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Information 2010, 1(2), 60-73; https://doi.org/10.3390/info1020060
Application of Information—Theoretic Concepts in Chemoinformatics
Department of Life Science Informatics, B-IT, Rheinische Friedrich-Wilhelms-Universität, Dahlmannstr. 2, D-53113 Bonn, Germany
Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Received: 1 September 2010; in revised form: 26 September 2010 / Accepted: 16 October 2010 / Published: 20 October 2010
The use of computational methodologies for chemical database mining and molecular similarity searching or structure-activity relationship analysis has become an integral part of modern chemical and pharmaceutical research. These types of computational studies fall into the chemoinformatics spectrum and usually have large-scale character. Concepts from information theory such as Shannon entropy and Kullback-Leibler divergence have also been adopted for chemoinformatics applications. In this review, we introduce these concepts, describe their adaptations, and discuss exemplary applications of information theory to a variety of relevant problems. These include, among others, chemical feature (or descriptor) selection, database profiling, and compound recall rate predictions.
Keywords:database profiling; feature selection; feature significance; information theory; similarity searching; molecular topology; virtual screening
1. Introduction
Chemoinformatics is still evolving as a research field and is, from a methodological point of view, closely related to bioinformatics. Whereas bioinformatics typically deals with genes, proteins, and other large biomolecules, pharmaceutically-oriented chemoinformatics focuses on small (synthetic) molecules, their interactions with targets, and their biological activity [1]. In more general terms, we can rationalize chemoinformatics as a discipline that processes any form of chemical information with the aid of computational methods. Similar to bioinformatics, the management, use, and analysis of large quantities of information is central to the field of chemoinformatics [2]. A prime objective of chemoinformatics methods is the identification of compounds with desired biological activities that might ultimately become drug candidates.
Information theoretical concepts can be applied to chemoinformatic problems at very different levels and in diverse contexts. On the one hand, the concepts from information theory can be directly applied to different representations of small molecules in order to quantify their chemical "information content" [3]. On the other hand, information-theoretic approaches can be employed in statistical analysis, data mining, and machine learning, which currently play a vital role in chemoinformatics research [4]. Herein, we will first provide an overview of how the concept of information can be applied to molecules. Then we focus on statistical analysis of compound databases and the use of information-theoretic concepts for applications such as virtual compound screening.
2. Chemical Descriptors and Shannon Entropy
2.1. Information-Theoretic Concepts for Characterizing Topological Properties of Molecules
Probably the most well-known description of chemical compounds is the chemical graph representation. In a chemical graph, the atoms composing a molecule are represented as nodes and bonded atoms are connected by edges indicating the type of bond, e.g., a single, double, or aromatic bond (Figure 1). A chemical graph does not represent three-dimensional structure information but its topology. The graph can also be annotated with stereochemical information, which defines the relative spatial arrangements of selected atoms. In graph representation of a molecule, hydrogen atoms are often "suppressed", i.e., they are not shown as separate nodes and are also not directly considered when extracting information from the graph.
Figure 1. Abstract representation of a molecule as a mathematical graph. Topological properties of molecules are typically derived from a hydrogen-supressed representation by reducing molecules to their connectivity information and disregarding atom type and bond order.
An early application of information-theoretic concepts in chemoinformatics has been the determination of chemical "information content" from graph representations. The basic idea here is to calculate the Shannon entropy [5] of a probability distribution that is induced by invariants of the underlying graph. A graph invariant is a property that is only dependent on the abstract structure of a graph and not on specific representations. For instance, the adjacency matrix of a graph is not an invariant because it depends on the order of the nodes. On the other hand, the characteristic polynomial of the adjacency matrix is an invariant because it does not depend on the order.
This concept was first introduced in the 1950s by Rashevsky [6] and further developed by Trucco [7,8] and Mowshowitz [9,10,11,12]. The basic idea is to measure the complexity of a graph by considering its symmetries. For instance, benzene is a highly symmetrical graph where all carbon atoms are topologically indistinguishable. However, when we consider phenol, only the carbon atoms at positions 2 and 6 and at positions 3 and 5 are indistinguishable [Figure 2 (a)]. If we add another hydroxyl group at position 4 (i.e., benzene-1,4-diol), the four carbons at positions 2, 3, 5, and 6, the carbon pair 1 and 4, and the two hydroxyl groups become indistinguishable. If such topologically "indistinguishable" nodes are grouped together the relative size of the groups induces a probability distribution, as shown for benzene-1,4-diol in Figure 2 (b).
Figure 2. Partitioning of atoms into sets of indistinguishable atoms. Atoms of a molecule are grouped together if they are topologically indistinguishable. For each molecule, atoms belonging to the same group are shown in the same color. (a) All (non-hydrogen) atoms of benzene are indistinguishable. When a hydroxyl group is added, the carbons in positions 2 and 6 as well as those in positions 3 and 5 positions are indistinguishable, as indicated by the color code. (b) For benzene-1,4-diol, groups of indistinguishable atoms are shown in the same color and the probability distribution resulting from the partitioning is reported.
The Shannon entropy of this distribution then defines the topological information content of the graph. If n is the total number of non-hydrogen atoms in a molecule and the molecule is partitioned into k sets of topological indistinguishable atoms of respective size ni, i=1…k, the values can be treated as probabilities of a discrete probability distribution and the topological information index is defined as:
For the benzene of Figure 2 (a) all atoms are indistinguishable, so n=6, k=1, n1=6, and:
ITOP(benzene) = 0.
For phenol, n=7, k=5, n1=1, n2=1, n3=1, n4=2, n5=2 and:
Finally, for benzene-1,4-diol [Figure 2 (b)], n=8, k=3, n1=2, n2=2, n3=4 and:
Thus, due to its limited symmetry phenol has the highest index of these three molecules. In mathematical terms, nodes of a graph are indistinguishable if they are contained in the same orbit with respect to the automorphism group. An automorphism of a graph is a permutation of the nodes that preserves the adjacency relationships of the nodes. The automorphism group is the set of all automorphisms of a graph. Two nodes belong to the same orbit if there is an automorphism that maps one node onto the other. The information content is solely based on the relative sizes of the orbits and is also called orbital information content [3]. Variants of the topological information can be defined, for instance, by considering edges instead of nodes (edge orbital information content) or connections, i.e., paths of length 2 (connection orbital information content) [13,14].
The idea of calculating the Shannon entropy on an observed or modeled probability distribution has been applied to a variety of other graph invariants in order to describe the topological shape of molecules [15,16]. Among others, these include the adjacency matrix, the respective characteristic polynomial, the distance matrix, or their respective edge counterparts (see [3] for a more comprehensive listing).
2.2. Shannon Entropy Descriptors (SHED)
The majority of chemoinformatics methods rely on the representation of molecular structure and properties by numerical descriptors. Typically, combinations of descriptors are calculated for molecular data sets that then constitute chemical references spaces where each mathematical model (feature, descriptor) adds a dimension to the space. The projection of molecules into chemical reference spaces is a pre-requisite for the application of statistical and data mining methods. Literally thousands of different molecular descriptors of greatly varying mathematical complexity are available. Many descriptor spaces that are utilized in chemoinformatics are high-dimensional. However, for applications such as compound classification, the dimensionality of chemical reference spaces is often reduced in order to focus on features that are most descriptive- and predictive- for a given data set and to provide a basis for chemical interpretation of the results.
Given the wealth of chemical descriptors that are available, the topological information content and its variations, as discussed above, only characterize molecules with regard to their topological complexity. It is of course also important to characterize molecules with regard to their physicochemical properties, e.g., by assessing their hydrophobic character or the distribution of hydrogen bond donors. For the analysis of structure-activity relationships, a central theme in chemoinformatics, it is of critical importance to represent small molecules using descriptors that are relevant for and responsive to specific biological activities.
