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Tel3Advantage offers some of the cheapest rates on international calls to Costa Rica. The rate is only 2.8 cents per-minute for the first 30 days if a new customer signs up under the Tel3Advantage Triple Promo. This rate includes all fees and taxes. The same low rate applies to calls to cell phones or land-lines and there are no restrictions. In addition, new customers get up to 321 Free Minutes as a bonus when they open a new account.

Tel3Advantage prepaid long distance is also a safe option since it offers one of the most popular international calling plans in North America. They have been in business for over 15 years and have more than 100,000 active customers. The also have an A+ rating from the Better Business Bureau. It can be used to make cheap long distance (domestic or international) from any phone in Canada or the USA without changing phone companies. It is simple to use since there is no need to dial account numbers or PIN codes when making a call. There are no long term contracts or maintenance fees. Simply use the service as much or as little as you like and only pay for the minutes used. Tel3Advatage also provides customers with a free on-line account where they can make changes to their account and monitor account activity. Up to 10 phones can be linked to one account so the same account can be used with your home, cell or business phones.

Tel3Advantage offers the lowest rates to Costa Rica and other popular destinations.

The 2009 Tel3Advantage Christmas phone card promotion is in progress. During this promotion new customers who sign-up for the Tel3Advantage Flex Plan will get twice the normal sign-up bonus. It is free to open an account and all a new customer needs to do to qualify for the bonus is make an initial deposit. The amount of the bonus depends on the amount deposited but it ranges from $2 to $18. The bonus can be used to make free domestic and international calls to any location in the world. If you plan to make any international calls from North America this holiday season than you should sign-up for Tel3, get their holiday bonus and try one of the best quality prepaid long distance services in North America. Find out why Tel3 has an A+ rating with the Better Business Bureau and more than 100,000 satisfied customers. Visit Tel3Advantage for details or call 800 441 0321 and ask for the Christmas promo.

The UK is one of the most popular calling destinations from the USA and Canada. It is also one of the lowest cost destinataions. It is relatively easy to find an international prepaid calling plan or high quality phone card with rates of 1 or 2 cents per-minute on calls from North America to UK land-lines but cell phones are another mater. Typical rates on calls to UK cell phones range from 10 cents per-minute to 25 cents per-minute or more. Even Vonage World, which boasts free calls to the UK, lists a 28 cent per-minute rate on calls to UK cell phones. Not exactly free, especially when one adds in taxes and other fees.

We have done some research and found that there are some options for making cheap calls to UK cell phones. It appears that the best options involve the use of prepaid phone cards or other prepaid calling products. One option is Tel3Advantage which charges only 10.5 cents per-minute (triple promo rate) on calls from the USA or Canada to cell phones in the UK. Tel3advantage does not charge added fees or taxes so this is an all inclusive rate if a local access number is used to place the call. Another good option is the Simply international phone card. It lists a rate of 11.4 cents per-minute but it does charge service and maintenance fees so all costs should be taken into account when making a decision.

These are both good options for making cheap calls to UK cell phones which could save callers a significant amount of money over the holiday season.

With the Holiday Season fast approaching, a perfect gift for a friend or loved one who is far away may be the gift of a phone card. A phone card gift card can be delivered to any location in the world instantly via e-mail and there is no tax, duty or delivery fee. A phone card gift card is very easy to purchase and is a useful gift, even for the person who has everything.

A gift card can be purchased in any amount (from $5 to $100) and the recipient can trade it in for any phone card they want. So they can choose the best phone card for their needs from a vast range of phone cards including those with a global reach and a full range of special features.

Purchasing a gift card is easy. Once you complete a gift card purchase you will receive an email containing a PIN number and a link – all that is needed for a phone card to be selected and activated. Just send this information to your friend or loved one and they can choose the phone card they want. It is that easy.

Visit Phone Cards International to review a full range of international phone cards and choose the gift card option if you would like to send a special gift to a friend or loved one this holiday season.

Making international phone calls from France or other European countries to the USA has never been easier or cheaper. As consumer prices continue to climb the cost of making international phone calls continue to drop. This is the result of increased competition and advances in technology. It is now possible to make free international calls using PC-to-Phone service or other INTERNET based technologies like VoIP phone service from nearly any location in the world.

The advent of the INTERNET has no doubt had an impact on international calling rates but, even without competition from the INTERNET, the cost of making international phone calls has been dropping. This has been partially due to improvements in technology but a major factor has been industry deregulation which has dramatically increased competition by allowing new companies to enter the market. There is now a wide variety of international phone cards that can be used to make cheap calls from home, business or cell phones in more than 230 countries. The quality and convenience of these prepaid products have continued to improve as the cost continues to decline.

