Greetings,

Well we are one week before Christmas Eve.

Lots of shopping is sure to still be done between now and Christmas Eve.

If you and your business accepts Money Orders, pay careful attention to them, especially this time of the year.

According to the USPS, US Postal money orders are among the most secure financial instrument in the world.
Genuine postal money orders contain design features to maximize their security.

To ensure you are accepting or cashing the real thing, look for these features on genuine postal money orders.

1. When held to the light, a watermark od Benjamin Franklin is repeated from top to bottom on the left side.

2. When held to the light, a dark line (security thread) runs from top to bottom with the word “USPS” repeated.

3. There should be no discoloration around the dollar amounts, which might indicate the amounts were changed.

Remember, domestic postal money orders may not exceed $1000.00 and international postal money orders may not exceed $700.00.

If you have any questions about any postal money orders, call your nearest US Postal Inspection Service office, or Post Office. You may also call 1800 ASK-USPS

Be safe when accepting payments for your hard work, know you are accepting a real and genuine postal money order, some people are not as honest as you may think.

Sincerely,

Thomas “Trapper” Sherwood

PS…Give the gift of Personal Safety this year with a copy of Personal Safety & Security Secrets Reavealed,
available online at Personal Safety eBook

Tags: money orders, personal safety, personal security

The internet gives us access to just about anything we can imagine. This includes finding flights, trains, buses, hotel rooms, and rental cars that we can use to travel for the holidays. While most of these entities are more expensive when you travel over the holidays due the demand, you can still find some good deals if you take the time to look.

You will generally find that you can save the most money on holiday travel if you purchase a complete package deal. This is less expensive than buying each piece that you need individually. It also provides you with only one confirmation number that you need to keep track of instead of several different ones.

There are literally hundreds of sites online where you can look for holiday travel deals. You can search by your destination in a search engine or choose the various sites you have heard about. It is a good idea to keep a list of the sites you visit and the prices you are coming across. This way you can compare the prices and easily remember where you want to go back to.

Most of the time fares will be cheaper online than by contacting the place directly because it saves their business time of having to set up the travel arrangements for you. Make sure you carefully read all of the information though because some travel deals have hidden costs that you don’t want to be liable for. You also need to check into the cancellation policies and about rescheduling your trip.

Some online travel deals don’t offer any refunds at all so if a family member dies or you have an unexpected illness you won’t be able to get your money back. Even if you show up late for your flight because you got caught up at security they won’t honor your purchase. This can be extremely risky because there are too many variables that can affect holiday travel.

Make sure you also pay close attention to the amount of time that you will be in the process of getting to your destination. You may find a killer price but it isn’t going to be worth it if you have several connecting flights and layovers along the way. Look for direct methods to get to your destination whenever it is possible. There are simply too many delays during holiday travel to ensure you can get to those connections on time.

Many of the sites you visit online will allow you to sign up for special offers and promotions. You should take advantage of these offers so that you don’t have to continually return to their site to check for changes in prices. Some of them even allow you to enter a price so that you can be notified if the price of the trip you want drops to that price. For those that can only afford holiday travel if it fits a specific budget, this is a valuable feature.

During your search online for holiday travel, be flexible with your dates. You will be able to save hundreds of dollars just by being willing to leave a day earlier or leaving in the evening instead of the afternoon. Those that want a specific travel arrangement will find this ties them into more expensive offers. Even if you travel a day earlier and have to pay for a hotel room that extra night you could save hundreds of dollars.

It does take some initial planning of where you want to travel and how you are going to get there in order to find the best travel deals. Investing a few hours of your time in getting the best price though is well worth the savings you will get from it. Millions of people travel each year over the holidays but some of them pay more for the same trip because they didn’t look for holiday travel deals online.

Be Safe on your Travels,

Trapper

PS…Be safe with your Identity also, Discover how with our FREE report available at:
Personal Safety eBook

Tags: Christmas, Credit Card safety, credit cards, holiday travel, holidays, personal security, stolen credit cards

The holidays can be quite hectic but they are often a time when people travel to see family and friends or to take a well deserved vacation. Following some basic tips will help ensure you have the best time when you travel during this time of year. Being prepared for things to go wrong is the first step in minimizing the damages and getting on with your holiday travel plans.

Make sure you have all of your tickets and confirmation numbers in a specific place. It is a good idea to make a copy of the information as well as the contact number for your tickets and place it in another location. This way if you lose the originals you will have all the necessary information to take care of it. You should call about a week before your travel dates to make sure your reservation is still active for all modes of transportation and your accommodations.

It is common for flights, trains, and buses to get delayed over the holidays due to security issues, weather, and trying to meet the needs of the volumes of people using such modes of transportation over the holidays. Make sure you have plenty of money, food, drinks, and necessities to get you through these delays. They can range from a couple of hours to a few days. If you will be traveling a long distance you should consider bringing along activities to pass the time, especially if you are traveling with children.

