Travel Blog

Google’s driver less car has been on the road for over 300,000 miles now. A recent update suggests that Google is not in the driver less car business. They are going to focus on the software and not the hard ware. In fact it is several cars that are being tested. But the fact remains they have driven that many miles and apparently without an accident. Well, we heard there was one accident were the human in the car took over control of the car and caused an accident. Now several states have put laws into place that allow driver less cars on the road. But there must be a driver in the car’s driver seat that can take control of the car if needed.

Googles Driverless Car – Other Driverless cars

In addition the major car manufacturers are working on models of their own that can be driven without a driver in control of the car. Just think in a few years the designated driver will no longer be needed. Take me home car and away you go. We are not sure if the laws that have been passed in these states include having a driver that is sober behind the wheel and able to take over if needed. Not sure how that would work, the driver is drunk, the car gets into an accident and who do you charge with causing the accident – the drunk passenger(s), the car, the software maker, the part that failed ?

We believe that they will perfect the driver less car and we will likely accept the notion that you will not need passengers who are able to take over the car if necessary. Remember when there were operators in the elevators. You could not go from floor to floor without an elevator operator running the controls for you. At least they got to talk to people once and awhile.

Will there be Auto Pilots on These Cars

Now let’s imagine you are in Goolgle’s driver less car or one of the other manufacturer’s cars. You are the designated control driver, the person supposed to take over if needed. Does this mean that you must pay attention all of the time so that you can take control based on your judgment or will it be like the auto pilots in planes that sound an alarm to alert you to take control? Sometimes pilots fall asleep while on the job although they are not supposed to. You can bet there will be a lot of people who will be sleeping in these driver less cars. That auto pilot had better be good, reaction time and warning time to alert the pilot.

What Impact will Driver Less Cars have On Supporting Auto Industries

The main assumption is that there will be less accidents with driver less cars. Proper space will be maintained between cars and cars will not run red lights. Drivers will not be drunk behind the wheel, and distracted drivers will not cause accidents. Now you can shave, do your makeup, finish breakfast, even talk on the phone and not worry about driving. If this works as planned, there will be a lot less accidents as a result and that will have a direct impact on auto repair industries, such as windshield repair companies, auto body companies and so on.

There will still be accidents since it will be a long time before everyone is in a driverless car and everyone is forced to use the capability, bit it will come once it is demonstrated that these cars do in fact save lives and reduce accidents. Just imagine on a foggy road, were you can barely see the car in front of you. With radar installed, there will be no problem stopping when needed and not hitting the guy in front of you.

How Long Will it Take for Driver Less Cars to be in the Majority

No one really knows at this point. However it will really depend on just how good these cars are when it comes to control and accidents. If the statistics can prove they have less accidents, the insurance companies may reward car owners with these cars with lower insurance. They may jack up the insurance for people with cars without control. Penetration of this technology will move quickly.

We think that this will be a hot news story for some time to come and we are excited to watch what happens with the driver less car future. For more thoughts about traveling on vacation by vehicle, click here.

Traveling without health insurance can literally bankrupt you. It can ruin your life if you cannot find the money to pay for hospital coverage and repatriation home, if you are too ill to travel. The prime travel season is coming up for snow birds heading south and many retired people planning trips. We felt that a post on travel insurance for Canadians coverage and why you need it would be worthwhile. Bottom line is that the cost of medical visits to the hospital is just too high. It can literally put you in the poor house if you are not properly covered.

Travel Insurance for Canadians

A recent survey found that many people, young and old are taking the chance of traveling abroad without health insurance coverage and unfortunately ending up with huge medical bills that most people just cannot afford. Canadians are not used to paying for their health issues. After all it is covered by government programs. Travel insurance for Canadians while traveling is extremely important.

Many People Travel Without Health Insurance

Many People Travel Without Health Insurance survey went on to say that as many as 65% of younger travelers will travel without health insurance, which by itself is an amazing statistic when a day in hospital can cost as much as $20,000 or even more. A major accident could cost several hundred thousand dollars and there are many of these every year were foreigners are hurt in major car crashes.

What Coverage do You Have When Traveling

Many people think that their own health insurance will cover them when they travel. They might and then again they may not. A broken leg could cost $16,000 for a two day stay in the hospital, while some local government health care agencies that Canadians have will only cover about $200 per day. That is a huge number to make up. Health insurance for that same person might have cost less than a hundred dollars.

The cost to be transported from one state to another, from one province to another or from one country to another country is usually not covered by government health agencies. You need to have travel health insurance to cover these sorts of things. Someone who suddenly takes ill while traveling, or has a car accident and needs to be transported home will spend thousands of dollars on travel costs or transport by air ambulance. Travel health insurance can cover all of this including transporting your immediate family and your car if you are driving.

For the small amount of money that health and travel insurance costs you, it is definitely worth having to ensure that you and your family is adequately protected while traveling.

Travel Insurance Tips

• Before you go review your coverage and what it does not cover
• Are you covered for the right number of days
• Are you covered for transport home
• Do you have to pay and claim or will they pay the hospital up front
• What will your current health insurance cover?
• Review the various plans available and select the one that meets your needs
• Are you covered within your home country, even if you are out of state or province
• Do you need trip cancellation insurance or
• Trip interruption insurance
• Lost baggage insurance and replacement cost for items that you need

Read the details of the coverage, especially the exclusions to ensure that you will be covered for everything that you are doing. If you have any questions ask the experts and do not make assumptions. Assumptions can cost a lot of money especially if they are the wrong assumptions.

Travel safe and plan well to ensure that you have a successful and enjoyable vacation.

This topic of Best Casino Bonuses
was inspired by an online question we read recently. Basically, a player was wondering if you had $1000 to play with, would you be better off from a casino bonus or comp perspective playing a nickel machine or a dollar machine? The answer that was given was a simple answer in our opinion and basically indicated that the casino might give better comps to the dollar player vs. the nickel player. This answer was based on the fact that if the dollar player plays for a few extra minutes he or she will go through more money than the nickel player and the casino could benefit more as a result. All things being equal as the expression goes, this statement would probably be true. However, there are a lot more variables to consider than just this one aspect. Let’s explore a few of these.

Best Casino Bonuses

There are other factors and we will go through each of these factors that determine how much you might be comp’d based on a fixed amount of play.

How Much You Bet Each Press of the Slot Button

Every machine has a maximum bet and a minimum bet. I have seen some dollar machines as high as $10 per press of the button and some nickel machines as high as $5 if you play all lines to the maximum allowed. Some people believe they can play longer if they play the minimum and others feel that they might lose out on a major win if they do. Bottom line is that you can still earn the same number of slot points, regardless of how long it takes you.

How Much or How Often Do You Win

Some slot machines pay a lot of small jackpots. Most players just keep playing until they win a large jackpot or until their money is gone. I once play blackjack for 3.5 hours. I started with a $20 bill and walked away with $15.00. Although I did not win any money, in fact, I lost $5, I was comp’d for over $200 in food that trip because I played so long. I won a lot of small stuff which kept me going for that length of time.

How Fast You Play

Some people play at a sedate pace, while others play as fast as they can. If they both win the same amount they are going to gain the same number of slot points. However, to the slot host, the faster player has a betting rate that is a lot higher and will attract more attention as far as comps are concerned.

How Many Different Machines Do You Play

Do you try different machines all of the time and do you make sure your slot card is always inserted?  If so this is a good thing, since you are getting all of the points that you should. But many people routinely forget their slot cards and miss out on points that they would have otherwise gained. Make sure that this is not you.

Payout Rates of Machines

Not all slot machines have the same payout. They seem to definitely go in cycles and some are just plain set higher to attract attention and gain interest, particularly with new machines being introduced to the players. Playing a losing machine for a long time is just not going to cut it as far as points and wins are concerned.

Special Points Days

Some casinos will have days during the week when they know that business is regularly slow. They will have bonus days where you can gain 2 times or sometimes even 3 times points. On these days the players can gain a lot more points towards their slot comps than on other days. It can be definitely worth your while to play on these days. In many casinos, these points add up towards free meals in restaurants that you can deduct right off your card at the cashier to pay for your meal without having to charge it to your room.

How Well You Know the Slot Host

Get to know your slot host especially if you go to the casino often. They cannot always help you with comps since it does depend on your play, however, they sometimes can bend the rules a bit to get you tickets for a show that is sold out or reservations at a restaurant that is already full. It never hurts to ask them for help. They will be glad to help if they can.

Other Variables Beyond Your Control

There are lots of things that occur during travel and trips. Sometimes knowing the slot host, having a slot card, or just grabbing a quick meal can really make a difference in your trip. If you are a high roller, there are lots of comps and ways for a slot host to assist. We cannot name them all here since they are as varied as the number of people that go to the casino.