Another interesting product that can be used to make cheap international calls from nearly any location in the world is international callback. By using international callback phone service, cheap international calls can be made from any country by routing the phone call through a low cost third country. This can save international callers in some countries a lot of money. Especially those countries that keep artificially high international rates by not allowing competition. There are still many countries that route international calls through local, monopoly phone companies and international rates from these countries can be extremely high. International callback is a great way to save money when making calls from these countries.

Making cheap calls from France and the rest of Europe is easy because the market is mostly deregulated and there are many products to choose from. We especially like prepaid phone cards because they offer good value and ultimate convenience. They can be used while traveling to make calls from land-lines or cell phones and can be used to make cheap calls from hotels. Another option is PC-to-Phone service if a high speed INTERNET connection is available. There are many options for making cheap international calls these days, the best and cheapest option typically depends on the technology available to the user and the location where the caller expects to use the products.

A caller must use the proper international phone codes in order to place an international call. In general, the sequence of numbers used to make international calls follow a similar pattern but the exit code can vary depending on the country where the call originates. The following is an example of the dialing codes used to place an international call from the USA, Canada or other North America Dialing Plan (NANP) country.

(011) + (country code) + (city code) + (phone number)

The first number in the sequence (in this case 011) is commonly referred to as an exit code or international access code. It can also be called an International Direct Dialing (IDD) code. This code can vary between countries but it is necessary because it identifies the call as international.

The following is an example of dialing an international call to Amman, Jordan from the USA.

011 962 6 + (local phone number)

In the above example the 011 is the IDD code. This code identifies the call as an international phone call. The proper IDD code to use depends on the country where the call originates. Visit dialing codes international for further information.

The second three-digit number (962) in the above example is the country code for Jordan. The country code will vary depending on the country called; visit Country and City Dialing Codes for a complete list of country codes.

The third number (6) is the city code for Amman, Jordan. The international city code is also a specific number. In the USA, this is commonly called an area code. AT&T provides one of the most comprehensive lists of city codes available. Visit Country and City Codes for more details.

These dialing codes are followed by the local phone number.

A similar sequence of numbers is used when a call is placed to a mobile phone located in another country. However, it should be noted that the cost for calling a mobile phone is typically much higher than making an international call to a house phone or any land line phone. Visit cheap international calling for information on saving money on international phone calls made from any location in the world.

Many people want to make cheap international calls to cell phones and there are several options available today. The best or cheapest option depends on several factors so one option is not the best for every caller. Things like the location of the caller, the destination called and the type of phone the caller intends to use (land line, INTERNET or cell phone) are all important factors to consider when shopping for the international service. Most people are looking for an option that is high quality, cheap and convenient to use so we reviewed the pros and cons of a few popular options. These included two International VoIP calling plans, a PC-to-Phone service, a popular prepaid long distance phone service and a high quality phone card. The results of our review are presented below.

Several VoIP service providers now advertise that they include free international calls to several countries with their phone service. Vonage and Lingo offer two of the most popular VoIP services. In most cases, the free calls included with these plans are to landlines not cell phones, as shown later; in most cases, international calls to cell phones are not cheap with these plans. Vonage indicates that they include free calls to 60 countries with their new Vonage World plan and Lingo advertises that free calls to 75 countries are included with their Lingo World Max service. Vonage charges around $32.60 per month (including taxes and fees) for their service and Lingo charges about $31 per month (including fees and taxes). In addition to the monthly service fees, users also need to pay for a high-speed INTERNET connection so neither service is actually free. Both calling plans also require a service contract (Lingo requires 2 years and Vonage requires 1 year) and charge an early termination fee if a customer chooses to stop using the service, so they are not a convenient option for short-term users. However, both phone services are good quality and one of them may be a good deal for those who want low cost home phone service and the ability to make frequent international calls to one or more of the countries covered by their plans.

Skype offers a very popular personal computer based phone service. It can be used to make free PC-to-PC calls worldwide so it is very popular with students, international business travelers and expats living around the world. Skype can also be used as a PC-to-Phone service where users can make calls to landlines or cell phones from their PC but there is a fee for this service. As shown later, Skype PC-to-Phone rates are not that cheap and Skype is not a very convenient option since calls are made from a PC so we believe there are better and cheaper options for making international calls to cell phones.

Prepaid long distance is another option so we examined the Tel3Advantage Flex Plan, which is one of the most popular prepaid plans in North America. It can be used to make cheap long distance calls from any phone (cell, home, business or pay phone) in Canada and the USA. It is a popular service for making cheap international calls because it is convenient to use, offers some of the lowest rates and does not require a monthly fee or contract.

