How to get Free Education with Elite Universities (MIT, Duke, and Harvard)

Free Education with Best Universities

 

This is my new articles on getting university education. In previous articles we saw more info about some free scholarships and other aspect of university education. We all know how costly the university education is? .If anyone wants to do he needs either lot of money or a student loan. In this article you will find that you can get free if you using MOOC.

What is MOOC?

MOOC stands for Massive Open Online Courses.  Although there has been access to free online courses on the Internet for years, the quality and quantity of courses has changed.

Access to free courses has allowed students to obtain a level of education that many only could dream of in the past.  This has changed the face of education.  In The New York Times article Instruction for Masses Knocked Down Campus Walls, author Tamar Lewin stated, “in the past few months hundreds of thousands of motivated students around the world who lack access to elite universities have been embracing them as a path toward sophisticated skills and high-paying jobs, without paying tuition or collecting a college degree.”

Although MOOCs are the latest trend, not everyone agrees that schools should offer them.  Joshua Kim Insight Higher Ed article Why Every University Does Not Need a MOOC noted that offering free material may not make sense for the individual university.  It may be more important to stand out in other ways.

There may also be some issues for students who lack motivation.  Since a MOOC is voluntary and there is no penalty for dropping the program or lagging behind, there may be issues with course completion.  Although a student may have received an excellent education, there will not be a corresponding diploma.

 

For those who desire a free education and have the motivation, the following includes the: 

Top 10 Sites for Information about MOOCs:

 

 

1. Udemy Free Courses – Udemy is an example of a site allows anyone to build or take online courses.  Udemy’s site exclaims, “Our goal is to disrupt and democratize education by enabling anyone to learn from the world’s experts.” The New York Times reported that Udemy, “recently announced a new Faculty Project, in which award-winning professors from universities like Dartmouth, the University of Virginia and Northwestern offer free online courses. Its co-founder, Gagen Biyani, said the site has more than 100,000 students enrolled in its courses, including several, outside the Faculty Project, that charge fees.”
2. ITunesU Free Courses – Apple’s free app “gives students access to all the materials for courses in a single place. Right in the app, they can play video or audio lectures. Read books and view presentations.”
3. Stanford Free Courses -   From Quantum Mechanics to The Future of the Internet, Stanford offers a variety of free courses.  Stanford’s – Introduction to Artificial Intelligence was highly successful. According to Pontydysgu.org, “160000 students from 190 countries signed up to Stanford’s Introduction to AI” course, with 23000 reportedly completing.”  Check out Stanford’s Engineering Everywhere link.
4. UC Berkeley Free Courses – From General Biology to Human Emotion, Berkley offers a variety of courses.  Check out:  Berkeley Webcasts and Berkeley RSS Feeds.
5. MIT Free Courses – Check out MIT’s RSS MOOC feed.  Also see:  MIT’s Open Courseware.
6. Duke Free Courses – Duke offers a variety of courses on ITunesU.
7. Harvard Free Courses – From Computer Science to Shakespeare, students may now get a free Harvard education. “Take a class for professional development, enrichment, and degree credit. Courses run in the fall, spring, or intensive January session. No application is required.”
8. UCLA Free Courses – Check out free courses such as their writing program that offers over 220 online writing courses each year.
9. Yale Free Courses – At Open Yale, the school offers “free and open access to a selection of introductory courses taught by distinguished teachers and scholars at Yale University. The aim of the project is to expand access to educational materials for all who wish to learn.”
10. Carnegie Mellon Free Courses – Carnegie Mellon boosts “No instructors, no credits, no charge.”

 

How to get Cheap Ticket to See 1000 Islands, Niagara, Wonderland and Many More

How to get Cheap Ticket to See 1000 Islands, Niagara, Wonderland and Many More -

This is my new article on getting cheap tickets to see nice waterparks and places in Canada and US

In this article I have found very nice website which provide us a lot of saving on different attractions places in Ontario, Canada.

 

Attractions Ontario is committed to providing you with fun-filled ideas for your next vacation as well as money saving coupons to Ontario's top attractions to make your trip more affordable. These are free coupons for you to use!

 

Listed below are member attractions currently offering coupon discounts at their venues. Just click on the desired attraction – this will bring you to the attraction listing where you can view and print the free coupons. Don’t forget to check this page at the beginning of each month for new coupons!