Well we are planning our next trip down south. We will be joining the thousands of snow birds that head south every year to get away from the cold and the snow. We will be gone for four months. Who wouldn’t look forward to palm trees, sun and swimming. We are planning to drive since we want to have our own car while we are away on a winter vacation rather than fly and then rent a car. There are lots of things to think about when you are leaving for this length of time. Logistics of your trip is one area to consider but so are the responsibilities of your home which also must be considered. We put together this post to help other people like us prepare for their trips.

Planning our next Trip

We love to hike and travel to interesting sites, so this is also part of our trip. We are considering Dallas and traveling to the site of the show called Dallas, South Fork ranch. Apparently there are lots of tours through the ranch every day. We thought this might be an interesting thing to do.

We will go through Tucson where the PIMA museum is and the bone yard for planes that are no longer required or able to be in the air. Some planes are just stored, while others are being kept for parts. It covers several square miles and there are thousands of planes at this site. This is a must see place if you are interested in this sort of thing.

Titan Missile Museum

Another location we might go to is the Titan Missile Museum just south of Tucson. This is from the cold war when there were missiles all over the US pointed at Russia. They were intended as a deterrent to any attack that they might fire at us. Apparently this is the last one that is left in the US. There are regular visitors to this location which is just outside of Tucson.

On our travels we may also go to Biloxi, MS to visit the coast and stay at a hotel called the Beau Rivage. If you have not been to the Beau Rivage, it is a very nice place right on the gulf and part of the MGM chain of hotels.

That is it for now. We will update our posts once we have our plans finalized. These are just a couple of areas that we are thinking about and provide some idea of what is involved. We have other posts with detailed checklists of items to consider.

For more trip planning ideas, click here.

We decided to write about slot machine etiquette after a recent experience that we encountered in a local casino near were we live. Over the years we have seen many different casinos with  many different situations . Which one might question regarding the appropriateness of how people act while they are in a casino.We have noticed some very bad behavior of late. It is bothering us so much that we will not be returning to this particular casino. People need to get a life.

In this post we will focus in on etiquette while playing slot machines or waiting to be able to play a particular machine that you might like. We will not be discussing etiquette in general at a casino or etiquette while playing table games. There are some very specific rules for these topics, but that is for another post.

Slot Machine Etiquette – Waiting for a Slot Machine

In markets were there is only one casino, the casino floor often becomes very busy. There really is no where else to go nearby. In addition, there are many people who have become regulars, playing at the casino every day for hours on end. We all have our favorite machines that we like to play and these people are no different. In fact they are some times even worse, preferring to play only one machine and sometimes waiting hours to get the machine they want.

The situation we ran into was interesting in that a man wanted a particular machine and made a request to us that if we left the machine, could we let him know so that he could get it. There is absolutely nothing wrong about this request, provided that it is done in a friendly manner and not in anyway intimidating. What he did wrong in our situation was sit on a stool about 5 feet away and stare at us to the point that it made us uncomfortable.

It was as if he was trying to make us leave the machine with his mind. After about 10 minutes there was another tap and he wanted to let us know that he was going to the bar to get a drink and could we hold the machine for him. We had also told him that we would, but we were not leaving the machine for some time.  Sitting and staring is definitely bad slot machine etiquette.

Standing Too Close

Another situation developed later on in the night on another machine we were playing. Someone was literally standing one foot behind us as we played, waiting for our money to run out. They again wanted that machine, but did not know if we were going to put another $20 in the slot machine or leave. I do not want anyone standing too close to me anytime, let alone a stranger in a casino.

We already talked about staring at the person playing. This is a no no, and very uncomfortable. sometimes in this case and the above case were they stand too close, I will just stop playing for awhile and if that does not work , I will turn around and stare at them until they leave.

We have seen two seniors racing to a machine and then fighting over it. This is totally ridiculous and uncalled for. If someone wants a slot machine that bad let them have it. First of all it is not worth it and secondly I think that it is bad karma to fight someone over a machine and besides it is really bad slot machine etiquette.

All of these things usually occur more often on a very busy night when the casino is really crowded and all of the regulars are there as well.

Reserving a Machine

Sometimes you need to go to the bathroom, get a drink , go for a smoke if you smoke or just take a brief break. this is totally normal and expected by other players and the casino. But sometimes people will go to dinner leaving their machine reserved, they will go to the bar and come back 30 minutes later and so on. Generally the casinos do not accept this and will not condone it.

If you suspect this to be happening and you would like the machine, just ask the casino to monitor the slot machine and they will remove the money and reservation token for you. Do not do this on your own. This is equally bad etiquette and just might get you in a spot of trouble.

Players will use coin cups, a napkin or piece of  paper on the screen of the slot machine, or leave their  jacket on the chair with their slot card in the machine to reserve it. They may leave a small amount of money in the machine as well. Never leave large amounts in a machine and walk away. There are actually people who wander around the casino looking for this type of situation to take advantage of.

Even with all of the above, I often ask the person next to me to keep an eye on the machine and let anyone know who might want to play it that it is reserved. You would be surprised at how many people just do not get it that the machine is reserved when someone’s jacket is on the chair and there is a napkin placed across the scree, even with money in the machine.

Playing Multiple Machines

During slow times, most casinos will allow you to play multiple machines. If someone requests one of the machines you are playing you should be willing to give it up with out any concern. During busy times when the casino is crowded and there are limited slot machines available, the general rule held by many casinos, is that you should only play the machine you are sitting in front of.

We have seen players make a request of the casino to allow them to play multiple slot machines with casino approval. The best example we ever saw was Chinese couple with their daughter had reserved eight dollar slot machines. They were playing them all as fast  as they could go with the maximum in the machines. The casino agreed to this, roped the area off so people could not get too close and even provided guards to tell onlookers to move along since the family really did not want to be watched.

Players Cards Left in Machine

Lot’s of people leave their players cards in the machine. They tend to forget them, however caution should always be used before you sit down and begin playing or remove the players slot card.  We always look to see if there are  credits still in the machine and will ask players siting near by if they know whether the machine is reserved or not.

If there is any doubt, move on or ask the casino to monitor the slot machine. There is no reason to ruin your day or vacation by getting into a useless confrontation.

Smoking

Many people smoke, which we just do not understand due to the health issues. That is another subject all together. Many  casinos are beginning to not allow smoking in their casino. It is a much cleaner environment for the employees and the slot machines as well. The cleaning and maintenance bill goes way down when you eliminate smoking. The casino will provide smoking areas for patrons to go for a cigarette. This is perfectly acceptable. They will reserve their slot machine using one of the approaches outlined above. They are usually be back in five minutes or less.

If someone is smoking beside you, I often will request the person to hold the cigarette on the side away from me. If the smoke is bad or they do not cooperate, I just move on to another area of the casino. They are applying bad etiquette, but then I am not going to make an issue out of it. After all they are in a smoking area of the casino and have every right to be there. Most smokers are quite cooperative and some will even put their cigarettes out.

Tipping

Tipping for drinks while playing the slots has always been a given. You should always tip, usually 50 cents for soft drink and a dollar for an alcoholic drink. If you do, then you will have the waitress around you whenever you are ready for another drink. I have seen people not tip at all which in my opinion is the wrong thing to do. These waitresses and waiters work hard and in most cases do not receive anything more than the minimum wage.

We typically do not tip for payouts. Some people do. However now in most cases it is not necessary. The majority of casinos now use ticket in – ticket out machines. Unless you win a jackpot of more than $1200, you will just take your ticket out and away you go. For jackpots larger than $1200, in the US, you must pay taxes and will receive a tax form for this. If you are not a resident of the US, you will pay the taxes on the spot.

In Canada, there are no taxes on lottery winnings or casino winnings, so no taxes to pay when you win a jackpot at the Canadian casinos.

We came across a post that lists what the writer felt were the top 10 white water rafting locations in the world. We cannot vouch for these locations since we have never been to any of them. However perhaps readers will be able to comment on them and either agree or propose other locations. Hence please leave your comments.

Top 10 White Water Rafting Locations

We included a brief summary for each and will follow-up with posts about each location.

• Grand Canyon National Park, United States
• Ottawa River, Canada
• Glacier National Park, United States
• Magpie River, Canada
• Pacuare River, Costa Rica
• Futaleufu River, Chile
• Apurimac River, Peru
• Zambezi River, Zimbabwe and Zambia
• White Nile, Uganda
• North Johnstone River, Australia

More Details – Top 10 White Water Rafting Locations

1. Grand Canyon National Park, United States

Sign up for a single or multi-day excursion. On rivers that wind through America’s most astounding natural wonder – the Grand Canyon. Spend hours, days – even weeks – on a professionally guided tour of waterways that range from placid to downright wild. Start at Glen Canyon Dam at the northeast part of the gorge. From there, let your tour director be your guide.