The information entropy concept has also been applied to design molecular descriptors, termed Shannon entropy descriptors (SHED) [17], which characterize the distribution of potentially activity-relevant atomic features in a molecule. Sets of atomic features that are responsible for a molecule's biological activity constitute a pharmacophore. More precisely, a pharmacophore describes the spatial arrangement of groups of functionalities in a molecule that determine its biological activity. An active molecule must possess features that are highly complementary to the binding site of its target protein, e.g., hydrogen bond donor and/or acceptor functions. In order to capture relevant pharmacophore features, SHED are based on the calculation of pairs of atomic features and their topological distances in a molecule. Therefore, each atom of a molecule is assigned to one or more of four atom-centered features: hydrophobic, aromatic, hydrogen bond acceptor, or hydrogen bond donor. The combination of two of these four features yields 10 different possible feature pairs. For each feature pair, all atom pairs representing this feature pair and their topological distances, i.e., the shortest path lengths (number of bonds) between them, are determined. This yields a distribution of topological distances ranging from 1 to 20. Distances larger than 20 bonds are included in topological distance 20. Considering the relative frequency with which each distance occurs yields a probability distribution for each feature pair for which the Shannon Entropy S is calculated. The S values for all 10 feature pairs are further transformed into projected entropy values E, , that form the SHED profile of a test compound. Pairwise similarity of molecules is assessed by calculating the Euclidean distance of their SHED profiles. It was shown that molecules with a similar SHED profile were often likely to possess the same biological activity [17], which is a typical way to assess descriptor relevance. The calculation of SHED profiles is outlined in Figure 3.
3. Information Theory-Based Assessment of Feature Significance in Active Compounds
The methods discussed above focus on the application of information-theoretic measures to individual molecules to characterize their properties. In this section, other chemoinformatics approaches are described that make use of information theory for data mining and analysis in a statistical context.
In ligand-based virtual screening [18], known bioactive compounds (the reference set) are used to mine databases for novel compounds active against the same biological target. The concept is based on the similarity property principle (SPP) [19] stating that overall structurally similar molecules should have similar biological properties. This concept is simple at first glance, but requires a bridge between chemical similarity and activity similarity, which presents a major challenge for chemoinformatics methods. For similarity assessment, compounds are represented by a set of descriptors, as discussed above. Due to their effectiveness and computational efficiency, fingerprints that encode the features of molecules as bit string representations are widely applied in similarity searching [20]. They are a special form of a complex descriptor that captures feature distributions mostly (but not always) in a binary format. Fingerprints can usually be characterized as two- or three-dimensional (2D, 3D) according to the dimensionality of the molecular representation from which they are derived. This means that 2D fingerprints are calculated from the chemical graph and 3D fingerprints from the 3D structural representation of a molecule [4]. For example, in simple 2D structural fingerprint designs, each bit accounts for the presence (i.e., the bit is set to one) or absence (the bit is set to zero) of a predefined structural fragment, as illustrated in Figure 4. Irrespective of the specific search methodology used for database mining, fingerprint overlap between active and database compounds is generally used to quantify molecular similarity—and utilized as a measure of predicted activity similarity [20].
Figure 3. Calculation of SHED descriptors. Each atom in a molecule is assigned one or more of the following atomic features: hydrophobic (H), aromatic (R), hydrogen bond acceptor (A), or hydrogen bond donor (D). The pairwise combination of these features results into 10 possible feature pairs. For each pair, the distribution of topological distances between atoms with the respective features is determined. Here, the distribution is shown for the aromatic-donor feature (RD) pair. As can be seen, there is only one donor atom in the molecule. To obtain the RD distribution, the shortest path lengths (number of bonds) of the donor atom to 14 aromatic atoms present in the molecule are calculated. From this distribution, the Shannon entropy for the feature pair is derived and further transformed into a projected Shannon entropy value, i.e. E-value. The projected entropies of the 10 feature pair distributions are graphically displayed in a wheel chart. The small circle in the chart indicates the E-value for the RD feature pair.
Fingerprints typically combine, and test for, many different chemical features. Often, individual features are associated with defined bit positions, forming a one-to-one correspondence. However, it has been shown that usually not all bit positions contribute equally to search performance [21]. Furthermore, fingerprint search performance is strongly compound class-dependent, which is typically observed for molecular descriptors and similarity search tools, regardless of their design and specific methodological features. Fingerprint search performance can often be improved if the fingerprint format is edited in a compound class-specific manner. For example, dependent on the search strategy that is applied, the elimination of bits from fingerprints can increase the recall of active compounds [22]. In general, the determination of optimal bit subsets for individual compound classes requires the assessment of the discriminatory power of individual bit positions to distinguish between active and inactive database compounds. Two information-theoretic concepts that can be applied to assign a relevance score to a given descriptor are the Kullback-Leibler divergence [23] and mutual information [24].
Figure 4. Schematic substructural fingerprint. A substructural fingerprint consists of a predefined set of substructural features represented by specific positions in a binary string. If a feature is present in a molecule the bit is set on in its fingerprint; otherwise it is set off. The bit pattern is illustrated by the bar where each square corresponds to a specific substructural feature, as indicated for five different fragments. The molecule shown at the top contains two of the five fragments. For these fragments, the corresponding bits are set on (filled square), whereas the bits for the three other substructures that do not occur in the molecule are set off (empty square).
3.1. Kullback-Leibler (KL) Divergence
Fingerprints consist of k bits that are either set on or off and thus fingerprint bits can be modeled as random binary variables following a Bernoulli distribution. The probabilities and that bit i is set on for active and inactive compounds, respectively, can be estimated from the relative frequency of the bit being set on within the active reference set (A) and the background database (B).
Here, m denotes the number of active and n the number of database compounds. Although database compounds are usually not confirmed inactive molecules, they can readily serve as an approximation for our estimate because only very few compounds in a large database are likely to display a specific biological activity so that their influence on the statistics becomes negligible.
Furthermore, as active reference sets are usually rather small, a Laplacian correction can be applied to avoid that the estimated probabilities become zero:
Accordingly, the probability that a bit is set off is given by .
KL divergence quantifies the difference between corresponding bit probability distributions for two classes of compounds. The KL divergence of an individual fingerprint feature can hence be used to assess its significance with respect to the amount of information it contains about an activity class A relative to a compound database B:
In a recent simulated virtual screening study [25], fingerprints of different complexity and design were subjected to KL divergence analysis for 27 different activity classes with 20 active reference compounds each and bit positions achieving highest KL divergence scores were combined into subsets of increasing size such that compound-class specific fingerprints of variable length were generated. These reduced fingerprints and the full-length fingerprints were then used for Bayesian virtual screening [26]. Using bit distributions of active and inactive reference molecules, the likelihood of test compounds to exhibit a desired activity was estimated on the basis of a log-odds scoring function that is conceptually related to the KL divergence analysis [27]:
This scoring function can be derived from Bayesian principles using the common assumption that the features are independently distributed. A conventional performance measure of virtual screening benchmark trials is the recall (or recovery) rate, i.e., the number of active compounds retrieved in the selected (top-scoring) database subset divided by the total number of actives in the compound database. It was shown that for all 27 compound classes, KL-divergence analysis was able to identify subsets of bits, often consisting of only a few positions, which determined fingerprint search performance and, in many instances, increased the recall rate of active compounds in top-scoring database selection sets in comparison to the full-length fingerprints [25]. In subsequent studies, preferred bit subsets from different fingerprint types were identified based on KL divergence analysis of active compounds and the background database and then combined to build "hybrid" fingerprints that were then used in similarity searching [28,29]. Systematic simulated virtual screening trials showed that hybrid fingerprints consistently outperformed their parental fingerprints with respect to both the number of retrieved compounds and the chemical diversity of the identified hits. Hence, as different fingerprints capture different aspects of molecular structure, the combination of discriminatory features from different fingerprints can lead to a substantial gain in chemical information that is exploited in the search for novel active compounds.
KL divergence analysis can also be applied to estimate the expected recall rate for different activity classes [30,31]. The KL divergence for an entire fingerprint is the sum of the KL divergences obtained for individual bit positions and corresponds to the expected score of the log-likelihood ratio for activity class A. The higher the KL divergence the more the fingerprint should be able to distinguish between classes A and B and the higher is the expected recall rate for that activity class. In order to exploit this relationship for compound recall rate prediction, simulated virtual screening trials were carried out to determine recall rates for 40 different activity classes. Then a linear regression model was built by relating the logarithms of KL divergences to corresponding recall rates. Subsequently, the so derived model was used to predict recall rates for seven external test classes that, indeed, corresponded well to recall rates obtained by virtual screening experiments [30].
