Binge Eating – Information on Binge Eating

Almost everyone overeats on occasion, having seconds or thirds of a holiday meal or devouring an entire bag of chips while watching a scary movie. Sometimes, though, overeating becomes a regular occurrence, shrouded in shame and secrecy. It’s called binge-eating disorder, a serious eating disorder in which you frequently consume unusually large amounts of food.

Men and Women living with Binge Eating Disorder suffer a combination of symptoms similar to those of Compulsive Overeaters and Bulimia. The sufferer periodically goes on large binges, consuming an unusually large quantity of food in a short period of time (less than 2 hours) uncontrollably, eating until they are uncomfortably full. The weight of each individual is usually characterized as above average or overweight, and sufferers tend to have a more difficult time losing weight and maintaining average healthy weights. Unlike with Bulimia, they do not purge following a Binge episode.

A binge eating episode typically lasts around two hours, but some people binge on and off all day long. Binge eaters often eat even when they’re not hungry and continue eating long after they’re full. They may also gorge themselves as fast as they can while barely registering what they’re eating or tasting.

Binge eating is a pattern of disordered eating which consists of episodes of uncontrollable overeating. It is sometimes as a symptom of binge eating disorder. During such binges, a person rapidly consumes an excessive amount of food. Most people who have eating binges try to hide this behaviour from others, and often feel ashamed or depressed about their overeating. Eating binges can be followed by so-called compensatory behaviour, acts by which the person tries to compensate for the effects of overeating. Examples of such acts are purging (induced vomiting or laxative abuse), fasting, and heavy exercising.

The causes of binge eating disorder are still unknown. Up to half of all people with binge eating disorder have a history of depression. Whether depression is a cause or effect of binge eating disorder is unclear. It may be unrelated. Many people report that anger, sadness, boredom, anxiety or other negative emotions can trigger a binge episode. Impulsive behavior and certain other psychological problems may be more common in people with binge eating disorder.

We cannot diagnose or treat eating disorders by e-mail, but we can send you information and assist you in finding resources. Information provided by the Eating Disorder Referral and Information Center is not a substitute for medical treatment or psychological care. It is vital that you talk with your physician and a qualified mental health professional regarding eating disorder symptoms and treatment.

Binge eating also occurs in another eating disorder called bulimia nervosa. Persons with bulimia nervosa, however, usually purge, fast, or do strenuous exercise after they binge eat. Purging means vomiting or using a lot of diuretics (water pills) or laxatives to keep from gaining weight. Fasting is not eating for at least 24 hours. Strenuous exercise, in this case, means exercising for more than an hour just to keep from gaining weight after binge eating. Purging, fasting, and overexercising are dangerous ways to try to control your weight.

Both binge eating and bulimia involve eating excessive amounts of food, feeling out of control while eating, and feeling guilty or ashamed afterward. But bulimia nervosa (sometimes called binge-purge syndrome) is different from binge eating disorder because people with bulimia vomit or use laxatives to try to keep themselves from gaining weight after eating. They may also try to burn off the extra calories by exercising compulsively as a way of making up for overeating. People with binge eating disorder do not have these “purge” characteristics.

Printed Christmas Party Invitations, Halloween Invitations Cards, Mardi Gras Party Cards for All Holiday Party Occasions!!

Christmas, Halloween, Mardi Gras & Other Holiday Party Invitations It seems as though holiday cards have been around as long as the holidays have. History tells us a different story. You may be surprised to know that holiday cards, specifically Christmas cards, first appeared in London in 1843. The very first Christmas cards were requested by Sir Henry Cole that year, and sold for a shilling. Several decades later, Louis Prang offered the first Christmas cards to Americans. It was not too long after, that Christmas cards began to be mass-produced.

Over time, holiday cards evolved into what you have today. Holiday Party Invitations have featured everything from patriotic Christmas wishes to presidential Christmas wishes. Today, cards are sent out for just about every holiday, not just Christmas, although Christmas does represent the original holiday for which cards were created.

Today, you can buy a card to celebrate just about any holiday, from Easter and St. Patrick’s Day, to Oktoberfest, Cinco de Mayo, and even New Year’s Eve. You can literally find a holiday card for just about every occasion, regardless of culture or religion. Whether you’re sending out greetings and well-wishes, or inviting people to a holiday party, there is no better way to say it than with a holiday card.

