Archive for January, 2009
by Jennifer Star
January 31st, 2009
Prior planning is always helpful in making a journey more relaxing and enjoyable.
Dress code in the Greek Islands is very casual, for men shorts and T-shirts is the norm, and for ladies, light summer dresses or similar to men. If you are coming in Spring or Autumn you should bring some warmer clothes just in case it gets a bit cold in the night. Even for those who want to dress formally, smart casual is the norm, which would be a pair of trousers and a shirt.
In restaurants. The island of Rhodes can satisfy every gourmet because it produces various products of excellent qualities and the local cuisine is a real delight for the senses. Fresh fishes and a big variety of seafood’s, big choice of “mezes” (Mediterranean snacks), meat on grill, mousaka (the famous dish with potatoes, aubergines, cheese and béchamel) are some of the many Rhodian specialties.
The wines of Rhodes are famous for their great taste and quality since ancient times because the wineries and distilleries of the island produce delicious wines from the island’s vineyards which are beneficing from the fertility of the soil and the constant sun. The most famous wine labels of Rhodes are the dry wines “Ilios”, “2400″, “Villare”, and “Grand Maitre” and the dry red wine “Chevalier de Rhodes”.
Booking a Taxi There are strict regulations regarding the number of passengers per taxi. Up to 4 passengers are allowed per car so bear this in mind when making a booking for a taxi. Make sure your luggage fits into a regular-sized car trunk, otherwise you’ll have to hire a second taxi for any excessive luggage.When requesting a taxi make sure you are at the pick-up point without delay since a taxi will be there within minutes.
Internet Cafes. There is one right in the harbor, one in the Old Town, and several others in the New Town and the villages of Rhodes Island. There are also internet cafes open to the public at the most hotels.
Maps. There are a number of maps of the island on the market and most of them are provided free of charge by Hotels, and Travel Agents.
Newspapers and magazines. Most western European newspapers and magazines arrive in Rhodes on a daily basis and they are available everywhere.
Catholic Church. The Catholic church of Santa Maria, located at the corner of Kathopouli and Dragoumi Streets, holds Mass services from April to October at 7 a.m. on weekdays and at 8 a.m., 11 a.m. and 7 p.m. on Sundays. The St. Francisco church located on Dimokratias Street, celebrates Mass from April to October at 8.30 a.m. on weekdays and 10 a.m. on Sundays. During the winter months, both churches hold Masses only on Sundays.
A Golf course is available at Afandou (17 kilometers south-east of Rhodes City) and Mini Golf courts can be found in all the large hotels and in all the touristy resorts.
Casino. As all cosmopolitan places Rhodes has its own casino. The dress code is strict for men but for the women a dress is enough.
Signs denoting post offices are usually bright yellow, as are post-boxes. If you need to send a letter there are stamp vending machines and post-boxes outside all central post offices. There is also a post-box right in the harbor few meters from the pier.
OTE (Hellenic Telecommunications Organization) offices are the cheapest way to make local or international calls. Rhodes is equipped with a very advanced telecommunications system. You can dial directly anywhere in the world without the involvement of the telephone operator. The blue telephone boxes found all over the island can be used either for local or for long distance calls. They all use phone cards that can easily be found in every kiosk or shops with the “Phone cards Sold Here” sign. You can get them also right in the harbor, or in the Airport.
Beaches. The big attraction of Rhodes is the beautiful beaches that surround the entire island. Entrance to all the beaches is free, but you will have to pay only if you rent a sun bed (about 6 euro). The beaches on the east coast are ideal for swimming since the sea is extremely calm, while on the west coast is generally windy and it is best offered for windsurfing and other water sports. This does not in any way means that you can not swim on the west coast. As a matter of fact, many people prefer the big waves of the west coast than the calm and smooth sea of the east coast…
Police. All the main resorts areas have branches of the Tourist Police, whose duties include the inspection of hotels, restaurants etc.. And service to make sure that services to tourists are of acceptable standards. Tourist Police officers who speak languages bear the flag of the country in which the language is spoken on their uniforms.