 

This year almost all the coupons in our Passport are available here for download and printing. Please visit our member attractions!

 

E-COUPONS ARE ONLY VALID IF BOTH FRONT AND BACK SIDES ARE PRESENTED AT FRONT GATE (The front of the coupon is ABOVE the perforated line, the back of the coupon is BELOW the perforated line).

The 2015 Attraction Coupons are here!

Attractions Ontario is committed to providing you with fun-filled ideas for your next vacation as well as money saving coupons to Ontario's top attractions to make your trip more affordable. These are free coupons for you to use!  Listed below are member attractions currently offering coupon discounts at their venues. Just click on the desired attraction – this will bring you to the attraction listing where you can view and print the free coupons. Don’t forget to check this page at the beginning of each month for new coupons! This year almost all the coupons in our Summer Passport and Coupon Book are available here for download and printing. Explore Ontario this summer and visit our member attractions! 
Note: E-coupons are only valid if BOTH SIDES (FRONT AND BACK) are printed and presented of the attraction FRONT GATE. The front of the coupon is ABOVE the perforated line, the back of the coupon is BELOW the perforated line. DO NOT CUT THE COUPONS - the printout is the ENTIRE coupon that needs to be presented.

Attraction	Title	Expiry Date
1000 Islands & Seaway Cruises - Brockville	Save 25%	2015/08/30
1000 Islands Cruise Gananoque Boat Line	$2 OFF Regular Adult Ticket for a 1000 Islands Cruise	2015/10/12
1000 Islands Cruises Rockport	$2 Off Regular Priced Cruise	2015/10/31
African Lion Safari	$2 Off Regular Admission	2015/09/20
Battlefield House - Hamilton Civic Museums	2 for 1	2016/04/30
Bingemans Big Splash	$6 Off Day Pass	2015/09/07
Bird Kingdom	$3 Off All Regular Admission	2016/04/30
Bowmanville Zoological Park	Free Kid Pass	2016/04/30
Cambridge Butterfly Conservatory	Save Up to $8!	2016/01/31
Canada's Wonderland	$8 Off Regular Admission	2015/11/01
Canadian Museum of History	$5 Off of Family Admission & IMAX Combo	2015/12/31
Canadian Museum of Nature	$2 Off Regular Admission	2015/09/01
Casa Loma	10% Off Admission	2016/04/30
Castle Kilbride National Historic Site	2 For 1 Regular Admission	2016/01/03
Centreville Amusement Park	$2 Off All-Day Ride Pass	2015/12/31
Chicopee Tube Park	$10 Off Zip Line & All Acess Combo Package	2015/10/31
CN Tower	15% Off General Admission Ticket	2015/10/31
Discovery Harbour	50% Off Admission	2015/09/06
Dundurn National Historic Site - Hamilton Civic Museums	2 for 1	2016/04/30
Eco Adventure Tour At Scenic Caves Nature Adventures	$20 Off Eco Adventure Tour	2015/10/31
Elmvale Jungle Zoo	$2 Off Regular Adult Admission	2015/09/30
Fallsview Indoor Waterpark	$10 Off General Admission for up to 6 People	2016/04/30
Fantasy Fair	$4 Off All Day Ride Pass	2016/04/30
Fieldcote Memorial Park & Museum - Hamilton Civic Museums	2 for 1	2016/04/30
Fort William Historical Park	Buy 1, Get 1 Free!	2015/09/30
Greg Frewin Theatre	Book Online and Save 15%	2016/05/01
Hamilton Children's Museum - Hamilton Civic Museums	2 for 1	2016/04/30
Hamilton Military Museum - Hamilton Civic Museums	2 for 1	2016/04/30
Hamilton Museum of Steam and Technology - Hamilton Civic Museums	2 for 1	2016/04/30
Hockey Hall of Fame	$4 Off Per Person+10% Off Gift Store	2016/04/30
Jungle Cat World	$2 Off Regular Admission	2016/04/30
LEGOLAND® Discovery Centre Toronto	$3 Off Up to 4 People	2016/04/30
Long Point Eco-Adventures	$10 Off Eco-Adventure Tour	2015/11/01
Mariposa Cruises	Buy One, Get One FREE	2015/10/31
Medieval Times Dinner and Tournament	Adults $39.95, Children 12 and Under $32.95	2016/04/30
Mysteriously Yours... Mystery Dinner Theatre	$10 Off Regular Admission	2016/04/30
Niagara FreeFall Indoor Skydiving	$5 off Indoor Skydiving	2016/04/30
Oh Canada Eh? Dinner Show	Save $8 off per Adult or Kids Free	2016/05/04
ONE AXE Pursuits	$5 Off	2015/08/31
Ontario Parks	$2 OFF Regular Price Vehicle Permit	2015/10/12
Ontario Science Centre	20% Off Regular Admission	2016/03/31
Playdium	$10 Free Credits	2015/09/30
Ripley's Aquarium of Canada	15% Off Purchase	2016/04/30
River Run Rafting	Save $20 Per Person	2015/09/30
Safari Niagara	Save Up to $18 Off!	2015/10/12
Sainte-Marie among the Hurons	50% Off Admission	2015/10/30
Santa's Village	$5 Off Admission	2015/09/13
Scenic Caves Nature Adventures	$4 Off Admission	2015/10/31
Science North	$2 Off Science Centre Admission	2015/09/07
Segway Ontario	20% Off Any Tour	2016/05/31
Sky Zone Indoor Trampoline Park	Buy 1/2 Hour Get 1/2 Hour Off	2015/09/06
Sky Zone Toronto	Buy 1/2 Hour Get 1/2 Hour Off	2015/09/06
Sky Zone Vaughan	Buy 1/2 Hour Get 1/2 Hour Off	2015/09/06
Sky Zone Whitby	Buy 1/2 Hour Get 1/2 Hour Off	2015/09/06
Skylon Tower	$2 Off Regular Adult Admission	2016/04/30
Souvenir City	20% Off Retail Purchases	2016/04/30
St. Jacobs & Aberfoyle Model Railway	Save Up To $8 on Regular Admission	2016/12/31
The Canadian Clay & Glass	10% Off Purchase at the Gift Shop	2015/12/31
The Wave Pool	2-4-1 Recreational Swim	2016/12/31
THEMUSEUM	2 For 1 Admission	2015/10/12
Toronto Bicycle Tours	$10 Off Any Tour	2016/05/31
Toronto Harbour Tours	40% Off 1 Hour Toronto Harbour Tour	2015/10/30
Waterloo Region Museum	Buy 1, Get 1 Free Admission	2015/12/23
Whitehern Historic House & Garden - Hamilton Civic Museums	2 for 1	2016/04/30
Wye Marsh	20% Off Admission	2016/04/30
Yogi Bear's Jellystone Park - Toronto	$10 Off Camping	2015/09/27
Yogi Bear's Jellystone Parks - Niagara	$10 Off Camping	2015/09/27

