Category: Lifestyle

Top 5 Email Providers

Email has become a primary form of communication for work, family and friends. It is the cornerstone of everything from keeping up with loved ones to confirming purchases. We are all walking around with priority access to our email accounts at all times.

With so many email options it may be hard to pick one email provider. Which one is the best for your priorities and needs? I always recommend everyone have at least 2 email addresses. One for important accounts and security that you only use for personal and financial accounts. Then a second one you use to register for Netflix, social media, communicating with family and spam registrations.

Getting hold of an email account is easy. Getting the right email account is more difficult, as there’s a lot to consider. What are the spam filters like? How easy is it to keep your inbox organized? Can you access the account from other email clients? Keep reading and we’ll highlight some of the best email providers around. Here are the Top 5 Email Providers!

1.Gmail

Google’s webmail juggernaut needs no introduction. It’s easy, reliable and most importantly free. Your Gmail email address gives you access to a plethora of Google apps and functions. There is no reason not to have at least one and it’s great as your primary email address. First released back in 2004, Google’s Gmail has become the market leader in free email services with more than a billion users across the globe.

Gmail’s stripped-back web interface is a highlight. Most of the screen is devoted to your inbox, with a minimum of toolbar and other clutter. Messages are neatly organized via conversations for easier viewing, and you can read and reply to emails with ease, even as a first-time user.

2. Outlook

Outlook provides plenty of power and features, especially for Office 365 users. Focused inbox, powerful events and calendar abilities and litany of app based integrations are some of the great features of Outlook.

Outlook’s web interface follows the same familiar style as its desktop incarnation, and most other email clients: folders and organizational tools on the left, the contents of the current folder in the center, and a simple preview pane on the right (with adverts in the case of the free account).

A toolbar gives you speedy access to common features, and right-clicking folders or messages shows you just about everything else. If you’ve ever used another email client, you’ll figure out the key details in moments.

If that’s still not enough, Microsoft offers a bunch of app-based integrations to take the service further. You get built-in Skype support via the beta, and apps give you easier access to Evernote, PayPal, GIPHY, Yelp, Uber and more.

3. Yahoo

Yahoo mail has a powerful offering with some surprisingly neat extras. Useful extras like disposable email addresses, 1 TB of inbox storage and limited low level options. Yahoo Mail doesn’t make the headlines so much, these days, but its latest version is a polished and professional service which stands up well against the top competition.

The well-designed interface resembles Gmail, at least initially, with a large view of your inbox, one-click filters for common messages and content (Photos, Documents, Travel), and easy browsing of all the emails in a conversation. But you can also organize mails into custom folders, and the layout can be tweaked to display a message preview in a couple of clicks.

4. Proton Mail

Proton Mail is email with an emphasis on security and privacy. It includes tight privacy features and end to end encryption for messages. Signing up with an email provider will often involve some privacy compromises. Yahoo Mail asks for your name and mobile number, for instance. Gmail and other services might scan your messages to carry out useful actions (such as adding events to calendars), and just about everyone serves you with ads.

ProtonMail is a Swiss-based email service which focuses on privacy above all else. You can sign up anonymously, there’s no logging of IP addresses, and all your emails are end-to-end encrypted, which means there’s no way ProtonMail (or anyone else) can read their contents. Also, address verification (which allows you to be sure you are securely communicating with the right person) and full support for PGP email encryption is available.

In reality, ProtonMail is a specialist tool which is intended for use alongside services like Gmail – not to replace them – and overall it performs its core tasks very well.

5. Mail.com

Mail.com offers most of the important email features that you might be thinking about. Most importantly, you can select the email domain name that will suit you best from over 200 domain names. They provide unlimited email storage capacity and you can attach up to 50MB of file in one attachment.

You can also set up your email to receive and reply all your emails from this one address. They also provide mobile support. You can use your email on BlackBerry, iDevices and Android devices. You also have an online calendar to use.

