Business News
Edited by Jeb Bing, jbing@pleasantonweekly.com
Keep a lid on vacation costs Expert gives tips for creating a trip budget BY JASON ALDERMAN
Summer vacation is right around the corner. I’m not a big believer in pre-planning every single detail; sometimes the best vacation moments are spontaneous. But unless your rich uncle is paying for the trip, you’ll need to do a certain amount of preparation or your budget will fly out the window. You do have a vacation budget, right? If not, here are a few suggestions for creating one and some cost-saving ideas to help keep expenses down. First, be realistic about what you can afford. If your vacation will take more than a month or two to pay off, you may want to scale back on this year’s trip and start setting aside money now for next year. When building a trip budget, try
‘Meet the Business Resources’
to anticipate all potential expenses. Consider things like: UÊ Àv>Ài Ài >Ìi`ÊiÝ«i ÃiÃ°Ê V Õ`iÊ taxes and fees for items like changing flights, extra leg room, priority boarding, Wi-Fi access, meals, and checked, oversized or overweight baggage. UÊ >Þ> °V ]Ê Àv>ÀiÜ>ÌV ` }° com and Travelnerd.com provide handy charts that compare various fees for popular airlines; however, always double-check the airline’s own posted rules before booking your flight. UÊ /À> ë ÀÌ>Ì Ê Ì Ê > `Ê vÀ Ê Ì iÊ airport — at home and all travel locations. UÊ >ÀÊ Ài Ì> Ã°Ê >VÌ ÀÊ Ê Ì>ÝiÃ]Ê }>Ã]Ê fill-up penalties and insurance (check your auto insurance and credit card policies to ensure you
V Ê> `Ê i Ü>Þ°V °Ê9 ÕÊV> Ê often find cheaper accommodations with more space and amenities than hotels offer. UÊ iv ÀiÊL }Ê>Ê Ìi ÊÀ Ê line, call the individual property to see if they can beat the company’s « ÃÌi`Ê À>Ìi°Ê Ã Ê >Ã Ê v ÀÊ i LiÀÊ discounts for organizations you be }ÊÌ Ê iÊ Ê ÀÊ ,*° Ê *À>VÌ V> Ê iÞÊ- ÃÊv ÀÊ vi]Ê>Ê free personal financial management «À }À> Ê ÀÕ Ê LÞÊ 6 Ã>Ê V°]Ê >ÃÊ >Ê handy Web-based travel calculator that can help you estimate travel costs and rejigger them to meet your budget needs (www.practiV> iÞà ðV ÉV> VÕ >Ì Àî°Ê ̽ÃÊ > Ã Ê >Û> >L iÊ >ÃÊ >Ê vÀiiÊ * iÊ app, which you can download from iTunes. Ê ÌÌ Ê i\Ê Ê ÌÌ iÊ«Ài « > }Ê now can ensure you don’t blow your whole budget on unexpected vacation expenses. N Jason Alderman directs Visa’s financial education programs. Follow him on Twitter, @PracticalMoney.
A FREE Educational Seminar MAKOplasty® Partial Knee Resurfacing may be the right solution for you.