Health. Rhodes has plenty of doctors of all practices. The State Hospital is open 24 hours a day for emergency cases. There are also plenty of pharmacies and chemists.
Banks and ATM machines. There are many Greek and International banks that are licensed to do business in Rhodes. All of them offer exchange services within the town of Rhodes as well as in other popular resort areas. Banks are open Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. During the period from April to October, some of them are open in the evenings as well (5 p.m., to 7.30 p.m.) and on Saturday mornings, but only for the exchange purposes. In order to exchange cash or traveler’s checks, you need to have your passport with you. In addition, almost all hotels have exchange offices on their front desks. Visa, Master Card and other well known credit cards are also accepted by the majority of shops, and hotels. And you won’t need your entire wallet only some cash, you may prefer to use ATM machines when you need cash. ATMs are everywhere. Cash sometimes gets you a better price than a charge card.
Shopping. Rhodes is an interesting place to shop. Rhodes has at least 2000 years of manufacturing unique and skilful handicraft gold jewellery. Many shops sell classic and modern gold and silver jewellery as well as antique reproduction jewellery, in 14k and 18k with diamonds and precious stones. Antique carpets and hand made silk on silk rugs, furniture, paintings and porcelain can also be found. Rhodes also famous for the leather and fur, bottles, leather coats, fur coats, and mink. Other kinds of goods such as souvenirs, sponges, clothes, shoes, books, and more can be found in the many shops of Rhodes Island. And the traditional art workshops for the world famous hand made Rhodian pottery’s-ceramics.
In restaurants tipping is customary and on average is around 15% above the bill, in some establishments it is already added but not in all.
Holidays and Feasts. The following is a list of official holidays, during which all departments of public services are closed.
January 1- New Year’s Day
January 6 - Epiphany.
First day of Lent (movable) - in Greek is known as ‘Clean Monday’
March 7 - anniversary of the reunion of the Dodecanese Islands with the rest of Greece
March 25 - anniversary of the revolution for freedom against the Turkish invaders.
Good Friday (movable)
Easter Sunday, Easter Monday (movable)
May 1- May Day
Of the Holy Spirit (movable)
August 15 - Dormition of Virgin Mary
October 28 - anniversary of Greece’s refusal to submit to the Italians in 1940
December 25 - Christmas Day
For a further and more in depth view of our beautiful island and the discovery of it please follow us.. http://www.rhodesprivatetours.com
by Jennifer Star
January 31st, 2009
If you don’t understand the language, credit card offers and statements could lead you to deep debt — or at least furious frustration. For the big scoop on the fine print, here’s what these frequently used credit card terms mean.
1. Average daily balance — This is the method by which most credit cards calculate your payment due. An average daily balance is determined by adding each day’s balance and then dividing that total by the number of days in a billing cycle. The average daily balance is then multiplied by a card’s monthly periodic rate, which is calculated by dividing the annual percentage rate by 12. A card with an annual rate of 18 percent would have a monthly periodic rate of 1.5 percent. If that card had a $500 average daily balance it would yield a monthly finance charge of $7.50.
2. APR(Annual percentage rate) — A yearly rate of interest that includes fees and costs paid to acquire the loan. Lenders are required by law to disclose the APR. The rate is calculated in a standard way, taking the average compound interest rate over the term of the loan, so borrowers can compare loans.
3. Balance transfer — The process of moving an unpaid credit card debt from one issuer to another. Card issuers sometimes offer teaser rates to encourage balance transfers coming in and balance- transfer fees to discourage them from going out.
4. Cash-advance fee — A charge by the bank for using credit cards to obtain cash. This fee can be stated in terms of a flat per-transaction fee or a percentage of the amount of the cash advance. For example, the fee may be expressed as follows: “2%/$10″. This means that the cash advance fee will be the greater of 2 percent of the cash advance amount or $10.
