All posts by Sam

Information using various types of communication media, digital photography, video and much, much more.
Poems

Get On With The New Year 2023

This New Year 2023
Poet: Catherine Pulsifer

Don’t carry grudges into this new year
Move forward and have no fear
And as far as mistakes
Learn from them and do what it takes
To make the coming year nothing but great.
Each year gives us experience for us to gain
Learn from them and do not blame
Take each day as it comes
Do not worry as it helps no one.
You now have 365 days ahead
Remember the words of those who said:
“You are writing your own story
Make it a best seller and give God the glory”.

Source: WWW.wow4U.com

Kilpisjärvi skiing Review

http://laplandguide.org/2015/04/04/kilpisjarvi-skiing-review/

Addictions

Ten Signs of Problem Gambling

As the name suggests, ‘Problem Gambling’ is a condition in which a person’s gambling habits are causing severe complications in his/her life. In other words, problem gambling is spending too much time gambling or lots of money, causing a financial crisis.

Some people’s problem gambling can develop into full-blown addiction while others managed to get over it in time. Gambling addiction means that the person is unable to Stop Gambling. This condition is also known as ‘Compulsive Gambling,’ and it gets worse with time if left untreated.

Ten Common Signs of Problem Gambling:

  1. Lying/Hiding their Problems:

Generally, people suffering from problem gambling try to hide it from others. They keep on lying to their friends, coworkers, spouse, and family regarding their issues.

  • Recovering their Loses:

Many gamblers claim that they are gambling to recover their loss or the money they have lost in Gambling. They say that once their loss is recovered or when they win big money, they will quit Gambling. Sometimes, they claim that they lose money because they were not lucky or changed their strategy, which didn’t work. But they could not recover losses; instead, this will lead to more debts and losses.

  • Borrowing Huge Money:

That’s what problem gamblers or pathological gamblers do when Gambling put them into financial crisis. They borrow money from their friends, family members, spouses, coworkers, employers without telling them the real reason for what they need money. Sometimes they may have others who are paying their gambling debts. They even take out a second mortgage or max-out their credit card withdrawal.

  • Betting More and More:

Just like in drug and alcohol addiction, problem gamblers also have to increase their ‘dose’ of Gambling to enjoy the same euphoric effect or thrill. By dose, we mean that they have to bet more and more money to experience the kind of rush they want. The problem is – the more they bet, the more they lose, and their crisis keeps on increasing.

  • Become Obsessed with Gambling:

During this phase, gamblers become obsessed with Gambling, that they spend most of their time thinking about their past experiences and planning for future experiences. Any reason seems enough to gamble again. They are so desperate to get the money they need that they are ready to try any strategy.

  • Not being able to Stop Gambling:

Many gamblers know that their Gambling is severely affecting their lives, putting them in a financial crisis, but they could not stop Gambling. They know that they should quit Gambling and try to do it for quite a while now, but the urge to play overshadows all the resistant build. It will feel like you cannot stop gambling on your own.

  • Experience the ‘Need’ to Gamble:

Just like in drug and alcohol addiction, many gamblers start to experience ‘psychological withdrawal symptoms’ when they try to quit or stop gambling altogether. They began to feel agitated, tense, irritable or impatient if their daily ‘dose’ of Gambling was cut out.

  • Gamble to forget the stress:

Problem gamblers usually play to forget their problems, distract themselves from stress. This way, the purpose of playing is far beyond just entertainment. For them, Gambling becomes a way to escape from whatever is bothering them. On the other hand, Gambling itself is causing them so many problems.

  • Stealing or Engaging in illegal activities to Gambling:

Gambling is wreaking havoc in the lives of gamblers, and their finances are getting worse each passing day. Despite knowing the crisis, problem gamblers are unable to stop playing. In this case, borrowing money from friends and families is no longer enough. Therefore they turn towards illegal acts and misdeeds to fund their habits. They convince themselves that once they hit the jackpot, all their problems and miseries will be over.

