whether you want to explore the United States or the world travel is not cheap. There are some ways you can cut expenses, though, and still thoroughly enjoy your journeys. Here are five steps to take that will let you stretch your travel dollar.

Plan Ahead

Once you’ve selected a destination, do some research about the area. By searching online you can often discover the locations of free museums, local festivals, and other no cost or low cost sites that you would have fun visiting. You can also get the best price for flights when you make your arrangements at least 21 days in advance.

If you’re the impulsive sort, there is an exception to this rule. If cruises have extra rooms, they will often offer discount rates to fill the spaces. If you unexpectedly get the urge to say bon voyage, you could snag a great deal at the last minute.

Car Rentals

Again, this is something you need to do in advance. Look for car rental coupons online and compare rental agencies policies and prices. The sooner you reserve a car, the better price you will get because agencies raise their prices as their fleet becomes reserved. When the available inventory gets low, the price goes up. You may not be able to get the affordable car you want and be forced to accept a larger, more expensive vehicle. You can also save as much as 10 percent by renting a car away from the airport. If your motel offers airport shuttle service, use that and rent a car when you get there.

Join Groups that Offer Travel Discounts

Groups like AARP (American Association of Retired People) and Triple A motor club offer their members instant travel discounts at myriad locations. There is an annual fee required, but between the savings and other benefits you get, you easily save more than you pay.

Look for Package Deals

You can often cut costs by finding a package that includes your flight, your room, and even some extras thrown in. Do some comparison shopping online. You could be surprised at some of the great deals available.

Ask for the Discount

Don’t forget to ask the vendors you deal with if they offer senior citizen discounts. Even if you’re under 65, keep in mind that many places offer those discounts to people as young as 50. It doesn’t hurt to ask and you could be rewarded with substantial savings.

There are dozens of ways you can reduce the cost of traveling. Put some of these steps into practice and you’ll get more mileage for your money.

About the Author: Patty Kleen is a full-time writer with a passion for travel, retirement planning, and finance. She frequently writes about money saving tips, bad credit loans, bankruptcy, credit repair, and more.

Related articles

• The Frugal Traveler: How to save money on rental cars (knoxnews.com)

Post from: Senior Money Memos

5 Money Saving Tips for Seniors who Travel

Technorati Tags: automobile, car, deal, discount, rental

Related Posts

• January 28, 2009 -- Smaller cars, bigger car insurance rates (0)
• September 21, 2011 -- Apartment rentals for tourists (2)
• July 26, 2011 -- Tips for saving when booking travel online (0)
• March 29, 2010 -- Forever Young But Too Old To Rent A Car (0)
• January 29, 2009 -- Cash For Clunkers From Uncle Sam (1)

This is a guest post by Pamela Walker

Whether it is a long term stay or a short term trip, when visiting popular venues, hotels can be an expensive proposition. Apartment rentals can often be the preferred choice for a happy and enjoyable stay.

Toronto is one of the happening places in Canada. Not surprisingly, accommodation rates are very costly. If you are on a look out for a luxurious and yet affordable apartment rental which is fully furnished, you must be familiar with the best hunting technique. Your holiday mood and thoughts of spending quality time with your family can quickly get spoiled if you end up getting a mediocre rental apartment.

Whenever you are travelling with your family, make sure that they will be comfortable throughout the vacation, because that is what holidays are all about. Words like enjoyment and relaxation are synonymous with vacations. Leave no stone unturned to make your trip one you will remember for many years to come. A careful choice among available fully furnished apartments can be the best gift ever for your family. Here are some suggestions to help you find the best apartment rentals for you in a hotspot like Toronto.

Set a budget for the vacation

Without setting a budget for anything you do, you always end up spending more than you wish or sometimes than you can even afford. It is best to firmly decide how much you wish to spend and look for a place accordingly. Internet accommodation searches are convenient and can often result in something that is affordable. Remember that staying in a hotel will always cost you more and an apartment rental is a less pricey option. One way of reducing costs is to choose to go on a multi-family vacation. Discounts may be available and it gives you an opportunity to spend more quality time with your family and friends.