Easiest way to Predict Your Risk for Heart Disease and Death

Simple Hand-Grip Test for Heart Disease in 2015

Wow this is very useful research and will help many peoples to know about their Risk for Heart Disease. It turns out that a very similar test can also predict someone’s risk for heart attack, stroke and a shorter life, according to a recently published study in the health journal The Lancet. The hand grip test is cheap, easy and out-performs some traditional methods for predicting one’s risk of death by cardiovascular disease, according to lead researcher Dr. Darryl Leong of McMaster University in Canada.

New Research

 The study is noteworthy because it tracked the health outcomes of almost 140,000 people across 17 economically diverse countries, which is by far the largest and most comprehensive analysis of the hand grip test’s ability to predict future mortality, cardiovascular disease and stroke. Study participants first tested their grip strength with a device called a dynamometer, and then researchers followed up with them after an average of four years to see how they were doing in terms of health. Leong found that every five-kilogram reduction in grip strength (about 11 pounds) from the average was linked to a 16 percent increased risk of death, a 17 percent increased risk of cardiovascular death, a 9 percent increase in stroke and a 7 percent increase in heart attack.  These findings held even as researchers accounted for factors that could potentially be skewing the results, including differences in age, sex, education level, diet, exercise, prior disease and body mass index, to name a few. More crucially, the handgrip test was better able to predict a person’s risk certain outcomes than the more traditional means of doing so -- that is, measuring systolic blood pressure or inquiring about physical activity levels.