October 8, 2018
Five Things to Consider When Buying a New Cell Plan

Your cell phone and cell plan is a huge purchase and the center of all of your communication, and primary social tool. No longer are they for making calls in an emergency, they are now our most used possession. When we become so dependent on these devices, the cost tend to creep up and rise out of control.

To help you save on this important cost, we are going to break down the cost and some tips when looking for new cell service. Whether you want to upgrade to a new phone or lower your monthly cost, we will take a look at all the dos and don’ts. Here are the five things to consider when looking for a new cell plan and the no contract cell phone plans as well.

First Things First

First off you need to decide on the phone you want to use. There are a lot of options and they update constantly. There are 3 options to consider here, iPhone, Android, non-smartphone or feature phone as they are called today. I don’t recommend buying a feature phone to anyone. You may think it is easier, it is not. A feature phone will lacking functionality also has a more cumbersome operation process. The smartphone is easier to operate and easier to customize to only use the features and functions you want.

Do You Need a Flagship Device?

As far a smartphones go you have the iPhone or an Android. The iPhone’s are more powerful, easier to use, more reliable and last longer. The Androids have more advanced feature sets and more customizable. Apple and Samsung make the 2 main device but there are a slew of other brands when looking in to Android. LG, HTC, OnePlus, Motorola all make new top of the line phones every year. You can get a great android device for half the cost of the premium Samsung Flagships.

iPhone?

This is always my recommendation. Due to their reliability, durability and ease of use and cost of ownership being much lower. The average iPhone will last 3.5 years, stay current and cutting edge. Isn’t the cost very high? Not really, The highest end new iPhone is the most expensive device on the market, but last year’s models or cheaper models like the XR are available. There is always an iPhone for any budget and they are always the best option in their class. Even today you can purchase an iPhone 7 for less than $450.

No Contract No Cry

Wait! $450? Aren’t phones supposed to be free! I never paid for a phone before… No they have never been free, and yes you paid a lot more for your free phone then you think. This brings me to my next point. Contracts. Don’t do them. Years ago the iPhone 7 that is selling for $450 with no contract would have been free with a 2 year contract. The cost of the subsidy was built in to your cellular plan at an average of $40 per month. Did you do that math? Your free phone cost you $960. Your best option is to find the phone you want and purchases at full price.

The New Cell Plan

This lead me to my last tip, by bringing your own phone you can get the best price on your plan. No longer do you have to worried about prepaid or postpaid. You can pick the plan you want and the carrier you want. Verizon and AT&T are the premium providers, with better, faster and more extensive coverage. They mock each other plans so cost are just about the same. Sprint and T-Mobile are your bargain carriers, cheaper and service will have holes and speed issues. You may not notice but odds are you will. Their new cell plan will run you a few dollars less.

The Next option is to go with non-carrier 3rd parties. MetroPCS, StraighTalk, Cricket, Boost. These are providers that don’t have a network of their own and instead piggy back on the Carriers network. While these can be the cheapest option, they do not receive the same level of coverage. Even though they are using the same network, they are at a much lower priority and do not share in with the roaming agreements the major carriers have in play. So while you may get to use T-Mobile’s network, you will be out of service when it is not available. With a direct T-Mobile service you would jump on to one of the other networks. This is something you want to evaluate when buying a new cell plan.

October 7, 2018
Best Credit Cards in 2018

From huge sign-up bonuses to generous rewards, there is a lot of factors to consider when you are choosing a credit card. The best credit cards will pay you cash back, offer luxury perks, provide travel rewards, and help you quickly pay off existing balances.

Our experts analyzed credit cards to find the best credit card offers Today, we’re going to take a look at some of the best credit cards for various rewards and purposes. Without further ado, let’s look at the best credit cards in 2018! Explore our top picks and start getting rewarded.

Best Credit Cards in 2018

Citi Double Cash Card

The best credit card for flat-rate cashback, the Citi Double Cash card is a good deal if you keep your monthly balances at zero. You earn one percent cash back on every dollar you spend, which is pretty standard. The cool thing? The 18-month, zero-percent interest period on balance transfers made in the first four months.