2. Ottawa River, Canada

The Ottawa River does a lot more than distinguish the border between Quebec and Ontario. The behemoth waterway is also Canada’s most popular destination for rafting and kayaking. As a result luke-warm waters attract families. Also die-hard rafters each summer to steer through a valley thought to be more than 175 million years old. For example take the kids for a leisurely paddle. Or put on helmets with more competitive friends and race down the wondrous archipelago at top speed.

3. Glacier National Park, United States

Travelers aiming to combine whitewater rafting with other outdoor excursions need look no further.  The Flathead River in Montana’s Glacier National Park is one of th emost interesting rivers. More than a million acres of preserved ecosystem. Also 700 miles (1,126 km)of walkable trails make this nature lover’s paradise an ideal spot for hiking and, of course, rafting. For example pilot your inflatable vessel along the 158 miles of pure, unadulterated water, sourced directly from the Rocky Mountains.

4. Magpie River, Canada

It’ll take you eight days to steer the escalating rapids of Quebec’s Magpie River. Pitch a tent along this scenic stretch of river and savor its splendor, including the northern lights, in between day-long floats. Grade V rapids – the toughest classification recommended to raft – will greet you at the end of your week-long journey at Magpie Falls, a 125-foot vision of cascading water.

5. Pacuare River, Costa Rica

Also known as the Rio Pacuare, Costa Rica’s Pacuare River is a delightful escape with varying degrees of difficulty that last approximately 67 miles. Divided into the Upper Upper, Upper, and Lower sections, the river’s range of difficulty spans from Grade II to V – perfect for novice and veteran rafters alike. Surrounded completely by acres of lush rainforests, sailing down the Pacuare toward the Caribbean may mean introducing yourself to Costa Rica’s wildlife, like monkeys, exotic birds and jaguars.

6. Futaleufu River, Chile

Arguably the best river in the world for experienced rafters to tackle. Chile’s Futaleufu River offers both spectacular views and intense rapids. The stream, which cascades from lakes in the Los Alerces National Park and the Andes Mountains, is renowned for its deep-blue waters and Grade V drops. Hence it is recommended for skilled rafters with years of experience. The Futaleufu serves up long stretches of excitement at a time like the Wild Mile. There is a series of rapids that’ll keep any athlete on his or her toes – scratch that – seat.

7. Apurimac River, Peru

Earning bragging rights for rafting part of the world’s largest river is reason enough to fly to southern Peru for a rafting trip this year. The Apurimac River sources the Amazon. It provides kayakers and whitewater rafters a chance to see South America’s magnificent wilderness up close. Grade IV rapids – and a four-day commitment – attract skilled rafters with an appreciation for camping and the great outdoors.

8. Zambezi River, Zimbabwe and Zambia

Only expert rafters should attempt to tackle the intense swells and challenging rapids that the Zambezi River is so wildly famous for. It is separated into the upper and middle Zambezi by Victoria Falls. Which is one of the Seven Natural Wonders of the World, the river is nearly 1,600 miles of nature at its finest. Look for hippopotamuses and crocodiles along calmer stretches of the river. Brace yourself for massive drops and death-defying rapids along the no-nonsense parts, including the Batoka Gorge.

9. White Nile, Uganda

Maneuvering a boat full of rafters along the Bujagali Falls near the mouth of Lake Victoria is an adventure you’ll never forget. The White Nile, a tributary of the actual Nile River, flows through Sudan, Rwanda, Tanzania and Uganda. Inexpensive rafting companies have set up shop near the most exciting part of the river in Uganda. Combining world-class rafting with an introduction to Africa’s astonishing landscape. Grade V rapids ease into harmonious currents, promising rafters both relaxation and thrills in a single afternoon.

10. North Johnstone River, Australia

The four or six-day expedition along the North Johnstone River in North Queensland’s World Heritage rain forests is considered one of the best travel adventures in the world. Ride a helicopter to the beginning of your unforgettable journey. Wind your way through Grade V rapids and truly amazing scenery. Not for the faint of heart, North Johnstone offers days on end of the most demanding – and rewarding – whitewater rafting out there.

Let us know what you think about these Top 10 White Water Rafting Locations

I just watched an ABC report about new tires sold by all of the major retailers that are old tires sold as new when they are actually many years old. Apparently there is a code on the tire that will tell you when it was manufactured and thus how old it is. ABC did this report that looked at tires sold by Walmart, Sears , Good Year and others that were more than 6 years old. They were brand new, but had sat on the shelf for over 6 years!

Old Tires Sold as New – Exploding tires

Now some of you may be saying so what. I can get a great deal with tires on sale at all of these stores! Apparently rubber like everything else will dry out over time and this makes the tire  more unstable and capable of tearing apart at high speed when it gets hot. Tires will get hot if driven at high speed or even at normal speed when they are under inflated. Add to this a dried out tire and you get something like some of the pictures on the left that we uploaded to this post.

When we were looking for pictures of tires that had exploded, there were also pictures of some really grizzly looking accidents that we did not think appropriate to show on this post. Let us just say that the pictures showed mangled cars and trucks, with people killed or hurt very badly. We are showing three pictures that really demonstrate what happens to a tire when it comes apart at high speeds.

Tire Explosions

The ABC video also showed what happens to people driving a vehicle when the tire explodes. They were anticipating the tire to explode and even those the drivers were also skilled test drivers, many had a very difficult time keep control of the vehicle. In fact one person in a test vehicle could not get control of the car and veered off into the side of the road and overturned the test vehicle.

They were ok, however can you imagine what it would be like for you or I driving at highway speeds and your tire exploded! Many people are killed every year just because of this, so if your tires are older than 6 years which is the recommended age for tires, you may want to consider having them replaced before you go on any long trips or drive on the highway at high speeds!

Examine Your Tires

Take a look at your tires to check just how old they are. I just purchased a new car last year in 2009 and I would expect the tires to also be 2009 tires. Not so! My tires were made in the 24th week of 2007. So now they are 4 years old which is not too bad.  I purchased snow tires two years ago in 2008 for another car. I checked those tires and they were made in January of 1997! Wow , these tires in my mind were only 4 years old and the tread is still excellent on them!
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We recently saw an article about extreme penny pinching and were intrigued by several of the ideas, however, some were clearly off the wall and well beyond what the average person would even consider. We wondered about, Penny Pinching While You Travel? We thought that a more interesting list of penny-pinching ideas that actually save you money while traveling would be interesting to a lot of people.

We put together a combination of our own list of things about penny-pinching while you travel to save money with a few of the items that were on the list of the article that we read. We tend to stay in hotels and rent condos while we travel, so our list is centered around this type of travel. Other people who go camping, travel in an RV, or stay with friends and relatives will obviously have other items to add. Please let us know your items in the comments section and we will add them to our list. Here is the list for penny-pinching while you travel and we follow up with an explanation of each later in the post.

Penny Pinching While You Travel

Saving Money While you Travel

• We belong to points clubs such as air miles and credit card points collection
• We ask for a seniors discount
• We watch for restaurant discounts for seniors
• We follow senior citizens at dinnertime
• I join birthday clubs so I can eat for free
• I hit up fast food dollar menus
• We eat at subway and share a foot-long sub
• We order one soft drink and share, refills are free
• I drink as much as I can during happy hour
• We eat appetizers during happy hour
• I pick up pennies wherever I go
• We eat a large lunch and lightly at dinner time
• Share Meals
• We stay at hotels that include breakfast and/or dinner and/or free drinks

Have you ever been stuck on the highway because of an accident. Most of us have and most of us have only had to deal with a delay of an hour or two. Well try 12 hours stuck on I40 with nowhere to go and no information about what you can do or when you are going to be allowed to proceed.  That was us on Nov 20th on a Sunday night just outside of Albuquerque.

It was on the west side along Interstate 40. In fact we were only 8 miles from our turn off when the traffic came to a screeching halt. Talk about frustrating. On top of that we also had a hotel reservation, which we could not cancel. It was less than 24 hours notice and hotels will not accept cancellations that close to the arrival time.

Stuck on I40 Heading East into Albuquerque

For those of you who may not be aware, I40 is a heavily traveled truck route that runs from the west coast , through Albuquerque, all the way to Memphis and beyond.  In this area were the accident occurred, it is pretty much desert with rolling hills and not many side roads and certainly no roads paralleling the highway.  So there we are stuck on the highway , 8 miles from our destination. We are stopped in a valley were unfortunately there is only weak cell phone coverage and also limited local radio coverage. It is impossible to get any information about what is holding us up ahead or how long it will be. I even asked a couple of truckers if they had CB radios and if they knew what was going on. Apparently truckers do not carry CB radios any longer, at least the ones I asked do not.

The weather was clear, there were no problems on the road so this apparently was someone not paying attention and involved a van and several trucks. Two people died in this major accident.
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Whether you are on a short trip or returning after being away from home for several months or even longer there is a return home checklist. These are things that we all need to pay attention to in addition to the checklist of items when we leave.  If you go through the list, chances are that your trip will be uneventful and successful. Which is exactly what we all want.