"Grip strength was better than blood pressure and activity levels at predicting death," explained Leong in an email to HuffPost. "It was as good as blood pressure and better than activity levels at predicting death from heart disease or stroke, and it was not as good as blood pressure, but better than activity levels at predicting heart disease and stroke (including non-fatal heart disease ad stroke)." The research hints at the important role muscle tone and strength play in maintaining a healthy lifestyle, and not just because more muscle strength means less physical disability, wrote Professor Avan Aihie Sayer of the University of Southampton in a commentary that accompanied Leong’s study. However, Leong’s population-based study wasn’t able to provide any explanation for the link between the two because of the limitations of this kind of association research. "Poor muscle strength has been proposed to directly affect mortality through its association with







increased disability,” wrote Sayer. "However, the findings from [the study] suggest that associations with cardiovascular disease and its risk factors might be an additional pathway.” In other words, Sayer explained, the link between muscle strength and heart health suggests some kind of “mechanistic explanation” for how one lifts the other, but no one has yet uncovered it. Currently, the hand grip test is not standard in clinical exams, but Leong thinks that the cheap, simple hand grip test can be especially useful to assess risk of death in people with pneumonia, cancer or heart disease, as his study found that low grip strength in these patients was linked to a high risk of dying from their disease, but high grip strength indicated a better outcome. "We also expect it may be a useful test in low-resource settings, where access to more sophisticated tests is limited," Leong concluded. "One of the challenges in knowing where to use it lies in not knowing what we can do to improve it, so we really need to undertake more research."

Muscle strength has been linked to early death and sickness in past studies, but it’s unclear whether strengthening one’s muscles can lead to a decrease in the risk for cardiovascular disease, or whether muscular strength indicates physical fitness and thus a healthy heart. Further research is needed to confirm this cause-and-effect relationship, concluded Leong.

 

 

Do well in certified Emergency Nurse (CEN) Test and some free CEN Practice Test

Certified Emergency Nurse (CEN) Free Test 2015-16

After getting good response on Nursing Entrance Exam Practice in my other blog from my blog readers I want to write this blog for Nursing Entrance Exam Practice. I am adding this exam in this health blog because nursing jobs are related to health.

A certified emergency nurse commonly treats patients while they face a life-threatening crisis. They are most likely to be involved while an illness or injury is still in a critical stage. They must be able to operate autonomously and reach important decisions quickly. Beyond the emergency room, they often play an important role in educating and supporting patients and their families during a critical medical situation.

The Board of Certification for Emergency Nursing (BCEN) sponsors the certification exam for emergency nurses. The BCEN reviews current practice every five years and incorporates any changes into future exams. The Certified Emergency Nurse

What is CEN EXAM?

The Certified Emergency Nurse exam is a computer-based examination. It consists of 175 multiple choice questions. 150 of these CEN test items are scored, and 25 items are pretest items. The pretest items are not scored. There is a maximum of three hours in which to complete the entire CEN examination. Thirteen subject areas are covered on the CEN examination, and they are as follows: Cardiovascular Emergencies (17 items), Gastrointestinal Emergencies (9 items), Obstetrical, Genitourinary, and Gynecological Emergencies (10 items), Maxillofacial and Ocular Emergencies (9 items), Neurological Emergencies (12 items), Orthopedic Emergencies and Wound Management (15 items), Psycho/Social (7 items), Respiratory Emergencies (18 items), Patient Care Management (12 items), Substance Abuse/Toxicological and Environmental Emergencies (13 items), Shock/Multi-System Trauma Emergencies (8 items), Medical Emergencies/Communicable Diseases (13 items), and Professional Issues (7 items). Details about specific possible CEN test items in each of these thirteen subject areas can be found online on the BCEN website.

How scoring works?

The Certified Emergency Nurse Exam is scored based on how many answers out of the 150 scored CEN test items are answered correctly. A passing score is 109. This is approximately equal to answering 75% of the 150 scored test items correctly. A CEN test score report is given to each test taker upon completion of the CEN examination. If a passing score is achieved, the CEN certification is good for four years. There are several ways to prepare for the CEN examination. Familiarization with the CEN test content is imperative. Studying this content using textbooks, study guides, or other materials can prove useful. In addition, taking CEN practice tests and practice problems is also useful. Prior to the CEN examination, taking advantage of the computer orientation on exam day can be beneficial. This can help eliminate problems or confusion with the computer-based testing system during the CEN exam. In addition, since the score on the CEN exam is based on how many questions are answered correctly, it is imperative to answer all presented questions. Even if the answer is not known, a best guess answer is better than no answer at all. And, pacing oneself during the CEN exam is important, so no questions are left blank. The CEN exam is sponsored by the Emergency Nurses Association.