Hilton Honors American Express Ascend Card

As for the best hotel rewards card, this Hilton Honors card is the way to go. You get all the expected benefits for Hilton hotels, but you also get rewards points for normal purchases! That’s literally win-win. Oh, you get access to certain airport lounges, too! Who could pass that up?

British Airways Visa Signature Card

This card is easily the best for airline rewards. While Americans might question what they’d do with a British Airways card, don’t get hung up on the name. You can book American Airlines flights through Avios, so there’s no need to worry! Besides, the rewards you get with this card are stellar, no matter who you fly with.

Blue Cash Preferred Card from American Express

The best tiered-reward cashback card, the Blue Cash Preferred offers a number of really great benefits for cardholders. The first, and most obvious, is the tiered cashback. It offers 6 percent cashback on purchases made in grocery stores, which makes it a very easy to use reward card. You buy groceries, right? Then this is the card for you!

Chase Sapphire Preferred Card

The Chase Sapphire Preferred Card is by far the best travel rewards card. If you spend a good deal of time traveling, this is the card for you. You can spend the reward points you earn through the card on hotel and airline rewards, or in the Chase portal. As for how you get points, you get two points per dollar you spend traveling or dining while traveling. Well, that’s hard to beat!

October 7, 2018
7 Ways to Fly for Cheap

Cheap airfare, it’s something we’re all looking for. Finding decent prices on flights can be difficult though. It is human nature to want to travel, to explore your horizons and see new places, or perhaps, to return to the places you once knew.

Whether you want to visit home or see an exotic location, airline travel is fast, but costs a lot of money. What is the best way for finding cheap airline tickets? How do you even start? Whether you are traveling for work, for vacation, or to visit family or friends, finding cheap airfare can help you save on what’s often the largest expense of your trip.

If you’re trying to take a trip and keep finding it difficult to get a decent price, you’re probably looking for some new travel hacks to help you save some money. Well, the good news is that we’re here to help. Let’s talk about the best ways to fly for cheap! Read more below to learn about who is offering the best rates at an amazing price $73 and $39 for one-way flights!

Best Ways to Fly for Cheap

Compare Airfares

Airfares vary widely, and discount airfare is out there for those who know where to look. The most important thing is that you make sure to compare airfares. The rates offered by one airline may be much higher or lower than the rates of another. If you use one of the popular travel sites, you can easily compare airfares from different airlines.

Also, if you have any flexibility in your schedule, try putting different dates into the sites’ ticket finders to see if that makes a difference. For example, currently, Southwest Airlines is offering flights as low as $73, and Delta is offering flights as low as $39 during the holiday season.

Use Reputable Flight Search Engines

Some flight search engines actually get a cut from airlines when they help generate sales. That means that you could search for “budget flights” and have normal or even premium flights show up. In order to counter this, use reputable search engines that don’t mislead you. Great options are Skyscanner, Momondo, AirWander and JetRadar. Like we said previously don’t be afraid to shop around to find the best price.

Get Tickets Early

Get your tickets early — but not too early. You may think it would be smart to buy tickets six months in advance, but in fact, getting tickets more than five months before you need them may keep you from getting the best fares. Aim for two to four months in advance, if possible. If you can’t plan that far in advance, at least try to avoid the two-week period right before a flight, when ticket prices tend to go up.

Specialty sites like “air fare watch dog” provide a medium for you to search for deals between two specific locations, and also can send you alerts when prices drop to a much more affordable rate. This is perfect for those who know where they want to travel, just are not too concerned about when. They can snag a great deal and plan their trip once they get that informative e-mail from the website.

Airport Selection

Fly in or out of airports that are not in your destination city. If you are flying into New York City, you may be able to get cheaper fares at the Newark airport than you would in New York City’s JFK Airport. If you are going to or from San Francisco, try the Oakland or San Jose airports. Many other cities also have airports that are nearby but outside of the city limits. Flying out of an alternate airport isn’t even necessarily a hardship. For example, If you are going to some parts of Manhattan, ground transportation may get you there faster from Newark than from JFK.