Not every item will apply to your specific situation. Review the list and apply those that make sense for you, your family and business associates. Consider the situation you find yourself in. Everyone wants to make sure that nothing important is forgotten and that your home etc is looked after while you are gone. A good checklist will help to make sure that everything is thought of.

Return Home Checklist

When you are returning home there are additional checklists that you should follow to prepare for your trip. Review the  pre-departure checklist. As well as the following list of items to ensure that you have everything that you need for your trip.

• Airline reservations
• Airline tickets
• Meeting with the bank regarding account closing and money transfer if you have been away for some time and established accounts etc
• Inform schools and teachers of the children’s departure and  obtain all official school documents, with teachers evaluations of each child
• Arrange for moving of personal effects to your own country
• Keep track of relocation expenses and make photocopies of important documents to be brought with you
• Notify the post office of a change of address and send a notice of discontinuation to all services including electricity and telephone
• Pay all outstanding bills prior to leaving
• Make a list of all other personal matters that you need to look after prior to departure for your own country.

Be Prepared

If you go through this list and the pre-departure list we prepared on the previous post you will be in good shape to travel. With all of the heighten security these days especially if you are traveling by plane, it is important to be over prepared. Make your trip easier and to avoid any potential delays while you satisfy the authorities.

We tend to go on driving trips and must cross the border at various locations. We never know what questions the customs agents are going to ask. So we always have all of our documents in order. Reservations, receipts and whatever we think that we need to have to establish that we are visiting. Also not doing anything that would be construed to be illegal.

I recently heard one rumor that you need to show that you are not only a resident of your home country. But that you are actually planning to return to your home country.  Hard to imagine when we are spending money in the host country. Which contributes to their economy etc, but that is the way it is these days with increased security!

As always if you have additional items that should be added to this list, please leave appropriate comments. We will add them! For more trip planning ideas, click here.

Anyone who is traveling to another country or even across country should also have pre-departure checklists. As a result it should specifically be focused on traveling to the host country for your trip. Particularly if you’re planning to stay for some time. Hence the following checklist will help you. Regardless of whether you’re going for one week or for several months or even longer.

Pre-Departure Checklists

Obviously if you are staying for a long time you will need to decide what you do with homes, bank accounts, taxes etc. and if just going for a week’s vacation many items will not apply.

• Passports for all family members, valid for a minimum of six months
• Visas for entry to the host country and work permits if needed
• Airline and hotel reservations
• Airline tickets including return reservations
• Marriage certificate and birth certificates for all family members, especially for children
• For divorced persons with children: legal authorization from the other parent. Also from a Canadian court to take the children out of the country
• Medical examinations completed and proof of vaccinations
• Dental examinations
• Medical prescriptions, blood group information. Especially vaccination certificates
• Photocopy of eyeglass prescriptions
• Veterinary examination and vaccination for pets if applicable
• Meeting a lawyer or Notary to update wills
• Meeting an accountant to get financial and tax counsel
• Meet  a bank officer regarding financial needs, including travelers checks,  credit card limits and money transfers

More Items to Consider

• Advise your credit card company that you will be traveling to another country to avoid it being shut down prematurely
• Placing important documents in a safety deposit box
• Informing schools and teachers of the children’s departure and obtaining all official school documents, with teachers evaluations of each child
• Making any necessary arrangements regarding your house, apartment or car( sale, sublease, insurance, etc.)
• Confirming furniture storage and insurance
• Moving personal effects to the host country
• Keep track of relocation expenses. Also make photocopies of important documents to be brought with you
• Informing health insurance authorities of your departure and taking care of additional insurance coverage if needed
• Notify the post office of a change of address. In addition send notice of discontinuation to all services including electricity, telephone, heating company, and banks
• Obtaining an international drivers license
• Dispose of your car or put your car in storage
• For independent consultants obtaining GST, PST, HST registration
• Make a list of other personal matters to look after
• Advise all of your friends and family of your new address and telephone numbers
• Documentation that shows closer ties to your home country

Use Those that are Applicable

This may seem like a long list. However if you take the time to work through them, there will much less chance that you will have any issues arise when you are away from your home. Better to be able to relax and not worry, instead of wondering if everything is ok or dealing with and issue that comes up while you are traveling or dealing with business issues.

If you have has experience in this area and would like us to add additional items to the checklist, or provide advise to our readers please leave us a comment. We will review them and update this post with those comments that apply.

For more trip planning ideas, click here.

It is that time of year when families are planing their summer vacation. Many people are considering short trips with their cars to a camping site or perhaps to one of the theme parks across the country. Getting your vehicle ready for summer vacation is one of the things you need to consider before going on that driving trip. With gas prices high in the spring, and going higher just in time for summer vacation, many people are considering just how far they will go.

Regardless of whether you are planning a long trip by car or just a short one to see the family or visit a campsite, it is always a good idea to have your car checked before you go. If you already hear some noise that does not sound normal, get it checked out before you leave. No one wants a break down on the highway with a load of luggage and the family.

Getting Your Vehicle Ready for Summer Vacation

In addition the obvious, the following items are worthwhile having your mechanic look at to ensure that you will have no problems while traveling:

• Oil Change
• Check anti freeze
• Check transmission oil level
• Confirm brake fluid levels
• Check power steering fluid level
• Check windshield washer fluid level
• Assess your tires for inflation and unusual wear
• Check that all of your lights are operating properly

Getting Your Vehicle Ready for Summer Vacation

Check for Low Fluids

Low fluids can cause problems that range from irritation to serious issues with your car. Always have these checked on a regular basis, and especially when you are about to go on a long trip.

Look for uneven Tire Wear

Improper tire wear is an indication that your cars alignment may be out or your tires need to be balanced. Failure to deal with this issue will cause your tires to wear out quickly and also may even cause an uncomfortable ride due to the vibration.

Check Tire Pressure

Tire pressure is also important. Better gas mileage and safer driving are the main benefits of making sure that your tires are properly inflated.

Check the Lights

Check all of the lights as well including brake lights and turning lights. A faulty light may cause you to be in an unsafe situation if someone does not see your car at night or fails to see that you are turning or stopping due to a light not working. Some police forces will also stop you for lights that are not working properly. Usually they just give you a warning and not a ticket.

Get an Oil Change

New clean oil will not only make sure that your engine runs more smoothly, it will also deliver better gas mileage and emit less pollution. My car once failed an emission test much to be disappointment. The attendant suggested that I get the oil changed and that I make sure that I had clean fuel in the engine. I followed his suggestions and my car passed with flying colors next time it was tested for emissions.

If you are going on a long trip, always make sure you have fresh oil in the engine to generate better gas mileage and less pollution! For more tips about travelling by vehicle, click here.

Believe it or not there are great deals, Cheap Las Vegas Rooms,  in Las Vegas and other casinos around the country. You just have to know when and were to look. You can find some of the best deals available anywhere and you get to stay in 4 star and 5 star hotels!  I am still amazed when people tell me that it is expensive to go to Vegas , Tunica, Biloxi or Atlantic city. They tell me they are paying significant dollars for a room, the meals and the shows. Yes you will if you just call them up and book a room , dinner or a show.

In fact you will pay top dollar at all of these locations if you act like a tourist and book online or direct with any of the hotels at these locations. Especially in Vegas, the hotels are 5 star, or at least the large well know hotels such as Wynn, Bellagio, Ti , Mirage etc. When there is a major conference taking place, you can be sure that the conference attendees are paying top dollars for their rooms.

An Example of Cheap Las Vegas Rooms During a Large Conference

A few years ago I booked a room at the Bellagio Casino Hotel. We had a slot card and have played at this hotel several times, so I thought we would stay there for a change. I called our slot host and she quoted a rate of $125 per night which was the casino rate at the time. I thought this was high ( we have stayed there for less on other vacations), but we really wanted to stay at the Bellagio this time so we agreed.

Upon checking in I was informed that the rate was $250 per night. Of course I referred to our reservation and it was confirmed at $125 which was our original rate. Once we had all of this straightened out I asked the receptionist why the change in rates?

Apparently the hotel was near capacity due to a large conference taking place in the hotel. The hotel has approximately 4500 rooms! Anyway they had increased rates across the board, for casino patrons as well as conference guests. Anyone without a reservation was being quoted $700 / night and some were actually paying this amount for a very nice room, but not worth $700 any time!

Our slot card and slot host saved the day this time. This example just goes to show you that a room we would normally expect to pay $79/ night or even get free went to $125 , then to $250 and to $700 if you did not have a reservation at the casino.

Call and Book Ahead

Always call ahead and book a reservation. If the rates are over $100, ask for another night if you can be flexible and ask what events are taking place so you can get an idea of how you can negotiate and also perhaps when to change your dates. Sometimes by moving to another hotel that is not quite so busy , you can find very economic rates  and very competitive as well.