3.2. Mutual Information (MI)
In addition to KL divergence, the concept of mutual information (MI) has been successfully applied to feature assessment and selection. MI answers the question of how much information about a class C, is contained in a feature F describing that molecule. This information might be the biological activity shared by compounds belonging to this class.
Formally, if the values of feature F are distributed according to a probability distribution p(x) and the class C has two possible values A (active) and B (inactive) with probabilities p(A) and p(B), the (average) MI can be defined as:where is the Shannon entropy and:is the conditional entropy of F with respect to C [32]. Note that MI can also be expressed as the KL divergence between the joint distribution and the product distribution, i.e.:
This MI formalism is distinct from the KL divergence in the previous section where in equation (4) the KL divergence of the two conditional distributions and forms the basis for descriptor selection. The MI is also known as 'information gain' and is an important criterion in the design of descriptor-based trees [24].
A related quantity is the so-called pointwise (or specific) mutual information:
According to equation (8), the MI is simply the expected value of SI. Liu [33] investigated different feature selection strategies for compound classification and found average MI-based feature selection to compare favorably to pointwise MI-based feature selection and a number of other statistical selection methods, especially for Bayesian classification. MI has also been successfully applied to feature selection for QSAR (in combination with genetic algorithms) [34]. Furthermore, feature selection strategies can play an important role in virtual screening using high-dimensional binary fingerprints. Combinatorial fingerprints of large databases (e.g., 1,000,000 compounds and more) can contain a total of several 100,000 different features [35], although each molecule is usually described by less than 100 features. Thus, most features occur only rarely and the selection of relevant features is highly activity class-specific. In this context, MI has been used successfully for Bayesian screening [36].
A principal problem in applying MI for feature selection is that it depends on the estimation of the probabilities for activity p(A). Usually, these probabilities are estimated from training data. In the context of virtual screening, it is very difficult to estimate the number of potentially active compounds contained in a screening database. Usually, only a small number of active molecules are known (tens to hundreds of molecules). These small sets of active compounds usually do not provide a representative sample of the relevant chemical space. Active molecules are often obtained by replacing substituents in previously known active molecules, thereby producing so-called analog series of structurally very similar compounds, which further restricts the representation of activity-relevant chemical space. In general, only a very small fraction of the compounds in a large database can be expected to display a specific biological activity. On the other hand, the discriminatory power of a feature can be assessed regardless of the frequency of active compounds in a database. To this end, for the purpose of feature selection or prioritization, the actual feature probability distribution is not relevant and the probability can be arbitrarily set to p(A)=0.5. Under these assumptions [using equation (5)], equation (4) becomes:
This quantity is also known as the Jensen-Shannon divergence of the feature distributions of active and inactive compounds [37] and can be easily calculated from the entropies of the feature distributions for active and inactive compounds, taking their average and subtracting the value from the entropy of the joint distribution calculated as:
As a consequence of setting , MI exhibits desired properties when assessing the significance of descriptors. First, one should note that the value of the MI in equation (7) only depends on the feature distributions for class A and B. Second, the Shannon Entropy H(C) becomes 1 and hence, given that , MI is normalized to the range 0 to 1. Thus, the significance of descriptors can be readily interpreted regardless of the prior probabilities p(A). A conceptually similar but numerically different approach, termed differential Shannon entropy (DSE), has also been exploited [38] to assess differences in the variability of descriptors in different databases and also as a feature selection strategy for building binary QSAR models for classifying natural products and synthetic molecules [39].
3.3. Shannon Entropy-Based Fingerprint Similarity Search Strategy
The final section presents an SE-based similarity search strategy [40] that, albeit not widely applied in chemoinformatics, is discussed because of its conceptual novelty. The approach uses an SE-based similarity measure to determine the similarity of a database compound to an active reference set.
As for most search strategies the underlying idea of the SE-based fingerprint similarity search strategy [40] is that active compounds share a characteristic bit pattern (or consensus bit positions). The variability of a single fingerprint feature in a set of active compounds can be obtained by calculating the SE value for this bit position considering the feature as a random variable with the two possible values 0 (absence) or 1 (presence). Again, probabilities in SE calculations are replaced by observed relative frequencies. Under the assumption that individual bits in the fingerprint are uncorrelated, SE values obtained for single bit positions are then summed up to yield the SE of the complete fingerprint for the ligand set (Figure 5). The lower the SE for the fingerprint, the more regular is the bit pattern produced by the active compounds. When a database compound that departs from consensus bit positions is added to the set of active compounds the SE of the complete fingerprint increases, whereas the addition of a compound that matches the consensus bit pattern results in no or only a slight modification of the original SE value, as shown in Figure 5. Hence, the fingerprint SE value obtained after addition of a database compound reflects its similarity to the reference compounds, and sorting database compounds in the order of increasing SE values provides a database ranking in the order of decreasing similarity. Virtual screening trials including eight different activity classes showed that the SE method could further improve the similarity search performance of current state-of-the-art approaches [40] such as nearest-neighbor or fingerprint averaging strategies [41].
Figure 5. Shannon entropy-based fingerprint similarity. The fingerprint Shannon entropy score (SE) is calculated as the sum of the Shannon entropies of individual bit positions (left). The SE of a reference set of four acetylcholine esterase (ACE) inhibitors is shown on the right. The SE is recalculated when individual test compounds are added to the set. For active compounds, the SE value changes only very little (top three compounds), but for inactive compounds, the SE increases notably (bottom three compounds).
4. Conclusions
Herein we have provided a brief review of how information-theoretic concepts have thus far been applied in chemoinformatics. Initially, we have described how the information content of single molecules can be estimated. Other key applications include the adaptation of the Shannon entropy concept for descriptor design and database profiling and the use of Kullback-Leibler divergence and Mutual Information for feature significance analysis. In addition, we have discussed similarity search concepts that utilize an information theory framework. Information-theoretic concepts are expected to play an increasingly important role in chemoinformatics research, in particular, for fingerprint engineering applications, molecular similarity assessment, and large-scale information content analysis of steadily growing chemical databases.
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If you own lots of items and plan to buy a house in the foreseeable future, now may be a good time to list any unwanted items online. That way, you can simultaneously eliminate clutter and earn extra cash for your excess items.
Ultimately, selling items online before you pursue a home can be simple here are three tips to help you showcase your unwanted items online to dozens of potential buyers.
1. Provide Relevant Information in Your Item Listings
Find out as much as you can about any items you decide to list online. Because the more information you can provide to prospective buyers, the easier it becomes for a buyer to determine whether a particular item is the right choice.
There is no need to stretch the truth in your online item listings, either. If you provide accurate, relevant information, you can help a buyer make an informed decision.
2. Add High-Quality Photos
A picture is worth a thousand words, particularly for those who list items online. Thus, if you add high-quality photos to complement your online listings, you can instantly show off your items to large groups of prospective buyers.
You don't need to be an expert photographer to take high-quality photographs of your items. If you use a smartphone, tablet or digital camera, you should have no trouble capturing top-notch images that you can upload onto a computer without delay. Then, you can add these photos to your item listings and help buyers see exactly what you have to offer.
3. Be Ready to Respond to Concerns and Questions
If a buyer has a concern or question about an online item listing, you should be ready to quickly connect with this individual and provide him or her with the requested information. By doing so, you may be able to speed up the process of getting rid of unwanted items.
As you start selling items online and get ready to search for a house, you may want to find a real estate agent as well. If you hire a real estate agent, you can receive expert housing market assistance as you prepare to pursue your dream residence.
A real estate agent is happy to guide you along each stage of the homebuying journey. First, he or she will help you craft an effective homebuying strategy. A real estate agent next will keep you up to date about houses that fall within your price range and meet your desired criteria. Furthermore, if you find a home you want to buy, a real estate agent will help you craft a competitive offer to purchase. And if your offer is approved, a real estate agent will do everything possible to ensure you can finalize your home purchase as soon as possible.
Don't wait to get started on the homebuying journey reach out to a real estate agent today, and you can begin your quest for your dream house.
A homebuying budget can make a world of difference, particularly for those who want to streamline a house search. If you have a budget at your disposal, you will know approximately how much you can spend on a residence. Then, you can narrow your house search accordingly.
