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Visiting Popular Summer Vacation Destinations While on a Budget

If you are like most other individuals and families, your finances may be tight.  There are many families who are just scraping by and others are the on the border of debt.  If this situation sounds all too familiar, a summer vacation may be the last thing on your mind.  If you and your family are interested in taking a summer vacation, you can, no matter what your financial situation. 

When selecting a summer vacation destination on a budget, it is important that you do not limit yourself.  There are too many individuals who search for a vacation destination solely based on price.  Instead of first searching for low-cost vacations, you are encouraged to find the vacation destination of your dreams.  Once you closely examine the hotels, restaurants, amusement parks, or beaches that your selected destination has to offer, you can easily learn how and where to save money. 

If the beach sounds like the perfect summer vacation destination, you have a number of options.  Popular beaches, that are designed for those on a budget in the United States may include, but are not limited to, Virginia Beach, Pensacola Beach, Long Beach and Don’t forget all of the wonderful places in SW Florida ( Marco Island, Naples, Bonita Springs, Fort Myers, Estero, Sanibel Island and Captiva Island to name a few )   . You can plan a beach vacation in the Caribbean or overseas; however, the cost of travel will likely increase the cost of your vacation. 

Virginia Beach, Long Beach, Daytona Beach, Myrtle Beach, and Long Beach are all known as vacation “hotspots.”  Many individuals automatically assume that the most popular beach destinations are too expensive. While some facilities and activities may be high-priced, there are ways for you to vacation there on a budget.  Instead of staying at an ocean-side resort, you could save a large amount of money by booking an inland hotel. The same can be said for restaurants, bars, and event centers.  Almost everything is more expensive on the shoreline.

If you are more interested in spending your vacation golfing, you may want to examine the golf resorts in and around the Untied States.  Many popular golf courses are located in Myrtle Beach, Newport Beach, Scottsdale and many wonderful golf courses in SW Florida.  If you are on a budget, you can easily benefit from purchasing a resort package.  Many popular golf resorts, in the United States, Europe, and the Caribbean offer packages that offer accommodations that may include travel, hotel stays, golf course visits, and dining. 

Golf resorts are popular vacation destinations for many individuals, but many can be expensive.  If you are unable to obtain a discount vacation package, but you still want to your vacation to have a focus on golf, you have a number of options.  Many golf resorts allow vacationers to play on their courses, even if they are not staying at the resort.  It is also possible to golf at well-known golf courses that are not considered resorts.  As with a beach vacation, you may be able to save a large amount of money by staying at a hotel or dinning away from a golf resort.

Theme parks and amusement parks are popular vacation destinations, especially for those with children.  If you and your family are interested in vacationing at a United States theme park, you have a number of options.  Theme park resorts are similar to, the above mentioned, golf resorts.  A large number of well-known theme park resorts, including Orlando Studios, Disneyland, and Disney World can be selected, even if you are on a budget. Many of these resorts offer vacation packages that include hotel stays, theme park use, on site dinning, and much more. 

Theme park resort packages are a great way to save money, but you could save even more by not paying for services that you will not use.  If you do not have to fly to reach your destination you should not have to have travel accommodations included in your package. You may also be able to find cheaper hotel accommodations that are located a short distance away from the theme park of your choice.  In addition to theme park resorts, you can find days of fun at smaller parks, such as Six Flags, Sea World, and Bush Gardens.

You may recognize many of the above mentioned summer vacation destinations.  Popular vacation destinations do not have to be financially out of your reach.  Simply by cutting a few corners, you could be vacationing alongside the rest of America, even while on a budget. 

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Choosing The Right Exercise For You

The type of exercise you do all depends on you and what you like to do.  What you hate doing, paying membership fees, and whether or not to buy equipment are all things you need to consider as well as answer.

If you choose something that you don’t like to do, you aren’t going to keep doing it for a long period of time.  Give it some thought – if you don’t like jogging, you aren’t going to get up at 6 AM and go running.  If you can’t find something you like to do, choose something you hate the least, which will normally be walking.

Walking is great exercise, as it suits all levels of fitness.  Anyone can start a walking program at any time, it’s normally the intensity and duration that differs.  Walking is also a social exercise, as it isn’t difficult to find a training partner to chat with while you exercise.  Walking with a partner will also make time go by faster.