Always speak to your slot host. They will do what they can to get you into their hotel at rates that are competitive and acceptable to you. They will help you understand which weeks you might want to consider or when they can give you better rates as well.

Hotel – air packages are also good to consider, especially if it is your first time in Las Vegas. Many people will use these packages to get to Vegas and then book vacation packages separately after that through their slot hosts.

Flexible Schedules

A lot of people cannot change their schedules due to work, business and family issues. This makes it more difficult to obtain the best deals, however if your schedule can be flexible then you can stay away from conference dates, week ends and other high traffic dates to get the best deal.

For example the Consumer Electronics Show is on in Vegas in January. There are over 120,000 people attending this show, so even with all of the rooms that Vegas has available, you can be sure that hotel rates are going to be high during that time period.

If you happen to be attending this show, your company has made the commitment for you to attend. On the other hand if you are paying personally, then you will want to stay away from these dates to avoid paying high rates.

We hoped this short post is helpful to readers. If you have comments and / or suggestions, please feel free to leave comments that will help our readers save money.

Do you need travel insurance? The answer is definitely yes, however there are various types of travel insurance that you will want to consider depending on the type of trip that you are taking and where you are going. Like all insurance one has to ask themselves: What is the probability of making a claim; What will the cost be if I need to make a claim; What is the financial impact if there is a claim? Peace of mind when I travel? and what happens if I need to cancel my trip before I leave or during my trip? These are all valid questions to consider.

Travel Insurance – Types

There are several different types of insurance that the majority of travelers will consider. It also depends on your mode of travel as well.

• Lost and damaged baggage
• Trip cancellation
• Trip interruption
• Health claims
• Car insurance
• Private travel arrangements

We will discuss each one of these briefly for the reader, however if you have additional questions we strongly suggest that you speak to your travel agent and your insurance company. All insurance packages have conditions and it is important to understand what they are to make sure you are covered. For example the most publicized one is the “pre-existing conditions ” clause when it comes to health insurance. Basically they are saying that they will not insure you for any pre-existing conditions, so you are on your own. All insurance documents have these fine print conditions so read the details to make sure you are properly covered in all cases.

Lost and damaged baggage

This applies mainly to people who are traveling by air as well as on cruise ships, however the hotel can also lose your luggage. The airline might cover you for some damages if it is proved that they were at fault, however the money the generally provide is a small percentage of what you probably will have in your luggage. If you cannot take carry-on, then evaluate the risk of losing your luggage vs. the incremental costs of carrying insurance to make a decision. Some credit cards will provide this type of insurance, only if the trip has been charged to that credit card.

Trip cancellation

Trip cancellation can involve significantly more money if you are booking air plus a resort fee of some kind. Trips can be canceled for many reasons by customers due to illness or death in the family. Typically you cannot cancel just because you no longer feel like going. You will have to produce a doctor’s certificate or even a death certificate in order to get your money back. Again evaluate the risk of needing to cancel your trip vs. the incremental costs of carrying insurance to make a decision. Note that you must purchase the cancellation insurance at the time you book the trip and not afterwords. Some trips can cost thousands of dollars so a cancellation can have a far bigger impact on your finances.

Trip interruption

Some times a trip needs to be interrupted due to illness at home or some emergency which causes a traveler to interrupt their trip. Similar to trip cancellation, you will need to evaluate the risk vs. the cost to you to interrupt your trip and fly home.

Health claims

This is the big one, especially if you are traveling in the US from another country or need to be air lifted home. Even a visit to emergency for several hours can cost several thousand dollars and you can be out of pocket for tens of thousands if you need to stay at a hospital for any length of time. Not having health insurance with all of the coverages you need can have catastrophic impact on your financial well being. Purchase health insurance for your travel or do not travel. It is as simple as that.

If you have pre-existing conditions, you will need to fully disclose these conditions and evaluate what will be covered vs. what is not covered before you go. If you do not advise the insurance company about your pre-existing condition and you have a large claim they are going to investigate including checking with your doctor! Don’t be silly about this obtain proper health insurance when you travel.

Car/Van/RV insurance

Some people love to travel by car, van or RV. We have found that it is a good idea to check with your insurance company ahead of time to verify coverage. If you plan to go to Mexico with your car for example, most companies will charge an extra fee to add this coverage to your policy. While traveling in the US is usually included.

Private travel arrangements

Private travel arrangements are usually not insurable. This is a situation were you book a condo or hotel on your own and for some reason need to cancel. If you need to pay in advance, then you are at risk. The best insurance in this situation is to discuss up front with the person or company you are renting from. Determine what the arrangement would be if you needed to cancel for some reason. Make sure you get this in writing so there is no disagreement or confusion later on.

Travel insurance is a really important area ans should not be ignored if you plan to travel. Talk to your travel agent or to your insurance company. Many of the insurance companies have special departments that focus on providing these types of services.

Good luck and travel safely. Comments that will help our readers are much appreciated.

When you go on vacation, you already know you are going to spend a lot of money and you may as well be resigned to this fact. After all you have a limited amount of time and you want to make the most of it. What if you are going on a 2 or 3 or 4 month vacation? Staying in hotels and eating in restaurants and the bills can really add up in a hurry. There are countless ways to manage your costs and one of those ways is to split restaurant meals.

Benefits of Splitting Restaurant Meals

There are multiple reasons for splitting restaurant meals and all of them have a significant benefit to you the consumer. Obviously you save money when you split a meal since the cost is now split between two people. Many restaurants do not mind at all especially if you are ordering a drink with your meal. For many restaurants this is where the profit is anyway.

Another benefit is that you are reducing the calories that you are eating. You might nor order the best food in terms of diet etc, however at least by splitting the meal you are actually eating a lot less than you would other wise.

One of the big benefits for long term travelers is that if you reduce your costs for meals by an average of $10 a day which is actually low considering that you can split lunch and dinner, you can save over $12oo on a 4 month trip, which is money you can use for other activities. Fantastic!

American Meals are Large

We have traveled in Canada and the US. We found that meals are generally larger in the US with portion sizes that are far more than many people should eat and sometimes can eat. We were at a Texas Roadhouse one evening and my wife ordered pork chops with mashed potatoes. The meal came with two large thick pork chops and a load of mashed potatoes. There was no way that she could have finished the meal herself and fortunately we were splitting the meal. At the end of it we were both full and glad we did not order a separate meal for each other!

Meals in Canada

Meals in Canada generally are smaller and they seem to be more expensive. We try to avoid eating out in Canada if we can since the value and the cost is just not there for us.

In addition the service level is really bad. It is almost as if the waiter cannot stand to be doing his or her job and they are not the least bit interested in providing good service. They still want their tip and if you tip according to the service level they gave, they get upset. You cannot win and so we do not eat out while in Canada if we can avoid it.

For more info about reducing travel costs, click here.

Slot players, you will love the Horseshoe casino in Tunica! You can now order your drinks at the slot machine by touch screen using your Harrahs Slot Cards! All you do is activate the little screen on the slot machine that normally shows your casino points to show the drink menu and then order the drink you want. The casino waitress shows up five minutes later with your drink! Don’t forget to tip the waitress, this is how they make their living. The casino pays them very little and also limits their hours so tips are really important.

The RoadHouse Casino is also part of the Harrahs chain and they have implemented the same feature. We were in this casino early in the morning and there was really no one there except us and the employees and a few people playing at the tables. There is usually only one waitress at this time of day serving drinks. You can wait a long time for a coffee or something stronger at this time of day. We used the new screens to order our drinks and she was there with our drinks in less than 5 minutes. This is a great service.

We cannot wait to go to some of the other Harrahs casinos to see if they have implemented this feature to other locations as well.

Harrahs Slot Cards – Order Your Drinks

It is really great in the mornings when there are not many waitresses on the casino floor. Just order , the bar makes the drink, and the waitress picks it up for delivery! No more waiting to flag a waitress or playing at a machine just to be near the bar to get a drink! Order whatever you want – water, coffee, beer, wine, mixed drinks, and special drinks such as Irish coffee’s and liquors.

Needless to say we used this new service at the Horseshoe and also at the Road House Casino.

Call Slot Attendants

If you are having trouble with your slot machine you can call a slot service attendant the same way. They usually arrive within five minutes. Harrahs casino resorts is really leading the casino competition with this new service.

Slot Cards

In case you have not used a slot card, we cannot emphasize enough why you should always have a card when you are playing the slots. Some of the features of slot cards include:

• Free meals
• Free play
• Point play
• Meal and merchandise discounts
• Free rooms
• Free airport pickup ( High Rollers)
• Free airline fees ( High Rollers )
• Free gifts
• Invitations to slot tournaments or table games tournaments
• Free tax report( more on this later)

Frequent players can expect more while less frequent , or low denomination players will take longer to build up their comp’s. With all of these features everyone should have a slot card.