Browse the Internet well in advance

Have a clear idea of what you are looking for while you are hunting for an apartment rental. Browse the Internet at least a month in advance to get the best deals. Businesses who are providing apartments on rent publicize the features of their facilities. Go through them carefully and contact the ones which suit your requirements. You can contact them via an e-mail or a phone call to get more details.

Check the accommodation personally or get a friend to do so

If you can pay a visit to your short-listed apartment rentals then you can avoid disappointments. Make sure it is up to the mark and will provide an enjoyable stay. Check carefully the area where it is located. It should be handily located for the places you wish to visit and should be at a place which is peaceful and serene, if that is your preference.

Negotiate the rate

When renting an apartment directly with the owner or via a broker, you must negotiate as much as possible. Make sure you have alternatives and be ready to walk away if your needs are not being met. To achieve the best rates, you may prefer online bookings, since there are many websites that offer attractive deals and bonuses. Don’t forget to check the local newspapers since they also often carry ads for rental homes.

You can be sure that whatever effort you put into hunting down the best rental arrangement will be time very well spent.

Post from: Senior Money Memos

Apartment rentals for tourists

Technorati Tags: apartment, hotel, rental

Related Posts

• October 16, 2011 -- 5 Money Saving Tips for Seniors who Travel (0)
• July 26, 2011 -- Tips for saving when booking travel online (0)

This is a guest post by Bernard Prince

With the increase of travel costs, perceptive travelers want to get the best deals. Booking travel online to locate savings on airfare, hotel reservations and car rental is a winning approach.

Select the exact date of the trip and look at the search engines for travel. They give lowest prices being offered on several websites and by the airlines. To back up this information, go to a free service that calculates which directions the airfares are likely to go. When clicking to buy the ticket, this site will direct one to the website offering the ticket and purchase the ticket. Some airlines offering low fares do not deal with these websites, so log directly onto the airlines website.

Is it easy to get the best travel deals if you do not have a specific date or city in mind or if you have flexible travel plan? Some website will combine and present a record of travel deals. If as a traveler you are flexible on the time or destination to travel, you should use the flexible setting on the travel search engine or include travel RSS feed in your bookmarks. The website can locate which airlines or airports in the area have cheaper flights.

Look for good buys on last minute flights by using airport codes.  Booking two one-way tickets can save cost. Airlines do not charge as much today for a one-way ticket. It can be cheaper to book on two different airlines.

Consider reserving your hotel online to find bargains. Use the major search engines to search numerous hotels for the lowest charge. You can use a “deal listing” site to find out hotel prices even though reservations are not made at these sites. Sometimes, a hotel’s website will offer last minute deals. Reviewing hotels online will give you an over view of lodgings.

As a discerning traveler, you can use websites to look for homes to rent for vacations. Homes offer the most for large families or groups of people who require more rooms, who might stay longer, or who want to use a kitchen.

Renting a car also can be easy on line but keep several words of advice in mind. Renting at the time of travel can get last minute deals. Rent the cars in advance and change the reservation if rates improve. Use a promotion code. Check on frequent flyer miles. Sometimes agencies add more flyer miles when the cars are rented through a particular agency or credit card.

While using the website, be sure that your credit card or car insurance conditions covers insuring rental cars. Do not sign up for the pre-paid gas choice. Moreover, rent the car for a week as that is cheaper. Try to rent the car at a location off airport as the airport charges more fees and taxes.

The most important to keep in mind when looking online for travelling is to bundle or make the reservation for airline tickets, accommodations and rental vehicle all at the same time to be sure you get all the discounts available. Whatever you’re looking for, online deals are always ephemeral so be sure to tie your travel package down promptly when you have found what you are looking for.

Bernard Prince is online travel specialist for VarVacations.com. You can also find him on Facebook and Twitter.

Post from: Senior Money Memos

Tips for saving when booking travel online

Technorati Tags: airline, automobile, hotel, rental car, Travel

Related Posts

• October 16, 2011 -- 5 Money Saving Tips for Seniors who Travel (0)
• September 21, 2011 -- Apartment rentals for tourists (2)
• March 29, 2010 -- Forever Young But Too Old To Rent A Car (0)
• April 1, 2009 -- Seniors Travel More (0)
• January 29, 2009 -- Cash For Clunkers From Uncle Sam (1)

This is a guest post by Lloyd Burrell.

