How to Save Money on plane tickets!

Paul
American Airlines Chicago Airport!

Track the Prices!

If you are looking for the cheapest possible tickets that you can buy. You will want to track the prices of the tickets through some website or app. I figured I’d give you a few that will help you in the future:

  • Flights.google.com — I’ve always used this to track flights from one airport to the another. It’s been a really good help for me to see which airports are the cheapest and it even emails you if the prices is going down or up.
  • Hopper — I’ve used this from time to time to find the cheapest tickets also. They have a nice tracking app but it can be spotty at times.
  • Cheapflights — Another website I like to use to check out if I can find a cheap flight to make it less hard on my wallet.
  • SkyScanner –  Is an excellent way to check out prices across multiple airlines and websites.
  • Expedia —  another good one which is Microsoft’s little website.

I know these are just a few. There are a ton of websites out that I occasionally use also to find the cheapest flights. You should start there and work you way around the web and see what other sites might work for you.

Fly on Tuesday or Thursday!

If you are looking to find the cheapest flights, it seems to be a common thing to find the cheapest flights on Tuesday or Thursday. So buying your tickets on Tuesday for a Tuesday flight in the future might give you the best results for cheap flights. Although I’ve seen low price flights on Fridays and Mondays but I find Tuesday and Thursday to be the best time to fly!

Notifications

Depending on which apps you use to monitor flight prices, you should always find apps to notify you if there is a change in prices.   There are many apps that will do that, I like Googles way of emailing you daily if the price goes up or down so you can decide when the right time to buy that ticket.   Kayak and other sites will also notify if you are registered with them so that you can also find the cheapest flight possible.   I already did one blog post about finding cheap flights but I wanted to update it and give you some more information on how to find those cheap flights.

Philippines will probably open up Late this year!

Paul
Dallas/Ft Worth International Airport Photo By Paul Sylvester
All Rights Reserved!

When’s the borders going to open up

This will be a speculative post about when I expect the Philippines to start allowing tourist into the country.   I’ve been seeing some stuff that I wanted to talk about.   I know this might not come true but I wanted to give people some hope in this evolving situation.   I’ve been talking to a few people left these last few days about this possibility.   Take what I say as you wish but who knows.

I’ve found some interesting stuff!

Now onto why I think it will be opening up in the coming months.   I predict it might be early fall to  fall.   I wouldn’t be surprised if it isn’t close to the Christmas season.   I’ve found flights that I haven’t seen before going into the country.   I’ve found Direct Flights going into the country from other areas other than Manilla.

These types of flights make me think that it will open up in the fall but they have yet to post any new flights to their flight timetable.   Even though these are just the summer schedules, I would love to see the fall or winter timetables and know what they are planning.

Twitter People

I seems that someone is asking the question we are all wondering about.  When do you expect the Philippines to open up to allow foreigners to come into their country.  I agree it is probably going to be later this year.   I however wanted to allow you the chance to see the results and or vote for when you think it will be available:

I really don’t see the Philippines opening up until November or December at the latest because of how the Government is handling the problem at hand.   I however could be wrong but I still wanted to share with you my thoughts on the matter.

Cebu to Open up?

There have been talk about Cebu opening up in the coming weeks to anyone who has a 9a existing visa.   This is something that also makes me really think if it will actually happen in the coming months.  Cebu also seems to be trying to make it easier to get into the country by not requiring you to do the 7 days in quarantine.   The Mayor even seeks to allow entry into cebu if your were vaccinated, I’ve not heard much else about this but the Cebu opening up might be just that.

Vaccinations

According to what I’ve heard they will have mass vaccinations in the 3rd Quarter.   So this means that they will potentially open up in November or December.   These are the reasons that I think the philippines will open up late this year.  I expect the IATA pass to start either just before this or just about the same time.    I just hope they start to open up the app so you can download and register with them so you can get your information in the system for that flight that you might be taking in the coming future.

I know this is just a little bit of the evidence that I think we see more flights and more chances of people getting into the philippines.   What’s your thoughts? Will it be open this year?  Do you think it will open sooner?

 

Is there a Difference between AntiMalware and Antivirus?

Paul

Photo By TheDigitalArtist

Is there a Difference?

In any system, we’ve all asked that question once or twice. Even I’ve asked that question at least once and I am sure it is a really slippery slope when it comes to defining if there is or isn’t a difference. We can analyze each one in parts but still come back with a question because each has its benefits in today’s economic atmosphere.    According to Wendy Zamora:

A virus is a piece of code that is capable of copying itself in order to do damage to your computer, including corrupting your system or destroying data.

So we can see a virus is specially designed code to copy itself and to do some really nasty things in your system but is that all it does?  Let’s dig a little deeper on this topic.

AntiMalware Vs AntiVirus?

When you hear Antimalware?  Does it bring anything to your mind or give you any ideas of what it is that they are doing or is it just a word you’ve heard?  According to Panda Security:

Antimalware and antivirus are not the same. They complement one another to act as the highest level of defense against malicious software, along with healthy online habits.

As you can see both of them aren’t the same and yet they do a lot to help each other out because they make what most people would call a layered security.   They help prevent some of the low profile infections that we seldom hear.    These programs create what I call a layered security.  Each one works to prevent all sorts of infections in a computer system and also helps keep your data safe from ransomware.

What should I do?