Holiday cards are easy to find just about anywhere, but in most cases, you are limited to the particular style of the store that sells the holiday cards. It can sometimes be difficult to find a card or a series of cards that will be able to send your friends and family member the right message for the holidays. Sometimes, the wording or phrase on a card is right, but not the image. Holidays are times for family, and you don’t want to give your relatives and close friends an impersonal-sounding card, so what choices do you have?

One choice is clear: shopping online for personalized cards. Many websites allow you to create customized and personalized invitations at an affordable price, and offer you the latest in design options, from photos and images, to verses and sayings. By utilizing the tools available on the web, have the ability to create holiday cards that are unique to your needs, customs, and traditions. The holidays are important to you, and now you the chance to give your family and friends something more personal than a card that thousands of other people also have access to.

Through the web, you can add your own photos and words, making each Photo Christmas Invitations unique and special. You even have the ability to preview your work before you send it out to be printed. Many companies offer same day printing and shipping. Whether you’re celebrating Oktoberfest, Hanukkah, or Christmas, many stores are ready and able to help. Shopping online presents you with the perfect avenue to creating cards for the holidays that will be able to say exactly what you want to exactly whom you want to say it to. Celebrate your holidays by ordering personalized cards. Let skilled professionals help you make the perfect holiday memories by creating the perfect Halloween Party Invitations Cards.

Secrets for Finding the Cheap Airfares Online

There is nothing more fun than exploring this beautiful world. The scenic escapades of tourist destinations around the world lure one and all. If you are also someone who dream of holidaying abroad but are worried about the rising airfares, then, you just need to know some tips. Online search is the easiest way to get cheap airfares. Though a large number of people book their online tickets online, only a very few of them get the most profitable deals. With such a vast number of airlines and numerous travel websites offering online booking of airfare tickets, it is pretty tough to get the best deals.

If you are searching for the cheap airfares online, just follow some simple tips. There are some secrets to get the best out of your online searches. The first thing that you need to know is that advance planning of the supposed tour would get help save more money. Once you have decided upon the traveling dates, be quick to book the airfare tickets. It implies that the quicker you book airline tickets; more are the chances of getting low priced tickets. Another secret to lowest online airfares is to vouch for round-trip ticket rather than one way ticket. Round-trip tickets are much cheaper than one-way ones. So, planning ahead of your trip has another benefit.

Do not forget to ask for the total cost of the tickets as some websites may have got hidden charges. So, be very careful before booking the tickets. The fact that most of the airlines announce latest airfares on Wednesdays may also give you low priced air tickets. Check out for the latest airfares on Wednesday or early Thursday to get information. You can compare and select the cheap airfares this way. You can also go in for non-direct flight as it save money.

Go for not so bigger airlines and nearby airports. In most of the instances, small airlines are much ahead in offering discounts and special packages than the bigger ones. One secret that you may have not known that online booking of airfare deals saves money as no paper processing fees is charged like as is the case with offline booking. It is one of the very lesser known secret of finding the cheap airfares. Another secret about online booking is that most of the airlines sell around 7-100 seats on each flight through online bookings and vendors. One thing that you must understand about discounted airline tickets is that such tickets are non-refundable. So, think before going forward with booking special priced air tickets.

Search on the most trusted sites by querying search engine like Google, Yahoo. These are the most trusted sites as per customer preference and providing relevant results. If you wish to fly during holidays like Christmas or summer holidays, it is much better to book the air fares much before the time. It is tough to find cheap airfares during holiday time. Another secret that one needs to know is that all the airlines have an upper and lower limit as ruled by the IATA or otherwise. So, once you get some low priced air tickets, be quick in booking. Such offers do not last for long time periods as people are quick to grab.

One secret that can help in getting cheap airfares is to search from time to time. It does not imply that one has to sit for hours in front of computer. Just a quick comprehensive glance in a week or so can help you assess the airfares. It helps in keeping a tab on global airfare trends. So, you know the best time to book air tickets. The whole lot of travel websites that offer online booking of air tickets is increasing everyday. Travelers often get confused about which one to choose. In case, you are in a similar dilemma there is always a way out. While looking for cheap airfares, go for a comparative analysis of various offers. Look out for special packages and hidden costs before deciding upon a website.