No matter what exercise you choose, you should start at a low level of intensity and build it up over a period of weeks, which is essential to the longevity of your exercise program.  If you start off too hard, you could end up with an injury which will require time off to get over.

If you are really in bad shape, you should start off by walking for 10 minutes each day.  Then, increase it by 5 minutes every 2 weeks.  To make things more interesting, you should try walking a different course every few days.  You can also roster a different friend to walk with you each day of the week.

If walking isn’t your thing, then you may want to try a fitness center.  They have loads of variety and normally have trainers on hand to answer any questions you may have.  When you choose a fitness center, make sure that they give good service.

If they aren’t willing to treat you well before you join, then they certainly won’t after you join.  You should also make sure that the equipment they use is well taken care of.  It’s easy to find out, as all you have to do is listen to the machines.  If they squeak a lot or make noise, then chances are they aren’t being taken care of.

If you still aren’t sure what you should do, then you should look into golf or tennis.  Both are good social activities in most areas, and you can even meet new friends.  Tennis is great for fitness although it isn’t for someone who is just starting out.  If you haven’t exercised in a long time, then golf may be the best activity for you.

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Top Ten Terms for Loans

Everyone knows that you should never sign on the dotted line without reading the contract.  This same term applies to loans.  Signing a loan without knowing the terms and what everything means can be detrimental to your finances, credit and future investments.  Before you sign on the dotted line, make sure that you know these terms and how they will apply to you. 

1.  Interest rate.  The interest rate is the percentage of your loan that is added on every month.  The percentage will vary according to the economy and will make a difference in your payments. 

2.  Fixed Rate.  A fixed rate will be an interest rate that stays at the same percentage throughout the entire period of your loan. 

3.  Variable Rate.  A variable rate will change according to the economy and the charts that are stating what the rates should be for interest.  A variable rate usually changes every year and adjusts according to a specific given range of percentages. 

4.  Principal.  The principal is what you will be paying on your actual house.  Whatever you pay on your principal is what you will see in the end as your investment. 

5.  Escrow.  This is similar to a savings account of your loan.  Whatever you put in escrow will accumulate without paying directly into the loan.  At the end of the term you can use it to finish paying off the loan or to invest in another loan. 

6.  Title.  A title will be what you get to your home after it is officially yours, stating that the property belongs to you. 

7.  Deed.  A deed will most often be used as a title for a commercial area.  Instead of giving ownership it shows that the property is leased to the one who is using it as a business. 

8.  Home Equity.  This is a loan or line of credit that you can get for your home.  It will finance up to eight percent of your other loan and get paid back later.  This helps if you want to consolidate loans or invest more into the property. 

9.  Appraisal.  After an inspection of the home is made, an appraisal will be made.  This will be an estimated value of what the home is worth. 

10.  Equity.  This will be the actual amount of the property that you own.  Most likely, it is what is being paid off of your principal amount. 

Once you know some of these basic terms, you will be able to expand on your knowledge and find the exact loan that will fit your needs.  These basic definitions will help you in making the right decision for the type of loan that you want. 

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10 Tips to Buy Real Estate Without Breaking Your Budget

1. Get pre-approved for your home loan. This means, fill out a loan application and go through the process of securing financing. That way, when you’re ready to seriously evaluate   real estate, you’ll know exactly how much home you can afford. And you can prove to a seller that your offer is sincere.

2. Explore creative financing options. During the home loan pre-approval process, ask about ways to get creative with your financing. Low down payment options, first and second mortgage combinations and first time buyer programs might help you afford more funding. Many lenders are now offering interest-only home mortgages; just make sure you thoroughly evaluate the terms for this type of home loan. Down payment grants are also available in some instances and might be worth investigating or discussing with your   realtor.

3. Sell your existing home first. Although selling your existing home before finding new   real estate to buy can be a little nerve-wracking, any inconvenience will be offset by your ability to make an offer with cash in hand. Contingent purchases are not the best when negotiating to buy a home. Having your financing in order and your bags packed will give you the advantage in a competitive market.

4. Look for vacant real estate. Perhaps a seller’s job has transferred him out of the area. Or maybe a family purchased a new home before putting their existing one on the market. In any case, a vacant home could be just the deal for a savvy home buyer, so have your realtor look for vacant property in your preferred neighborhoods. And keep in mind, the longer a house stays empty, the greater your negotiating power will be.