  1. Gambling becomes the most important thing in the world:

As mentioned above, a problem gambler’s life is revolving around Gambling only. The person has become so addicted and desperate to win something big, that they ignore all the financial, professional and social troubles in their lives. They keep on burying deep in troubles. It can put their families, job, studies, friendships, relationships or future plans at great risk. It is necessary for problem gamblers to get proper treatment for their behaviors.

Thank you for visiting http://laplandguide.org website and reading this Ten Common Signs of Problem Gambling article post. We hope this was informative, useful and helpful.

HAPPY NEW YEAR 2021.

NEW BOOK OUT ! 500 Years of Finland History.

Bloggers Guide To Finland

Bloggers Guide To Arctic Finland

The Arctic environment in Lapland is an excellent environment for photography, a fantastic way to share the unique real Arctic environment with friends and family that may not have the opportunity to physically experience the Arctic environment. The Arctic environment goes through extreme changes of the seasons, and each season is uniquely stunning to experience. 

Summer to autumn experience.

The climate in the Nordic Lapland summer season temperature is temperate for trekking, with open views of rolling tundra hills, bubbling fresh arctic freshwater springs, dríggling creeks, running rivers and calm lakes.

Brilliantly vivid colors of the ground cover in the Autumn season. There is a splash of colors over the landscape, from the conifers and the deciduous trees, various deciduous wild berry shrubs, and the moss-covered ground cover. The autumn colors of Lapland are an array of green, Auburn, blue, orange, red and yellow.

Winter experience

Snow covered winter wonderland, dark days of the midwinter solstice. Calm weather and constant snowfall that may go on for days. Spring season around February opens up with longer days and sunlight. Occasionally completely clear night skies with twinkling stars and at times the ebb and flow of the Northern lights in the freezing black night air. Morning clear blue skies and glistening white snow with a snow crust on top that lasts for several hours.

Spring Season experience

The spring season sunshine is a pleasure to experience while traveling backcountry along rolling hills and tundra mountains.

The summer season is also fantastic in the natural environment, with the new life that springs up from a long cold winter. Bird migration is often a sure sign of the coming summer, also the new growth on deciduous trees that springs up bursting with new life.        

Where to go for a holiday in Arctic Finland

There are at least 12 regions that have a hub of seasonal activities during the holiday seasons.  Here are some of them listed.

1.            Kilpisjärvi

2.            Inari

3.            Ivalo

4.            Saariselka.

5.            Pyhä / Luosto

6.            Äkäslompolo

7.            Pallas.

8.            Ylläs

9.            Salla

10.         Lewi

11.         Karigasniemi

12.         Rovaniemi

This list being numbered is not in any particular order, each region is unique with its own history, culture, facilities, and cultural traditions.  In order of size and modernization of destination hubs in Lapland could start from Rovaniemi, Lewi, Saariselkä,  Ylläs, Pyhä/luosto, Salla, Kilpisjärvi, Ivalo, Inari, and Pallas. 

The above is not an exhaustive list of all the holiday hub destination locations in Lapland, it does give a general idea of the variations of the size, and the urban modernization of the facilities, holiday centers, and Ski Resorts.

Pallas is a national park, with very little development made there, in comparison to other locations like Lewi and Saariselkä. Rovaniemi is a city, while Salla, Karigasniemi, Ivalo, and Inari are towns. Ylläs Tundra and Lewi mountains are the only ones with a Gondola to the summit.

Know your holiday destination as much as possible

To know your holiday destination in advance much as possible does provide many benefits, it can eliminate the loss of your valuable time, loss of resources, and loss of the holiday expectations that you may have had before departing on a memorable exotic location holiday of a lifetime.