These are some secrets for finding the best and cheapest airline tickets that are going to help you save lots of money. Do not let the ever escalating airfares ruin your dreams of touring the most beautiful and exotic destinations. A beautiful, new world is awaiting you all. Have a wonderful time holidaying and save money, too.

Night eating syndrome: Facts and research

Night or nocturnal eating syndrome (Sleep – Related Eating or NS-RED) considered a parasomnia (Disorder that interrupts the sleep process and may require medical attention) disorder, when a person recurrently needs to eat during sleep (sometimes up to four times a night), without being aware of the event. The awakenings average about 20 minutes and convinced the need to eat in order to get back to sleep. Also, cannot recall any incident of eating the night before. This problem maybe chronic or appear once or twice and then disappear. People having nocturnal eating syndrome must be aware of significant weight gain, possibility of choking while eating during sleep, injury may occur while starting fires or while preparing foods during sleep, and feeling a loss of control. In 1955, Dr. Albert Stunkard, professor of psychiatry and director of the Weight and Eating Disorders Program at University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, first diagnosed this disorder. Statistics have shown, up to fifteen percent of those having an eating disorder affected by night eating disorder and one to three percent of the general population. Sleep related eating effects all ages, both sex, but is more common in young women, and develops in the late 20s. Often nocturnal eating syndrome is triggered by a stressful or emotional event, such as a divorce, pregnancy or loss of job. Estimated that ten percent of obese people seeking treatment have night eating syndrome. In some cases, people that have sleep related eating disorder have histories of alcoholism, drug abuse, and other sleep disorders. Those having nocturnal eating syndrome are common to skip breakfast, eat more than half the day’s calories after dinner, pattern has persisted for at least two months, feeling of guilt while eating, and suffer from insomnia.


According to Dr. Stunkard, suffers have three separate problems, an eating disorder, a sleeping disorder and a mood disorder. Most people that suffer from this syndrome, experience in their lives stress, and poor sleep, often walking up three to four times a night, and choosing to eat high carbohydrate foods (“comfort foods”) such as biscuits or cakes. Also, night eaters during the day consume on average 500 calories more than normal. Dr. Stunkard attributes the high consumption of carbohydrates, increases serotonin in the brain, which stimulates sleep. (Carbohydrates stimulate the production of insulin, which lead to increase levels of tryptophans in the brain.

Getting started with stillwater fly

The Pacific Northwest is blessed by a very large number of great fly fishing lakes. Many of these are stocked with trout while others have stocks of wild trout, crappie, bluegill, perch or other warm water fish that rise readily to a fly. For the fly fisherman, the difference between native and planted trout is an important distinction since stocked trout have more of a chance of rising to a fly than native trout, particularly in very clear water when the fish can see you. This can happen even in slower moving rivers and streams, however it is more noticeable with still bodies of water.

You can even the tables a little in several ways, with wild trout, while increasing the chances of catching even hatchery-stocked fish.

Use trees and other vegetation to hide you from the full view of the fish. Sometimes this isn’t easy, but with a little practice, you’ll probably notice that it is easier than you think. The extra fish you catch will be an incentive to get even better at it.

Fly fish in the early morning or evening. From a half hour before sun up and an hour after sun up, the shadows will be longer which will help hide your form, and the fish will tend to be hungry. This is also the time when insects will be flying around the surface of the water. The same is true for the period of time from an hour before sun down and a half hour after sun down.

Fly fish when there is a bit of a wind. A wind will usually cause ripples, which breaks up your form, yet which will allow the fish to see your fly easily. Ripples will also give your fly a more life like motion.

Fly fish when the fish are jumping. This is an indication that they are raising to flying insects. If no fish are jumping, they may be hungry, but are probably feeding off the bottom. This will make them harder to catch, though not impossible.

Don’t be afraid to try different flies, and don’t limit yourself as far as the types of flies you use. While they are more apt to strike a fly that closely mimics insects that are flying around the water, this isn’t always the case. Many times I’ve limited out during a hatch out of a particular insect, by using a fly that didn’t come close to resembling the insects that were hatching out. The more you limit yourself, the harder it becomes to catch the fish.