5. Consider cosmetic fixers. If you’re handy with a paintbrush, a tool set and gardening equipment, consider buying   real estate in need of cosmetic fixing. Property that lacks curb appeal needs minor handiwork or the yard overhauled could end up being the home of your dreams for a price you can afford. You just need to look beyond the ho-hum to see the potential of a cosmetic fixer.

6. Buy a home that’s a major remodel project. If you want to live on Lake Washington, but can’t afford a $2M home mortgage, consider buying a dilapidated cottage on a fabulous lot with western exposure. In time you’ll need to gut the existing home and build from the ground up or contract significant home improvements. But in the end your property value will skyrocket. And if your carpentry and other construction skills are well-developed, you can save even more and accrue “sweat equity” during your remodel by doing much of the work yourself.

7. Don’t discount bank foreclosures. One person’s loss could be your gain if you buy  real estate in foreclosure. Although the search for a decent foreclosure may take a while, your   realtor should be able help. The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (http://www.hud.gov/) can be an excellent resource for foreclosed properties. Because HUD houses are sold at market value, your best bet will be homes that need cosmetic work or even major repair.

8. Land with a manufactured home. Sometimes, to buy a home on a budget, you need to look beyond convention. Even if your wish is to buy   real estate, you may have to settle for a piece of property in an outlying area with a mobile or manufactured home. Discuss this option with your   real estate agent and try to keep an open mind about this possibility.

9. An older, smaller home. Older homes are typically priced much less than newer construction and don’t tend to create buyer bidding wars. If you can enjoy life in an older and smaller home in a neighborhood or suburb off the beaten path, this could be your ticket to real estate ownership.

10. The cheapest house in the best neighborhood. You have your heart set on a specific   and expensive     neighborhood. Maybe it’s the schools that you’re interested in. Or perhaps it’s the close proximity to downtown or the waterfront. In any case, a budget-savvy buyer will look for the least expensive home for sale in the neighborhood. If you’re not in a hurry, you can even play the waiting game to see what properties come on the market. Your   real estate agent can be a real asset in this case by investigating potential sellers.

Buying real estate without breaking your budget will require research and compromise. On moving day, however, you’ll have the satisfaction of knowing that your homework paid off!

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NYC National Parks Offer Glimpse of History

If you are considering a vacation in New York, planning ahead is the only way to go. There are simply so many things to see and do that you must have at least a general idea of how you want to spend your days before you can even begin to get started. New York is one of the greatest cities in the world, it didn’t get that way without a reason and it has a long history that is part of its greatness.

If I were to choose how to spend my time in New York and what wonderful things about New York City to introduce my child to, I would choose to introduce her to those things that bore the most historical significance first in order for that to really sink in and not be competing with the Nintendo Store or the really cool keyboard at FAO Schwarz. I would want my child to understand the history of our country good and bad and I want them to someday instill in her own children the importance of that history.

By visiting the national parks first, I will have enjoyed the benefits of the price tag (free is good almost anyway you slice it, particularly when you and your child are getting an education) in addition to fresh minds on which to impart this crucial knowledge about the birth of our democracy. Ellis Island is a great place to visit, but I think I will show them the statue from afar rather than taking the ferry ride out there. There is just so much to do in New York and every second counts. I want her to have a wonderful time as much as I want her to gain some wonderful insights that they can share with their friends at school as well (something other than the latest and greatest new Game Cube game that is coming out soon).

Some of the important national parks I’d like to take my child include: Federal Hall, where Washington was inaugurated, Grant’s Tomb, Theodore Roosevelt’s Birthplace, and Castle Clinton, which was designed in order to keep invaders out. I would also like to take her to Saint Paul’s Church. Not for religious reasons but for Religious freedom issues. I think there is an important lesson to be learned here even today, perhaps especially today.

I think the lessons that can be learned about the history of our nation in New York City are just as important as the lessons that can learned in Washington or Philadelphia. This country has taken many steps along the road to democracy and we’ve stumbled a few times along the way. There would have never been the Salem Witch Trials, the Civil War, or the Civil Rights Movement if he hadn’t but we’ve come so far and still have so far to go. I want my children to learn from our past and to look forward to our future.

I think these are the lessons we can learn from our state parks and those are much more valuable than the lessons we can learn in toy stores and throwing Frisbee in Central Park. I want my child to visit museums and toy stores and see new cultures, I also want her to take home with herself a deep sense of the history of our great nation.

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