We wanted to compare the above options with the rates offered by a high quality phone card so we chose the Continental Phone Card. It can be used to make cheap calls from over 60 countries and is one of the most versatile phone cards on the market. It has low fees relative to other phone cards but it does charge a 15% tax (surcharge) on calls so we include this in the per-minute rates listed in the Table below. The continental card is a virtual phone card that can be used from any kind of phone. Customers get a free on-line account where they can monitor activity and make changes to their account so it is a viable long or short-term option.

We have summarized the rates charged each minute for calls originating from the USA using the options listed above in the following table. We randomly selected a variety of popular destinations in order to compare rates to different regions of the world. Note that Tel3Advantage offers rates that are similar to phone cards on calls to cell phones in most locations while both VoIP service providers and Skype charge significantly higher rates.

The last thing most people think about when preparing for an international journey is a calling card but it may be one of the most useful things to bring. There are many important items to remember when packing for an international trip, like travel documents and plane tickets, but an international phone card should be high on the list. A good international phone card is useful because it can be used to make cheap international calls from nearly any kind of phone (including airport pay phones or hotel phones). A phone card can also save money. One of the first things most people want to do when they reach a foreign destination is to call friends or loved ones at home. International hotels know this and typically charge exorbitant rates for international calls. A few short international calls from a hotel room can cost as much as the room charge. That is why experienced travelers save time, hassles and money by packing a couple international phone cards before leaving home.

Other than saving money, there are other good reasons for purchasing international phone cards before traveling. Some of these are listed below.

• It is a great way to budget money for phone calls since phone cards are prepaid and can be purchased in small denominations.

• There is a wide variety of virtual phone cards available on-line that can be used to make calls from nearly any country in the world. They can be used to make low cost long distance calls from pay phones in airports, hotels or nearly any major city in the world.

• Virtual phone cards are convenient because users can access their on-line account via the INTERNET from any location. Many virtual phone cards have an on-line call history so users can view a record of the calls and charges made on their phone card or even transfer funds between cards. They can also conveniently refill their phone card from any location.

• Virtual phone cards are safely stored in a customer’s online account so they cannot be lost or stolen.

Remember that phone cards do not have universal coverage so check the rates and accessibility for the countries you plan to use them from before making a purchase. Some merchants, like phone cards international, allow users to transfer funds between phone cards. This can be done conveniently through a customer’s on-line account and is a nice feature for those who plan travel to multiple countries or regions of the world. In any case, purchase high quality phone cards and check to be sure they will work from the countries being visited. This is easy to do if the phone cards are purchased from a reputable on line merchant.

Most consumers know that prepaid phone cards can be used to make cheap domestic and international long distance phone calls but many do not know that they also offer a full range of features. These features make them more convenient to use and a viable option for long term savings.

Consumers who purchase phone cards at supermarkets or convenience stores may be missing a lot of these features and may also be paying a higher rate for calls since it is very easy to shop and compare rates and features on-line. Many high quality phone card websites offer free search features which makes it very easy to find and compare phone cards from any location in the world. Phone cards can be safely purchased on-line and they are safely and conveniently stored in an on-line customer account.

Some of the common features found with high quality virtual prepaid phone cards are listed below.

• PIN Free dialing has become a common feature with many virtual phone cards. It allows a caller to register phone numbers so they do not need to enter a special code when making calls from a registered phone. The registered phone numbers can be conveniently edited in the customer’s on-line account.

• Many virtual phone cards feature a permanent PIN so the code does not change each time the phone card is re-charged or purchased. These permanent PIN phone cards are typically stored in an on-line account that can be accessed by a user from any INTERNET connection.

• Most permanent PIN phone cards also allow an optional automatic recharge function. Many users find this to be an attractive option since it assures that they will not run out of funds during a call and the card is always available for use.

• Many virtual phone cards come with a call history feature that tracks and stores the details of each call (including location, length of call and cost). The call history can be accessed through the customer’s on-line account. This is a very handy feature that is typically included with high quality phone cards.

• Many on-line phone cards include a Speed Dial feature. This allows the user to add phone numbers to their personal account so they can call these numbers by pressing 2 or 3 numbers on their phone. This is a convenient feature for those who plan to make international calls to the same phone numbers.

• Some on-line merchants allow customers to transfer funds between phone cards. This is a useful feature for users who call to or from multiple locations and want to use the phone card offering the best rates.