When retrieving your fly, a slightly jerky movement is better than a smooth one as it makes the fly look alive to the fish. This usually makes them strike harder, which is what you want. You don’t want the fish to just taste your fly, because the fish will know instantly that it isn’t real.

If the lake you are fishing allows boats, try fishing from a boat, especially if fishing in the middle of the day. As the water warms up, the fish will move to deeper and colder water, which is usually closer to the center of the lake.

The whole idea is to interest the fish in your fly without scaring them away. The more ways you can do this, the better luck you will have and the more fish you’ll catch. Don’t be afraid to be inventive. You might just find a few ways that are unique but that work very well.

Even a novice can quickly become an accomplished fisherman, catching large quantities of fish, especially in the Pacific Northwest.

How to stay in youth hostels

Around the world, budget accommodations known as hostels provide a cheap bed for travelers without the means of staying in all the ritziest hotels. Many large cities and major travel destinations have a number of hostels. But the old adage that you get what you pay for certainly applies to some hostels, which can be grungy, less than sanitary, and lacking in customer service. Here’s how to know if a hostel is for you, and how to choose and stay in a hostel that will make you glad you saved some money on your accommodations.

SHOULD I STAY IN A HOSTEL?

Hostels are usually dormitory style facilities. This means accommodations are generally several pairs of bunk beds in a mixed-gender or separate-gender room with community bathrooms and showers. If you aren’t shy and are willing to meet other young travelers along the way, hostels should be perfect for you. Some hostels also offer private rooms at slightly higher prices, and these rooms sometimes include a bathroom shared with one other room, so these are a good hostel option for travelers who require a bit more privacy.

WHAT TO LOOK FOR IN A HOSTEL

First, make sure you will have a bed to sleep in. The main purpose of a hostel is to have a place to rest between busy days of exploring your destination. Check with the hostel to see if the prices of sheets and pillows are included with the nightly rate. Sometimes hostels will advertise their low rates to get you to book and then load you up with extra charges when you check in.

Second, check for a locker or secure area, especially if you are traveling with electronics or other valuables. You will potentially be staying in a room with ten to twelve strangers, and you never know who might want to permanently borrow your iPod. Many hostels will allow you to rent lockers to stow your valuables in.

Third, read reviews on the bookign website to find out how the hostel’s staff has interacted with previous customers. Sometimes review sites are filled with negative reviews complaining about the staff lying or cheating to force the guests to pay more money. Another common complaint is the curfew. Some hostels have a time where you must be back in the building, so make sure you are clearly informed of all the rules before you reserve your bed.

Finally, check the common area offerings of the hostel. It’s nice to have a place to watch television or read a book after a busy day of traveling. Additionally, the presence of a kitchen in your hostel can help you save money if

Holiday Scrapbooking Ideas: Transforming Traditions into Heirlooms

Whatever time of year and whatever holiday you may be celebrating, there’s a reason to make a scrapbook to honor it. The motive behind holiday scrapbooking ideas is the simple fact that time slips away quickly and memories, the priceless stuff that life is made of, are elusive. To capture them for future generations, decide on holiday scrapbooking ideas for all the holidays of the year, but perhaps one scrapbook per year, if you will, insuring thought and consummate effort into your final holiday scrapbooking ideas. Here are some thoughts about how to go about this seemingly monumental task, which like most things in life is accomplished one step at a time.

Write down your thoughts in a holiday scrapbooking ideas journal before you begin. Include some of the following: feelings, plans, hopes and dreams for the holidays. Collect material for your holiday scrapbooking ideas that reflect the ideas expressed in these notes.

Use journaling as a tool to document your photos.

Write down as much information as possible about the photos and ephemera you have chosen for your holiday scrapbooking ideas. This could include when and what time of day it was taken, the location, the occasion and of course, who is in the photo. Even though these details may not seem that important, for the future generation, for those who weren’t there when the photos were taken, this is all priceless anecdotal information. Record it for always and incorporate it all into your holiday scrapbooking ideas. Journaling also helps to tell the story of the holiday you are commemorating, no matter which it may be.

Personalizing your holiday scrapbooking ideas.