 

Q 1

What is the normal intraocular pressure of the eye?

A. 2 to 7 mm Hg

B. 10 to 21 mm Hg

C. 22 to 30 mm Hg

D. 31 to 35 mm Hg

 

Q 2

 A 7-year-old child is brought to the emergency department after multiple bee stings about 30 minutes previously. He complains of itching, swollen lips, and difficulty breathing. Wheezing and stridor are heard. What is the most immediate treatment required?

 

a.epinephrine 0.1 mg intramuscularly

b.intravenous corticosteroid

c.intravenous antihistamine

d.broad-spectrum antibiotic

Q 3

 After an auto accident, x-rays of the patient's leg show a transverse fracture of the midfemur with several bone fragments surrounding the fracture site. The skin of the leg is intact. This type fracture is called:

 

a.compression fracture

b.comminuted fracture

c.avulsion fracture

d.open fracture

Q 4

 A cancer patient is seen in the emergency department with high fevers and malaise for 2 days. She received chemotherapy about 10 days ago. Her physical exam is not revealing but her temperature is 103°F. A CBC shows a hemoglobin of 10 g/dL, WBC 4000 with 10% polys, 5% bands, 70% lymphs, 10% monos, and 5% other white or unidentified cells. Platelets are 60,000/mm3. Which of the following is NOT immediately appropriate?

 

a.blood cultures from different sites

b.electrolytes, liver and renal function tests

c.eask if she has been receiving granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF)

d.white blood cell transfusion

Q 5

 Which statement best describes acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS)?

a.ARDS is caused by trauma only.

b.ARDS is sudden, progressive, and severe.

c.ARDS is caused by an illness only.

d.ARDS never results in lung scarring.

 

Q 6 Which of the following PQRST mnemonic descriptions is untrue?

 

A. P: prodromal/palliative

B. Q: quality of pain (stabbing, aching)

C. R: region and radiation (if so, where)

D. S: severity on a scale of 0 to 20

 

Q 7. Define the following signs/symptoms: Right upper quadrant pain, fever (chills), and jaundice associated with cholangitis.

 

A. Bouchard's Nodes

B. Chandelier's Sign

C. Charcot's Triad

D. Chvostek's Sign

 

A 8

 Define the following signs/symptoms: Calf pain with forcible dorsiflexion of the foot, associated with venous thrombosis.

 

A. Hegar's Sign

B. Hoffmann's Sign/Reflex

C. Homans' Sign

D. Horner's Syndrome

 

Q 9

 Which of the following is not a characteristic of Beck's triad?

A. Rising jugular venous pressure is evidenced by distended jugular veins while in a non-supine position.

B. The fall in systolic pressure results when the fluid in the pericardial cavity accumulates to a degree that it impairs ventricular stretch.

C. The suppressed heart sounds occur due to the muffling effects of the sounds passing through the fluid surrounding the heart.

D. Pain and tingling in fingers after exposure to cold.

 

Q 10

 Which of the following is not a cause of Right Axis Deviation?

 

A. Left ventricular hypertrophy

B. Chronic lung disease even without pulmonary hypertension

C. Anterolateral myocardial infarction

D. Pulmonary embolus

 

Q 11

 Which of the following matches the definition: cycles of gradually increasing tidal volume followed by gradually decreasing tidal volume, usually separated by brief periods of apnea?

 

A. Cheyne-Stokes Respiration

B. Biot's Respiration

C. Apneusis

D. Kussmaul's breathing

 

Q 12

 Which of the following changes is not found with hypokalaemia?

 

A. Small or absent T waves

B. Wide QRS

C. First or second degree AV block

D. Slight depression of the ST segment

 

Q 13

Describe the Green Color of Triage?

 

A. Delayed care / can delay up to three hours

B. Urgent care / can delay up to one hour

C. Immediate care / life-threatening

D. Victim is dead / no care required

 

Q 14

 Which of the following is not a chart eristic of Mitral Stenosis?