You will benefit on price, though, because not as many people will think of using the other airports, so the seats won’t sell out as quickly. Always think in terms of supply and demand when trying to find cheap airfare.

Non-Direct Flights

Accept a little inconvenience in exchange for a cheaper price. You may be able to save money on long trips by taking routes where you change planes rather than taking a non-stop flight. If you’re not in a hurry, you don’t need to pay a premium for the faster route. Try traveling lighter to avoid the luggage fees that so many airlines are charging now. Be creative in figuring out how to get by with fewer things on your trip.

Incognito Mode

Lock up your search history tight and don’t look back. When you start looking at flights and trips, make sure you’re in incognito mode. When you search for flight prices, sites use cookies to track how many times you’ve looked at the flight. Each new time you look, the price goes up. Why? Well, to get you to buy as soon as possible so you “lock in the lowest price.” Yeah, it’s dirty, but you can fight back!

By browsing incognito, you won’t have any cookies tracking you. This allows you to bypass this dirty trick and get a better price for your flight!

Find the Cheapest Days to Book

Try to fly on a Tuesday or a Wednesday, if possible. Those are often the cheapest days of the week. If possible, avoid Fridays and Sundays, when rates tend to go up. Flying right before a major holiday, like Thanksgiving or Christmas, is going to be very expensive. But if you are able to fly on the day of the holiday itself, you can usually pick up some very cheap fares because not many people want to fly then.

October 7, 2018
7 Signs and Symptoms of Addiction

When you discover that a friend or family member has a problem with drugs or alcohol, it often comes as a huge surprise to you. But secrecy is the drug on which addiction thrives, so it’s not really that odd that you were in the dark.

Addiction grows worse over a sustained period of time, and there are some indicators that may give you an idea something is wrong with your loved one before the bottom falls out. Here are the 7 signs and symptoms of addiction you should look for if you suspect someone you love has a problem with drugs or alcohol.

7. Change in Behavior

As people’s addictions get bigger, their lives start to change and the things that they value the most begin to fall away. Depression sets in, and suddenly they stop doing activities or hobbies that they once loved, or maybe their mood becomes erratic. An example of a change in behavior that’s worth noting would be when a person who values health and fitness abruptly stops exercising or eating well.

6. Change in Friends

This sign isn’t always the easiest area to recognize, because it’s fairly normal for friendships to fade and new people come into our lives. But when normally social people stop hanging around with their usual group of friends with no explanation, it’s important to take notice — especially if there wasn’t an event that precipitated the change. Or, maybe there’s a new person in their life that just doesn’t seem to be someone they would normally be friends with. This can be a telltale sign that something funky is going on.

5. Job/Career Issues

When addiction takes hold, inevitably some issues are going to come up at work or school. Over time, addicts becomes less capable of hiding performance flaws in areas of their lives that are under the microscope. If a normally responsible person is missing deadlines or not following through on commitments, this could be an indicator that something’s up.

4. Legal Issues

Addiction is likely to create a bevy of legal issues that are going to make it hard to ignore that something is going on. A DUI or getting thrown in the clink for a drunk and disorderly is an obvious tell that your loved one’s judgment is off. But there are also less obvious signs, like doctor shopping or frequenting ER rooms. And addicts can justify their behavior so that they make you feel foolish for asking why they have so many doctor appointments. But if you think something’s wrong, go ahead and ask anyway.

3. Family Strain

Relationships with family are often jeopardized when people develop an affinity for drugs or alcohol. Early on, it may reveal itself in behaviors like retreating to their room after work or spending too much time with their face in the computer, playing games or surfing the Web. Communications become strained, and the addict stops showing up to family engagements, or maybe even to dinner. If you feel a substantial shift in your relationship with a family member, you should start asking questions.

2. Physical Changes

Extreme physical changes are a big indicator of a problem. Maybe they’re getting scraggly and smelly because they’ve stopped grooming or showering. A noticeable weight loss or gain can be a symptom, and the same goes for a change in eating and sleeping habits. For example, crystal meth addicts can stay up for days, then crash and sleep for days. When they eat, they’re likely to ravenously consume sugary foods.