This will greatly depend on the type of scrapbooking paper and pattern you select. There are a myriad of choices available on the market today, so pick those designs for your holiday scrapbooking ideas that best suit you and your family’s collective personality. Paper patterns can also serve as a subtle backdrop to your holiday scrapbooking ideas. Remember that the photos are the main attraction, and you will need something to complement but not overshadow their impact. Anything goes, however, so let your imagination go as wild as it dare to express your holiday scrapbooking ideas. Most important of all, make the choice that reflects your own unique holiday scrapbooking ideas.

Holiday mementos for every holiday under the sun.

These run the gamut of all the holidays themselves, ranging from Christmas cards and holiday poems to colored pictures drawn by children, or cards with holiday sayings that match the unique theme of your holiday scrapbooking ideas. Special holiday stickers can also enhance your theme, but don’t go overboard with them while expressing your holiday scrapbook ideas. Stickers are very versatile and can be stitched, painted, embossed or glitterized!

Include the whole family in the project.

A family rather than an individual within a family celebrates a holiday, even though some holidays are more family-oriented than others. Encourage everyone in your family to gather items and photos that mean something specifically to them. Figure out where and how these images will fit into your holiday scrapbook ideas later. Each family member should have a page in your holiday scrapbook if it is at all possible.

Never lose sight of why you are creating your holiday scrapbooking ideas.

The motive is to have fun and commemorate those special moments that keep us all alive and smiling. Remember too, that if you instill a tradition of exploring your holiday scrapbooking ideas with your children, the chances are that they will also do it with their own children when the time comes.
Organize, organize and then organize some more of your holiday scrapbooking ideas. You might want to keep your scrapping and craft supplies in either glass or plastic containers, which work well because contents can easily be seen from any location on a shelf.

Don’t be intimidated by misconceptions about holiday scrapbooking ideas.

Many people would have thought at one time that holiday scrapbooks and the like are for the more artistically inclined among us. Nothing could be further from the truth and with all the advancements of digital scrapbooking, it couldn’t be any easier than it is; simply upload the photos of your choice, crop them, add embellishments with software and then print them all out to express your holiday scrapbooking ideas.

Another misconception about expressing your holiday scrapbooking ideas concerns the amount of time involved. Many think it is too time consuming. Limit your ideal to capturing a moment and feeling in time and nothing more, and you can finish your holiday scrapbooking ideas in far less time that you might have imagined.

Do not feel that everything must b done in chronological order.
This is one tip that will save you a lot of time. If you are stuck or bored with one section, move on to another more passionate one because inspiration shows in the end.

Whatever you do, enjoy the holidays that comprise your life. They represent the best of our experiences and as such, should be savored, like a glass of the finest wine.

The History And Future Of The Car Hire Industry

The history of car hire is almost a hundred years old; the first hire company was believed to have rented Ford’s Model T to customers and was started by an enterprising young man by the name of Joe Saunders. This was 1916, a time when many people did not even own a car, so Saunders’ enterprise must have been popular with those looking for transport, and also those looking for the novelty of driving.

Car hire companies were quick to exploit the fact that having your own means of transport made journeys far easier and infinitely less stressful than public transport. The ability to travel in your own time cannot be underestimated while the freedom of having your own means of transport is a liberating factor. Car hire can be an important element of any trip as no matter where you are the world a car hire desk is never far away.

The majority of international airports have a car hire desk almost as soon as you step off the plane, well at least in the arrivals lounge. The last thing you want to do as a traveller after a long journey is spend hours waiting for a train and coping with the rigours of the public transportation network. A far better option is to hire a car and head out of the airport stress free and under your own steam.

Since the first day’s, car hire companies have grown in number, today however they may well be entering a golden age. With inflated prices of public transport in Britain car hire offers a startling alternative to forking out for the shocking rail fares. If a group of adults has to travel any reasonable distance often the train can cost hundreds of pounds; a far better option is to hire a car and chip in together for the cost; the money saved is usually a considerable amount and can be better put towards activities.

Businessmen have realised this for many years and subsequently use car hire services extensively. For those who spend an eternity travelling, stopping in only one place long enough to have a meeting then board a plane again, the hire of a car shaves vital minutes off a trip. The commercial world has long been patrons of hire companies as frequent business is often rewarded. As most travelling businessmen will state, the less time spent travelling the better, especially for those with families at home.