Thank you for checking out Bloggers Guide To Lapland Finland video and book.   http://laplandguide.net


Schooling

Having Too much of a good thing

Too much of school sounds like a negative reaction, like having too much of a good thing. When my mom finally decided to take that plum posting as a Divisional Head, I knew I was in trouble. Her office hours stretched way beyond my school hours. And anyway, I was privy to the many discussions my parents had about ‘Honey, what do we do with the kids?’ Well, finally they struck gold – an after-school educational program. Won’t that be just grand? Kids are learning new things while parents are happily minting greenbacks!

And so, we went directly to another class after our school. The brochure said that they would be ‘using fun activities and innovative teaching methods to fill the gap in your child’s understanding.’ I suppose they meant that the teacher would write down the homework and we were to copy it. At least, this is what happened most of the time. Of course, we didn’t tell our parents. How would that help? They’d merely get smart and shift us to a class that would actually make us solve our homework.

I hated the classes. Mostly, I was bored to tears or falling asleep.  After so many hours at school who’d want to spend the entire afternoon with the same books? But, as a child, one had little choice in these matters. Especially when one’s parents were cleverly telling one that mommy’s salary will help get us that spanking new TV or that video game.

Lose some, win some!

Then, one day, my sister decided to rock the proverbial boat. She decided she had enough of studying and refused to go to the after-school program. That’s when my parents began to smell something stale. Shortly after that, they put us in a better program (o, yes, another educational one). This was bigger, brighter and somehow more fun. We had some exciting games, and a COMPUTER too. Each of us got a chance to do something on the PC (this, when PCs were just beginning to make their presence felt). We somehow managed to blaze through our homework, most of which had to be done by us. Then it was time to have fun. We had a little bit of everything. Acting classes, speech, games and of course painting. Those hours we spent splashing color on pages and laughing at silly jokes were really the highlight of an otherwise dull day. Ironically, I began looking forward to my after school program.

Now, so many years afterward, when I need to take up a job and leave my own child alone till I get back, I know how vital these after-school programs have become. Talk about history repeating itself! I just hope I’d get her into a good one, and yes, it’s going to be educational too.

Thank you for visiting www. Lapland Guide .net website and reading these article on Children and education, and too much school. For more interesting article visit Face Book page. https://www.facebook.com/ArcticFreshWater//

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After-school programs

Successful after-school programs

Successful after-school programs can be creative, smart, interactive and spontaneous to the parents / children’s wishes, desires, wants and needs, providing effective leadership to the group.

What marks a successful after-school program? What are the things that you should look for when enrolling your child into one such program? Other than the distinct advantage of learning something new, successful programs incorporate many things that help the development of the child.

Development of social skills is one of the more important objectives of a good after school program. In a recent survey, parents indicated that while they do want their children to respect others, they also wanted them to imbibe skills like getting along with other children and getting used to children outside the immediate circle of friends. Many children find it difficult to make new friends and get along with people outside their group.

Good after school programs place particular emphasis on security and safety.

They keep children out of trouble and keep them safe. A good after-school program should be fun, especially when the children are young. If the activity is fun, you will not have to worry about keeping him interested or motivated. To be effective, programs should be organized and structured. They must also suit the age of the child. The child must be aware of the purpose of the program and must be convinced that they are attending the plans to accomplish something.

The Learning environment

There is often a trap in words ‘after school activities’. One may easily believe that since these activities are after school, they are not of much importance. But, one couldn’t be more wrong. Research suggests that children pick up some of their most important skills from after school programs. That is why children who do not participate in any extra curricular activities are generally slow and less vibrant.

The learning environment that one fosters in after-school activities must be as disciplined and as functional as that found in the school. This is especially true of educational after-school programs. This is the best place to teach the child essential skills like time-management and goal setting. Time-management is a vital skill, but it is not achieved easily.

Children need to feel the discipline that is required in order to finish a task and the happiness of completing the allotted work in a specific time frame.

Children look for different things in an after the class program. The learning environment should be attractive, colorful and informative. Use charts, pictures, posters, and drawings to liven up a class. Additional resources (resources that are not readily available in the school) will make the classes interesting. For instance, when teaching a biology lesson, allow the child to see through a microscope or see slides of bacteria. This will add to his knowledge and also make him more enthusiastic about his after-school program.