1. Personality Changes

In an adult brain, defined as a brain that’s 24 years or older, there are really only three things that are likely to cause a profound personality change in someone. Substance abuse or chemical dependency, mental illness and or a physical ailment, such as a brain tumor are the three things that can cause a profound personality change. Mind you, this isn’t the same as watching a person get a little down in the dumps, or go through a period of anxiety. Profound personality changes are much more extreme. If you witness this, it’s advised to reach out to a professional for guidance and counseling on how to address your loved one.

October 5, 2018
7 Signs and Symptoms of Addiction

When you discover that a friend or family member has a problem with drugs or alcohol, it often comes as a huge surprise to you. But secrecy is the drug on which addiction thrives, so it’s not really that odd that you were in the dark.

Addiction grows worse over a sustained period of time, and there are some indicators that may give you an idea something is wrong with your loved one before the bottom falls out. Here are the 7 signs and symptoms of addiction you should look for if you suspect someone you love has a problem with drugs or alcohol.

7. Change in Behavior

As people’s addictions get bigger, their lives start to change and the things that they value the most begin to fall away. Depression sets in, and suddenly they stop doing activities or hobbies that they once loved, or maybe their mood becomes erratic. An example of a change in behavior that’s worth noting would be when a person who values health and fitness abruptly stops exercising or eating well.

6. Change in Friends

This sign isn’t always the easiest area to recognize, because it’s fairly normal for friendships to fade and new people come into our lives. But when normally social people stop hanging around with their usual group of friends with no explanation, it’s important to take notice — especially if there wasn’t an event that precipitated the change. Or, maybe there’s a new person in their life that just doesn’t seem to be someone they would normally be friends with. This can be a telltale sign that something funky is going on.

5. Job/Career Issues

When addiction takes hold, inevitably some issues are going to come up at work or school. Over time, addicts becomes less capable of hiding performance flaws in areas of their lives that are under the microscope. If a normally responsible person is missing deadlines or not following through on commitments, this could be an indicator that something’s up.

4. Legal Issues

Addiction is likely to create a bevy of legal issues that are going to make it hard to ignore that something is going on. A DUI or getting thrown in the clink for a drunk and disorderly is an obvious tell that your loved one’s judgment is off. But there are also less obvious signs, like doctor shopping or frequenting ER rooms. And addicts can justify their behavior so that they make you feel foolish for asking why they have so many doctor appointments. But if you think something’s wrong, go ahead and ask anyway.

3. Family Strain

Relationships with family are often jeopardized when people develop an affinity for drugs or alcohol. Early on, it may reveal itself in behaviors like retreating to their room after work or spending too much time with their face in the computer, playing games or surfing the Web. Communications become strained, and the addict stops showing up to family engagements, or maybe even to dinner. If you feel a substantial shift in your relationship with a family member, you should start asking questions.

2. Physical Changes

Extreme physical changes are a big indicator of a problem. Maybe they’re getting scraggly and smelly because they’ve stopped grooming or showering. A noticeable weight loss or gain can be a symptom, and the same goes for a change in eating and sleeping habits. For example, crystal meth addicts can stay up for days, then crash and sleep for days. When they eat, they’re likely to ravenously consume sugary foods.

1. Personality Changes

In an adult brain, defined as a brain that’s 24 years or older, there are really only three things that are likely to cause a profound personality change in someone. Substance abuse or chemical dependency, mental illness and or a physical ailment, such as a brain tumor are the three things that can cause a profound personality change. Mind you, this isn’t the same as watching a person get a little down in the dumps, or go through a period of anxiety. Profound personality changes are much more extreme. If you witness this, it’s advised to reach out to a professional for guidance and counseling on how to address your loved one.

October 5, 2018
Best Discount Deals for Seniors

If you’re an older American on a fixed income, you’re likely looking for a good way to save money. Well, there’s some good news for you: tons of places offer great discount deals for seniors! If you’re looking for good places to save money and still have some left over, check out today’s round-up!