Modern car hire companies have also realised the importance of holidays, unlike 1916, when Saunders’ started his business, most people now have a car, that is why offering car hire as part of a holiday package has been an impressive ploy in the car hire industry. Fly and drive holidays are becoming more popular for tourists, seemingly with the shortened attention spans of the modern generation, holidaying in one place for any length of time becomes quickly boring. Car hire allows travellers to visit many parts of a region and also creates the opportunity to stop off and have some truly unique experiences.

So what is next for the car hire industry? A good question as seemingly the business has taken all the avenues open to it. An option it to start providing technological innovations as part of car hire packages. This is increasingly becoming the case with satellite navigation systems being included in hire cars to make journeys as simple as possible. This technological increase twinned with providing unparalleled customer service is the way to make a profit in the industry, after all airport car hire desks have to deal with some of the most stressed customers and keeping these happy is the path to repeat business.

Urban Sherpa’s TEN STEPS to Finding Your No Fee Apartment Rental

Urban Sherpa’s TEN STEPS to Finding Your No Fee Apartment Rental:
A Guidebook to New York City Apartment Rentals

STEP ONE: MARKET KNOWLEDGE

Most people spend 3 to 6 weeks looking for their new apartment rental. Afterall, the average one bedroom walkup apartment in Manhattan in 2007 cost $2,548 per month. Meaning the average apartment hunter is on the verge of making a bare minimum $30,576 investment decision for the year, not including application fees, moving costs, or utilities which could easily total an additional $4,000 in expenses (based on $200 a month in utilities, and $2,000 in moving costs.) If handled properly, thoroughly and meticulously finding a no fee apartment can be extremely satisfying and rewarding as well as cost effective. Step one in any apartment search has to be learning a little bit about how the process takes place, how to find an apartment, and just being comfortable with the process in general. Doing research and learning about how people find apartments in New York City is part of making a great decision and finding that ideal New York City no fee apartment.

STEP TWO: FIGURING OUT WHAT YOU WILL QUALIFY FOR

Most landlords in New York City (certainly in Manhattan anyways) will only accept tenants who earn an income of at least 40 times the monthly rent, which means an $80,000 annual salary for a $2,000 per month apartment.
Credit scores are equally as important to most landlords and management company’s with FICO scores needing to be in the 700+ range to qualify for an apartment without a guarantor.

If you do not think you will qualify by yourself, don’t worry often you can use a co-signer or guarantor to help qualify you. Some landlords and management company’s will require guarantors no matter what for 20-something year olds. Others will require guarantors to earn an annual income of 80 times the monthly rent (or $160,000 for that same $2,000 per month apartment.) Other landlords still simply won’t accept any guarantors.

While every landlord in New York has their own set of rules and policies, its important to use the above guidelines as a rule of thumb and have your “ducks in a row” so to speak once you start looking for an apartment. You never know when that “Holy Grail” of an apartment is going to come along and sometimes you have to move FAST to get the right apartment.

STEP THREE: WHAT YOU WANT/CAN GET FOR YOUR MONEY

Now, that you have a better understanding of what you can expect for financial requirements, the next step in your apartment search is deciding what exactly you want:
Price Range
Size or # of bedrooms and bathrooms (square footage)
Location or neighborhoods
Move-in date
Amenities (doorman, elevator, etc.)
Once you have done this, you are ready to begin your apartment search! Realize you should try and maintain flexibility. This is New York people! No one gets everything they want. So be realistic. Its good to have a “wish” list as well as a realistic list of needs, wants, and preferences when beginning your search. The more flexible you can be with all of your criteria the more likely you’re going to be to find something exceptional and to find that amazing no fee apartment in the right location at the right price.

STEP FOUR: IRON OUT DETAILS ON YOUR CURRENT LEASE NOW!

If you’re moving to New York for the first time this may not apply to you necessarily, but its important for obvious reasons to clear up current lease issues, before spending time and energy and finding a new one. Make sure you know what kind of notice you must give your current landlord. Make sure to notify your landlord and that you know what you will need to do to get that security deposit back. If you’re moving out of a roommate situation and into your own place, iron out the details with your current roommates before looking for the new place. There’s nothing worse than finding that perfect no fee apartment and then realizing you can’t get out of your current lease.