Even if you have just a lot of house bills and other things accumulated, wouldn’t you be better off with something that resembles a home office? But if you have a hobby that generates a lot of paperwork or maybe a part-time work at home job that tops up your pension, there comes a point when a few shoe boxes and an old fax machine won’t last any longer.

Offices don’t have to take up an entire room, but they are nice to have when they are large like that. You can use a room formerly occupied by a child who’s gone away to college, and that’s as good an excuse as any to give them when they want to move back! “It’s my office now, and I need it.” Tell them that the couch is it, if they want to sleep over. A few nights on the pull-out sofa and all you’ll see of them as they leave, is a full backpack and a bag full of sandwiches. Perhaps one of your shirts, and maybe a spare blanket, and possibly a few bananas… You get the idea.

What do You Need an Office For?

I’ve used an office, whether it’s at my home or at my outside place of work, my entire life. It’s a great escape if your office is at home. You can really do what you like in there, because it’s your office. Put up your feet and watch TV if you want to. Pay some bills, write a novel, talk to your son in London via Skype, if you like. Really, a home office even later in life is a great place to stash all of that explosive paperwork which has been bulging out from kitchen drawers and your bedroom closet. Your husband/wife will be so happy when you move all of that into a separate room.

Are You Still Earning Money?

Some retirees need, or simply want to earn money as they continue with the rest of their lives. If you are making money then you need a place to keep it. Not like the pirates in the Caribbean used to in their treasure chest, or on a certain Disney ride, but on your computer and in an electronic bank account. If you’re still bringing in income, you will probably still be paying taxes. A place to keep your bills and other papers is vital. Knowing where it all is so you can find it in minutes rather than days, is a bonus.

Do You Need to Work, But Want to Save Money?

Working at home saves tons of money, so more for you when you are 100% a person of leisure. With no need for business attire or lots of gas money, or a structured time frame (after all you can work in the middle of night in your home office, and in your PJs, too) — you’ll save a ton by using your home office to full advantage. A home office also says that you are an organized person, know a lot of business tricks and tips, and perhaps have seen dozens of those home renovation shows on TV. Also, if the reverse is true and you remain a free spirit, then you can close the door to your home office and hide the piles of paper you were sorting out on the floor.

Are You Retired Yet?

Really, getting older doesn’t mean any large changes in your life — unless you want them of course. Most people have at least used a desk and chair and computer and phone and a filing cabinet or two, throughout your life. Why not create a home office for yourself if you don’t have a dedicated one? Many middle aged or younger people operate out of a home office because it makes sense. Being retired it will generally continue to make sense. In this economy it’s a real winner all the way around if you can get it organized.

Making a Home Office Doesn’t Have To Cost A Fortune

If you have retired or are about to, then saving money and creating a nice home office can be done pretty inexpensively. You could round up some used furniture (not scruffy) or repurpose some furniture you already own from another area of your house. But then buying new office desk furniture on the Internet makes a lot of sense. Most reputable sites offer free delivery, the choice is fantastic and you will be surprised how far a 100 bucks goes on a modern home office desk. Get yourself a comfortable chair, a good computer and all-in-one, and you’ll be set. You could even get a plaque for your door. After all, it’s your home office!

About the Author: Lloyd Burrell enjoys writing reviews on office desk furniture. There are so many great desks to choose from these days it can be hard making a choice. A small corner computer office desk is a great choice if space is limited and you are using it mainly for computer work. A Bush L shaped desk will be more suitable if you have a bigger room and you are wanting furniture that will make more of a statement. For the low down on these desk styles and more Lloyd’s reviews are a great resource. He lives on the West Coast of France with his wife and 2 children.

Post from: Senior Money Memos

Does A Senior Need A Home Office

Technorati Tags: Home office, senior

Related Posts

• May 18, 2010 -- The Senior Home Office For Financial Success (1)
• June 2, 2009 -- Beware Get-Rich Schemes That Are Too Good To Be True (0)
• January 2, 2009 -- TFSA (Tax-free savings accounts) for seniors in Canada (0)