Establishing a homebuying budget can be simple. Now, let's take a look at three tips to help you do just that.
1. Evaluate Your Finances
Your income and savings can have far-flung effects on your ability to acquire your dream house. If you perform an in-depth review of your finances, you can find out exactly how much money you have available before you launch a house search.
It often is a good idea to consider your long-term finances as you prepare to kick off a house search, too. A house usually is a long-term investment. And if you account for your long-term finances in your homebuying budget, you may be better equipped than ever before to conduct a successful home search.
2. Get Pre-Approved for a Mortgage
Banks and credit unions are happy to teach you about different types of mortgages. Plus, they can help you get pre-approved for a mortgage without delay.
To get pre-approved for a mortgage, you should meet with several banks and credit unions. Of course, if you have mortgage questions, you should address them before you submit a mortgage application. Once you have a mortgage in hand, you can establish a price range for your house search.
3. Examine Your Potential Closing Costs
Attorney fees, house inspection expenses and other closing costs may surprise some homebuyers. Yet if you understand your potential closing costs, you can plan ahead for these expenses.
Closing costs generally range between 2 percent and 5 percent of a house's purchase price. They also may be incorporated into the overall cost of a house. However, if you evaluate potential closing costs early in the homebuying journey, you can account for these expenses in your property buying budget.
As you get ready to launch a house search, you may want to hire a real estate agent, too. This housing market professional understands what it takes to find and acquire a terrific home at a budget-friendly price. Therefore, he or she will do everything possible to help you accomplish your homebuying goals as quickly as possible.
If you want to purchase a house close to your office in the city, for instance, a real estate agent will offer tips and recommendations to help you find a first-rate house in or near the city itself. On the other hand, if you aspire to own a home that boasts multiple bedrooms, a real estate agent will help you hone your house search to residences that fall in line with your expectations.
Ready to launch a successful home search? Thanks to the aforementioned tips, you can prepare an effective homebuying budget. As a result, you could speed up your quest to discover and purchase your dream house.
Believe it or not, getting pre-approved for a mortgage can be quick and simple, even for a first-time homebuyer. In fact, here are three tips to help a first-time homebuyer streamline the process of receiving pre-approval for a mortgage:
1. Meet with Several Lenders
Many mortgage lenders are available in cities and towns nationwide. Meanwhile, these mortgage experts are happy to teach first-time homebuyers about assorted mortgage options and help them get pre-approved for a mortgage.
Set up face-to-face meetings with various lenders in your area. That way, a first-time homebuyer can gain unparalleled insights into a wide range of mortgage options.
In addition, don't hesitate to ask questions during meetings with banks and credit unions. Mortgage lenders possess comprehensive mortgage expertise, and as such, a first-time homebuyer can rely on these mortgage professionals to receive the support that he or she needs to make an informed decision.
2. Understand Your Credit Score
Do you know your credit score? Ultimately, a first-time homebuyer's credit score may dictate his or her ability to obtain the ideal mortgage.
An individual can request a free copy of his or her credit report from each of the three major credit reporting agencies (Equifax, Experian and TransUnion) once a year. This report may prove to be exceedingly valuable, as it can help a homebuyer identify opportunities to improve his or her credit score before a mortgage application is submitted.
Also, if you identify errors in your credit report, it is paramount to contact the agency that provided the report immediately. This will allow you to correct any potential errors quickly and ensure that they won't affect your ability to get the best possible mortgage.
3. Consider Your Homebuying Budget
A first-time homebuyer may have lofty expectations prior to entering the real estate market. However, this individual should consider his or her finances before submitting a mortgage application.
With a budget in hand, a homebuyer can establish realistic expectations as he or she tries to get pre-approved for a mortgage. Plus, this homebuyer may be better equipped than others to obtain pre-approval for a mortgage and accelerate his or her search for the perfect residence.
Lastly, it may be worthwhile for a first-time homebuyer to meet with a real estate agent to learn more about assorted mortgage options.
A real estate agent understands the challenges associated with purchasing a house for the first time. As a result, this housing market professional can teach a homebuyer about all aspects of the property buying journey and help this buyer plan accordingly.
Perhaps best of all, a real estate agent can set up home showings, keep a homebuyer up to date about new residences as they become available and negotiate with a home seller on a buyer's behalf. This housing market professional will even provide honest, unbiased homebuying recommendations to make it easy for a property buyer to acquire a top-notch residence at a budget-friendly price.
Move one step closer to purchasing your dream house use the aforementioned tips, and a first-time homebuyer can speed up the process of getting pre-approved for a mortgage.
If you want to buy your dream house in the near future, you likely will need to put together a competitive offer to purchase. That way, you can boost the likelihood of receiving an immediate "Yes" from a property seller after you submit your homebuying proposal.
Ultimately, it helps to know what differentiates a competitive homebuying proposal from a lowball one. If a homebuyer understands what to offer for a residence, he or she should have no trouble purchasing the right residence at the right price.
To better understand how to acquire your dream house at the lowest-possible price, let's take a look at three tips to help you determine what to offer for a residence.
1. Study the Housing Market Closely
The housing market experiences ebbs and flows. Therefore, a real estate sector that favors homebuyers one day may favor home sellers the next. And if you fail to learn about the current state of the real estate market, you may struggle to put together a competitive offer to purchase your ideal residence.
Analyze the prices of available houses in your area, the prices of recently sold houses in your preferred cities and towns and other housing market data. With this information in hand, you can find out whether you're operating in a buyer's or seller's market. Then, you can craft an offer to purchase your dream residence that accounts for the present state of the real estate market.
2. Weigh the Pros and Cons of Your Dream Home
No house is perfect, and even your dream home may have its fair share of flaws. Fortunately, a homebuyer who assesses the pros and cons of a house may be better equipped than ever before to submit a competitive offer to purchase this residence.
If you view a house multiple times, you can learn about all aspects of this home and assess any property damage. After you obtain these home insights, you can create a competitive offer to purchase that accounts for the house's current condition.
3. Collaborate with a Real Estate Agent
When it comes to purchasing a house at a price that matches your expectations, it generally is beneficial to work with a real estate agent. This housing market professional will do everything possible to help you buy your dream home at a price that fits your budget.
A real estate agent understands the ins and outs of the real estate sector and can help you map out a successful homebuying strategy. He or she first will offer insights into available homes in your preferred cities and towns. Next, when you find your dream residence, a real estate agent will help you craft a competitive homebuying proposal. And if your offer to purchase is accepted, a real estate agent will make it easy to navigate the final steps of the homebuying journey.
Ready to streamline your quest for your ideal house? Use the aforementioned tips, and you can improve your chances of acquiring your dream home at a price that you can afford.
Buying a home represents a life-changing decision. As such, you'll want to look beyond the price of a residence as you search for your dream house.
Ultimately, there are many factors beyond price that you should consider as you pursue your ideal residence, including:
1. A Home's Location
For most homebuyers, a house's location is the number one factor when they explore the real estate market, and perhaps it is easy to understand why.
Finding a home in a location that is convenient for you is priceless. And if you know how to conduct a comprehensive home search, you can quickly discover a high-quality home in a wonderful location.
As you prepare to kick off your home search, consider whether you'd like to live in a city or town. This will enable you to narrow your home search.
You also may want to consider homes that are located near work or school. By doing so, you can ensure that you won't have to travel too far to get to destinations that you frequently visit.
2. A Home's Condition
A home may look like a great investment at first, but its condition may have deteriorated over time. Thus, you'll want to take a close look at a house's condition before you finalize a home purchase.
Typically, a homebuyer will complete a property inspection after a home seller accepts an offer on a residence. This inspection will enable a homebuyer to perform an in-depth assessment of a residence and learn about its strengths and weaknesses. Then, a homebuyer can determine whether to move forward with a home acquisition.
If a property inspector discovers myriad issues that impact a home's condition, a homebuyer may want to reconsider his or her offer. At this point, a homebuyer can still walk away from a home purchase. Or, a homebuyer can ask the home seller to complete various home improvements as well.
On the other hand, a homebuyer who falls in love with a house may choose to proceed with a home purchase, regardless of the residence's condition. If you choose this option, however, it is important to consider the potential long-term ramifications of your decision.
