Buying a Roaming SIM Card and Other Top Budget International Travel Tips

One positive benefit to come out of the recent global financial crisis is that it has ensured that people are more careful with their money. If there is a saving to be made, people will look for it. International travel is one area where people can and are looking to save money. The purpose of this article is to give you some budget travel tips so that you can save money when you travel and enjoy your trip more. Here are the tips that you should follow:

 Fly with the same airline- If you are going to fly regularly, you should fly with the same airline. They generally have frequent flyer programs and also have more chance of being upgraded from coach if you fly with the same airline regularly.

Stay with a hotel chain- Like with airlines, if you stay at the same hotel chain throughout the world you should be able to get loyalty points as well as the opportunity to gain discounts for being a regular user of their hotel.

Buy a roaming SIM card- One thing that many people want to do when traveling overseas is keep in touch with people back home. If you are interested in keeping in touch, you should not use your home mobile phone. This will cost you a fortune. A roaming SIM card will save you between 60-90% and you will not have to pay to receive calls in many countries.
If you are going to travel overseas, you do not have to skimp completely. You don’t need to eat dry noodles and stay in backpacker’s accommodation.  If you are keen on traveling in style but within a budget follow the tips that I have mentioned above- be loyal to airlines and hotel chains, and get yourself a roaming SIM card. You will kick yourself if you don’t.

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Does Trustworthy Mean You Sell More Rental Property?

Is it true that trustworthy real estate agents sell more real estate then real estate agents that are not trustworthy? In my experience, the answer is yes, but with the following explanation addressed in this article.As our model, we’ll compare the styles of two types of real estate agents. Those who are eager only to close a transaction with little regard about the lasting impression they make on their customers, and those who care more about developing a long-term relationship with their customers; those who disregard the interests of their investor just to make a sale, and those willing to lose a sale when its in the customer’s best interest.It is not a matter of ethics. Our assumption is that both types of agents are highly ethical and diverse only in the way they conduct their business.Here are the FactsAny agent can locate a rental property listing. It’s easy to research the local MLS or collect data from online services that cater to real estate investment property listings.Any agent can locate a potential buyer. Whether it’s a previous customer, family member, a friend, a friend of a friend, the result of a call-in or walk-in, agents who remain proactive and take their business seriously are bound to meet buyers.Any agent can sell an income property listing. Whether it’s a commercial property or multifamily property, if it’s listed for sale at a lower-than-market price and you present it to a qualified buyer, the property will generally sell itself.In other words, both types of real estate agents are capable of making money. Fair enough.The difference is that the agent who has eyes only for the commission (sometimes to the detriment of the investor) is less likely to establish a trust relationship with that investor that could over time evolve into multiple sales then the agent who doesn’t just take the money and run.Okay, so what must you do to become significant to your investor and therein start cultivating repeat business?Foremost, be trustworthy. Treat your customer’s money as if it was your own. Beauty is certainly in the eye of the beholder and you certainly can’t impose your taste upon your customer, but don’t hard sell a property (or its potential) just to make a sale.Next, be informed. Know what your market values are and be prepared to share that information with your customer. In your opinion, if a property is over priced, say so. The same is true when you consider a property to be a good investment. Just back it up with credible data.Next, be honest. Tell your investor whether you deem a property as a grade A (proudly show it off) or a D (show no one and never collect the rent after dark) type of property. Discuss realistic (not hope-so) vacancy rates. Give an informative opinion of what you believe the odds of lowering those rates really are, and whether rent increases are likely. Be truthful about the property’s location, condition, profitability, and potential.Finally, be reliable. Never attempt to sell an investor investment real estate based solely on someone else’s data. Run the numbers yourself and create your own presentations. This is easy with good real estate investment software, and too beneficial not to make the meager investment. Real estate investors will trust you more when they can rely on you to substantiate the data you present to them.Here’s the bottom line.Winning over an investor is more than style and panache. Real estate investors are less impressed with the agent’s Armani and Mercedes then they are with the agent’s ability to discuss and service real estate investment property.To make the kind of lasing impression on real estate investors resulting in a long-term relationship, it must be evident that the agent genuinely cares about how the investor spends his or her money, is competent about rental property, and therefore can be trusted to assist them in making a sound investment decision.
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Education and Religion – Are They Separate and Does This Matter?