Discipline is a must in after-school activities. In fun or sport-based activities, it is easy for children to step out of line and wreck havoc.

While children should be allowed to have fun, they should be curtailed from unacceptable behavior. The best way to enforce discipline is to lay down the rules at the very beginning. Let the children know what is unacceptable, right at the beginning.

Rewards are an essential part of any learning process. The award can be a simple pat on the back or a token of appreciation. Motivate your children to aspire for higher things by rewarding their achievements. Holding competitions or sports activities where the children can show their proficiency is a reward in itself.

Children can get bored quickly, especially in the case of an educational program. The main thrust of an academic program is to repeat what has been taught in class and to allow the child to learn it quickly. It is difficult to pique the child’s interest a second time, especially when the child is already tired of one dose of the same lesson. It is best to thwart boredom by using creative techniques like an impromptu extempore on any topic, a quiz program or a slideshow.

After school activities are becoming more popular by the day. Parents want their kids to learn more. Children too have an insatiable quest for knowledge. In an after-school program, it is possible to pay individual attention and quench this thirst using various effective techniques.

Thank you for visiting www. Lapland Guide.net website and reading these article on after School children activity programs. For more interesting articles visit Lapland Guide Face Book page. https://www.facebook.com/ArcticFinlandAdventure/  

Also http://arcticfinland.net/ https://www.facebook.com/HarmonyTuneofNature/

Recreational Activities

Recreational after-school programs

Recreational after-school program interactions can bring out the best personality trait development and human qualities in children, life is often a spontaneous challenge for learning how to tackle new situational challenges, new information and growing to become a better communicator of ideas, thoughts and emotions as an understanding human being.

After school programs can be divided into 3 broad categories: academic, recreational and social. Balanced development takes place when there is compatibility between the physical, mental as well as the educational mile stone achievements of the child. As the name suggests, after-school recreational programs are based on a sport or recreation. Some of the more common physical activities include football, swimming, and basketball. Some clubs offer programs like gymnastics, trekking, and hiking. In this case, youngsters are often given a short class in first-aid class also.

Recreational after-school programs offer children an opportunity to let off some steam and to destress themselves. The closed classroom atmosphere and a day full of textbooks and writing cause the child to repress his natural enthusiasm. He curbs his energy when he is required to sit quietly in class and learn. Physical activity is an all-time low during such times. This physical lethargy and inaction are countermanded by recreational activities. Growing concerns of obesity and child diabetes make it necessary for children to indulge in some strenuous exercises that will allow them to work up some sweat.

Unlike educational programs, recreational programs do not tax the mental processes. But, they do aid the learning process by making the child more active. A child who is physically active is mentally fit and is able to focus his thoughts on the work at hand. Additionally, recreational programs teach discipline, mechanics of teamwork and fair play. These are valuable lessons in the growing process.

As more and more nuclear families emerge, the child faces greater isolation. Many children shuttle between their classroom and their bedrooms and do not have any meaningful relationships outside these.

Recreational programs offer ample avenues for socialization. This is a place the child can go to and play even when his neighbor is not the most welcoming. The Boy / Girl Scout programs are excellent recreational after-school programs. Lately, survival classes and camps have devised to combine essential survival skills with sports and games to educate children on how to handle emergencies.

Like any good after-school program, recreational programs are designed to give children a safe area where they can indulge in some group activities that interest them. This is one of the most effective ways to keep kids out of the streets and out of trouble. But, one has to be careful when enrolling children for recreational classes. The age of the child, his temperament and his physical caliber have to be taken into account before you choose the right program for your child.

