http://www.articletrader.com/ Articles at ArticleTrader en-us http://www.articletrader.com/travel/so-you-need-to-rent-a-car.html http://www.articletrader.com/travel/so-you-need-to-rent-a-car.html Sun, 20 Aug 2006 00:00:00 -0500 The first step is making a reservation. This is a pretty important step, as there may be a time when you need a car and the rental companies are sold out. Also, making a reservation ahead of time almost always insures a better rate. As with any product in the travel industry, rates are based on availabilty. So, chances are the earlier you book the better deal you will get.

At the time of reservation you should be prepared to answer some simple questions:

- Dates the vehicle will be needed. Times are also important as most companies base a rental on a 24 hour clock, not calender day.

- The size car you need. Keep in mind passenger comfort, luggage and weather conditions. Chances are if there are 4 of you with luggage, a compact car isn't going to be too comfortable.

- Some companies require a credit card number to hold the reservation. Have it handy, just in case!

Also at the time of reservation, you may want to ask if there are any discounts offered. These may include AAA, Airline certificates, etc. Many companies cannot enter a discount at the counter, so if you don't ask when making the reservation you will not get a discount.

At the end of the phone call you will be given a reservation number. SAVE THIS! Bring it with you to the counter. Computer glitches happen and this will help to find your reservation in that event.

Now you are ready to rent the car. Be sure to bring your driver's license and a credit card in your name to the counter with you! If that "credit card" you are using, happens to be a DEBIT card( A bank issued card tied to your checking account) make sure the company accepts them. These are not credit based and are not truly credit cards, so many companies do not accept them. And those that do, usually have stipulations for their use. Find out BEFORE you go to pick up your car!

Now things are going fine, you have a reservation, you are at the counter and the agent starts asking all these questions! Whoa, you were't expecting all this! How do you answer? Let's see if I can help.

1. Would you like to upgrade into ..... today? This is a common practice to offer you a larger, sportier, etc vehicle. Usually these are at discounted rates as they are trying to clear an overflow of larger vehicles. Listen to what the agent says, you may just get a great deal on that SUV you've been wanting to try!

2. Do you need the Physical Damage Waiver (Collission, Loss Damage Waiver)?- Well, maybe you do. Let's see. First let me explain what this is. It is a waiver by the rental company stating that they will not hold you responsible for damage or theft of their vehicle. By now, you're saying "Nope I have Full coverage on my vehicle". OK, fair enough, but so do I and I ALWAYS take this waiver. Why?

I do not want to pay a deductible for any car I do not own. A blown tire or cracked windshield will probably fall under that dedutable amount.
My policy doesn't cover "loss of use" a fee the rental company can legally charge you for the days the car is not rentable waiting for repairs.
I do not want my personal policy's premiums to go up for three years due to damage on a car I do not own
But my credit card cover's it! We hear this a great deal too. Well, OK, but a credit card will not cover "loss of use" either AND they will only cover what your personal policy does not. So, there go your premiums again! Do a little research. Make sure the type of car you are renting is covered, too.

3. How about Liability Insurance? This is definately on I would consult my agent on! I know at my company we offer a PRIMARY liabilty policy of up to $1 million. So, for the same reasons as the Damage Waiver, it's a great deal. However, if the company offers Secondary Liability, this means they exhaust your personal policy before theirs kicks in. Find out ahead which is offerred and talk to your agent.

4. Why are they asking things like Where am I staying, 2 phone numbers, my company name? They ask these to protect their investment. They are letting you take a car valued at minimum $15,000 off the lot! They need some sort of insurance on their end, that the car is recoverable.

5. Do I want to PREPAY the gas? Hmmm this one is a bit tricky. And totally a preference. Basically prepaying the gas means you have purchased the full tank of gas at a discounted rate. There are no rebates for unused gas, so your object is to return the car as close to empty as possible.

Benefits - Gas is cheaper per gallon, convienience (no searching for a station), quickness
Downfalls - no refunds on unused gas, may be taxed on the rental
Well, I hope I have cleared up some confusion for those who do not rent often. And for those that do, maybe I've cleared up a few misconceptions.

Yes, as a rental agent, I earn a commission on these products! However, that in no way demeans the benefits of them. They are useful products and offer a benefit to anyone who decides to purchase them. I am not telling you that you do need them, just asking are you sure you don't!



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I am a car rental agent for a busy world wide company and have been for 10 years.
Collectible Treasures and Gifts Enter My Store


Source: http://www.articletrader.com ]]> http://www.articletrader.com/health/dental/tmj-alternative-treatments.html http://www.articletrader.com/health/dental/tmj-alternative-treatments.html Sun, 20 Aug 2006 00:00:00 -0500 HOW WRONG I WAS!
Since then, I have become much better educated! I learned that my debilitating headaches weren't migranes, but a result of this TMJ! I learned what TMJ really is. First what do those letters stand for? TMJ actually stands for Temporo-Mandibular Joint. This is the joint between your upper and lower jaw bones. A disfuntion of this joint can cause extreme discomfort and irrepairable damage to the jaw itself.

What are some signs?

Clenching
Grinding
Popping sound while chewing
Headaches
Jaw pain
If you notice these signs, talk to your dentist! He may recommend the use of a Nightguard . Or they may make one specially designed to fit your mouth. This is helpful if you grind your teeth at night. They may also discuss seeing a chiropractor.

In extreme instances, such as mine, surgery may be discussed. The surgery involves breaking the jaw and resetting it. Your mouth is then wired shut for a few months to heal. I then discussed this option with my physician. We didn't like the success rates, so we opted to check out an Orthodontist.

Orthodontist, you may be saying? Aren't they the ones who put braces on teenagers? Well, yes, they are! And they are the ones who put braces on me at 32 years old! Apparently, braces are a viable solution to the issue of TMJ. And they have a very high success rate (in the 80% range). However, they are very costly. And even after submitting referrals and fighting with both my medical and dental insurance companies, I did have to pay out of pocket to the tune of $7000.

I just had the braces removed after 18 months. I now have a retainer. Was it worth it? Well, I will be brutally honest- Braces as an adult HURT ALOT! But, keep in mind, they were moving my JAW, not just my teeth, so the pain was expected. I do get many fewer headaches and the intensity isn't what it used to be. I do have some irrepairable damage, I mentioned earlier. My damage is in the effect of a dime sized hole I wore out on my jaw bone. Bone cannot be replaced, so it'll always be there.

But, all in all, YES- I do believe going the route of braces was worth the pain and expense in the long run.

If you have been diagnosed with TMJ, do your homework! Get ALL of your options. And do not wait, as I did for treatment!

I hope this has helped at least one fellow sufferrer!



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I have suffered with TMJ for over 10 years. Finally after headaches would keep me down for days, I sought help. There was irrepairable damage at this point. Don't let this happen to you!

Collectible Treasures and Gifts Enter My Store






Source: http://www.articletrader.com ]]>