Express Comp’s

Harrahs has had this feature for some time, and MGM Grand hotels has just introduced this feature on their new MLife cards. Basically you build up comp credit on your card as you are playing slots. These comps can be used to purchase meals in any of the restaurants associated with the hotel your card is associated with.

All you need to do is present your card to the cashier at the restaurant you are dining in and they will deduct the amount of the bill from your comp’s. You do not need to see your slot host and you do not need to line up either. This convenience is another reason why slot cards are a must-have.

We appreciate comments that will help our readers. Feel free to leave yours, however spam comments will be deleted and linking comments will be deleted unless you also link to our web site and make a contributing comment to this blog.

MGM Grand has changed their slot card from MGM Mirage to “MLife” over the past few months. They have also updated features as well. We assembled some of the new features for MGM Grands New Slot Card MLife as described to us by a slot host at the Gold Strike in Tunica, MS.

This is the new slot card from the MGM Grand group, renamed and now called MLife. It still has all of the casinos that are part of the group listed on the back of the slot card. Several new casinos have been added and at least one removed. Treasure Island was sold and is now called TI. It is no longer part of the MGM grand group. MGM has so many properties and each of them have their own 1-800 number so they all have to be listed individually. Makes it tough to read for some of us who need better glasses. There are a total of 12 properties now listed on the slot card and your new MLife slot card can be used at each one of them!

MGM Grands New Slot Card MLife – Express Comp’s

MGM has added “Express Comps” to the screen readout. These Comps are used at the restaurants to pay for your meals. MLife  Comps cannot be used for merchandise. Use these express comp’s at any of the MGM properties all over the US and also at one property in Canada. This is also a great convenience which their competitors have had for some time. Watch our next post for an article about a competitors improvements to their casino slot cards. To find out more about slot cards in general, click here.

This saves a lot of time. Before you had to go and talk to the slot host to see if they would comp you for a meal. Now you go straight to the cashier at the restaurant and hand them your slot card. Now the cashier will deduct your meal from the express comp’s balance on your account. You can even use these express comp’s to pay for your hotel bill at the end of your stay.

Slot Hosts

Of course slot patrons should also talk to their host before checking out. There may be additional meal Comps they might have coming to them. It never hurts to ask. We have had several nights and meals written off amounting to several hundred dollars. It is the same as winning a small jackpot!

Also many people either are uncomfortable about doing this or cannot be bothered. One couple we know do not even bother to get a slot card. As a result pay top dollar for their rooms and all of their meals. They never get comp’d for anything. Of course they are forgoing thousands of dollars sometimes in lost comp’ds.

Provide Comments about MGM’s Mlife slot card. New enhancements or deals that our readers may have come across. Spam comments are deleted.

We are in the early stages of planning our trip and are using the checklist that we posted in the previous post, called travel planning. We will be driving to California and taking a southerly route to avoid a lot of highways that could be snow covered and to avoid snow storms in the winter period. On the way home we will come back on a northerly route, probably through Utah and Colorado. We have found that it is much easier and safer to take a longer route in the winter months. We really do not need to be concerned about snow and icy roads.

Planning Our Trip –  Route

For now though we are going to head straight south to Memphis and then on down to Biloxi, Mississippi. We will spend a few days at Tunica, Mississippi and then on to Biloxi were we will also spend a few days. We stay at the Gold Strike in Tunica and at the Beau Rivage in Biloxi. Both of these places are casino hotels and we can usually get a free room at either place.

Next we will head west along Interstate 10. It takes you all the way to Los Angeles with no snow to worry about anywhere along the route. Once you pass Houston, it is pretty much desert all of the way to California, although on past trips we have encountered rain storms in the middle of the desert and the odd flake of snow at higher elevations, near Benson Arizona. We will not book any hotels along the way until we get to Benson Arizona. Our preference is to stop when we get tired or see something we like along the way. We will stop at Benson, Arizona for a night and then head off to a Titan Missile Museum the following day. We will leave a post about this later on our trip.

Once we leave the Missile Silo, we will head to Phoenix were we will stop for one night and then on to Las Vegas for two nights. After that we are spending a month in Palm Springs before heading to Laughlin Nevada. As we travel to each of these locations we will add posts along the way, sometimes daily if there are interesting things to write about.

Making Reservations

For some locations we can make reservations ahead of time. Such as Benson and Las Vegas. However from Biloxi to Benson we will leave it open so we can be flexible about how far we drive every day. This is the best way to travel on a vacation were you make decisions about were you are going to go each day. We will often decide around 2 or 3 pm how much further we want to drive and then call ahead to book a hotel.

Many of our friends cannot travel this way. They have to get to their final destination as quickly as possible. They have to know were they are staying each night, other wise they get stressed out about their trip. We also carry a GPS with us so that we always know were to go.  Even if we pull off somewhere , it will automatically recalculate directions for us. The GPS helps us find restaurants, shopping and things to see in the area. There has been the occasional time that we have had to drive much further than we planned due to unacceptable hotels. But it is so seldom that we really do not worry about this at all.

Using Air Miles, Credit Card Points

We also try to use points from various cards and loyalty cards that we have. This saves us a lot of money. However we really need to coordinate our travel with the loyalty cards. They sometimes need advance notice of several days before they will confirm reservations for us. You can also use airline points as well to pay for hotels.  Once we have everything set up to go the only thing that we need to be concerned about is the weather. As long as there is some flexibility in dates, you can pretty well work around this easily. However you must always account for at least one day delay due to weather.

Other than that it is just basic preparation. Follow though on our list of preparations and we will be ready to go on our trip! For more ideas about trip planning, click here.

We just have to leave a post about this subject to show how cheap and sad the OLG really is. The Ontario Lottery Corporation is a running a month of OLG Give Aways, actually it is not even a full month, but then who is quibbling! OLG is run by the government and of course they see casinos as another source of income without the negative that taxes are perceived with. Here are the giveaways.

OLG Give Aways – 21 Days of Giveaways

January 3-9 You could win an all-expense-paid trip to Ottawa from January 29 – 31, 2011 to see country superstar Brad Paisley perform live!

Prize package includes:

• Concert tickets
• Transportation, accommodation and dinner
• $500 in spending money

Plus, we’re giving away 21 daily instant cash prizes of $100*!

January 10-16 You could win 100,000 Reward points!

Plus, we’re giving away 21 daily instant cash prizes of $100*!

January 17-23 You could win a Home Entertainment package!

Prize package includes:

• SONY Bravia 55″ TV
• A SONY Blu-ray player
• SONY Surround Sound System
• Tech Craft LCD Mounting Stand
• La-Z-Boy Diplomat Recliner

Plus, we’re giving away 21 daily instant cash prizes of $100*!

Minuscule Prizes

These are nice prizes, however what is so sad is the smallness of these prizes. Other casinos will give away huge prizes in the thousands of dollars, while here you might win $100! or one of the other prizes. And they really do not say how many of these prizes are being won or given away each day, so you can be sure there are not many.

This coincides with their slot cards which give away a minuscule amount of money and meals to patrons of the casino compared to US casinos. We go once a year to Tunica and stay at the Goldstrike there and we receive free rooms every year. We are only there for two days, yet we get all of these free rooms! The OLC does not even come close.

Government Taxing Canadians and Americans

Governments, which the OLG is part of is taxing Canadians to the hilt and taking even more money through casinos. Americans who do not live close to Vegas, Tunica,  Atlantic city or Biloxi are having the same thing happen to them. These casinos are built for one reason only, they are to bring added revenue into the states. The OLG has a casino in all of the major cities in Ontario and where there is not a casino, they place one at the race tracks close by. There is no competition and there are certainly no significant perks for patrons.

We recently saw an interview of a government representative about casinos run by local governments. There attitude is that their constituents are going to gamble anyway, so they may as well gamble in their province and the province may as well collect the revenue instead of losing it to Quebec or to the states. The state governors in the US feel exactly the same way. As a result you see all of these casinos springing up, spread all over the place which means no competition between them and poor payouts as well as poor perks.

OLG Lack of Giveaways

Or should we say OLG poor giveaways? These giveaways are only being done to try to keep Canadians from spending money in the US or in Quebec. January is a slow month, consumers have to pay their Christmas bills and there is less money to go around.

I really think that people living in Ontario should boycott their casinos for just this reason. The Ontario Government is just offering small baubles to entice you to go to the their casinos.

Comments are welcome. Maybe you agree with the writer or perhaps not. We would like to hear your opinion on this subject!

We are starting to receive advertising for the spring of 2016 from the casinos we have visited over the past year. There are lots of free rooms, buffets and also free play available if you can take advantage of them all. Casino comps are one of the casinos primary advertising methods. They reward their customers and attract business to their venues. Of course we are talking about the casinos in the United States since Canadian casinos do not provide significant casino comps. In fact they are down right tight on these sorts of things.