3. Your Future
It is paramount for a homebuyer to find a house that he or she can enjoy for years to come. Therefore, a homebuyer should consider his or her future before finalizing a home purchase.
For example, if you plan to settle down and start a family, you may want to evaluate houses that are close to schools. Conversely, if you eventually want to work in the big city, you may want to consider homes that will make it easy to commute into the city day after day.
Don't forget to hire a real estate agent to help you during the homebuying journey too. With a real estate agent at your side, you should have no trouble examining a broad range of top-notch houses that won't force you to break your budget.


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The Local Exhaust Shop Installed new Collectors for us. The collectors bolt up to the Headers and have to be welded to the exhaust pipe, funneling all ... Show morethe sound from your headers into one exhaust pipe. One of my old ones was rusted too bad on the mating lip to bolt up good anymore. Like everything else in these new pics, they're muddy from test drives, sorry! Show Less
Here's a sneak peek at the oldest and most current work in progress,My 1986 Chevy Silverado Shortbed 4x4. She's spotin' a 350ci ... Show moreV8, Headers, 350 Turbo Xmission, '700R type' xfer Case w/adapter. 15" stock wheels and 31" BFG All-Terrain Tires. Show Less
Before ... Show more60; After More pix to follow soon, and the testing of the ACU pattern in Grey Tones should start before long! Ordering new 35" Mud Tires this week!Stay Tuned! The BF Goodrich Mud Terrains came in! Got em mounted just in time for a Big Snow! The low back end is from 400lbs of Top Soil I was using for Traction! A good tip my buddy gave me, only cost about 12 dollars at Lowes and you got 400 lbs of weight over the rear axle! Show Less


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To each their own! I would rather have photos that differ to the million identical photos that other people have taken of a place. It's a souvenir; it's something to send my family and friends, so they can see I'm safe and happy (my mum definitely wishes I'd take my photos of myself to send her when she misses me!); it's something I can one day show my grandkids, so I can teach them the importance of travel and show them what I spent my twenties doing.
Speaking of your body, this is the phase of travel where your body really starts to hate you, so come equipped to pamper it as best you can. Germaphobes, bring hand sanitizer and your own travel pillow. Prone to tight muscles or leg cramps? Bring a tennis ball to roll out what aches, or place it under a leg to release pressure in a knot. Frequent travelers might consider investing a pair of compression socks to increase blood flow during such long periods of immobility.
Now, we travel with just carry-on sized luggage. This saves us money on check-in fees (though budget airlines are now starting to charge for carry-on bags too); it reduces the risk of our bags being lost or stolen, and; it means that we're a lot more mobile. Walking a kilometer or so with our bags is not a problem, which it would be with the enormous backpacks we used to travel with.
The tips and information here help you know the ins and outs of travel in the Golden State, with tips on best times to travel, transportation, accommodation and camping, even good-sense guides for bicycle fans. Details here can help plan your trip and tell you where to turn for more useful information and insider tips once you get here. Happy planning.
At least every six months I'll empty my laptop bag and suitcase and remove items that I don't regularly use. There are tons of travel and technology gadgets that seem like good ideas, and it can be tempting to pack backup clothing, batteries, and a half-dozen pairs of shoes, but at some point you're going to be dragging, lifting, and hauling those items while they contribute nothing to your trip. In all but rare cases, items from clothing to chargers are available nearly anywhere in the world, so six pounds of backup gear is probably not worth hauling for a year on the off chance you will need it and can't find a local replacement.
Want to know how to travel the world? I've put together a page full of useful travel resources with tips and tricks I've learned after consistently traveling for over ten years. Learn how I make a living while traveling, the best travel hacks that will save you money, how to find cheap flights and accommodation, how to choose the best carry-on luggage, how to choose the best travel camera, how to start a travel blog, and more.
I always thought money belts, neck wallets, and bra purses were for carrying "extra" cash or so you didn't have to leave money behind in your room or lose it all if robbed. For example, I have $50 in my regular purse. If I spend all of it, when I have some privacy, I'll pull $50 from my hidden stash in my bra purse (attaches to the strap or side of a bra) and put it in my purse. There are comfortable bands that can be strapped around the thigh. These aren't meant to be accessed during transactions.
The next thing you'll want to do is prepare your personal item carry-on bag with anything you'll want with you on the flight. It's always a good idea to make sure you have an outfit (or two) and a few essential toiletries in your personal item just in case your luggage is lost. If you'll be traveling around to multiple destinations, make sure this bag has items to keep you cozy on any train, boat or bus rides. It's always nice to have a bag that's easy to access so you don't have to get into your luggage each time you need your eye mask. But remember, you'll be carrying all of this, so keep it light.
"When there are problems with the flight, most people start out annoyed or even hostile. If I tell the agents what a great job they're doing and how I admire their patience, they'll often go to extraordinary lengths for me," says motivational speaker Barry Maher. "I once had a gate agent spend 45 minutes to get me rebooked on another airline. Then she called the gate, grabbed one of my carry-ons and ran with me to security. When I got to the gate, the agent bumped me into first class."
The western foothills of the Sierra Nevada Range, defining California's eastern border, are known as the Gold Country, named after the rich Mother Lode discovered here in the mid-1850s. While gold is still found in the region, new riches include top museums and art in Sacramento, the state capital, plus whitewater rafting, tucked-away towns, farm-fresh dining, and award-winning wines.
Don't arrive at your holiday destination and be faced with a pile of ironing. To save space and stop creasing, roll your clothes instead of folding them, then place them in vacuum compression bags. To use these bags, put your clothes in, seal the bag, then squeeze the air out. This will leave you with lots more space in your suitcase and will prevent creases.
I'm definitely testament to that! But expecting everything to go perfectly on your trip is only setting yourself up to fail. Nobody goes travelling and comes back without any stories of mishaps! No matter how prepared you are, at some point you're going to get lost, get scammed, miss your bus, get food poisoning, injure yourself… the list is endless! Expect it to happen, and don't beat yourself up when it does. In a month's time, you'll find it funny rather than frustrating.
Now, remember, we skipped the cocktail in the airport. We're going to skip it again now. Traveling, especially onboard airplanes, can be extremely dehydrating. So, to put it one way, it's best to not "drink and fly," unless what you're drinking is water. The air itself on the plane is also quite dry, so beyond hydrating, many travelers opt to bring moisturizers, eye-drops, and lip balms as well.
Longing for a long-distance getaway but don't have a passport? You can still jet off to a faraway island overseas. Consider Puerto Rico, officially an unincorporated territory of the United States; the U.S. Virgin Islands, mere minutes from Puerto Rico by plane; Northern Mariana Islands, a collection of Micronesian islands governed by the United States since the Battle of Saipan in 1944; Guam, which is home to a heavy U.S. military presence; and American Samoa, a collection of five volcanic islands and two atolls between Fiji and the Cook Islands.
What can I say that hasn't already been said. Travel is a life changing experience which draws people together and educates. Even if you don't have plans to sell everything and travel continuously, the best tip I could give is to travel to a different country at least once in your life. See how other people live their lives. Witness the day to day things like going to the market, or how something simple like lunch is done in Spain, France or Italy. Having this perspective is a good thing and helps understand the world a little bit better.
Most people choose mid-morning to start their exploration. Get to the main attractions and famous sights as they open and relish the luxury of having the place all to yourself. It's a great way to enjoy the otherwise crowded touristy places in peace. Be an early riser. Get ahead of crowds. As a family traveler, I'd say waking the kids up at the crack of dawn is hard but well worth an effort. Better than dealing with the hordes of tourists and cranky kids. Isn't it?
It's great to have a guidebook, something to point you in the right direction and give you background information on the places you're visiting. The mistake first-time travellers make, however, is only doing things listed in the guidebook – only visiting the restaurants, staying in the hostels and visiting the attractions that get the guidebook's stamp of approval. There's more to the world than the bits listed in those pages.
So many tips here that I live by. After 5 years on the road I came to #4 (kids). Recently had a month in USA and happily did #12 (blow budget) but we have come back and said to ourselves that it's not really worth those massive big budget blowing trips with our little one only being 2 yo (almost 3) as she can get great fun out of almost anything. We took her to Disneyland and her best time was a bench seat that had old tractor seats on it!