• Most on-line merchants have a handy search tool built into their website that allows shoppers to search for the best phone card for their needs. These search tools will list phone cards with the lowest rates for making calls to and from specific locations. In many cases they also provide phone card quality ratings and a summary of features, taxes and fees.

• Some on-line phone cards, like the continental card, can also be used to make conference calls, international callback calls from virtually any location in the world and to set-up personal toll free numbers in the USA.

There are virtual phone cards or prepaid calling plans like Tel3Advantage that offer many of the features listed above as well as some other not so common features. Tel3 offers a mobile plan where users can make direct-dial international phone calls from their Mobile Phones. With Tel3 Mobile, users do not need to dial an access number or PIN code when placing an international call. They simply dial the international code and their call is automatically routed over the low cost Tel3 network. Tel3 also offers a business calling plan with many on-line tools and features that are ideal for small to medium size business users. Tel3Advantage can be used to make cheap domestic and international long distance phone calls from Canada and the USA.

Phone cards have come a long way since their introduction in the 1970’s but companies like Tel3 and others continue to introduce new features and services so the virtual phone card of tomorrow will be even more useful than it is today.

Many people overlook added features, like call history, when shopping for phone cards. They are simply too interested in things like cost per-minute for making calls to their desired destination and call quality to pay attention to seemingly unimportant added features like PIN Free Dialing, Speed Dial or Call History. Most of these added features may not seem very valuable but they can make using a phone card much more convenient. For example, international callers who have used phone cards with a PIN Free Dialing feature find it very difficult to use a card where it is necessary to enter a PIN code each time a call is placed.

The phone card market is confusing to most consumers because phone card carriers have been creative in devising hidden fees and other tricks so they can advertise extremely low rates and still make money. In most cases, because of hidden charges, callers end up paying more than they expect when placing calls. We have listed the common hidden fees below and have provided some tips so phone card shoppers can at least make an informed purchase and have a basic understanding of the market.

To avoid many common consumer mistakes, we suggest purchasing phone cards from websites where all of the fees are fully disclosed in an easy to read format and customers rate phone cards. There are websites that provide simple to use tools so users can compare phone cards in a simple to understand format. Websites like smartglobalcall.net display customer ratings for all of the phone cards they sell.

1. Check the rate (usually cents/min) to the destination you want to call. Remember that the rates listed or advertised are normally to house phones (landlines). Calls made to cell phones often have higher rates. Also, the advertised rates typically do not include phone card fees or taxes that can significantly increase the cost of a call.

2. Look for added fees, taxes and hidden costs. These should be listed in an easy to read format but can also be buried in the fine print. Remember you will likely pay more than the advertised rate when using a phone card so the trick is to minimize the added fees. Added fees will be called things like connection fee, disconnection fee, taxes, maintenance fee, pay phone fee and long call fee. These fees will vary between calling cards. Some phone cards will have all or most of these added fees and others will not have any of them.

3. Phone cards will also have different rounding or billing increments. These are often in one, three or 6-minute increments. The billing increment can have a significant impact on the calling cost depending on how the calling card is used. A calling card with a one-minute billing increment will charge a customer 4 minutes for a 3.5 minute call while a calling card with a 3 minute billing increment will charge a customer 6 minutes for the same call. The cost of a call is rounded up to the next billing increment so; in general, a card with a lower billing increment has a lower cost.

4. Phone card fees are typically minimized if calling cards are purchased in smaller denominations and used for one call or over a short period-of-time. In general, phone card fees do not start until it is used the first time. Many companies offer calling cards in denominations of $5, 10, 20, 50 and 100. We recommend trying a small denomination card ($5 to $10) before making a large purchase. In most cases, it is generally better to buy several small denomination cards than to purchase one with a big denomination.

5. The call quality of a phone card depends on the international carrier used and is not always equal between vendors to a given location. There are many international telecom carriers and call quality will vary between carriers. There are generally three levels of call quality (referred to as Tier 1, 2 and 3) with regard to telecom carriers. Tier 1 carriers offer the best quality but they also charge the highest rates. Therefore, in general, calling cards with the lowest advertised rates also tend to have the lowest call quality because they use lower Tier carriers.

6. Check for local access number availability. Many cheap calling cards have low per minute rates but have few local access numbers and charge 1 or 2 cents per minute extra for using a toll free access number.

7. All phone cards carry an FCC imposed fee for using a pay phone in the USA. However, the rate will vary between phone cards (it ranges from around $0.49 to $1) so check this rate if you plan to use a pay phone.

8. Phone cards typically have an expiration date so be sure and use the card before it expires.

9. Purchase phone cards from a vendor that has 24/7 customer service. If nothing else, you may have a question or need some advice.