STEP FIVE: FINDING AN APARTMENT

There are many no fee listing sites on the web, some offer listings for free others are subscription based. One’s that require some form of payment to access tend to be of the same quality as free listing sites. Putting a price on something tends to make people believe they are being provided with higher quality, but this isn’t the case! So don’t be fooled. Exclusive brokers are sometimes the only way to see or rent apartments in certain buildings, but for the ALL the buildings and apartments in New York City where the landlords will directly with tenants go to Urban Sherpa to start and end your apartment search.

You can access comprehensive real-time listings free of charge at UrbanSherpaNY.com. Owner and super contact information, application information and the histories of buildings and landlords are all provided entirely for free. Sample search using Urban Sherpa:
1) Log on to www.UrbanSherpaNY.com
2) Scroll over the map and pick the neighborhood(s) you are interested in, the amount of bedrooms and your price range (feel free to leave any of these blank for increased search results), than click ‘Search’.
3) Your ‘Listing Results’ will appear, scroll until you find an apartment of interest. You will be able to see the apartments’ exact address, # of beds & baths, move-in date, and photo, without having to click through to the apartment’s listing profile.
4) Once, you find an apartment you are interested in click through to the apartments listing profile. Here you will find:
-Owner, landlord, management company, building management and super contact information
-Application Information
-Building Information
-Landlord Information
-Apartment History
-Additional Photos
-Apartment Details
-And much much more!

When you find an apartment you are interested in going to see, prior to viewing the apartment, you should review the owner’s requirements to make sure you can QUALIFY for the apartment. If you do not think you will qualify by yourself, don’t worry often you can use a co-signer or guarantor to help qualify you. Next is contacting the landlord and setting up a viewing appointment.

STEP SIX: BE ORGANIZED

Staying organized in an apartment search is important for so many reasons. When you go to view apartments, write down the exact addresses; take notes; ask questions. You never know when it will be convenient to reference this information. Remember, apartment searches often take many weeks. Just when you think your search may be over – you may have to go back to the drawing board. As a result, staying organized and being clear with yourself about your needs (or with roommates about preferences and wishes) is of the utmost importance.

STEP SEVEN: CONTACTING THE LANDLORD

After finding a listing of interest, CALL the number provided under “Showing Info” for the owner or super and SCHEDULE a time to view the apartment. The best time to see as many apartments as possible, unfortunately, is Monday thru Friday 9am – 5pm. Many buildings do not have doormen or on-site leasing staff, and without either of those options you’ll need to rely on the supers, building managers, and other landlord representatives to view apartments. Like most apartment hunters, supers generally work weekdays with traditional hours. Sometimes there will be access at other times, either by open house or other accommodations made by the owner. However, taking time out of the week will definitely allow you to maximize the time you do have to view apartments.

After viewing the apartment, if you are interested in renting the unit, you should IMMEDIATELY CALL THE OWNER to get an application or download one from Urban Sherpa and compile all the necessary paperwork listed on Urban Sherpa as quickly as possible. Some owners will take the apartment off the market with only a completed application and application fee, so inquire as to whether this is the case for the apartment in which you are interested.

STEP EIGHT: APPLICATION PROCESSES

Problem: every application process is different. Solution: be VERY careful when going over application specifics. There are some general rules of thumb about all rental applications for landlords in Manhattan and New York City; the following is a short list of relative certainties:

1) Application fee: generally at least $50 per applicant sometimes as much as $150-$300 per applicant.
2) Necessary paperwork: completed application, letter of employment, most recent pay stub, most recent bank statement, last year’s tax returns or W-2’s, plus credit check. This is usually the minimum required paperwork, but usually enough to get the ball rolling when time is of the essence.
3) ALL APPLICATIONS ARE TIME SENSITIVE. Every landlord is different; some work on a first-come-first-served basis. Other landlords work on a ‘best’ applicant process. No matter the case, the application process cannot begin until the landlord has all the necessary paperwork.

There are two things to keep in mind always about the application process besides the generalities above: first, the faster the better. Apartments in Manhattan, especially in the summer, can be rented in a matter of hours – literally. Getting paperwork together, getting cash for the application process, talking to roommates, or guarantors, takes time. The faster this can all be accomplished, the better. Second, every application process in Manhattan is different. By consulting a resource, which lists what the landlord expects and looks for in an application (i.e. Urban Sherpa Landlord profiles), you can help give yourself the best possible chance of getting the apartment you want.