Thank you for taking the time to visit Lapland Guide .net website and reading these article on Children recreational activities. For more interesting articles visit Lapland Guide Face Book page, / https://www.facebook.com/ArcticFreshWater/?ref=bookmarks

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Overcoming addictions

Understanding How to Overcome Addictions

White knuckling Versus No Matter What

In addiction recovery meetings, there is a term widely used i.e. ‘white knuckling’. As the term implies it is used to describe the experience of an addict who is abstaining from drugs and fighting the urge to use it with all his strength and willpower. It also implies that an addict is doing it all on his own without any help.

White knuckling is considering in a negative way and used to describe that an addict is not following his/her recovery plan or recovering in the right way. Recovery Experts believe that addicts who are trying to recover on their own will certainly fail at one point or another, making the relapse inevitable.

On the other hand, there is another term i.e. ‘No Matter What’. An addict who is undergoing recovery will be advised that when everything else fails, he/she just have to focus on abstaining drugs. They are advised to not use drugs, no matter what.

The advice is strong considering that your brain starts healings once you stop using drugs.

Difference between White Knuckling and No Matter What:

Although both are implying the same thing, there is a major difference between ‘white knuckling’ and ‘no matter what’.

The implication of no matter what is that you have to stay clean through your willpower but in this case, you are also going to meetings and have a sponsor.

White Knuckling is the same thing in every way but in this case, you are doing it on your own, with no help.

When connected with 12-step programs, some addicts think that it is the best and probably the only way to overcome addiction and live a sober life.

On the alternate side, few addicts think that 12-step is a sort of ‘keep-the-person-occupied-centers’, to keep the addict busy in different lively activities while working on staying clean.

The Third Element to Kicking an Addiction?

What is the third element to consider?

The third element strikes at the heart of the matter. The heart of the matter is the human soul. The human living soul has the following functions.

  • Intellect
  • Consciousness
  • Imagination
  • Will
  • Memory
  • Emotions

These are the functions of the human living soul mind. The mind can be a slave to the physical addictions of the body. Alternatively, the mind can be in control over the physical flesh of the physical body.

The mind works in the spiritual realm. The Physical body addictions are in conflict with the spiritual realm of the mind.

How to be more in tune with the spiritual?

There are many right answers to the above question. One way to be more in tune with the spiritual is to spend time in the natural environment. Contemplating the beauty of the natural environment. To be mindful of the beautiful life that is everywhere in the natural environment, where there is a healthy life to be observed.

The second way to be spiritual is to read the Holy Scriptures. To read the Bible and to meditate on the meaning of the scriptures does provide guidance to what should be priorities in life. E.g.

Proverbs 8:13 New International Version (NIV)

“To fear the Lord is to hate evil; I hate pride and arrogance,

evil behavior and perverse speech.”

Here are some of the common physical addictions listed.

Pornography, fornication, alcohol, drunkenness, weed smoking, stealing, willful lying, willful cursing, homosexuality, clubbing, covetousness, hate, envy, anger, murder and more.

It is important to acknowledge the difference between spiritual values and physical addictions. Physical addictions corrode the self-control over the physical body. The lusts of the flesh attempt to take control and rule the roost. It is a matter for decision making, to take steps towards the right and the higher priorities in life, as in spiritual priorities.

The Reason to deny the lust of the flesh, and not to go there is vital.

By making small steps, and also praying to the Creator of Life (God), can enable the spirit to be stronger over the physical addictions of the flesh.

Physical addictions do not just happen overnight, they are fed with imaginations, fantasies, flirtations, pornographic images and also often with alcohol and drugs.

Alcohol and drugs indulge the lusts of the flesh. People lose their self-control when they indulge in alcohol and drugs much faster than they would under normal life healthy lifestyle.

Which is more effective for recovery – White Knuckling or No Matter What?

When we talk about recovery we are actually referring to staying clean from drugs/alcohol and healing our brain.

In recovery programs, you have a sponsor who will guide you through every step of how to handle your drug cravings. You are often advised and motivated to never use drugs, no matter what.

And this requires a lot of willpower. Same willpower can be used in white knuckling also. Like we said earlier, you can call ‘white knuckling’ is doing the ‘no matter what’ without any recovery program or sponsor.