Once you know your travel dates, look for networking opportunities at your destination. Check events around the area and find a way to squeeze one into your schedule, if possible. You might want to consider extending another day if it also results in a lower airplane fare while acquiring new leads. Always be ready by having extra business cards on hand. If you don't know where to start checking, Skyline listed tips on how to find business networking events in every destination
I am particular about having my toiletries organized and in one place. So, I was excited to find the "Hanging multi pocket cosmetic bag" from The Container Store. The hanging hook is the key to the product. It's great to bring to budget hotels that may not have much sink space. I can hang it on a lamp or on the door, and have my shampoo, perfume, makeup, cotton balls, etc. in one place. This is a travel essential must have!
Perfecting the art of beating jet lag is a feat achieved by few, but there are a few important tips to at least get the amateur business traveler started. It's always best to leave home well-rested so you avoid starting off on the wrong foot. From there, it is best to try to get as much sleep as you would in a 24-hour period at home. Your time in the air can either help or hinder you, as a plane is a great place to sleep, but often a difficult place to stay awake, if that's what you need to do to settle into a new time zone. Either way, it is key to stay up until the local bedtime at your destination and not sleep in the following morning. Depending on which way you travel, the pros either recommend short naps and good coffee or short-acting insomnia medications like temazepam.
Major airport can provide on-site assistance to and from flights, including wheelchairs; call your airline in advance for details. Some rental car companies offer specially outfitted vehicles with hand controls, wheelchair accessibility, and other assistive devices. Amtrak train service provides added services for passengers with disabilities, as well as a 15% discount on regular travel fares.
Put your toiletries in a plastic bag inside your laptop case, since those need to come out during security, anyway. Forget about bringing running gear along. It takes too much space in your bag, you will not have the time to go running anyway and chances are, it will make your fresh shirts smell of old trainers. Instead, bring a bathing suit and hop in the hotel pool.
Before you go on a big trip, it is tempting to try and plan every aspect of it. As tempting as it might seem, make sure to leave plenty of room for serendipity. Try to just plan the skeleton of your trip and leave room in between for discovery and for things to come up which you didn't plan. Talk to other travelers that you meet on the ground and you'll have a much better idea of what you want to do once you land.
Speaking of your body, this is the phase of travel where your body really starts to hate you, so come equipped to pamper it as best you can. Germaphobes, bring hand sanitizer and your own travel pillow. Prone to tight muscles or leg cramps? Bring a tennis ball to roll out what aches, or place it under a leg to release pressure in a knot. Frequent travelers might consider investing a pair of compression socks to increase blood flow during such long periods of immobility.
Download the Google Translate app before you leave and use the camera feature for translating menus, signs, posters, and anything else you need to read. You simply press the camera icon, aim your phone at the text, and it translates it all in real-time for you. This was so unbelievably helpful for menus in Taiwan, where I had no idea what anything was.
"I couple the carry-on mentality with wearing my bulkiest clothing items for the travel itself. If you sport your bulkiest shoes and a jacket, you can clear plenty of space for more items in your carry-on while having an extra layer for the chilly plane ride. I also pack a large plastic bag in my carry-on that I can use after passing security to redistribute any items from my luggage and store my shoes overhead during the flight. Bring a pair of comfortable socks and enjoy your upgraded shoe-free leg room, all while experiencing the relief of embracing the minimalist approach to packing and enabling your trip to be filled with experiences rather than clutter."
Patrick Gray works for a global Fortune 500 consulting and IT services company and is the author of Breakthrough IT: Supercharging Organizational Value through Technology as well as the companion e-book The Breakthrough CIO's Companion. He has spent over a decade providing strategy consulting services to Fortune 500 and 1000 companies. Patrick can be reached at email@example.com, and you can follow his blog at www.itbswatch.com. All opinions are his and may not represent those of his employer.
The amount of time you should allow between connecting flights varies depending on the airport, the airline, and whether or not you'll have to clear customs or go through security to switch terminals. As a general rule of thumb, it's safe to assume that, on domestic connections, anything less than 45 minutes is a bad ideaâand you'll likely be better off doubling that amount of time and scheduling about 90 minutes between flights. For international flights connecting with domestic flights, add enough time to clear customs.
How much food can you order in business class? One might think it is unlimited, and certainly, it's almost impossible to go hungry. But, even the best business class products are limited to how much food is on board. We've noticed that it is not often you are able to order a second starter or entree, but there are always snacks. One of the best business class experiences was on Cathay Pacific where we ordered a freshly made burger as a mid-flight snack.
Duct tape can fix just about anything—including baggage. That's why we picked duct tape as one of the Top 10 Travel Essentials that Cost Less Than $10. Pack duct tape in your bag to protect your bag. Broken zippers, rips, and torn handles can be fixed with a sliver of trusty silver tape. Don't worry. You don't need to pack the whole heavy roll. Pick up a package of travel duct tape before your next trip.
As I mention above, every minute you pass without a seat assignment is another minute that your aisle or window seat is given to someone else. Your best bet is to check in online, which can typically be done up to 24 hours before your flight. But note that not all flights, airlines or classes of travel permit advance check-in (or seating assignments).
Laying by the beach and chilling with a trusty gather organiser! Only this one is special. It's woven by our artisan communities! . . . . . #giftsandgraces #fairtrade #handmade #upcycle #socialgood #socialimpact #philippines #filipino #pinoy #pinoymade #proudlypinoy #madeinthephilippines #locallymade #proudlylocal #trylocalph #gadget #gadgetorganizer #organizer #flatlay
It'll likely be much heavier than you think. When I first went for a walk with mine, I went straight home and took out a third of the things I had in it. This will really help you narrow down what are essentials and what you don't need. I even have a rule when I travel that I try to throw out three things from my backpack every time I travel to a new destination. It sounds like a lot, but I include things like the paracetamol tablets I haven't taken in nine months or my spare pair of tweezers or the pile of receipts I've been lugging around.
TripAdvisor is fine when you need opening hours or an address, but when it comes to reviews I ignore it completely. People always leave a negative review when something bad happens but rarely leave a positive review when something good happens so the reviews tend to be skewed. On top of that, it's very easy to create fake reviews and make a place seem better than it is. Many hotels and restaurants hire firms to artificially inflate their reviews on the platform. Additionally, TripAdvisor has been known to take down reviews that are overly negative as well reviews on sexual assualt. Use TripAdvisor with caution. Or better yet, don't use it at all.
Shop Light: Most shoes were not designed with weight in mind, but shoes sold by travel outfitters tend to be the exception. If you're looking for lightweight options built for comfort, start with a company like Magellan's or TravelSmith. The offerings may not reach any pinnacles of fashion, but there's enough variety that most travelers can find something suitable. And, unlike most online sellers, travel outfitters often list shoe weight in the specs, so you can shop accordingly.
Little rubber doorstops hide out behind hotel-room doors, waiting for fleeting moments of glory. And while the unassuming devices are put there so guests can prop open their doors, they're just as effective at keeping doors shut. So if you want an added level of security when you turn in for the night, wedge the doorstop under the bolted door. Voila, you've just added an additional lock.
The best business traveler knows how to pack both the absolute minimum and everything he or she could possibly need. The basic key to this is remembering the purpose of the trip: business. A pro business traveler packs his or her personal items efficiently and packs a disaster kit for business because being shy that one adapter or not bringing a flash drive can cost one a deal.
Longing for a long-distance getaway but don't have a passport? You can still jet off to a faraway island overseas. Consider Puerto Rico, officially an unincorporated territory of the United States; the U.S. Virgin Islands, mere minutes from Puerto Rico by plane; Northern Mariana Islands, a collection of Micronesian islands governed by the United States since the Battle of Saipan in 1944; Guam, which is home to a heavy U.S. military presence; and American Samoa, a collection of five volcanic islands and two atolls between Fiji and the Cook Islands.
8. Manage your money. If you plan on using your debit and credit cards, make sure to notify your bank in advance that you'll be abroad, or you may find your card blocked for suspicious activity. Research beforehand where are the best spots to exchange your money into local currency as ATMs might be scarce in certain places. When out and about, always carry a small amount of cash with you.