Casino Comps – Free Rooms, Free Buffet and Freeplay

These rewards of course depend on your play and also how busy the casinos are, however with the economy the way it is they all seem to be doing everything they can to get their customers to come back to their hotels, their casinos and their restaurants. We have found that when there are major conferences and trade shows taking place, the room comp’s are not as great or you need to have a lot more play to qualify. On the other hand if the casino is not busy, they work hard to fill rooms and bring people to their property and that often means many more rooms are offered to the slot players who also have a slot card, even if you are not a big player.

How Do You Qualify for Free Rooms?

It is pretty easy. First you need to register with the casino’s slot program. It is free to sign up and make sure you give them your email address, since they will send you deals and information about shows by email. You can choose the regular mail if you prefer, however most people go for email because it is faster and it is eco friendly.

Always use you your slot card when you are playing the slots. Just insert it in the card reader on the slot machine before you start playing. You will have to also insert money as well, either cash or a ticket that you got out of another slot machine. As long as the card is inserted, they will track your play and then based on your play you will be sent invitations to free rooms, meals and shows. Of course if you only play for 5 minutes, don’t expect to receive any free items!

Sign Up for Slot Cards Everywhere

We always sign up for a slot card and now we are receiving all of these offers. Of course we will not take advantage of all of them, but so far we are receiving 6 free rooms, several meals and also some free play. That’s over $800 depending on what you assume a room costs these days! A small jackpot!

Heavy Players

We do not fall into this category, however if you play a lot, then you will likely receive far more that what we have just discussed. Everything from free rooms anytime, free meals, even free airfare if you are a heavy gambler. Note that we are not advocating gambling or playing a lot. However if you do play, you may as well take advantage of these perks as much as you can to enhance your trip and make it more exciting.

Collecting Free meals and Free Play

Most casinos will either send you a voucher which says you will receive free meals and free play. If you get one of these vouchers, then all you have to do is to go to your slot host. They will actually add it to your slot card. Then you can go to the restaurant and enjoy your meal on the house. Same with free play.

Sometimes the slot host will tell you to charge all of your expenses to your room. Once you are ready to leave, they will ask you to come and see them. At that time, they will decide how much to give you or write off for you. If you played a lot, they may write off all of your meals, expenses and room charges. The down side of this if course is that you have to eat within the casino or hotel. Any meals that you eat outside of the hotel you are staying at cannot be written off by your host.

Why Not take Advantage of these Offers

With all of these complimentary meals and rooms available, players would be crazy not to take advantage of them. Sometimes you may have really bad luck at the slots, and recoup the equivalent in comp’s! It is also a bit of payback from the casino for all of your losses.

What a great deal if you play your slot card and comp’s right. If you have comments or know of deals that our readers will benefit from, let us know. Leave a comment.

There are actually quite a large number of things that need to be thought about when it comes to planning for trips and to get ready to leave on a trip. It also depends on whether you are leaving for a weeks vacation in the sun, a trip to a ski resort or are taking off for four months as many of the snow birds do. Each has similar and unique requirements which can make the difference between a successful trip and one that is memorable for all of the wrong reasons.

We have compiled a list of items that we feel that anyone planning for trips should take into account in getting ready for a trip. We cannot promise that everything is listed, but it works for us. Hopefully it will help you as well. If you see something missing, let us know by leaving a comment.

We will be glad to add it so our readers can benefit. I have them listed in a spread sheet and I just tick them off as I complete each item. I also have a counter on the spread sheet so I know how many are left for me to do. Some items are color coded to indicate those that I must do the day we leave, the day before and the week before. It is a good system and works for me.

Planning for Trips

Here we go in no particular order or importance

• For driving trips, plan your route
• Update CAA membership and obtain maps as needed
• Travel insurance top ups for coverage of airfare etc
• Health insurance top ups for health coverage
• Arrange for driveway snow clearing
• Arrange for lawn maintenance in the summer
• Mail pickup by a friend or neighbor
• Stop cable tv or satellite TV if you will be away for a month or more
• Stop Internet access if you are away for a month or more
• Arrange for basic home telephone
• Arrange for mobile coverage and roaming if needed
• Make sure all passports are up to date
• Arrange for payment of all utilities while you are gone

More Items to Consider

• Does your Car license need  renewal while you are gone
• Do you need to do your income taxes while you are away
• Life insurance is paid up
• Health insurance coverage is paid up
• Disability insurance is paid up especially if this travel is work related
• Do you need a Visa to enter a country
• Stop any newspapers
• Car maintenance is up to date – oil changes, tires
• Prescriptions have been renewed
• Maps / GPS are ready to go if this is a driving trip
• All Doctor appointments have been completed
• Update calendar and provide itinerary to family or friends
• Car insurance renewal is up to date
• Scan and email passports, licenses, Credit Cards, etc for emergencies
• Set up an email emergency contact list
• Contact credit  card center to let them know you are traveling
• Tag luggage with your names
• Take pictures of house for insurance purposes in case there is a claim
• Obtain travelers checks if needed
• Leave keys for house with someone you trust
• If driving take a flashlight, first aid kit and emergency blankets with you in case of breakdown
• Unplug all electronics while you are gone, TV,  computers etc
• Turn water off as required by most insurance companies
• Back up computers in case of loss or damage
• Take a portable hard disk with you and store in separate location
• Set Timers for lights in rooms in your home that you use regularly
• Set Furnace temp to desired temperature while away
• Turn off Washing m/c & unplug
• Turn off Dishwasher
• Shut off ice maker in fridge
• Turn off humidifier on furnace
• Remove battery from cars that are not being used while away
• All air tickets, hotel reservations and entry fees are packed with your carry on

The Basic’s for your Trip

This may seem like a long list of things for Planning for Trips, however some only apply to driving trips of extended length. Pick and chose those items that make sense to you based on your home, your trip and your family.

The basic things are must do’s – passport ready, money ready, tickets ready, home ready, water shut off ready, someone to look after your home while away. Everything else can generally be dealt with or can wait if you are going on a short trip, however longer trips take more care and planning to make sure there are no major problems on your trip as well as back at home.

Always plan for the entire family to make sure that everyone will enjoy their vacation. Usually not everyone will like every thing so you need to plan something for every one to do. You also need to acknowledge that there are going to be things that you do not enjoy and compromise is the only way to deal with these things.

Enjoy your trip and if you have other ideas about items we should add to our checklist, don’t hesitate to leave a comment. Our readers will appreciate your thoughts. Planning for Trips makes for a successful vacation.

Many people travel by car every year to their vacation destinations across the US and Canada. Some trips are short, perhaps to a local camping site or to visit family, while others travel all across the country from one end to the other and back. Preparing for trips when Traveling by Car is important if you and your travel companions are going to enjoy the experience. Most people can handle a day trip easily even if it lasts a few hours, but how about the trip that lasts several weeks with travel every day? Is your car ready for the trip?

These trips can be wonderful or they can be an ordeal for the driver and the passengers.  Some drivers feel that they must get from point A to point Z as fast as possible even if that means driving through the night to get to their destination. Traveling by Car in these conditions is not fun!

Other drivers will take their time, especially on a long trip, stopping when they get tired, stopping when there is something interesting to see and taking a break when they get feel like it. This latter approach is by far the best approach, however not everyone has the time to travel in this manner.

I know of two guys who on running low on money in California, decided to drive non stop home to eastern Canada! Took them 51 hours with a few breaks to grab something to eat and use the bathroom. Traveling by car in this situation is not fun at all.

Long distance Traveling by Car

Trips like this have to be planned carefully. Not only the route you will take, the hotels you may stay at but also the maintenance of the car and planning for emergencies. Whether it is a short trip or a long trip many of the preparations are the same.

Check the tire pressure, check the fluid levels, gas up and make sure that anything needing repair is completed prior to leaving.

Planning your trip is important. The general route needs to be determined and if you will stay overnight you may need to make reservations. I like to decide around 3 pm in the afternoon were I will stay and then phone ahead. Most of the time, I have no trouble finding a suitable place, however there have been time when I had to drive an extra hour because all of the hotels are full.

Where to Stay

We try to see the sites along the way and as a result we might drive an average of 4 to 6 hours a day. The rest of the time we are looking for a good restaurant or visiting some tourist activity or stopping at a shopping mall. Traveling by Car allows a lot of flexibility.

One thing to mention is that it is a good idea to get out and walk around for a few hours to keep the circulation going in your legs. It also helps with the boredom of driving and getting drowsy as you are driving.

Some folks will book all of their hotels along the way ahead of time. They like to know where they are staying and know that they have a place to stay. Traveling by Car is a great way to travel and usually a low stress way to do it. You do not need to worry about finding a place while you are en-route.