The Outcomes of Both Programs:

The outcomes of both the programs – ‘white knuckling’ or ‘no matter what’ remains the same.

If you are suffering from addiction and undergoing the 12-step program, you will be advised and motivated to never use drugs no matter what. This is actually good advice for your health and life.

On the other hand, if you are not going to any program and recovering on your own and if you managed to avoid drugs by yourself only, then you should understand that you are still achieving success towards sobriety.

With time and proper care, your addictive behaviors and cravings will start dissipating and your brain will start to function normally again. But remember, that addiction is a chronic disease and a person always possesses chances to relapse even after staying clean for a long time.

You must remain cautious about situations, people, places that can act as strong triggers for relapse.

What possess greater chances of Relapse – ‘White Knuckling’ or ‘No Matter What’?

Relapse occurs when a person’s need to use drugs overshadows his/her willpower to stay clean.

Although during recovery, both possess a chance to relapse but as in ‘white knuckling’ the individual is alone and trying to quit on his own, it possesses a greater chance of relapse.

In ‘no matter what’ your sponsor will be by your side, motivate you every day, teach you great ways to stay busy and be cautious about triggers.

Conclusion:

Both programs offer a solid approach to overcome addiction, but everyone must understand that every person is different. There are multiple paths to recovery and require different methods, techniques and willpower levels. There is no ‘one-size-fits-all’ solution to addiction recovery. Therefore it is suggested that every individual should find a way that suits his/her needs for lifetime sobriety.

Five Questions

But today we focus on verse 31: “So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed in him, ‘If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples.’” And I have five questions that this verse raises — all are crucial for your life:

What does it mean to “truly be Jesus’s disciples”? (“You are truly my disciples.”)

What is Jesus referring to by the phrase “my word”? (“If you abide in my word. . . .”)

What does it mean to be “in” that word? (“If you abide in my word. . . .”)

What does it mean to “abide” there? (“If you abide in my word. . . .”)

What’s the relationship between abiding in his word and truly being his disciple? (“If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples.”)

Read the entire article at this Desiring God link.

https://www.desiringgod.org/messages/if-you-abide-in-my-word-you-are-truly-my-disciples

Nicotine Addiction

Overcoming Nicotine Addiction for Good

Overcoming Nicotine Addiction for Good


In order to really quit smoking it is necessary to break the chains of bondage that smoking creates in your life. If you are addicted to smoking purely due to the nicotine addiction you are certainly not alone. This is one of the biggest reasons why smokers continue to smoke. It is also one of the reasons why the tobacco company sits around confidently while the economy struggles and people are cutting back. If you are addicted to their product, you are not going to cut back. In fact, if you are addicted you may find that you are using the product even more. This creates huge profits for the tobacco companies and leaves you with a huge problem as you are struggling to get your addiction under control.

What is really surprising is the fact that people will have sympathy for someone who is addicted to drugs, alcohol, gambling and a plethora of other addictions. However, sympathy tends to stop at the idea of being addicted to cigarettes. This is a stigma that has affected society in a way that people are often laughed at for saying that they are addicted to cigarettes. Yet, the fact remains that people are in fact addicted. Learning how to control the addiction is critical to success, after all those who are addicted to drugs rarely ever just quit cold turkey successfully.

You need to realize that you are addicted to smoking and that the reason is typically due to nicotine. The exact manner that you get the nicotine is not important. What is important is avoiding the harmful effects on your body that smoking has. If you need to slowly cut back your nicotine consumption you are not alone, and to prove it there are dozens of stop smoking aids on the market. Several even offer small dosages of nicotine to help smokers deal with their nicotine addiction while still working to quit smoking. Looking towards products such as nicotine gum or even the patches may be your only help in quitting.