Matt, great tips but can't agree with you on Trip Advisor. Whilst I agree what you stated does go on as with a lot of similar sites ( false reports etc) , I have used it a lot as a guide to hotels, tour companies, private organizations, general travel advice and not once did I think I was deceived. The travellers reports were spot on when I got there and used them. So there is a lot of good in Trip Advisor as a helpful tool when I travel. I think you're being a little to harsh on them. Keep up the great work for us. Cheers
Forgot the plug? No converter? Have a smartphone? Ahem, just plug it into the TV. Who knows how many times I've done a very thorough job of packing everything... except my phone charger. Thanks to this Lifehacker tip there is no longer any need to go buy a new charger when you've forgotten it on the road. Chances are most hotel TVs (mainly smart TV's) have a USB port.
Don't assume that buying the most expensive designer suitcase will get you an upgrade – instead, it's more likely to attract thieves at the airport and on your travels. It's better to be inconspicuous and go for a lightweight option. If you're using a hardshell suitcase, this can add up to four kilos of weight before you've even started packing, so expensive isn't always best.
If humans were shaped like shrimp, the C-shape of most airline seats would be super comfortable. Since we're not, passengers regularly stumble off the plane with achy backs, necks, and legs. Sitting for long periods is already hard on your back, and without lumbar support, your spine and the muscles in your lower back have to work even harder to maintain healthy alignment. Counteract the crush by wedging a blanket, scarf, or rolled-up sweater behind you to allow your lower back to maintain its natural curve.
I would definetely prefer an aisle seat on International flights, I frequently use the bathroom and it could be a little bit uncomfortable to bother other people while I´m on the window seat, plus on long flights I go to my hand luggage very frequently, to take out a book, to put it back, to take some slippers, to take them out, etc… I´m such a mess hehe…
Pack light! Vegas loves to give stuff away and if you like to shop, buying a new suitcase can be pricey on the strip. So, bring an empty bag for your new stuff! Vegas in the summer is super hot- sometimes 120 degrees! You don't want sweat your clothes out before your important meeting, so dress light! Bring at least one outfit in case you get invited to dinner, a club, or VIP event as the club owners & restaurants don't allow you in if you are not dressed to impress.
That said, remember that a work trip isn't your own personal spring break. Even if you're technically off the clock, after-hours events with your co-workers are not the time to ride the mechanical bull, challenge a local to a drinking contest, or re-enact your favorite scene from Coyote Ugly. What happens at the regional sales conference doesn't necessarily stay at the regional sales conference—and you don't want to run the risk of your bad behavior making it back to your boss. A good rule of thumb is not to drink more on a work trip than you would at any other business function.
You can also land a cheaper flight by knowing when to shop. Although not all business travelers have the luxury of planning a trip six weeks in advance in order to catch that well-known Tuesday at 3:00 P.M. trick, most flights are also slightly cheaper just after midnight any night, after all 24-hour holds are lifted. Deleting browser cookies can also work to your advantage, as, with them, ticket prices tend to go up after you've visited multiple travel websites.
Today I'm sharing with you - my top travel tips on how to pack like a pro. No more over packing, it's time to get organized and travel light. Here are my favorite 11 travel hacks for 2017. I am going to share with you some of my travel essentials and how to stay organized when traveling light. Check out my travel Playlist for other tips like How to Pack 10 Days worth of Outfits in a carry on: https://goo.gl/eAEdMC
No real reason, Gabbi! I'm just one person and I only have a limited amount of time in which to visit different places — if it wasn't Latin America, it'd be somewhere else. There's no real reason why I haven't made it there yet — I actually planned a trip there a couple of years ago, but got my book deal and had to cancel it to work on that — and I definitely hope to see the region soon! :-)
Speaking of your body, this is the phase of travel where your body really starts to hate you, so come equipped to pamper it as best you can. Germaphobes, bring hand sanitizer and your own travel pillow. Prone to tight muscles or leg cramps? Bring a tennis ball to roll out what aches, or place it under a leg to release pressure in a knot. Frequent travelers might consider investing a pair of compression socks to increase blood flow during such long periods of immobility.
We've all experienced hotel letdown. You arrive at what you thought would be a majestic place to stay, only to be assigned a corner room on the first floor, with a view of the parking lot and the faint scent of cigarettes in the air. Pro tip: This is why you should pretty much ALWAYS ask to switch hotel rooms after seeing the first one you're offered. Oftentimes, the second room you're assigned (or third, or fourth if you're the daring sort) is much, much better than the first. All it takes is a gentle inquiry to land something spectacular, even when it's not what the front desk initially prescribed.
While abroad for work, you shouldn't lose the opportunity to get to know the city, its main attractions and hidden gems. A very fun and affordable way to do it is by taking a tour based on tips. In a few hours, you'll have a good overview of the city and you can give what you want after the tour, according to your budget and experience. Most tours can be booked the day before, for free, which makes it the perfect option if you have a meeting canceled. As said, it's also a very fun experience, as tour guides are doing their best to get more tips. Ideal for unwinding after a busy day.
I don't think the car service is available for every airline, but is pretty common on business and first class travel on the Middle East Airlines like Etihad and Emirates. I think Etihad will even drive you from Abu Dhabi to Dubai… I tried seeing if they would pick us up in Limerick and drive us across Ireland, a 2+ hour drive, but they limit it to 50km from the airport.
I would definetely prefer an aisle seat on International flights, I frequently use the bathroom and it could be a little bit uncomfortable to bother other people while I´m on the window seat, plus on long flights I go to my hand luggage very frequently, to take out a book, to put it back, to take some slippers, to take them out, etc… I´m such a mess hehe…
You must be age 18 or older to purchase tobacco products in the state. Smoking is prohibited in all public buildings (including restaurants, bars, and casinos) and enclosed spaces throughout California. It is illegal to smoke within 20 feet of doorways or windows of government buildings. Most large hotels have designated smoking rooms; if you smoke, request one—most hotels will fine guests who smoke inside a nonsmoking room. Many cities in California have passed ordinances prohibiting smoking in public areas, and smoking is prohibited in some national and state park buildings and areas.
No, it is not a good idea. Liberals have been giving these people the idea they are special and privileged above the rest of Canadians simply because their ancestors lived here before Europeans arrived. This is creating animosity and division like we have never seen before. All Canadians should be officially simply Canadians. Leave our historic traditions and symbols alone and stop trying to tear down our statues of our first PM, John A MacDonald.
Buy a sectioned vinyl pocket folder, preferably 6 to 10 pockets, and subdivide information. Pocket 1 holds travel info like ticket information, boarding passes and car/hotel reservations. Pocket 2 might be things to do or see at your destination. Pockets 3-6 might be work to do on the plane subdivided into different projects. One pocket could hold some fun things like a word search puzzle, my favorite.
Unfortunately, UK residents (and basically anyone who isn't in the US) just don't have access to the crazy amount of points that Americans can get with credit cards and whatnot. It's not much of a thing in the UK — there are rarely signup bonuses, and if there are, they're crap. I'm really not loyal to one particular airline, either — I fly with budget airlines 99% of the time, which don't have rewards programs, and I only take one or two long-haul flights a year. Also! Because I spend a lot of my time in developing countries, I very rarely pay for things with a card, so I probably wouldn't meet spending requirements.
Whether it's that steamy romance novel, thrilling sci-fi, or a dog-eared travel guide, download it before your trip. Even if at home you're a paper-til-I-die sort, save the space and weight for your holiday. And don't count on wi-fi to jump back into the story from your perfectly positioned beach chair. Make sure it's on a water-resistent covered device (check out Otterbox for some serious protection for your cherished e-reader, phone or tablet).