After SUBMITTING an application, make sure to call the owner daily (unless advised by said owner to do differently) to keep track of the status of your application. If your application is APPROVED, call the owner and find out to whom checks are to be made out and schedule a time for the lease signing.

STEP NINE: LEASE SIGNING

Just like the application process, lease signings are different for every company or landlord as well. They all have different policies, and these policies are far too different to enumerate here. The most important thing at lease signings though, is to make sure that there are no surprises. Lease signings can be a very stressful moment for you. After all, we are talking about legal documentation that verifies on average a $30,000+ investment. A lease signing is the culmination of weeks of work, stress, sweat, and big changes, in addition to at least $30,000, maybe as much or more than $100,000. As an apartment hunter you have two distinct jobs at a lease signing; they’re easy, but very important. First, and most importantly, is making sure no one is surprised (including you). All “deal-breaking” issues need to have been resolved prior to signing a lease (pets, required money, guarantors.) Your perfect apartment is at its most fragile point at the lease signing. Everyone is combing through every single little detail, and if anything comes up that should’ve been dealt with before, guess who’s at fault? YOU! Second, and almost as important, is the landlord will have very specific directions on how he/she would like the money, what time the lease signing is to be at, what other paperwork (ie. photo ID), or who needs to be there exactly. These directions need to be followed explicitly, and precisely.

STEP TEN: TELL YOUR FRIENDS ABOUT URBANSHERPANY.COM

Urban Sherpa was created for free, for the people of New York City, to make the apartment rental search process easier, faster, and more efficient. So tell your friends about this new free resource and keep the free information FREE and available to the public. Click here to visit www.UrbanSherpaNY.com RIGHT NOW!!!

Airport Transfer Limousine Hire

There could be any number of reasons why you would need an airport transfer. It could be a honeymoon, getting married, a stag night with the lads, a hen night with the girls, corporate event, business trip or maybe a well deserved holiday. One of the key issues with any trip abroad is how you are going to get to the airport. You could get a taxi, however if you have a large party one taxi will not be enough. You could get a train but then you will be hoping against any delays. Or you could drive but then you run the risk of an inevitable hold up. For a reliable, efficient, professional and relaxing airport transfer the obvious choice has to be in a limo. The limo will arrive on time at your door, many can carry your luggage or at least arrange for a van or people carrier to take it whilst following on behind and it will drop you outside the airport without any need to wait for one of those annoying buses. And on the return flight home you can rest assured that the limo will be at the airport waiting to ferry you home in style.

Limousine companies operate nationwide covering all major UK airports. Therefore if you need limo hire London to Heathrow or limo hire Glasgow to Glasgow International airport this will not be a problem. The size of your party will determine the limo you need to hire. For a small party of say eight people you have a choice of any limo but to keep cost down the best choices are the traditional stretch Lincoln Town Car, Chrysler C300 Baby Bentley limo or Hummer H3 limo. For larger parties of up to 20 people a 4×4 limo such as the H2 Hummer limo , Jeep Excursion limo or Lincoln Navigator limo is recommended. All the limousines will arrive with complimentary bubbly and on board entertainment such as TV, s, DVD players and CD players guaranteed to get you in the mood for you trip abroad.

Here are some of the airports that airport transfer limo hire covers:

1. Aberdeen Airport
2. Birmingham Airport
3. Blackpool Airport
4. Bournemouth Airport
5. Bristol Airport
6. Cardiff Airport
7. Coventry Airport
8. Doncaster Airport
9. Durham Tees Valley Airport
10. East Midlands Airport
11. Edinburgh Airport
12. Exeter Airport
13. Glasgow International Airport
14. Glasgow Prestwick Airport
15. Humberside Airport
16. Leeds Airport
17. Liverpool Airport
18. London City Airport
19. London Gatwick Airport
20. London Heathrow Airport
21. London Luton Airport
22. London Stansted Airport
23. Manchester Airport
24. Newcastle Airport
25. Norwich Airport
26. Southampton Airport

Although hiring a limo for an airport transfer may seem extravagant it can sometimes work out cheaper than a taxi, particularly with a large number of people that are all chipping in. But it often adds to the experience of the holiday/stag night/hen night abroad and at least you know the limo will arrive on time.