Overcoming Nicotine Addiction for Good

While there are plenty of tricks such as breathing exercises, magnets, and other stop smoking aids that you can use, many are not designed for people actually addicted to the nicotine. What you may not realize is that the bulk majority of smokers have become dependent on the nicotine to one extent or another. While some smokers rely much more on the nicotine than others, they are still addicted to an extent. It is important to break this dependence in order to actually be successful at quitting smoking. This is not an easy process, and it must be done carefully.

If you are not careful in the process of breaking your nicotine addiction, you could actually make things worse. For example, the nicotine gum and the patches come in different dosage levels. These levels coincide to the amount that you smoke. The intended purpose is to start at the level that you typically smoke at and slowly decrease the amount of nicotine that you consume each day. Slowly over time, your addiction would be gone, however, to crush this instantly you would just need to use a stronger gum or patch than you need for your smoking habit. One pack a day smoker could create far more problems for themselves if they used the gum or patch intended for those who smoke two packs a day for example.

Being sure that you are using the proper dosages is critical. Ensuring that you are taking your time and carefully dealing with your nicotine addiction is very important as well. If you have the support of your friends, family, and co-workers, you will have a much greater success rate. Just as those recovering drug addicts take things a single day at a time, you need to do the same for your nicotine addiction. Simply rushing out and attempting to quit could create a huge self-esteem problem and you fail to control the addiction to nicotine. Going slow and accepting your problem will set you up for a much higher success rate and improve your overall health much faster.
Thank you for visiting Lapland Guide website and reading  Overcoming Nicotine Addiction for Good article post.  There is also  this Lapland Guide FaceBook page https://www.facebook.com/ArcticFinlandAdventure/ 

First Class

Many Ways to Get Upgraded to First Class

Many Ways to Get Upgraded to First Class


Have you ever wanted to fly first class? Do you like the spacious seating area or the perks that first class travelers get? Most airline passengers would love the ability to sit in first class, but most cannot afford the added expense. In some cases, you can still enjoy the first class without paying the full price. How? By upgrading.

When it comes to first class upgrades, many coach passengers want to know what they can do to get one. You can continue reading on for a list of suggestions. Please note, however, that many of these suggestions are hit or miss. There is no guarantee you will get a first class upgrade. In fact, your chances are small, but since these steps are easy to implement, you have nothing to lose by trying them.

Many Ways to Get Upgraded to First Class
Lonely girl with suitcase at country road dreaming about travel.

So, how can you score an upgrade to first class?

Volunteer to get bumped. Right now, airlines are in financial trouble. They have raised fares and cut flights. Since there are fewer planes in the air, more flights are booked to capacity. Not only that, but airlines regularly mess up and overbook flights. Flight attendants and ticket counter representatives are left scrambling to solve the problem. First, they look for bumped volunteers. If no one comes forward, they make the decision. Those bumped travelers are angry and likely to cause a scene. Airlines want to avoid this, so some are willing to bargain. Offer to be the passenger bumped, but only if you can get a free upgrade to first class on your next flight.

Volunteer if they want to move passengers to first class after boarding the plane. On occasion, planes are unbalanced in terms of weight. In smaller flights with first-class seating, some passengers are asked to move from the back to the front. If you hear a flight attendant discussing this problem or are asked, take it. You get a free, no-hassle upgrade to first class.

Many Ways to Get Upgraded to First Class

Dress nicely. It sounds silly, but if you look important, people usually think you are. Airlines cater to those they believe to be important. For example, if you dress the part of a businessperson, you are more likely to get a free or discounted upgrade to first class when asked. It is hard to get this step to work, so keep comfort in mind. If your upgrade request is denied, don’t be stuck four hours on a plane in an uncomfortable business suit.

Complain about the competitor. There is a lot of competition among airlines to prove they are the best. You can use this to your advantage. Was your previous connecting flight on a competing airline? State your displeasure, even if it was a good flight. You have nothing to lose by stretching the truth a little bit. Airline representatives want you as their customer. They may take the opportunity to upgrade you to first class free of charge. In some cases, it is their attempt to show you that they are better and to have you become a long-term customer.