Education is inherently spiritual in nature, although there has been much said and done over the years to mask this purpose. Yet, at its very core, the goal of an educational system is to change minds so that information can be transferred, to present cultures and characters to the learners so that they can see how those values have been successful (or not) over the years, to share systems of order, organization, and structure that benefit all people, and to do all of this from the time of youth through adulthood. The word education comes from a Latin term (educatus) having to do with “leading forth” and “rearing” of a child. In this sense, educational goals are no different than the goals of discipleship in a religious context, and this knowledge must impact all that we aim to teach or share with others.

One primary tenet of education is to present data and transform the understanding of information in the mind of another. That does not necessarily mean that we are going to convince another of our opinions, although that does happen in education, but we are certainly trying to transfer knowledge to someone else. This may take the form of sharing of information, teaching someone to learn a new skill, or showing how to apply the knowledge for their personal use and enrichment. Once this information is presented and students learn to apply the information correctly, the next step in education is to seek the advancement of the student because they possess this knowledge. Knowledge increases awareness and competency, and this is good for all involved – both the student, and the student’s community. With knowledge, a student can take positive action, and positive action is the evidence of the learning. Another pillar of education is the reviewing of history and the knowledge left behind by other cultures and civilizations, as well as of the character of those leaders. What area of learning does not have its heroes and villains, its good examples and bad? None come to mind. All arenas of education – history, science, philosophy, math, literature, and yes, even religion – have their cultural stalwarts emblazoned on the annals of history and in those stories, there is much to learn of both positive and negative behavior. But none of this is unique to an educational system. Every step of the learning process and its goals can be said to be also true of the process of discipleship. And, the sharing of faith and converting of disciples far predates the structure of an educational “system.” The making of converts has at its heart the transference of information, the hope of application, and the betterment of a society. Therefore, education is inherently theological in nature.

So while we have tried to separate the role of the church from our educational system, we cannot ignore that they are more alike than dissimilar, and more compatible than not. This is why it is so critical to look at what we are teaching, and what information is being transferred. We must look at the ways in which religion can benefit our educational system, not harm it. Not only that, but the methods that we teach, and how we present the information, must be shared in meaningful ways – ways in which our students can obtain and connect with the information itself. Unfortunately, there is so much information out there; we must also give students tools to filter this information and a sense of the purpose and benefit of having this information. Otherwise, it will become as static on a radio to them. The value we place on education does matter, just as does the value that we place on our faith. Christians must acknowledge the need to study and learn the Bible regularly. Scripture is pretty clear about that, as seen in this passage from Deuteronomy 6:7, “Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.” Loosely translated, that implies that we should be studying God’s word all day long, and that seems like a pretty high value.

We must remember that we have a choice in this country when it comes to how we educate our children. And we must remember to apply the basic goals of faith to our educational choices. For instance, does the educational program that you are using include time for spiritual as well as mental growth, or does it focus only on “fun” stuff? There can be lots of fun in learning, but when the lesson plans emphasize P.E. or Choir, for instance, over core material and calls to application, then there is something missing. The program or lesson is void of “fruit,” and empty. Another implication of our educational choices is the effect of them on our character and the character of our students. If religion and history have shown us anything, they have shown us that time and time again, a leader of good character can impact many for a positive change, but a leader of poor character can tear down those around him or her. This truth is not only for history. A Christian should be concerned for their character and reputation at all times. As the saying goes, you are a walking billboard for Christ and what you “preach” will always reflect on the kingdom. But this applies to education as well. What values are being emphasized and stressed in your educational system and how is that benefitting your reputation, or the reputation of your student? These are not light-hearted questions, but nothing of permanence or long-standing value comes without reflection and evaluation. What we do to educate others matters, how we teach it matters, and what value we place on the application of the material at hand speaks volumes of our character.

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