The banks may limit the amount that can be charged to a specific dollar amount. Depending on the bank issuing the card, the cash advance fee may be deducted directly from the cash advance at the time the money is received or it may be posted to your bill as of the day you received the advance. The cost of a cash advance is also higher because there generally is no grace period. Interest accrues from the moment the money is withdrawn.
5. Card holder agreement — The written statement that gives the terms and conditions of a credit card account. The cardholder agreement is required by Federal Reserve regulations. It must include the Annual Percentage Rate, the monthly minimum payment formula, annual fee if applicable, and the cardholder’s rights in billing disputes. Changes in the cardholder agreement may be made, with written advance notice, at any time by the issuer. Rules for imposing changes vary from state to state, but the rules that apply are those of the home state of the issuing bank, not the home state of the cardholder.
6. Finance charge — The charge for using a credit card, comprised of interest costs and other fees.
7. Floor — The minimum rate possible on a variable-rate loan or line of credit, after any initial introductory rate period. For example, on a credit card with the Prime rate as its index, no matter how low the Prime rate drops, the rate on the line may never decrease below the stated rate floor.
8. Free Period — Also called a “grace period,” a free period lets you avoid finance charges by paying your balance in full before the due date. Knowing whether a card gives you a free period is especially important if you plan to pay your account in full each month. Without a free period, the card issuer may impose a finance charge from the date you use your card or from the date each transaction is posted to your account. If your card includes a free period, the issuer must mail your bill at least 14 days before the due date so you’ll have enough time to pay.
9. Minimum payment — The minimum amount a cardholder can pay to keep the account from going into default. Some card issuers will set a high minimum if they are uncertain of the cardholder’s ability to pay. Most card issuers require a minimum payment of two percent of the outstanding balance.
10. Over-the-limit fee — A fee charged for exceeding the credit limit on the card.
11. Periodic rate — The interest rate described in relation to a specific amount of time. The monthly periodic rate, for example, is the cost of credit per month; the daily periodic rate is the cost of credit per day.
12. Pre-approved — A credit card offer with “pre-approved” only means that a potential customer has passed a preliminary credit-information screening. A credit card company can spurn the customers it invited with “pre-approved” junk mail if it doesn’t like the applicant’s credit rating.
13. Secured card — A credit card that a cardholder secures with a savings deposit to ensure payment of the outstanding balance if the cardholder defaults on payments. It is used by people new to credit, or people trying to rebuild their poor credit ratings.
14. Teaser rate — Often called the introductory rate, it is the below-market interest rate offered to entice customers to switch credit cards or lenders.
15. Variable interest rate — Percentage that a borrower pays for the use of money, and which moves up or down periodically based on changes in other interest rates.
I hope this terms will help you out a little when choosing your next credit card.
by Jennifer Star
January 31st, 2009
Smart shopping for 0% APR credit cards can save consumers hundreds of dollars in interest charges. Many consumers do not think to shop around for credit cards. However, with 60 percent of grocery store purchases being made with credit cards, the decision as to which card the consumer uses can have an impact on how much is paid in interest. One way you can save money in interest charges is to shop around for a 0% APR credit card to transfer existing balances to. The concept of shopping for the best interest rates is not new for purchases such as homes and cars, but so few consumers stop to think about shopping around for the best credit card deal.
0% APR credit cards save consumers money
It is possible for you to save hundreds of dollars a year by transferring balances to a 0% APR credit card. Here is how it works: A consumer applies for a new credit card with a special introductory interest rate of 0% APR for balance transfers. After gaining approval, the consumer transfers the balance of his or her credit cards to the new card. Some companies may waive the balance transfer fee, but a standard fee is usually a small percentage of the transferred balance. Whether the old card has a low 8.9% APR, or whether it has a higher 15.9% APR, the potential savings are well worth the transfer. For the entire introductory period (usually 6 to 12 months) it is possible for consumers to avoid paying interest on their credit card debt.