Tuesday panel to offer advice on ‘building a successful company’ To help residents obtain the right knowledge to build a successvÕ Ê V «> Þ]Ê Ì iÊ V ÌÞÊ vÊ ÕL ]Ê Ê «>ÀÌ iÀÃ «Ê Ü Ì Ê Ì iÊ ÕL Ê Chamber of Commerce and the
> v À >Ê- > Ê Õà iÃÃÊ iÛi « ment Center, will gather a panel vÊ iÝ«iÀÌÃÊ Ì }iÌ iÀÊ v ÀÊ >Ê º iiÌÊ Ì iÊ Õà iÃÃÊ,ià ÕÀViûÊiÛi ÌÊvÀ Ê ££\ÎäÊ>° °Ê/ÕiÃ`>ÞÊ>ÌÊÌ iÊ ÕL Ê LÀ>ÀÞ° The seminar will include: UÊ ÌÌ À iÞÃÊ ` ÃVÕÃà }Ê LÕà iÃÃÊ formation, intellectual property and employment law UÊ Ê ViÀÌ v i`Ê «ÕL VÊ >VV Õ Ì> ÌÊ providing information on record keeping and taxes UÊ Ê i `iÀÊ vviÀ }Ê v À >Ì Ê Ê how to get a loan UÊ ÃÕÀ> ViÊ>}i ÌÃÊ` ÃVÕÃà }Ê«À fessional liability, errors and omissions, and general insurance UÊ Ê- ", ÊV Õ Ãi ÀÊ vviÀ }Ê>` vice on business planning, marketing and free business resources UÊ ÕL Ê V ÌÞÊ ÃÌ>vvÊ ` ÃVÕÃà }Ê «iÀ mits, licenses, zoning and incentive programs. “This program gives small business owners the knowledge, tools, and contacts to launch and to }À Ü]»Ê Ã> `Ê iiÊ > LiÀÌ]Ê ` ÀiV Ì ÀÊ vÊ Ì iÊ > i`>Ê Õ ÌÞÊ - > Ê Õà iÃÃÊ iÛi « i ÌÊ i ÌiÀ°Ê “We look forward to working with
ÕL Ê LÕÃ iÃÃiÃÊ Ì Ê i >L iÊ V> Ê businesses to progress to higher levels.” Interested parties may register >ÌÊÜÜÜ°`ÕL °V>°} ÛÉ iiÌÌ iLÕÃ nessresources. For more informaÌ ]ÊV> ÊnÎÎ ÈÈxä°ÊÊN — Jeb Bing
don’t pay for duplicate coverage). UÊ Ìi É `} }°Ê ½ÌÊv À}iÌÊÌ>ÝiÃÊ and other local fees, charges for « iÉ ÌiÀ iÌ]ÊÀ ÊÃiÀÛ Vi]Êi>À ÞÊ check-in or departure and gratuities. UÊ Ìi ÊÀ ÊÀ>ÌiÃÊ vÌi Ê>ÀiÊL>Ãi`Ê Ê ` ÕL iÊ VVÕ«> VÞ°Ê Ì Õ} Ê kids usually can stay for free, many hotels charge extra for additional adults. UÊ ÌiÀÌ> i Ì°Ê V Õ`iÊ i> ÃÊ> `Ê snacks, event admission and ticketordering charges, transit passes or taxis, sporting equipment rental, babysitters, and special clothing or accessory requirements (sunscreen, hiking boots, etc.) UÊ / À ÜÊ Ê > Ê iÝÌÀ>Ê £ä £x¯Ê v ÀÊ unanticipated expenses — lost luggage, flat tire, etc. Search for deals on flights, ho-
tels and rental cars at comparison sites. But beware: Before clicking “confirm,” make sure the final price matches the initial quote. ½ÛiÊ Ãii Ê v>ÀiÃÊ Õ «Ê fxäÊ ÀÊ ÀiÊ in just minutes or had the seat I was booking suddenly become unavailable. Ê ÊviÜÊ>`` Ì > ÊÌ «Ã\ UÊ ÜÊ > `Ê º i»Ê > À iÃÊ > `Ê ticketing sites on Facebook and Twitter. They’ll often share sales, discounts and promotional codes with their followers. UÊ vÊ Ì iÊ > Àv>ÀiÊ } iÃÊ ` Ü Ê >vÌiÀÊ you’ve purchased your ticket, ask the airline or ticketing site to refund the difference — it couldn’t hurt to ask. UÊ*À ÌÊ> `ÊV>ÀÀÞÊ>ÊV «ÞÊ vÊÞ ÕÀÊ> À line’s Contract of Carriage, which outlines your rights and the airline’s obligations should your flight be canceled or delayed for reasons besides weather or other “acts of God.” UÊ Ã `iÀÊ Û>V>Ì Ê Ài Ì> ÃÊ ÃÌi`Ê Ê Ã ÌiÃÊ iÊ ÀL L°V ]Ê 6, "°
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This procedure may provide the following [^g^Ûml3 , Rapid
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San Ramon Regional Medical Center
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Blackhawk Conference Room 6001 Norris Canyon Road San Ramon, CA 94583
www.OurSanRamonHospital.com
* Not actual patient.
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