This is a common question when it comes to how to protect your system from all these different threats.   I personally use AVG Internet Security for my Home system and Malwarebytes also to help protect my system.   I really like AVG because it was simple to use and they have a great free version of it to download and use.  Another good one that I like to use is Superantispyware as a way to check my system from time to time and make sure it doesn’t see anything that those other two might miss.  Even if you only use one of each, you are far better off than just waiting for that infection to happen or that data loss to happen.   It can be quite troublesome if you don’t protect yourself and your data and keep the antivirus and antimalware up to date.

Do you have a favorite Antivirus or Antimalware?  Why not leave a comment and tell me why you like your choices?  I’d love to hear what you think of AVG, Malwarebytes or even SuperAntiSpyware?

Why diversity is a way to change ourselves

Paul
Picture by Gerd Altmann

Our Identity

Many times in my life people have asked who I am and what I have done in my life. Each question can be unique to my experiences in my current life.  We all have an identity that most don’t not know or even imagine.   We could be a scared, weak or unobtrusive person who has no real value to others.   I am a writer, a father, and even believe in God, it is something that defines who I am what I believe in and why I do the things I do.  One of my many accomplishments in life is know just how to be single and being as unique as possible and saying that’s ok.   Most people are afraid to try new things or do something that is outside of their comfort zones.  We rarely will move away from that which we are comfortable and that which we are so used to but you’ll find that even then we strive to be better than before.

The Words I would use

We all have our own vocabulary an unique speech pattern that can be identifiable and that means we could bring us even more understanding of our own selves.   The words I would use to describe, that can be quite difficult to even me because there are so many adverbs, and nouns, or even adjectives to describe me and I’m not sure what others would add or say about me.   I know I have confidence, honor, and even willingness to do the right thing.   I rarely will not say what I mean and do what I say but most will not.   I am thoughtful, and I am logical and even deeply thought provoking.   These are the words I would use to describe myself because they are who I am and what I’ve become.   I am a problem solver for sure and I even know my limitations, unlike some people that can bring even more problems than what anyone knows.

The Stereotypical People

I know we see all types of stereotypes of peoples in our lives.   I know somes terms of myself that sometimes what people have called me is a know it all.  I’ve seen stereotypes in others also sometimes it is people drinking or doing stuff like being a redneck and even then it can be strange to see in others and wonder what I must do not be like them.  There are so many things people worry about when it comes to being a stereotype but I find that is something we should strive not to worry about.  I appreciate that people are different and have their own uniqueness in our life and I try every day to appreciate even more than before.

Culturally Different

I’ll say that there is much better to see the people in different religions, parts of the world, and even the difference in how they were raised to help us see the impact we have on who will become and who we were.   If we can identity our cultural significance in the world we are much likely to be a better person and make an impact to others just like we were impacted when we were young.   Understanding our cultural differences can help us to be more understanding of others and show compassion for them in ways we never thought would be possible.  This I think is where it should start just by trying to be open new possibilities and new experiences than the rest will just fall into place.

You are not being investigated, or is there suspicious activity on your account!

Paul

Social Security Card - Illustration

Keep getting scam Calls

Today alone I got two identical scam calls from a local number.   The Automated message warned that I was under investigation because of suspicious activity on my account, and I should dial 1 to talk to a representative.   I really need to record this message and write down this automated messages just because it is obviously a red flag right there.   There seems to be a lot of people who don’t know anything about these types of scams but here is what I already know before I even dial 1 just to keep the scammer busy for a few more minutes.   I’m going to talk about some of the ways you know that it is a scam.

They Prey on your Fears!

This one is quite obvious to me at least because they want you to give them money or make it seems you are going to be arrested because of a debt or even your tax information is out there.   I am sure that my information is never truly going to be private and I’ve talked about it time and time again.   So I have to believe that it will eventually leak and someone will try to do something to use it against me.   I am hopeful by the time they do that I won’t be alive to even worry about it.

There is a warrant for you arrest!

This is another one that I’ve heard recently by the phone scammers, they like to use this one with debt scam and trying to scare you to pay a debt or maybe not even that just to scam you for money.  Either way, if there was a warrant for your arrest then you’d have someone knocking on your door this instant.   Also if this is in relation to a debt than it is against the law, the Fair Credit Debt Act prevents creditors from doing this such thing to get money from you.

Social Security Administration

This is another red flag for anyone who gets a call from them.   This is an obvious scam because social security will never call you.   If there is a problem they will send you mail through your mailbox and not from a phone call.

Phone Number

It usually is a local number and or number that isn’t being used.   9 times out of ten, if you had any call id information it will look like a local number calling you.   Again, they like to spoof their number and keep you from know where they are truly calling from or the real number.   So when I hang up with them, I call that number back and find out the number is no long in use.

Won’t give you any information

They will never give you any information about why they called you or where they are calling from, or even give you a real number to call to confirm that this is them.  I even tried to ask for the exact address from where they are calling from, they just hung up.    Also be wary even if they give you their federal employee number, that another way they will use to get you to either give them money or steal your identity.

Never Give them any Information

This one goes without saying, no matter what never give them any of your information including but not limited to you Social Security Number, Your Full name, where you life, you’re phone number or anything like that.   If they say they are from the Social Security Administration office and you’re concerned please hang up and call your local Social Security office to find out if you have a problem.   They will probably tell you it was a scam like I suspect.

*UPDATE*

As of July alone, I got several phone calls from Orlando Florida area code (407) claiming something similar like this:

  • (407)540-3718
  • (407)548-2738
  • (407)434-8822
  • (407)483-8647