10. Look for added features. Many phone cards have a full range of useful features that some users may value while others may not. For example, the AT&T phone card has very high call quality (also high rates) but almost no features. Others have features like PIN free dialing, call history, speed dial and automatic recharge, which make the cards easier and more convenient to use.

So, how should a consumer use this information? There are a few things to consider. First, try to compare phone cards on the same basis. When phone card rates are adjusted for hidden fees, taxes and other billing tricks, many calling cards with very cheap advertised rates actually cost as much or more to use than a moderately priced card with higher call quality. Remember, a calling card that cannot be used nor has extremely poor quality is worthless to the user. Any money spent on a purchase is simply lost.

Another option is to use a prepaid calling plan like Tel3Advantage. It is loaded with features like on-line call history, PIN free dialing and speed dial. It is also one of the most popular calling plans in North America. It can be used to make cheap long distance calls from any kind of phone in Canada or the USA.

The next time you are in a hotel and want to make a long distance phone call you might want to try a prepaid phone card rather than placing a direct-dialed long distance call through the phone in your room. Using a phone card is just as convenient and has far cheaper long distance rates than those charged by hotels (including tax and surcharges). It is easy to shop and compare phone card rates on-line from any location in the world. Phone cards can be securely purchased on-line and they can be instantly used to make cheap domestic or international long distance calls. Rather than paying $0.50, $1.00 or more per-minute to make a direct-dialed call from a hotel room, the same call can be made for as little as 1 cents per-minute with a prepaid phone card.

Phone cards are also easy to use. All a caller needs to do is dial and access number (local or toll free depending on the phone card), enter a PIN code and place a call to any phone in the world. Many on-line phone cards include features such as speed dial or PIN free dialing which makes it very easy to place a call to any location. In many cases, they also include an on-line call history so a user can track the details for every call made with their phone card. Phone cards are also very portable, they can used from any kind of telephone (mobile, home, hotel, pay-phone or business phone). They can also be used to make calls from nearly any country in the world.

One popular virtual phone card that can be used to make cheap long distance calls from the USA or Canada is offered by Tel3. The Tel3Advantage flex plan is a very popular prepaid calling plan with more than 100,000 frequent users in North America. It is a high quality product that can be used from any kind of phone without changing service providers and has very low rates to any location in the world. It is a very good option for people who travel in North America and want the ability to make cheap international calls from any location.

It is easy to save money on long distance calls from any kind of telephone with prepaid phone cards.

On our recent trip to Aruba my son was all excited to see a Wendy’s on our way to our timeshare.  I was more intrigued by a brightly colored restaurant located right next door Sawasdee Thai Restaurant.  When we got to the Marriott’s Aruba Surf Club, I asked about it and was told it was very good.

We decided to give it a try.  Like most Palm Beach Restaurants it was an easy walk from the high rise resorts so we chose to walk.  After that try we went again.  In fact I think we would have gone their every night.  WOW.

There are so many great things about Sawasdee Thai Restaurant that I am unsure how to even start.  You know how you look at a menu and something reads like it should taste good and the picture looks great and then when you get it you wonder if you got what you ordered?  Kind of like the Big Mac on the menu looks nothing like the squashed sideways looking burger with globs of goo?  Well Sawasdee Thai Restaurant is one of those restaurants where I felt the chef took presentation to heart.

I found the service to be refreshingly simple.  Meaning it was a feeling of being a guest versus waited on.  Probably not the most prompt but that added to the charm.  One of our orders was taking a long time so they thoughtfully brought us out an order of spring rolls.

My husband looked at them suspiciously then took a tentative bite.  My acting skill are not up to par because his eyes widened and he grabbed his second one.  They were absolutely delightful.  They were crisply cooked and just the perfect size and when accompanied by their sauce they were heaven.

I ordered the Red Curry Adventure and Steve order the Garlic Chicken while our son ate fried rice.  The Curry was spectacular - I am a huge curry fan and it was spicy and flavorful and the meat tender - it was definitely worth the wait.  Steve’s Garlic Chicken was fantastic as well. well cooked, spicy and great cuts of meat.

We had enough left over for lunch the next morning are our bill was only around $50 with tip.  It was the cheapest sit down meal we had in Aruba and we had leftovers.  I will say that the next day the spices were even better as they had really soaked in.

A few days later we went again because my uncle had joined us and he loves Thai.  He lives in Manhatten and eats at some really great Thai restaurants and wanted to get his take on it.