Best Discount Deals for Seniors

Amtrack

Is there a more fun or stylish way to travel than by train? If there is, we’re not familiar with it! The only thing better than enjoying a fun train ride to your destination is saving a ton of money while you do it! Passengers over 65 save ten percent off of their ticket prices when they travel Amtrack.

Walgreens

If you’re over 55, make sure you shop at Walgreens the first Tuesday of every month! That’s because they offer one of the best retail discounts in the business for seniors. The first Tuesday of every month, shoppers over 55 get twenty percent off eligible items! That’s a huge discount, and well-worth planning around every month for shopping.

Marriott Hotels

If you’re over 62 and traveling, look into booking with Marriott. The hotel chain offers fifteen percent off nightly room rates for people over 62! This is subject to availability, of course, so make sure the hotel you’re booking with offers this deal. That said, there’s no limit on the number of nights you can book and still get the discount! Next time you’re traveling, remember Marriott!

British Airways

Currently, AARP members can take advantage of a great deal with British Airways. AARP members can get $65 off of economy flights, or $200 off of business club flights. There’s a catch, though: you have to book your flight before January 31^st, 2019. If you’re traveling soon and an AARP member, don’t forget about this deal!

Kohl’s

The next time you need to buy new clothes, shoes or bed dressings, don’t forget about this deal from Kohl’s. Every Wednesday, shoppers over sixty get fifteen percent off of all purchases! This is a great way to save some serious money on your shopping. With Christmas coming up, this is a great way to make your money go farther for the holiday season.

October 5, 2018
7 Ways to Fly for Cheap

Cheap airfare, it’s something we’re all looking for. Finding decent prices on flights can be difficult though. It is human nature to want to travel, to explore your horizons and see new places, or perhaps, to return to the places you once knew.

Whether you want to visit home or see an exotic location, airline travel is fast, but costs a lot of money. What is the best way for finding cheap airline tickets? How do you even start? Whether you are traveling for work, for vacation, or to visit family or friends, finding cheap airfare can help you save on what’s often the largest expense of your trip.

If you’re trying to take a trip and keep finding it difficult to get a decent price, you’re probably looking for some new travel hacks to help you save some money. Well, the good news is that we’re here to help. Let’s talk about the best ways to fly for cheap! Read more below to learn about who is offering the best rates at an amazing price $73 and $39 for one-way flights!

Best Ways to Fly for Cheap

Compare Airfares

Airfares vary widely, and discount airfare is out there for those who know where to look. The most important thing is that you make sure to compare airfares. The rates offered by one airline may be much higher or lower than the rates of another. If you use one of the popular travel sites, you can easily compare airfares from different airlines.

Also, if you have any flexibility in your schedule, try putting different dates into the sites’ ticket finders to see if that makes a difference. For example, currently, Southwest Airlines is offering flights as low as $73, and Delta is offering flights as low as $39 during the holiday season.

Use Reputable Flight Search Engines

Some flight search engines actually get a cut from airlines when they help generate sales. That means that you could search for “budget flights” and have normal or even premium flights show up. In order to counter this, use reputable search engines that don’t mislead you. Great options are Skyscanner, Momondo, AirWander and JetRadar. Like we said previously don’t be afraid to shop around to find the best price.

Get Tickets Early

Get your tickets early — but not too early. You may think it would be smart to buy tickets six months in advance, but in fact, getting tickets more than five months before you need them may keep you from getting the best fares. Aim for two to four months in advance, if possible. If you can’t plan that far in advance, at least try to avoid the two-week period right before a flight, when ticket prices tend to go up.

Specialty sites like “air fare watch dog” provide a medium for you to search for deals between two specific locations, and also can send you alerts when prices drop to a much more affordable rate. This is perfect for those who know where they want to travel, just are not too concerned about when. They can snag a great deal and plan their trip once they get that informative e-mail from the website.