 

A. There is atrial fibrillation.

B. No P waves are visible.

C. The rhythm is irregularly irregular (random).

D. Left axis deviation

 

Q 15

 Which of the following matches the definition: minute, pinpoint hemorrhages into the skin, mucosal or serosal surfaces?

 

A. Purpura

B. Ecchymoses

C. Petechiae

D. Fibrinolytic

 

 

Certified Emergency Nurse (CEN) Answer Key

1. Answer: B - The normal intraocular pressure of the eye is 10 to 21 mm Hg. The test used to measure intraocular pressure is called a tonometry. This is how glaucoma is diagnosed. A patient with glaucoma would have an intraocular pressure of 30 to 70 mm Hg.

2. Answer: A

The clinical picture of this patient is that of an anaphylactic reaction to bee stings which is potentially life-threatening. The onset of symptoms within 1 hour after exposure to the allergen is particularly worrisome as are the laryngeal and pulmonary signs. The airway must be established with intubation often necessary; high-flow oxygen, cardiac monitoring, and intravenous fluids are basics. Epinephrine given intramuscularly is the most rapidly acting agent and should be given as soon as possible after the diagnosis of anaphylaxis and every 5 to 15 minutes thereafter as needed. Steroids and antihistamines are slower acting than epinephrine but are often given to alleviate itching, angioedema, and hives. There is no indication for antibiotics in this clinical situation unless further signs and symptoms develop.

3. Answer: B

A fracture is a break or disruption in a bone, generally divided into closed (no break in the skin) and open (protrusion of the bone through the skin). Fractures may take different anatomic patterns, depending on the bone location, the nature of the trauma and the bone density (may be diminished with osteoporosis). Compression fractures are most common in the spine in which a fracture of one or more vertebral bodies leads to a collapse of the spine at that location. An avulsion fracture reflects a forceful contraction of muscle mass, which pulls a bone fragment to break away at the tendon's insertion site. This type of fracture is often seen with severe joint strains. This patient has a comminuted fracture in which the trauma causes more than two separated portions of the bone. Often, several small bony fragments are seen at the site of the break.

 

4. Answer: D

This patient has fever and neutropenia after chemotherapy. Neutropenia is defined as an absolute neutrophil count (ANC) under 1000/mm3, and a severe neutropenia less than 500/mm3 is particularly dangerous. These patients must be worked up quickly and antibiotic and possibly additional therapy started as soon as possible since the situation may be life-threatening. While myelosuppressive drugs differ in the length of time between administration and the nadir of the ANC, 10 to 14 days is typical. Multiple cultures from different possible sites of origin for sepsis must be done along with chest x-ray and other imaging as indicated by examination. Broad-spectrum antibiotics, such as ceftazidime or imipenem/cilastatin, should be started after cultures are obtained. She should be asked if she has been receiving G-CSF (Neupogen, Neulasta). WBC transfusions are rarely used today since they have a very short shelf life, do not last long in the circulation, and may cause allergic reactions.

 

5. Answer: B

 

6. D

7. C

8. C

9. D

10. A

11. A

12. B

13. A

14. D

15. C

How to use WEB for all travel benefits and saving in 2018

How to use WEB for all travel benefits and saving in 2018

This is my new article on vacation. In this blog you will see the best online website to get best deals.

Why to use online travel websites?

Last minute deals

Online travel websites offer a lot of benefits. For example, if you've just learned that a sudden trip is necessary, you can find last minute deals for transportation and lodging. If you're interested in a special kind of travel, like a theme cruise or vacation package, you can find all the available options in minutes online. Or, suppose you want to fly to Europe for sightseeing, then to the Middle East for a camel ride across the desert, then cruise to Florida for a canoe trip in the Everglades, then take a train home.

 

Best Rate more saving

You can find the best rates for each part of your trip and plan your entire itinerary with the right online travel site. These sites offer you a world of travel which can be narrowed down to exactly what you're looking for. No more need to spend hours doing all the searching yourself or dealing with a travel agent or airline.

Easy to get good deals

Travel sites have been around for more than a decade, but now they are at a turning point. A new type of site has evolved; the travel search engine, or 'aggregator.' This type of site makes your already-easy travel searching even easier. Suppose you're looking for the least expensive flight across the country leaving in exactly three days. Or perhaps you want to find the most luxurious canoe trip through the Florida Everglades on Valentine's Day.