Join a frequent flyer program. If you fly on occasion, even once or twice a year, join an airline’s frequent flyer program. If upgrades are available for free or for a discount, they usually go to preferred customers first. These are frequent flyers. Since these programs are free to join, you have nothing to lose. When asking for an upgrade, don’t be afraid to toss around your frequent flyer status. Remember, these preferred customers the airline wants to keep happy.

Finally, the best option is to pay for an upgrade. Yes, a free upgrade to first class is nice, but they are usually rare. It is cheaper to upgrade to a first class seat than to buy one right from the start. When upgrading, wait until you arrive at the airport. Upgrades are cheaper at the last minute. If you have frequent flyer miles, apply them towards the upgrade fee. It reduces costs.

Thank you for visiting Lapland Guide website. I hope this Many Ways to Get Upgraded to First Class article post was informative and helpful.  For more similar articles visit http://kilpislakeadventures.com

Flying with Kids

How to Save Money on Airfare When Flying with Kids

How to Save Money on Airfare When Flying with Kids

Are you a parent who needs to fly with your young children? If so, you need to look for ways to save money. Unfortunately, parents often pay full-price, if not more for their children to fly. Realistically speaking, it should be the other way around. So, how do you, as a parent, find cheap airfare when traveling with children?

Do not get a seat for a child under the age of two. Most airlines allow children under the age of two to fly on the lap of a parent. If you have a child under two, don’t pay full-price for a ticket. Depending on where and when you are traveling, this seat could cost $400 or more! Some airlines do charge a fuel charge for lap infants, but it is still cheaper than a single seat.

How to Save Money on Airfare When Flying with Kids
Portrait of a happy family on summer vacation at beach

Right about now, you may be thinking it is too uncomfortable to fly with a child on your lap. It is best if you are traveling with your spouse or another adult. You can alternate between holding your child. This is ideal for long-distance flights, ensuring both parents get to relax on the flight at some point.

Do not let an airline charge you extra for a car seat. If an infant under the age of two gets their own seat, most airlines require you to have a car seat. This car seat is for safety purposes. Although some airlines require infant car seats, they have no problem charging you extra. Don’t let this happen. If you must have a separate seat for your infant, contact the airline directly and bargain. Let them know that if they do not waive the fee for the infant care items, you will opt for a lap arrangement instead. Once again, this can lose the airline up to $400 or more!

Ask for a discount. If you have a small child who is over the age of two, you must buy a seat. As previously stated, that seat could cost $400 or more. What you need to remember is that your child weighs less than an adult, they have less luggage, and most have few travel needs. They aren’t calling the attention of a flight attendant every ten minutes. Technically, it costs less for your child to fly, so try to pay less.

When seeking a child airfare discount, these discounts are rarely offered online. In fact, they are rarely offered at all. Parents need to seek them. Before making your airline reservations, contact the customer service department of your preferred airline. Outright ask about a discount. Mention the fact that your child does weighs less and will not have as much luggage. Be very polite, but clearly state your point. You should get a discount.

The best way to reduce the cost of flying with kids is to focus on airfare. However, don’t discount other moneysaving areas. It is cheaper to fly with layovers than take a direct flight. Unfortunately, that leaves you and your kids hanging out at the airport. We all know how expensive airport meals, snacks, and drinks are. Eliminate this added expense. Give your kids a full meal before leaving, pack lots of dry snacks, and share drinks bought at airport stores.

If you are traveling with one or two children, they may want their own suitcases. As cute as they may look dragging this suitcase along, it may cost you at least $30 extra. Now, many airlines charge for not only second suitcases, but the first one too. Save money by condensing luggage with your family. Will your daughter’s clothes fit into your suitcase and your son’s clothes fit into your husband’s suitcase? If your airline charges you $15 each way for a checked bag, you save $60 total!

As you can see, there are many ways that you can save money when flying with kids. Whether you have one child or three, don’t let the cost of flying ruin your finances.

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