Occasionally travelers will encounter bad weather or other problems and will be unable to get to their destination. Most hotels will cancel rooms at no charge if you cancel prior to 6pm on the same day, however after 6pm they will charge your credit card the full amount whether you get their or not.

Maintenance on Long Trips

Occasionally you will have to arrange for some maintenance on your car over a long trip. We have had flat tires, oil changes and even a cracked windshield that was needed.  The picture on the left is not the way you want to have to change a tire! All of these things can be handled easily, however we suggest that you ask the front desk at your hotel that you are staying at if you can for a recommendation on were to get the repairs or maintenance completed. We have received some really great advice over the years.

For a tire repair we were told to go to America’s Tire. We did and because I brought the tire in myself, they repaired it for free! I went back to them the following year and bought 4 brand new tires just because of this service. Another example was for a cracked windshield. We went to one company who replaced our windshield for half the price that it would have cost me in Canada! Excellent job and a very clean shop!

Final thoughts about Traveling by Car

Always take water with you in the form of water bottles. If you travel in the winter time, always take boots, gloves and warm clothes for emergencies. Even if they are in the back seat or in the trunk, at least you have them if you end up stuck in a ditch.

Recently a man died of hypothermia because his car ended up in the ditch in the middle of a snow storm and no one found his car until a few days later when they were clearing the road. It is always better to be prepared when travelling by car than not even if it is a hassle.

Same thing with being in the desert areas of New Mexico, Arizona, Nevada and California. If you are breaks down, you want to have water with you and also warm clothes. Believe it or not, it can get quite cold in the middle of the night in the desert!

Write in your comments about traveling by car and your own preparations. Ideas that will help our readers are appreciated.

For more thoughts about traveling on vacation by vehicle, click here.

I did not know if I should file this one under the general title of slot cards or whether I should file it under the Akwesasne Mohawk Casino. This post is really about slot cards. However the example I want to use involves the Akwesasne Mohawk Casino. Although it could be any casino in the country. All casinos offer special events and other special activities to attract their customers to their casino.  Some will use free slot play. Others will offer free meals and some will offer special draws. They all offer these specials to their slot club members. So it is really important that you have a slot card from each casino that you play at. If they do not know about you, there is no way they can offer specials to you or give you deals.

Slot Cards – Hot Seat Awards

The following is an example of what I am talking about and it happened to me while playing at the Akwesasne Mohawk Casino a few months ago. We often go to this casino and although it is about an hours drive for us to get to it, we enjoy the atmosphere and the buffet. Let me digress for just a moment. If you have not been there, go just for the buffet. Although the decor is not outstanding, the buffet is excellent quality and priced right. It is definitely worth the trip!

Anyway, I am sitting at one of the slot machines playing the machine. My slot card is inserted into the card reader so the casino is tracking my play and will give me comp’s as usual based on my play. If you are knew to this, check out our post on slot cards to get the full details and learn why you always want to have a slot card. There are many benefits, however in this case I want to describe a special award to emphasize the why you should always have a slot card.

Slot Cards – Turbo Car race

Each slot machine has a little screen that displays how many points you have, advertising and special events. This is a great way for the casino to advertise restaurants and shows that they have at their casino show rooms. Anyway, the sound of a car race suddenly comes from the speakers on my slot machine. Llittle race cars are running around a track. All of this is show on this little screen I mentioned. Next thing I know the race is over and the race umpire is waving a flag and a message comes on my screen showing that I had won the turbo race.

I had no idea what a turbo race was, nor did I know how I even was entered in the race. Turns out that anyone with their slot card inserted in a slot machine is eligible to be in the race ( remember no card no race, no reward) and by random draw, I won the race. This is a progressive slot jackpot that gradually increases until it reaches $1000. It must be won before it gets to $1000.  I won $647 just for having my slot card inserted into a machine!

The Casino management came over to the machine a few minutes later, check out the machine and said congratulations. Next thing I know I have $647 in my hand.

What a great deal? The moral of the story, always have a slot card. Always have it inserted into the slot machine, just in case there is a mystery draw!

No Longer offered

The Mohawk TURBO is guaranteed to hit before it reaches $1,000. There is a second slot award, The Mohawk NITRO which is guaranteed to hit before it reaches $2,500! They also have the Mohawk SUPER Jackpot guaranteed to go out before it reaches a whopping $100,000!  Always use your slot card when you are playing the slots and get rated if you play on the tables.

If you have experienced something similar, we invite you to post a comment. We would love to hear about your stories and what you won. Spam comments will be deleted.

For more details about slot cards, click here.

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Many people use casino slot cards all of the time, while others are afraid of them and have misinformed ideas about these cards.  For starters it is a good idea to understand exactly what they are so that there is no misconception.

The cards that casinos encourage their customers to use are plastic cards similar to a credit card that you place in a slot machine while you are playing  the slots or playing the tables. The casinos use this card to identify you while you are gambling and keep track of how much you gamble, how long you gamble and what kinds of games you like to play. They are not a credit card!

What do they do with all of this information, you ask?

Like any good marketing company they use this info, plus the personal info you give them when you sign up in a number of ways , basically to increase customer loyalty, to ensure they have the right games for their customers and to reward their customers for the time they spend in their casinos. This is a very competitive tool with some casinos using this feature more than others. Many casinos in a competitive market will provide better rewards to their customers based on their play than those in non-competitive markets. Las Vegas and Atlantic city casinos probably have the best rewards comp’s , while a small casino at a racetrack without another one for miles around will not provide very much in the way of comp’s.

The Canadian casinos are notoriously poor at providing good comp’s for their patrons. The Canadian provincial governments have a strangle hold on casinos, will not allow any more to be built and will not allow any competition to their government sponsored casinos.

How Do Casino Slot Cards Work?

Signing up for a slot card is easy and it is free. All you need to do is go to your casinos reward desk, fill in an application, provide photo id and the casinos will provide you with a personalized slot card.  Some will even reward you for signing up with a free gift , free slot play or a free diner buffet.

Before you begin to gamble , place your slot card in the slot machine card reader. The system will search for your name and when it finds your name will provide you with a welcoming message.

Next just start playing the slot machine as you normally would. The casino will now record how much you are betting, how frequently you bet and how long you play at that machine. Move to another machine and repeat the same procedure.

After awhile the casino will build up a profile on you about the type of machine you like to play, how often and how much, etc. They will design a customized rewards plan for you to attract you to their casino.  You will receive these rewards in the mail or by email depending on what choice you made when you signed up.

What Kinds of Comp’s Can I Expect?

The answer to this question really depends on how much you play however in general you should expect the following from time to time.

• Free meals
• Free play
• Point play
• Meal and merchandise discounts
• Complimentary rooms
• Free airport pickup ( High Rollers)
• Complementary airline tickets ( High Rollers )
• Free gifts
• Invitations to slot tournaments or table games tournaments
• Free tax report( more on this later)

Frequent players can expect more while less frequent , or low denomination players will take longer to build up their comp’s.

How do I Actually Collect the Comp’s

Every casino is a bit different and the best approach is to ask the rewards desk how and when you should expect to receive comp’s. Having said that there are two very important things to know about getting your comp’s and taking full advantage of your casino players card.

First, if you played sufficiently, the casinos want you back and they will send you various promotions in the mail or by email if you gave them your email address. Sometimes you need to check your junk mail file if you have this feature set up on your email system since new senders usually end up in the junk mail file. These promotions will consist of offers for discounted rooms or free rooms, free meals, free play and either discounts or free tickets to various shows. There will be a telephone number to call to book your next stay and all you need to do is give them your slot card number and your promotion number off the mailing that you received.

Ask for Comp’s

The second way to receive comp’s is to ask for them. Generally what we do is we will book our hotel stay through the casino host ( the number can be found on the back of the slot card or players card) and they will give you a room reservation at a rate that is consistent with your players status. Sometimes they will be at casino rates while other times you will receive a number of rooms nights free.

While you are at the hotel and playing at the casino with your slot card inserted in the slot machine, charge all of your meals etc to your room. Before you check out, go and see the players rewards desk, tell them you are checking out and give them your slot card. They will review your play and decide on the spot if they will comp you for anything. On good stays I have had my rooms and meals all comp’d. This is like winning a jackpot! Don’t try to negotiate, since they have their rules and formulas to follow, just be thankful for having a slot card. After you have been comp’d just check out as you normally would!

Casino Slot Cards – Free Tax Report

One other advantage of  of slot cards is that the casinos can provide you with a tax report. This report summarizes your losses. This is important and perhaps a bit scary at the same time. If you should win a jackpot over $1200, you are supposed to declare this as income and pay the appropriate tax. Some casinos will deduct the tax immediately and provide you with the appropriate IRS form to use in filing your taxes. Your tax loss statement from the casino can be used to reduce the amount of tax you pay on your slot machine jackpot!

Note: In Canada, casino and lottery winnings are not considered taxable!

If you found this helpful, please leave your comments,