We had the spring rolls again - and again they were perfect.  My son and husband did not deviate (they are like that!) but I ordered the Thai Pepper Chicken and my uncle ordered Pad Thai with prawns.  All were at two of three stars in the heat department.

I am not a prawns lover so I have to take my uncles word for them but he said they were fabulous.  My chicken was spicy hot but in a good way.  Luckily they kept the water glasses full because it was hot.  If you are not into burning spicy food stick with one star.  I grew up in California on real Mexican food and love spicy so it worked for me.

After our meal I asked my uncle how it stacked up to the New York Thai places and he said it was better.  In fact I think all three of us agreed that if we could find cheap airfaire we would fly to Aruba just to eat at Sawasdee Thai Restaurant.

Hey isn’t Jet Blue having a special?  Hmmmmm The JetBlue Fall Fare Sale - fares for as little as $29 each way! Hurry, sale ends 8/5 11:59pm MT.  Better get clicking!

About The Author:

Jodie is the owner and operator of the Aruba Travel Site which is dedicated to Aruba Travel including Resorts, Hotels, General Information, Restaurants and more as well as Travel Advisor Blog which is a discussion of all things travel.

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Trying to decide if a timeshare is for you?  Everyone hears the horror stories of people being beaten down by unsavory timeshare salesman and stuck with an over-priced flea infested rat trap.  Does it happen?  Yes.  But on the flip side a tremendous amount of people are happy timeshare owners who find owning a wonderful way to vacation.  It really is up to you to determine if owning is for you.

Here are some facts to assist you in that decision.

Timeshare ownership is not for everyone.  You need to either be a compulsive planner and able to plan your vacations out months (and sometimes over a year) in advance or have incredible flexibility to make a choice within weeks of travel.  Do you like to have suite-like rooms and don’t care about daily maid service? If any of these situations sound like you then continue to read.

If you rarely plan even 4-5 months ahead of time and like to vacation at peak times at popular destinations and little flexibility, you will more than likely be unhappy with timeshares.  If you are perfectly happy in a hotel room and live for daily maid service, timeshares may not be for you.

We actually enjoy not having housekeeping, when we stay in regular hotels, I actually get annoyed at the daily intrusion.   We love the fact we can throw our towels in the wash before we head out for the day, but for some people that is not their idea of fun.  We also love 1400+ square feet versus the shoe box of a hotel room and save money by eating breakfast and lunch in the room.  It is also fun to bake cookies for the crew or pop popcorn.  Our timeshares literally are our second homes.

For my family, timeshares allow us to stop doing commando vacations and actually slow down and enjoy the trip.  We bring family and friends with us to share the fun.   Most of the time it is great and when it is not, well that is why we have a two bedroom villa!

It also forces us to vacation.  Before we owned timeshares I could always justify not vacationing.  The costs add up.  Now we can really budget all year long and much of the stress is gone.

So, if after all of these warnings you still think timeshares may be for you then let’s discuss costs.

There is an original buy in cost as well as yearly maintenance.  Here is a good rule of thumb.  Review the cost for a hotel room in the destination your are interested in  and time you usually like to vacation and determine the cost.  Chart out how long it will take until you break even and see if that number works for you.  Also make sure that the maintenance fees are not outrageous.  A good rule of thumb is to look at what other owners are renting their unit for, if your maintenance fees are higher than the rental rate that is not a good buy.

Many people get nervous about purchasing a timeshare, there are horror stories of manipulation and lies and some of them are true.  Many more are exaggerated.  My recommendation is for you to do research prior to going to any presentation.  I highly suggest TUG - Timeshare Users Group.  This group has the best information on all of the timeshares available and the members are friendly and will assist you in your decisions.

Usually resale is the best route to purchase, many timeshares can be purchased for a fraction of the cost from the timeshare company so be informed before you buy.  In our case, our last purchase was straight through Marriott Vacation Club, we researched the available options on the resale market and in the end the timeshare company had a better deal.

There are many rules of thought on what to purchase.  Many people say buy a “trader” and then trade in to where you want to stay.  This works for many people and many times can be very affordable.  If you go that route it is imperative that you buy a property with enough property “muscle” to get good trades.  Don’t buy a cheap property in a ski destination that gives you a week in May and assume you can trade for Maui.  You may get lucky, but more than likely you will be disappointed.

We believe in the mantra “buy where you do not mind staying.”  This way if you cannot get a trade you want, you still have a great vacation scheduled.  We own at Disney Vacation Club’s Hilton Head and Bay Lake Towers at Contemporary Resort as well as  Marriott Vacation Club’s  Marriott’s Aruba Surf Club and Marriott St. Kitts Royal Beach Resort & Spa.  I really don’t mind staying ANY of those places!