Airport Selection

Fly in or out of airports that are not in your destination city. If you are flying into New York City, you may be able to get cheaper fares at the Newark airport than you would in New York City’s JFK Airport. If you are going to or from San Francisco, try the Oakland or San Jose airports. Many other cities also have airports that are nearby but outside of the city limits. Flying out of an alternate airport isn’t even necessarily a hardship. For example, If you are going to some parts of Manhattan, ground transportation may get you there faster from Newark than from JFK.

You will benefit on price, though, because not as many people will think of using the other airports, so the seats won’t sell out as quickly. Always think in terms of supply and demand when trying to find cheap airfare.

Non-Direct Flights

Accept a little inconvenience in exchange for a cheaper price. You may be able to save money on long trips by taking routes where you change planes rather than taking a non-stop flight. If you’re not in a hurry, you don’t need to pay a premium for the faster route. Try traveling lighter to avoid the luggage fees that so many airlines are charging now. Be creative in figuring out how to get by with fewer things on your trip.

Incognito Mode

Lock up your search history tight and don’t look back. When you start looking at flights and trips, make sure you’re in incognito mode. When you search for flight prices, sites use cookies to track how many times you’ve looked at the flight. Each new time you look, the price goes up. Why? Well, to get you to buy as soon as possible so you “lock in the lowest price.” Yeah, it’s dirty, but you can fight back!

By browsing incognito, you won’t have any cookies tracking you. This allows you to bypass this dirty trick and get a better price for your flight!

Find the Cheapest Days to Book

Try to fly on a Tuesday or a Wednesday, if possible. Those are often the cheapest days of the week. If possible, avoid Fridays and Sundays, when rates tend to go up. Flying right before a major holiday, like Thanksgiving or Christmas, is going to be very expensive. But if you are able to fly on the day of the holiday itself, you can usually pick up some very cheap fares because not many people want to fly then.

October 3, 2018
Checkout Southwest Airlines 72-Hour Sale

72 Hour Sale

Southwest Airlines is offering discounted one-way flights across the country as low as $49 if travelers book before the end of Thursday as part of their 72-Hour Sale. Flights from Sacramento to anywhere from Boise, Idaho ($49) to Chicago ($129) can be purchased if the departure date falls between Nov. 28 and Dec. 19 or Jan. 3 and Feb. 13. Flights departing on Fridays and Sundays do not qualify for the deal, and neither do flights arriving in or departing from Orange County. Sales made as part of Southwest’s promotion are nonrefundable. For this particular sale, prices are broken down into four price categories with the shortest flights starting at $49 one-way while longer routes are available for $79, $99, and $129. The best deals include $49 tickets on routes between Los Angeles and San Francisco as well as on flights between the two cities and Las Vegas.

Some Restrictions Apply

The restrictions and fine print mirrors restrictions from previous years of Southwest’s big sales. Flights on Fridays and Sundays are excluded. Schedules for Southwest’s Florida, Nevada and Puerto Rico flights have additional day-of-week restrictions, though the sale’s booking window for Puerto Rico extends through Feb. 28. Orange County flights also were excluded from the sale. Additionally, the sale applies specifically to nonstop flights, though many connecting itineraries may also show lower-than-usual fares that mirror sale fares. Seats sold at the sale prices are capacity controlled, meaning the cheapest seats will likely sell out on individual flights as the sale progresses. Here are are some of the round trips involved in the 72-Hour Sale:

Albuquerque-Los Angeles; Amarillo-Dallas Love; Atlanta-Raleigh/Durham; Baltimore-Cincinnati; Austin-Houston Hobby; Boise-San Jose, California; Boston-Baltimore; Buffalo-Chicago Midway; Burbank, California-Sacramento; Charlotte-Nashville; Chicago Midway-Minneapolis/St. Paul; Cleveland-Atlanta; Columbus, Ohio-Washington Reagan National; Corpus Christi, Texas-Houston Hobby; Dallas Love-New Orleans; Des Moines-St. Louis; Detroit-Baltimore; El Paso-Phoenix; Fort Lauderdale-Jacksonville; Grand Rapids, Michigan-Chicago Midway; Indianapolis-Kansas City; Kansas City-Chicago Midway; Long Beach, California-Las Vegas; Los Angeles-El Paso; Los Angeles-San Francisco; Louisville-Baltimore; Memphis-Houston Hobby; Milwaukee-Kansas City; Oakland-San Diego; Pensacola, Florida-Nashville; Phoenix-Oakland; San Antonio-Dallas Love; Salt Lake City-Los Angeles; Rochester, New York-Baltimore; Richmond, Virginia-Atlanta; San Jose, California-Las Vegas; St. Louis-Oklahoma City; Tucson-Los Angeles; Tulsa-Houston Hobby; Washington Reagan National-Providence; and Wichita, Kansas-St. Louis, among others.