Travel search engine Benefits

Type in what you want on a travel search engine such as Smarter Travel or Kayak, and it will search through hundreds of travel-related sites such as Priceline and Travelocity to present you with all the available options. Now you don't even have to search one by one through online travel sites; the aggregators even do that for you!

What to look in travel site?

Industry experts agree that no single travel site always has the lowest prices. If you want to find the absolute best deal, start with a meta-search site that includes hundreds of other travel sites. Although meta-search sites link to booking travel sites, you might conduct the same search at these sites individually to see whether you get the same results. One shortcoming of travel sites is they often exclude regional airlines; therefore, Time magazine recommends checking the airport website to identify regional carriers that might offer more affordable flights.

 

Experts and users offer the following advice about using a travel booking site:

1. Sort search results by price

 Search results don't necessarily appear sorted by price. The default sort order may list preferred providers first. Check prices on additional pages and look for the option to change the sort order.

2. Contact the service provider.

To avoid unforeseen problems, you may want to contact the airline, hotel or rental car company to review policies before booking, or at least read the policies posted at the website. For example, airlines charge different fees to make a change or check baggage; hotels might require deposits and rental car companies might not accept debit cards.

3. Understand detail fees

 Although major travel sites advertise "no fee" to book flights, it's important to read the fine print. There may be a fee for flights with multiple carriers, hotels, blind bids, international trips, package deals and in certain other situations. Note whether the prices in the search results include taxes and fees, because some sites don't reveal those charges until you begin the booking process.

4. Review policies and cancellation clauses.

Even if the booking site advertises "no fees to make changes or cancel a reservation," you will be required to pay fees that the service provider charges. In the case of booking non-refundable travel, it can be nearly impossible to cancel or make changes, especially on bidding travel sites.

5. Notice changes in pricing.

No price is final until the travel is booked. ConsumerReports.org says it's not uncommon for fares to jump in price, have hidden fees or become unavailable when you begin the booking process. Verify the price through every screen in the booking process, especially after entering a travel voucher.

 

 

 

6. Verify the email confirmation is correct.

Carefully review all the details in the email, because it may be difficult to make last-minute corrections. When purchasing a package deal, make sure you have a confirmation number for each component. If you don't receive an email confirmation, call the company to make sure the travel was booked.

7. Remove traces of previous searches.

Because pricing is dynamic, two people conducting the same search may get different results. Experts say you may need to reset browser settings or delete "cookies" to ensure that you are getting the lowest fare. You might even conduct the same search with two different browsers.

8. Sign up for fare alerts.

If you aren't ready to book, many travel sites allow you to sign up to receive daily or weekly fare updates via email. Experts also say airlines tend to announce sales on Tuesday, which makes it a good day to start looking for cheap flights. A few sites also offer price alerts on hotels.

Top website to use get best rate

1. Why to use Kayak-

By a large margin, most reviewers identify Kayak.com as the best site to begin researching travel options. After entering your search parameters, Kayak.com scours service providers, booking sites like Orbitz.com and… expands international sites to come up with the best offers on flights, hotels, rental cars and cruises. Like other search-only sites, Kayak.com links you directly to the site offering the travel option you select. For flights, Kayak.com provides historical fare information to help you pick the right time to fly. Additionally, Kayak's system will send email alerts about changes in flight and hotel prices relating to your specific travel plans.

http://www.kayak.com/

Pros

•Searches for all types of travel

•Compiles results from 200-plus travel sites

•Historical airfare information

•Alerts for airfare and hotel price changes

•Apps for iPhone, Android and BlackBerry

Cons

•Not a travel booking site

•Prices may be obsolete

2. Yapta-

Although Yapta.com is limited to searching for flights and hotels, it earns attention for doing something no other search-only site does -- tracking flights after the tickets have been purchased. If the price drops enough… expandto cover any re-ticketing fees, Yapta.com sends out an email alert. This site uses the same flight search engine as Kayak.com, but it has a different twist on tracking airfare prior to booking. You can request an email alert if the price drops for a specific flight on a specific airline, whereas Kayak.com sends the lowest fares based on travel dates and cities

http://www.yapta.com/

Best airfare tracking

Pros

•Same flight search as Kayak.com

•Email alerts about airfare changes

•Price tracking after booking airfare

•Airfare refunds assistance on price drops

Cons

•Not a booking service

•Search for flights and hotels only

•Mobile app for iPhone only

I will add more website in my next blog….