Whatever you choose, it is important to make an informed, logical deal and not an impulsive emotional purchase.  Do your homework and make your own choice. Do not let anyone make the decision for you. We are so happy to be Disney and Marriott Vacation Club owners and do not regret our purchase but that does not mean they are for everyone.

When you think of the first discovery of gold in the United States you think of 1848 and Sutter’s Mill in California, right.

Wrong.  It happened in 1799 on John Reed’s Farm right here in North Carolina.

The actual real first gold rush happened in Cabarrus County North Carolina in 1799.  John Reed was born in 1757, 1758 or 1759 in what is now Germany.  He was in the British Army and the illiterate Hessien mercenary deserted somewhere around Savannah and finally settled down on Meadow Creek, married and had a family.

One Sunday, Conrad Reed, John’s 12 year old son, was fishing with his siblings and found a 17 pound shiny yellow rock.  He picked it up and brought it home.  For three years the rock was used as a doorstop.  They had brought it to the local blacksmith but he was not sure what it was, it was not until a trip to Fayetteville that he discovered it was gold.

In Fayetteville, he took the rock to a jewelry who realized it was raw gold.  The jeweler offered to purchase it and asked Reed to name his price.  Reed thought about it and came up with what he thought was an outrageous amount $3.50.  The jeweler paid him the money quickly as the true value was about $3,600.  Can you imagine it’s price now?  Later on the jeweler did end up paying him another $1,000 after Reed learned the value of gold.

Soon Reed began Reed Gold Mine and started a flurry of activity in North Carolina as people flocked to make their own discoveries.  In fact over one million dollars in gold was found in North Carolina per year and gold mining was second only to farming in number of North Carolinians it employed.  Both placer mining (panning in creeks) as well as underground mining occurred on the site of Reed’s property as well as many other areas in the state.

Until 1848 North Carolina led the nation in gold production, then gold was discovered in California and the California Gold Rush started and Reed Gold Mine and it’s discoveries faded and even faded from our American History books.

Today many of the underground tunnels have been restored for you to explore and you an pan for gold.  About one of every six pans will include some gold.  The visitor center has gold and silver exhibits, a movie on the history of gold at Reed Gold Mine and a tour of a restored ore-crushing stamp mill.  There are picnic areas and trails as well.

It is well worth seeing.  I am passionate about American History and our textbooks are losing important pieces.  If you asked 100 Americans about the first Gold Rush the few that would have an answer would say California - heck until I moved here I would have too.  If you come to North Carolina, visit Reed Gold Mine.

Just found these pictures uploaded that are the best and most comprehensive so far for the new WDW Bay Lake Towers.  For those of you unfamiliar with Disney World, Bay Lake Towers is the newest Disney Vacation Club resort.  Disney Vacation Club is the Disney version of a timeshare.  You purchase points, not weeks and can stay at your “home resort” or one of the other WDW DVC resorts or trade your points for other timeshares.

Bay Lake Towers was Disney’s worst kept secret.  As they demolished the North Garden Wing of Contemporary they did so without any mention of what was going in there.  Kind of hard to ignore A BIG CRESCENT SHAPED BUILDING but they did there best “Building…what building?”

Due to the economy it has not sold out as quick as expected but it is very popular with many of the people clamoring for monorail access.  Because of slower sales it is a wonderful opportunity for non-DVC member to try it out.

A few things though different about BLT (I know it is a sandwich too!) first is that the pool area is for BLT only.  Unlike the other properties (BoardWalk, Beach Club and Animal Kingdom) where the DVC resort and the regular WDW resort share amenities, if you are staying at Contemporary you cannot use the pool at BLT.  This is because of the lake of real estate to build a large pool.  If the Contemporary folks were allowed in there would be crowding issues and let’s face it the Contemporary pool is not too exciting.

Here is the tricky part, DVC members CAN pool hop so a DVC person staying at BLT can pool hop to Contemporary but a non-DVC member cannot, nor a Contemporary non-DVC pool hop to BLT.  Clear as mud?

The other point is the bridge between the two resorts- that is simply a walkway from the fourth floor of Bay Lake Towers to Contemporary.  They actually frosted the glass and did not put in air conditioning to keep people from using it as a fireworks viewing area.  You will need to use your Bay Lake Tower room key to access it.  If you want to go over to Bay Lake Towers you will need to use the front entrance.