Sorting through 0% APR credit card deals
Some web sites provide you with an objective way to look at credit card offers. It is even possible to use a calculator to figure out how much you can save by transferring balances to a 0% APR credit card. Consumers receive the information they need to help them decide on the credit card balance transfer offer that works best for them. Objective side-by-side comparisons allow a more complete picture of available credit cards. When you find a card that you like, it is also possible to apply for that card instantly from the web site. Helpful links to the credit card companies allow you to receive instant approval on their credit cards.
A word of caution
A 0% APR credit card balance transfer is a financial tool that can greatly benefit consumers. However, as with all financial tools, it is important to use it wisely. Consumers should be aware that failure to pay at least the minimum payment on time can result in an immediate end to the introductory period. Many credit cards, however, provide an automatic debit system or an online bill pay option. This can help consumers set up automatic payments that ensure that there are no late payments.
Shopping around for the best bargain is a way of life for many. Applying that rule to credit card applications can mean that you get to keep more of your hard earned cash.
by Jennifer Star
January 31st, 2009
Banks which offer credit card services have overall remained very profitable; however the risk is very high, because the credit card business is all about giving unsecured (uncollateralized) loans. The bank is dependant on the borrower not to default in large numbers. Banks incur several costs, some of which are given below:
1. Interest Expenses: Banks generally borrow the money from other forms at very low interest rates from other firms. They borrow the amount the customer requires, and lend this money to the customer at high interest rates. For example, if the card issuer charges 15% on money lent to customers, and it costs 5% to borrow the money to lend, and the balance sits with the cardholder for a year, the issuer earns 10% on the loan. This 5% difference is the “interest expense” and the 10% is the “net interest margin”. Normally, if the customer pays back the entire amount borrowed on credit within the first billing period, no interest is charged. This depends upon different bank policies.
2. Charge Offs: Some customers simply never pay their credit card bill. A considerable amount of money which banks loan on credit to customers will never be repaid, and this has been accounted to over 20% of the total. This is a loss to the bank, and they repay have to pay for the loans.
3. Rewards: The more a customer uses their credit card, the more rewards he gets, such as frequent flier rewards, gift certificates, and other incentives. However, the more the incentive given to the customer, the more the bank has to pay for these incentives. However, most rewards points are accrued as a liability on a company’s balance sheet and expensed at the time of reward redemption. Thus, the bank increases its cost associated with credit cards, and has to make sure a balance strike between customer satisfaction, and bank expenses.
4. Fraud: When a card is stolen, or an un-authorized duplicate made, the bank pays back the card holder (i.e. refunds money) for some or all of the things which the customer has been billed for, but did not buy. These refunds will be at the expense of the merchant, however are usually at the expense of the bank. Thus, any misuse of credit cards increases the expense of the bank. Statistics show that the cost of fraud is high, in 2004: it was over 500 million pounds in UK.
5. Operating Costs: There is of course the cost of running the credit card portfolio, i.e. the cost of printing the plastic, mailing statements and bills, the cost of using computers and maintaining information in order, as well as the marketing costs.
Thus it shows that maintaining a credit card system for the card issuers is expensive, and banks must be careful when they invest into this line of service. A careful balance must be struck between the costs, and the revenue generated from the credit card users.
by Jennifer Star
January 31st, 2009
Hunting for low APR credit cards has become easier with the advent of the Internet where you can draw an easy comparison (from the various options available to you at the click of a mouse) as to which low APR credit card will be the best for your needs. The article below provides the complete informational lowdown on low APR credit cards.