If you take prescription medications you need to make sure you have them clearly labeled. You may get questioned about them if they aren’t in the bottle you picked them up at from the pharmacy. It is a good idea to have a written note from your doctor regarding the medication as well. Makes sure you have enough of it for the entire trip including any delays that may occur.

Lost luggage is one of the biggest problems when people travel, and it compounds during the holidays because of how busy everyone is. While you really can’t prevent your luggage from getting lost, you can do your best to make sure you have all you need in the mean time. Make sure each person traveling in your party has clothing in all of the suitcases instead of making one for each person. This way everyone will have a chance to have some items should a bag or two get lost in the shuffle.

Clearly identify your luggage so that you will be sure to get yours upon reaching your destination. Too many bags look the same and many people are in a hurry when they travel for the holidays. Place a colorful ribbon or colored tape on your bags if you carry the styles and colors that are very popular. If you travel often you should consider some unique looking luggage that will stand out.

Traveling during the holidays needs to be as smooth as possible to ensure you will enjoy your trip. By taking the time to follow these tips you can help make that happen. There are plenty of horror stories out there about people not being able to get to their destination for the holidays or they didn’t have the items they needed upon arriving. Don’t open the door for your holiday vacation to fit into this grim category.

Sincerely,

Thomas “Trapper” Sherwood

Sherwood Locksmithing

PS…Get your copy of our FREE Report; “Protect your Identity From Theft”
at Personal Safety & Security Secrets Revealed

Tags: Christmas, holiday travel, holidays, personal safety, personal security, Travel

Greetings All,

Just came a cross a really cool plug-in for blogs.

http://www.odiogo.com

This plug in adds a button to your blog posts that allow folks to listen to your blogs.

Read more about it here.

http://mashable.com/2008/11/28/how-to-convert-your-blog-into-a-podcast-on-itunes-for-free/

So I have added it and wanted to share it with the group here.

You can listen in to what it sounds like on this blog right below the title page.

The little button that says listen, just click it, pretty cool.

Plus you can download it as an mp3.

I know there are some limitations with this as the voice may sound a little robotic, but really, what a great way to share information on personal safety and security with folks that might be a little visually impaired.

Trap

Sherwood Locksmithing

Personal Safety Resource

Tags: odiogo, personal safety, personal security, Sherwood Locksmithing

Black Friday is the day after Thanksgiving and commonly thought of as the busiest day of the year for shopping and the start of the traditional holiday shopping season in the United States.

“MasterCard data shows that for retailers in the top gift-buying categories, Black Friday is indeed the biggest day of the season — and people know to get out of bed early to cash in on the myriad of bargains that are offered in the wee hours of the morning,” said Larry Flanagan, chief marketing officer of MasterCard Worldwide.

Black Friday is the hottest day for shopping because there are many profitable items for sale than during the entire rest of the year, so enjoy your shopping, save your hard earn money, and don’t disregard your personal safety.

The name Black Friday is thought to have originated in Philadelphia Pennsylvania and is a reference to the heavy shopping done all that day (Maybe it was meant to mean that people are shopping in the black on that day but by Christmas they are shopping in the red)

Black Friday is not a day to forget about your own personal safety, or to step all over one another.  Nor is any other time and Black Friday is no exception, even if you might miss out on the latest Ipod.  Black Friday is not a free pass to cut people off in the parking lot.

In my opinion, Black Friday is a dangerous day to be anywhere retail.

Surviving Black Friday is not a game.

Look what happened in Palm Springs.
http://www.mydesert.com/article/20081129/NEWS0801/811290327/1006/NEWS01

Or the stampede in New York.
http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601087&sid=aviWbQ4bOa1w&refer=home

All I am saying, is this. Is that Ipod, or the last Xbox worth risking your personal safety or security during this time of the year? Or ruining somebody else’s?

Keep these thoughts in mind during the Holiday season this year, and everyday.

Sincerely,

Trapper
Sherwood Locksmithing

PS…Give the gift of Personal Safety by visiting Personal Safety eBook Heck, point, click & ship, three easy words for shopping, and you won’t even have to leave your home.

Tags: black friday, holidays, personal safety, personal security, shopping, Thanksgiving, toysrus, walmart

Greetings,

Happy Thanksgiving to all who are celebrating this wonderful Holiday today.

I am Thankful that we have our safety & security here in the USA, and my
prayers, and I hope yours goes out to the folks in India that are suffering
from the hands of those evil terrorists.

Continue to pray for all our soldiers, air force, navy and Marine personal
who put themselves in harms way to protect our country, our way of
life, and of course our personal safety and security. Let us all pray that
they will arrive home safely to their loved ones.

God Bless,

Thomas “Trapper” Sherwood
Sherwood Locksmithing

PS…be safe on your travels, and please re-read some of our previous posts on
protecting your personal safety and security. Also, don’t eat to much!