The biggest controversy is the new Top of the World Lounge.  It is built on top of Bay Lake Towers and will probably have the best views of Magic Kingdom around.  This lounge is for DVC members and their guests only.  There is a ton of unhappiness over this by non-DVC people but think of it as the Airline Club rooms at the airport, sure you are flying that airline but just because you have a ticket does not mean you have access.  The Top of The Wolrd Lounge is the same for DVC - all of us who purchased Bay Lake Towers (yes me included) paid a huge premium for that resort.  Because of this DVC gave us a few perks.

I am not sure how long it will continue like this, DVC and WDW have said they may change this at any times and DVCers remember the viewing area at Boardwalk Villas that was taken away and is now used for private function.  Anyone want to guess how long Top of The World will be open to anyone?  My guess is it will become a huge money maker for Disney and can only imagine what it will rent out for on New Year’s Eve.

Before I forget West Marine has a special on Nuvi’s if you are interested.  We just bought one (Doh!) and they are super cheap. New Low Price on Garmin Nuvi 200W - Only $119.99!

I guess reservations must really be down because Free Dining is now ongoing through 11/24/2009 then star up after Thanksgiving and run through 12/17/2009. If you stay in a Value you get the Quick Serve Dining Plan which includes two Quick Service Meals and two snacks per day).  Moderates, Deluxe and Deluxe Villas will all get the regular Dining Plan (one quick service meal, one sit down meal and one snack).  It looks like the only Deluxe resorts in this are Wilderness Lodge and Animal Kingdom and the two Deluxe Villa Resorts are Old Key West and Saratoga Springs.

All sounds great huh?  Well here is the fine print.  There are some blackout dates and you have to stay at RACK rate.  You also have to buy a park pass too.  For some people it works out, if you have an annual pass it is not so good.  Run the numbers for yourself and decide.

Here is another option:

Fall Discount Rates are also up for Disney Visa holders, Annual Pass Holders (code JYF)  and anyone who has the codes (use KHP).  35% off selected resorts with availability.  No dining plan or tickets included in this one.  They do not say anywhere the list of hotels involved but I am going to guess the list is similar to the Free Dining Hotels.

I hate the WDW reservation system, all of the codes are given to Expedia so I use them Book your dream Disney vacation at Expedia.com!

Personally I would choose Saratoga Springs - one of my favorite resorts at WDW.  We are going for Food and Wine and staying at the new Bay Lake Towers.  I am so excited, we have been waiting for that Magic Kingdom view for a long time. No Free Dining or Discouts for us - DVC members are not eligible but hey I will be sitting on my balcony watching Wishes so it is a great trade off!

People always are asking me about trips to Walt Disney World.  In my circle of friends I am considered a Disney Genius – okay maybe because we go there at least twice a year and some people think that is a bit over the top.

Repeat after me – there is never too much Disney – got it?

For first time travelers it is imperative to put your best foot forward.  Your first trip will either be great or something that your feet will never forgive you for – ever.

Our trip was the latter; Steve and I would collapse at the end of the day and whimper in pain and literally crawl into the bathroom when we just had to go.  I still have flashbacks to one particular Epcot Death March where we took turns carrying our son on our shoulders.

So here is some advice for the first time Disney traveler.

Pick an off-season time of year – I highly suggest the fall.  Anytime between Labor Day and the first two weeks of December.  The weather is great and the crowds are manageable.  Do NOT choose a major holiday or the summer.  We love to go during Epcot’s Food and Wine Festival (the best choice for the adults!!!!)  You will be miserable, the crowds (and bugs) will eat you alive and you will probably never return.  Leave those times to the advanced travelers and the sadists.

Now if you have school age kids and are like us, we don’t take our son out of school for trips then find a nice 3 or 4-day weekend and go then.  We find that we can do as much in four days off-season as ten days in the summer.

Zig when others zag – there are tons of websites out there that will tell you good times for crowds but it really is not that hard to figure out.  Magic Kingdom is usually busy on the weekends and during Extra Magic Hours.  We shy away from Extra Magic Hours and will explain why in another blog so we go to the least appealing park we can find.

Meaning, lets pretend it is Tuesday and Epcot has Evening Extra Magic Hours and Disney Studios has Fantasmic and Animal Kingdom has Early Magic Hours we will head to Magic Kingdom and have the lowest attendance.

Take a break – I know you want to soak in the magic and squeeze every last dime out but after a few days your nerves will be fried and you won’t get It’s a Small World out of your head.  We usually get to the parks at rope drop (meaning when they open) ride everything until lunch then go back to the hotel and relax.  Swim or read or take a nap.  Then go out later on and hit the parks again.

Click Here!

I highly recommend the book below it has great tips on stretching your budget and making your trip enjoyable.

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