Low APR credit cards charge you an interest rate even lower than the standard APR. The lower the interest rate or APR, the cheaper the card is to carry and the more money you’ll save on it. So if you carry a large monthly card balance, a low APR credit card could be very beneficial for you and in some cases where low rate credit cards have offers, they can also help cardholders like you save significant dollars over time. What is an APR anyway? Well, let’s discuss…
Rationale of Low APR Credit Cards
The Annual Percentage Rate (APR) is the cost of credit; it is the amount of interest rate that is chargeable to any outstanding balance on a credit card. If you don’t make the full payment within the grace period certified by the credit cards company, the company has the right to charge you a fee for that service, an interest rate fee known as the APR. But for a credit card to be considered cheap for a consumer, it should have a low APR.
With a low APR credit card, comes an agenda in fine print. Lesser mortals like you and I fail to recognize the same and read it to our advantage. Here’s what the hidden agenda might state:
1) Annual Fee: Many a low APR credit card might offer you a low interest rate or APR but require you to pay a significant annual fee. If the effective interest rate (after counting the annual fee) is indeed higher than the actual rate, then this credit card is obviously only cloaked as a low APR credit card.
2) Low Introductory Rate: Credit card companies know that low introductory rates are a great promotional incentive. So when suddenly, the initial period expires, and your monthly minimum payments mount dramatically, you know something definitely smells fishy. Check it prior to applying before you fall prey to this credit card company trick.
3) High Balance Transfer Fees: Another trick in the trade is that some amongst the low APR credit card fraternity offer low balance transfer rates that come with significant fees. These balance transfer fees are always mentioned in the fine print or the terms and conditions but are rarely spoken loudly about in the promotional language of the card.
Moral of the Story: Read and re-read the fine print and all of the terms and conditions associated with any low APR credit card before you apply.
Follow these simple steps when shopping for low rate credit cards:
1) Call the institutions in which you already have bank account or credit card account. Discuss with them the possibility of converting your existing account to one with a lower APR than you currently have.
2) If your existing credit card company cannot indulge this special request of yours, seek a company that will.
3) Get in touch with the companies where you are interested in applying for low rate credit cards.
4) After selecting the best card, fill out the application and return as per the instructions via mail or online. Make a call to the credit card issuing company if you have not heard from them in the subsequent 10 to 15 business days.
5) You reserve the right to obtain an explanation if the credit card company has turned down your application. The denial letter must explain how you can obtain your credit report to investigate the application denial.
More Tips On Low Rate Credit Cards
One of the strategies that some people utilize to get the most out of their low rate credit cards is to keep rolling over credit card balances to different cards with 0% introductory APR offers until successfully paying down the card balance. But beware of this particular strategy. Make no bones about it though; this strategy takes time and discipline and a high degree of diligence and meticulousness in keeping exact records.
Credit card issuers reserve the lowest interest for customers with the strongest credit histories, so, as always, try to maintain a clean credit history.
by Jennifer Star
January 31st, 2009
We all are in search of the silver bullet that will put our
business on autopilot and the only thing we have to do is to
cash the checks. Aren’t you looking for this as well? Isn’t this
the reason why you’re actually reading all these articles,
including this one? You’re hoping to find the one tool, the
surefire method, the hidden trick or the magic system that will
make your dreams come true.
Once again I have to disappoint you. There is no such thing as a
silver bullet that will magically run your business while you
sit back and relax. If there would be one, why is everybody
trying to sell you the next big thing or the breakthrough that
will make you rich and you won’t need to chase the magic system
anymore?
Are you as confused as I am? You bet. Without clear definition
of exactly what you are trying to do, there will be no answers.
What does rich mean to you? What exactly will the next big thing
solve for you? It sure means something different to you than it
does to me. The only thing we all have in common is that we all
strive to achieve our personal financial freedom.
Sorry for getting off topic here. You still want to know how to
make real money with an Internet business, don’t you? Instead of
repeating marketing material over and over again I will tell you
how I make real money with my Internet business.
First, you need a product and a website to sell your product.
I’m a member of several clubs that offer new tools and books
with master resale rights every month. This means that I can
sell these products and keep 100% of the profit. I also have
full control over the sales letter. This is very important. You
set the price and you can add any bonus material you want to.