ENJOY Thanksgiving and all we have to be thankful for!

Tags: Marines, personal safety, personal security, safety, security, terrorists, Thanksgiving

For those driving to their holiday destination, paying attention to the weather reports is also important. You will be amazed at how many people drive from a location where there is no snow and then panic when they are having to drive in it with bumper to bumper cars all along the interstate.

Tune in to local weather channels on the radio to find out about any road closures, detours, or accidents. It is a good idea to have an alternate route printed out just in case these things occur. If you find the weather has become too severe for safe travel you need to be responsible and get a hotel room until conditions improve.

Make sure your vehicle is equipped with all the features it needs to handle the changes in the weather. You should have a good heater with defrost options and an air conditioner that will help you to stay cool. Your windshield wipers and hazard lights also need to be working. If you have any issues with these various features you need to fix them before you engage in holiday travel or rent another vehicle for the trip.

As a holiday traveler, it is your responsibility to keep up to date with the weather. While it can significantly affect the plans you had for the holidays there is nothing you can do about it. Fighting with Mother Nature is a losing battle that you don’t want to be on the other side of. Being prepared for the weather can mean the difference between a safe holiday trip and one that is full of regrets later on.

Be safe on your Travels, and

HAPPY THANKSGIVING to all!

Thomas “Trapper” Sherwood
Sherwood Locksmithing

Tags: holiday travel, holidays, personal safety, personal security, Thanksgiving, Travel, weather

It is very important that you keep yourself aware of the weather for holiday travel. During the colder times of the year many parts of the world experience heavy snowstorms and even blizzards. You need to be aware of what is unfolding on the path you will be taking to your holiday destination. This will allow you to be very prepared for it and have a safe journey.

To ensure you pack the right clothing, pay attention to the weather in the days before you pack. Your local news channel may not be of assistance if you are travel a long way for the holidays. The internet is the best source of information for finding up to date weather that will span the course of your holiday travel. You can also contact someone where you are traveling to and have them keep an eye on their local weather reports for you.

If you are taking a flight, train, or bus to get to your destination you will want to find out what their policies are for delays due to the weather. If the weather is questionable before you leave to the terminal you will want to call first. There is no point of you sitting there instead of in the comfort of you home if the transportation has been delayed by several hours or canceled due to the weather.

Pay close attention to when the flight will be rescheduled so you can adjust your plans. Too many people show up at the airport hoping for the best and then end up spending countless hours will nothing to do. One reason why people do this is the fear of not being able to drive to the airport due to the bad weather. You will have to decide if that is something you are willing to risk or if you are going to hang out at the airport and see what happens.

If it is warm when you leave home but it will be significantly chilly where you arrive, make sure you carry on a jacket with you. Pay attention to your shoes as well because you don’t want to be slipping or risk falling down out there. Your body won’t be able to handle the quick change in temperature so make sure you are prepared for what you will find. Likewise, if you are traveling from a cold climate to a warm one for the holidays make sure you dress in layers so you can stay comfortable upon arrival.

Sincerely,

Thomas “Trapper” Sherwood
Sherwood Locksmithing

Tags: airplanes, blizzards, flights, holiday travel, holidays, personal safety, personal security, snowstorms, trains, weather

Never drive when you are too tired to focus your attention on the road. Too many people traveling for the holidays haven’t gotten sufficient rest along the way. Don’t kid yourself into thinking that a soda or several cups of coffee are going to keep you awake. Driving while you are tired increases your chances of making mistakes and also prolongs your reaction times.

Whether you are driving yourself or taking another method of transportation, you need to keep a close eye on your items. Don’t fall victim to having your luggage, purse, or wallet stolen by someone because you left it unattended. Men should keep their wallet in their front pocket and women should keep their purses over their head across the shoulder and to the opposite arm.

If you are traveling with a spouse or other adult it is a good idea for each of you to carry some money and a credit card with you. This way if someone does get your materials you won’t be completely without access to other forms of payment you may need. It is also a good idea for each of you to carry a copy of the itinerary with confirmation numbers. This way you are likely to have one copy if the other gets lost. It is also helpful if you get separated in a crowded airport.

Traveling during the holidays can be fun and a great way to get away from your daily routine. Follow these tips to help keep yourself alert so you can have the very best time possible. Most accidents are the result of people being tired or being in too much of a hurry so get enough rest and take your time to arrive safely. Always pay close attention to your personal belongings and report any suspicious behaviors you may encounter.

Sincerely,

Thomas “Trapper” Sherwood
Sherwood Locksmithing

PS… “Personal Safety & Security Secrets Revealed” is a GREAT place to pick up a copy of a personal guidebook to help improve your personal safety.

Tags: crime, holiday travel, holidays, locksmith, personal safety, personal security, safety, Sherwood Locksmithing