Hello Lauren, great tips. thanks so much for sharing! I've been doing lots of searches as well for travel tips and your tips are very helpful. I'm not new in traveling, but end August I will be taking for the first time a 6 months trip and yes with a bag pack for the first time ha ha. I just lay out all the clothes that I want to bring with me. I still have to sort out what I actually need to avoid overpacking. Considering I'll be traveling around in S.America where weather varies a lot from one country to another , packing is a little bit tricky I find. But you are right when in doubt do not bring them! I need to check out the solid shampoo and conditioner. i have dry shampoo as well but they only come in 200ml, was looking for something smaller. Will also check out HERE maps and make use of the camera on google translate! As you can see your post is really helpful! thanks a lot and keep sharing ;-)
Make your business travel more enjoyable by combining it with a tax deductible weekend getaway! End your business meeting at noon Friday and enjoy the weekend at your location. Have another business related meeting on Monday, such as with a business associate, a prospect or even a seminar that ties into your business. Bring a spouse with you and deduct 100% of the hotel costs and your meals. Keep records of the reason of your business both before and after the weekend, and keep all receipts.
When you receive something fragile in the mail, save the bubble wrap. It's perfect for protecting breakables in your luggage, from wine bottles (staple the bubble wrap around the bottle) to snow-globe souvenirs. Packing apples or pears for a snack on the plane? Fold them in bubble wrap to prevent bruising. A stapled sleeve of bubble wrap also makes a suitable iPad or iPhone protector.
5. Consider a cycling event. Start by choosing an enticing ride and let that inspire your trip planning. On any given weekend, you'll find dozens of cycling events throughout California. Want to tackle a century (100 miles) in wine country? Attend a mountain biking clinic? Check the event calendars on SoCalCycling.com, Raceplace.com, Active.com, or TourOfCalifornia.bikefor ideas.
While we're on the subject of packing, remember to fill your suitcase with clothing appropriate to the occasion. Most importantly—if you're going to be flying with co-workers or meeting clients at the airport, make sure that your travel outfit can't be described using the words "velour" or "sweatsuit." Ditch the Uggs and opt for something cozy yet professional—ballet flats and a soft maxi skirt, for example.
For example, when I went to Cuba, I collected several bags of computer cables, electronics, and other household and personal items to donate through a local casa particular run by a family. When I went to Myanmar, I linked up with a group of punk rockers who volunteered to feed the homeless and provide school supplies to rural areas. My friends and I brought supplies and supported their compassionate work, and I wrote multiple articles about them.
The best way to fit more into your bag is to have a suitcase that grows with your packing needs. Expandable suitcases double as two bags in one, often starting out carry-on size but expanding to a larger bag when needed. We love the Briggs & Riley Baseline Domestic Carry-On Expandable Upright, which grows by 25 percent with the pull of a lever. If you're packing for a big trip (or need extra souvenir space on a return flight), simply expand the suitcase.
Sharon Schweitzer, J.D., is a cross-cultural trainer, modern manners expert, and the founder of Access to Culture (formerly Protocol & Etiquette Worldwide). In addition to her accreditation in intercultural management from the HOFSTEDE centre, she serves as a Chinese Ceremonial Dining Etiquette Specialist in the documentary series Confucius was a Foodie, on Nat Geo People. She is the resident etiquette expert on two popular lifestyle shows: ABC Tampa Bay's Morning Blend and CBS Austin's We Are Austin. She is regularly quoted by BBC Capital, Investor's Business Daily, Fortune, and the National Business Journals. Her Amazon #1 Best Selling book in International Business, Access to Asia: Your Multicultural Business Guide, now in its third printing, was named to Kirkus Reviews' Best Books of 2015. She's a winner of the British Airways International Trade Award at the 2016 Greater Austin Business Awards.
This sunny region along the state's southern coast is California's most populated region, best known as the capital of the entertainment industry. Here, movie stars really do work in Hollywood, play in the surf at Malibu, and shop in Beverly Hills. Looping freeways make the car king, but the region also has a surprisingly good network of buses and light rail—a hassle-free way to explore.
One thing I thnk you'd love which you may not yet know about is PortaPocket. Lets you safely, hands-free carry small essentials ON your body. Much more than any neck safe, money belt or leg wallet. It's a patented, wearable system that's modular, so it's really ALL of those in one, and works almost ANYwhere on your body (& either under/over your outfit). Super confy, detachable/interchangeable, easy to use. Go from a workout to a night out without skipping a beat. I won't leeave home without 'em, and haven't relied on a purse to carry my valuables in over 10 years. Freedom = GOOD!!
These genius flight hacks minimize the headache that comes with busy airports and long flights. But surprisingly, not every frequent flier knows them all. We were familiar with some tips, like the speed of TSA PreCheck and the ability to cancel almost any flight within 24 hours of booking, but other hacks were shocking news: You could get in-flight food faster as a vegetarian? And you can buy a day pass to an airline lounge?! So study up, learn 'em all, and pass this handy guide along to the travelers in your life. They'll thank you.
Will you be spending a lot of time in one particular country? A prepaid SIM card for the region you're visiting is an economical choice for overseas phone usage, and it allows you to make calls and use data exactly as many locals do: through a local provider. Switch your SIM card and you'll have a new local phone number and likely an affordable plan that puts scary-expensive international calling packages to shame. You won't be able to make or receive calls via your usual phone number, though.
No matter where you drive, remember the basic rules of the road. California law states that everyone in a vehicle must wear a seatbelt, and motorcyclists must wear a helmet. Speed limits are posted in miles per hour (mph). Generally, the speed limit on multilane freeways is 65mph/105 kilometers per hour (kph); on two-lane highways, the limit is generally 55 mph/90 kph. The speed limit on city streets is usually 35 mph/55 kph, though in residential areas and near schools, the limit is generally 25 mph/40 kph. It is against the law in California to write, send, or read text-based messages while driving, and drivers must use a hands-free device when speaking on a mobile phone.
When I was in Peru in 2010 with the intention of hiking the Machu Pichu Trail,that year there was massive floods and we were not allowed to do that hike.I had a Goretex jacket,hiking poles and boots ,and also I purchased some things along the way ,I had another 50 days left of my trip in South America and I did not want to carry all this extra stuff in my pack sack,one of the guides told me / us that we should send it home , from Lapaz Bolivia,where postage was cheap ,about $40 USD. Doing this I saved lots of space and weight,if you want to buy something some where sent it home ,mail parsel post.
DVT causes leg pain, but the real concern is that part of the clot could break off and flow to the heart or brain, causing severe injury or death. In its DVT pamphlet for travelers, the FAA advises airline passengers to increase leg-muscle activity while flying by walking around in the cabin or exercising lower legs and ankles from a seated position.
We've all experienced hotel letdown. You arrive at what you thought would be a majestic place to stay, only to be assigned a corner room on the first floor, with a view of the parking lot and the faint scent of cigarettes in the air. Pro tip: This is why you should pretty much ALWAYS ask to switch hotel rooms after seeing the first one you're offered. Oftentimes, the second room you're assigned (or third, or fourth if you're the daring sort) is much, much better than the first. All it takes is a gentle inquiry to land something spectacular, even when it's not what the front desk initially prescribed.
Hotels hate having empty rooms, so if you can, wait until the last minute to book your stay to get the best rates. On the other hand, if you need to cancel your hotel reservation last minute and want to avoid a cancellation fee, you can often manipulate a small loophole by rescheduling for a later date (which is usually free), and then calling and requesting a cancellation through another representative.
We've all experienced hotel letdown. You arrive at what you thought would be a majestic place to stay, only to be assigned a corner room on the first floor, with a view of the parking lot and the faint scent of cigarettes in the air. Pro tip: This is why you should pretty much ALWAYS ask to switch hotel rooms after seeing the first one you're offered. Oftentimes, the second room you're assigned (or third, or fourth if you're the daring sort) is much, much better than the first. All it takes is a gentle inquiry to land something spectacular, even when it's not what the front desk initially prescribed.
This rip-off is especially noxious because it is based on a lie—that the fuel surcharge somehow isn't part of the regular fare. How bad it is? Recently, British Airways posted a round-trip from Boston to London with a base fare of $208, plus $230 in government/airport/security taxes and fees and a $458 "carrier imposed" (read: "fuel") surcharge. Ridiculous!
Sharing Space: It may be awkward to share quarters with your colleague, but take it in stride and make the best of it. Be polite and give them privacy when they ask. Avoid using shared spaces such as the bathroom for extended periods. Get dressed and undressed in a private space to avoid awkward encounters. Offer to leave the room for a half-hour or so while they get ready. Hopefully they'll get the hint and return the favor.