Why All should use Top Travel website for all saving and convenience

This is my 4th blog on tips to get more saving for your vacation. In my first two blog we learn that why we should buy travel insurance and see some cool ideas to save some dollars when traveling. In this blog you will see more best online website to get best deals. In last blog we see why kayak and       Yapta are top 2 sites for getting online best deals. In this blog you will find more websites.

3. Why to use Hotels.com

When it comes to booking a hotel, experts say the 130.000 worldwide properties available through Hotels.com are unmatched by Orbitz.com or any other site. This site also allows users to search by landmark or address. Hotels.com offers numerous filters to narrow down these properties to the ones with the price, location and hotel rating you seek. You can also consult hundreds of guest reviews and ratings for most properties. Should you find a lower price online within 24 hours of booking, Hotels.com will refund you the difference. Hotels.com doesn't charge an additional fee to make a change or even cancel a reservation, but the property may impose fees of its own, and you are still liable for those. Although Hotels.com features other types of travel searches, experts prefer Kayak.com, which also offers email alerts about price changes and mobile apps, for those.

We found the best reviews for Hotels.com at PC World and Kiplinger.com. We also read about two dozen user reviews at Viewpoints.com. Hotels.com is the top pick for hotel reservations at PracticalHacks.com, though that evaluation is older.

Best for booking hotels

Pros

•Searches more than 130,000 properties

•Unusual search criteria

•No fees for changes or cancellations

•24-hour price match guarantee

•Guest reviews

Cons

•No price alerts

•No mobile apps

4. Why to use Priceline.com

If you don't mind a little uncertainty, Priceline.com can deliver significant travel savings, reports say. However, the catch is that Priceline's best deals are available through blind bidding. You won't know the full details of the flights you've booked or the hotels you've selected until the bids you've placed on them have been accepted and paid for. That said, users still have some control -- you do get to specify a hotel's rating and general neighborhood, and Priceline.com has instituted guarantees that light times, connections and layovers won't be unreasonable. Priceline.com also has a standard booking engine that works just like those at other major travel sites, such as Orbitz.com. If you don't like the idea of bidding, experts say that Kayak.com does the best job of scouring booking sites -- including the company sites of airlines and hotel chains -- to find the best deals.

Although Priceline.com is recommended in quite a few sources, the praise is strictly for the bidding aspects of the site, rather than using it to book travel at published prices. It's included in a recent list of best travel sites at Travel and Leisure magazine as well as in a slightly older list of top travel sites at Kiplinger.com. We found other favorable reviews for Priceline.com at BudgetTravel.com and TriponaDeal.com.

Best for discounted rooms

Pros

•Booking of all types of travel

•Steep discounts through blind bidding

•Apps for iPhone and Android

Cons

•No refunds or changes on blind bids

•No alerts for price changes

5. Why to use TripAdvisor.com

Although users can't book flights or reservations through TripAdvisor.com, it's one of the most popular sites for reviews of hotels and attractions. Experts and amateurs alike appreciate the huge archive of reviews on this travel site, and say that the accompanying photographs and ranking system come in handy when choosing which hotels and attractions to book in advance. Most also point out, however, that a critical eye is needed when evaluating certain glowing reviews, as many could be fake. TripAdvisor also includes a search engine for hotel bookings and flights that is similar to Kayak.com but falls short in terms of features and number of sites searched.

TripAdvisor.com is recommended quite often for its reviews on hotels and other travel destinations, rather than its search capabilities. TripAdvisor.com is included in two lengthy compilations of travel sites at Travel and Leisure magazine and Kiplinger.com. It's also recommended by BudgetTravel.com. We found older reviews of TripAdvisor.com at The Washington Post and PracticalHacks.com. More than 50 user reviews at Viewpoints.com round out the picture for this travel site.

Best for traveler reviews

Pros

•Millions of guest reviews available for hotels and attractions

•Includes maps, photographs and recommendations

•Allows users to search and compare rates from other travel sites

Cons

•Navigation can be challenging at times

•Quality and usefulness of reviews varies