You also need somebody to process the credit card payments. My
choices are PayPal and 2Checkout.
Ok, now you have a killer sales web site and you’re ready for
business. Unfortunately nobody knows that you’re open for
business and the spider nets are starting to grow on your front
door. What you need is traffic. Lot’s of it. After experimenting
with all kind of traffic exchange programs I can honestly say,
they don’t work. You need something more powerful.
This is exactly what I do every time I create a new web site for
e new product I’m promoting. I put an ad on the major
pay-per-click engines like Google, Oveture, 7search and
FindWhat. This gives my business a jump start.
Next I create doorway pages for the new web site and promote
them to the search engines through a blog. Search engines will
index your pages much faster when you have a link to them from a
blog. Never submit your sales web site directly to any search
engines. You will get much higher rankings if they find you.
I also make sure that I place an unblockable popup window on
every doorway page to sign up for my newsletter. This way I
capture at least the email addresses of my visitors. Also
several Google AdSense windows will give me a little kick back.
To make it even more profitable, on the thank you page for the
newsletter subscription I give away free stuff with lots of
references to other web sites of mine and I make the subscriber
aware that the real good stuff to download is hidden in an
email. If they gave me a fake email just to download the free
software it won’t work. But at least they download the free
promo material. My stats showing me that this is working. I
always make sure that the free stuff I’m giving away has viral
marketing built in. It needs to reproduce itself without any
intervention from my part.
This doesn’t look like a lot, but after setting up over 10 sales
web sites the system is gaining momentum. After a while I will
drop the pay-per-click advertising and the system supports
itself with enough visitors to make a profit.
Ok, you’re absolutely right. This is a lot of work. However, do
the math. Let’s say you create a new sales web site every month.
After 6 months you break even with the initial setup cost and
the startup pay-per-click costs. After that you’re making net
profits. Let’s also say you’re making $200 a month in profits.
Not much, but realistic. After just one year you have 12 sales
web sites up and running and they produce $2400 a month in
profits. Would you walk away from a business like this? Hell no.
Bottom line if you want to get rich quick you need to go to
Vegas. If you want to start a serious Internet business you
might want to follow my strategy. This works for me, chances are
that it will work for you too. If you really want to push this
system to the limits simply create an affiliate program on top
of it and your profits will go through the roof.
Sincerely,
Peter Dobler
© 200
by Jennifer Star
January 31st, 2009
The reason for my question is linked to a recent discovery of a false credit card under my social security number. The ironic thing is the card was addressed to the house that I lived in before I joined the armed services. However during the timeframe in which the card was established and apparently used was while I was in Korea, which I have valid records showing that I was in Korea. To further prove my innocence on the card issue, I tried to search my own personal checking card and couldn't filter searches back that far. So is there a certain point that transactions are lost by the credit card companies? Can you ever go back for instance two years and retreive those transactions to see amounts and where the money was spent?
Sounds like you are trying to do this on your own, you definitely need to get the credit card fraud unit in on this one. They will be able to do more research on the charges (i.e., provider codes, etc) than you can. But don't know how far they can go back. I suspect it varies by the company. Good luck.
by Jennifer Star
January 31st, 2009
I heard that credit card use wholesale exchnage rates, and it saves from converting the travelled cheques if not used. True?
Yes it can be better because you will get the rate of the day. But it can be worse because of your dollar drops it ends up costing you more. You can cash in unused traveller's checks if you wish.
AMEX is now offering the option of a Traveler's Check AMEX card in which you load a minimum amount, it has your name on it and you use it just like a Credit Card. It can be used at ATM's and anyplace that accepts American Express.
by Jennifer Star
January 31st, 2009
the highest preapproval rating one can achieve with any chase card in 15k however, depending on length of time of accounts, age, credit score ect. some are known to be as high as 50K
by Jennifer Star
January 31st, 2009
Here is a great one:
http://www.cardratings.com/