If you’re looking for a quick getaway in the next upcoming months, this particular sale be right up your alley. But if you don’t have the spontaneous nature, then you can probably take your time and find a better deal somewhere along the way.

October 3, 2018
7 Signs and Symptoms of Addiction

When you discover that a friend or family member has a problem with drugs or alcohol, it often comes as a huge surprise to you. But secrecy is the drug on which addiction thrives, so it’s not really that odd that you were in the dark.

Addiction grows worse over a sustained period of time, and there are some indicators that may give you an idea something is wrong with your loved one before the bottom falls out. Here are the 7 signs and symptoms of addiction you should look for if you suspect someone you love has a problem with drugs or alcohol.

7. Change in Behavior

As people’s addictions get bigger, their lives start to change and the things that they value the most begin to fall away. Depression sets in, and suddenly they stop doing activities or hobbies that they once loved, or maybe their mood becomes erratic. An example of a change in behavior that’s worth noting would be when a person who values health and fitness abruptly stops exercising or eating well.

6. Change in Friends

This sign isn’t always the easiest area to recognize, because it’s fairly normal for friendships to fade and new people come into our lives. But when normally social people stop hanging around with their usual group of friends with no explanation, it’s important to take notice — especially if there wasn’t an event that precipitated the change. Or, maybe there’s a new person in their life that just doesn’t seem to be someone they would normally be friends with. This can be a telltale sign that something funky is going on.

5. Job/Career Issues

When addiction takes hold, inevitably some issues are going to come up at work or school. Over time, addicts becomes less capable of hiding performance flaws in areas of their lives that are under the microscope. If a normally responsible person is missing deadlines or not following through on commitments, this could be an indicator that something’s up.

4. Legal Issues

Addiction is likely to create a bevy of legal issues that are going to make it hard to ignore that something is going on. A DUI or getting thrown in the clink for a drunk and disorderly is an obvious tell that your loved one’s judgment is off. But there are also less obvious signs, like doctor shopping or frequenting ER rooms. And addicts can justify their behavior so that they make you feel foolish for asking why they have so many doctor appointments. But if you think something’s wrong, go ahead and ask anyway.

3. Family Strain

Relationships with family are often jeopardized when people develop an affinity for drugs or alcohol. Early on, it may reveal itself in behaviors like retreating to their room after work or spending too much time with their face in the computer, playing games or surfing the Web. Communications become strained, and the addict stops showing up to family engagements, or maybe even to dinner. If you feel a substantial shift in your relationship with a family member, you should start asking questions.

2. Physical Changes

Extreme physical changes are a big indicator of a problem. Maybe they’re getting scraggly and smelly because they’ve stopped grooming or showering. A noticeable weight loss or gain can be a symptom, and the same goes for a change in eating and sleeping habits. For example, crystal meth addicts can stay up for days, then crash and sleep for days. When they eat, they’re likely to ravenously consume sugary foods.

1. Personality Changes

In an adult brain, defined as a brain that’s 24 years or older, there are really only three things that are likely to cause a profound personality change in someone. Substance abuse or chemical dependency, mental illness and or a physical ailment, such as a brain tumor are the three things that can cause a profound personality change. Mind you, this isn’t the same as watching a person get a little down in the dumps, or go through a period of anxiety. Profound personality changes are much more extreme. If you witness this, it’s advised to reach out to a professional for guidance and counseling on how to address your loved one.

October 3, 2018