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Operation Pull Your Own Weight is a childhood obesity prevention strategy thats built on three simple observations, including:

1.Kids who can do pull ups ARE NEVER OBESE

2.If you start them young, and use leg assisted pull ups in conjunction with a height adjustable pull up bar, ALMOST ALL KIDS can learn to do pull ups.

3.As long as they maintain the ability to do pull ups, almost all kids can NATURALLY IMMUNIZE THEMSELVES against obesity for a lifetime without ever having to resort to pills, shots, or special diets to do the trick.

After hearing these observations, people often ask, OK, so what are leg assisted pull ups? And whats a height adjustable pull up bar? And where can I buy one and help my kids to immunize themselves against obesity for a lifetime?

Of LAPUs and HAPUBs

First of all leg assisted pull ups are the ones that are done with the help of a participants legs. In other words the participant is jumping and pulling at the same time in order to get their chin up to the bar. A height adjustable bar accommodates leg assisted pull ups because it can be raised or lowered in one inch increments in order to increase or decrease the amount of leg assistance along with the level of difficulty individually for each performer. By raising the bar, the participant lowers the amount of leg assistance, and increases the level of difficulty.

The idea is to start at a height where the participant can do at least eight LAPUs, and gradually increase the repetitions to twelve. When the participant can do twelve LAPUs, the bar is raised one inch, and the entire eight to twelve scenario is repeated.

As the bar is gradually raised in one inch increments over time, the participant eventually runs out of leg assistance, and discovers that theyre suddenly able to do conventional pull ups. That is to say, they can officially pull their own weight, and have now naturally immunized themselves against obesity for a lifetime, so long as they maintain their hard won ability.

So Where Can You Buy One?

So where can you buy a height adjustable pull up bar? Honestly, to my knowledge nobody is currently manufacturing a height adjustable pull up bar that raises and lowers in one inch increments. But that doesnt mean you cant make one yourself. The remainder of this article then is dedicated to explaining how simple it is to make a home made height adjustable pull up bar. Check it out.

Here Are The Ten Things Youll Need

1.One doorway pull up bar to install permanently (preferably screwed in)

2.One roll of galvanized hanger strap, sometimes called plumbers tape

3.Two, three foot sections of chain with one inch links

4.Two Quick Links (Home Depots termsan oval shaped link with a screw based opening and closing connecting mechanism)

5.Two eye bolts

6.Two Spring Links (Home Depot termsa tear drop shaped, spring loaded connecting mechanism)

7.One pipe, one inch in diameter thats six inches wider than your doorway

8.Two rubber floor protectors. These are normally used on the bottoms of chairs to protect the floor, but in this case you place on each end of the pipe.

9.One wooden ruler, three feet long

10.One drill, one screwdriver, and one crescent wrench*

Sixteen Simple Steps

With these components in hand, follow 16 simple steps and youll have your very own, cost effective, home made, childhood obesity prevention machine (a.k.a. a height adjustable pull up bar) with which your kids can teach themselves how to do pull ups, and in the process they can immunize themselves against obesity for the rest of their lives as long as they maintain their ability to perform pull ups.

1.Permanently install the doorway pull up bar, preferably using screws

2.Mount the wooden ruler vertically along the side of the doorway

3.Cut two lengths of plumbers tape long enough overlap by two inches when wrapped completely around the pipe

4. Saddle these over the pull up bar attach the Quick Links to each one

5.Attach one section of chain to each Quick Link so that they hang from the bar

6.Close both Quick Links tightly

7.Drill a hole (two holes) about two inches from each end of the pipe

8.Insert the eye bolts into the holes and secure tightly with accompanying nut

9.Attach one teardrop shaped Spring Link into each eye bolt

10.With the Spring Links, attach your pull up bar horizontally to any pair of chain links and record the height by referring to the ruler mounted in the doorway

11.Now using your legs to jump and your arms to pull simultaneously do at least eight leg assisted pull ups.

12.If you cant do eight repetitions, lower the bar until you can do eight reps

13.Your next workout youll do nine, then ten, then eleven, then twelve reps

14.When you can do twelve repetitions, raise the bar one inch and begin the entire eight to twelve rep scenario all over again

15.As you make regular progress workout after workout, week after week, the bar will get so high that youll eventually run out of legs and be real doing pull ups.

16.Maintain that ability for the rest of your life and youll always be relatively strong and relatively trimand NEVER OBESE.

The Recipe for Success

Now that you have access to the equipment, the recipe for success includes

1.Regular workouts, twice a week, on non-consecutive days

2.Eat a well balanced diet including plenty of fruits and veggies

3.Get sufficient rest at night

4.Avoid tobacco, it makes you weak

5.Avoid alcohol, it makes you weak

6.Avoid drugs, they make you weak

7.And get stronger almost every time you work out

Questions?

If you have further questions check out the official Operation Pull Your Own Weight web site at www.pullyourownweight.net or the blog entitled www.childhood-obesity-prevention.com. Theyre both loaded with good, practical information designed for good, practical parents who want to do something to prevent their kids from childhood obesity and all the problems that go along with it.

*Make sure that all these components are strong enough to hold MORE than the weight of the children (or the adults) who will be using it.

Rick Osbourne is a Chicago based writer who currently serves as Executive Director of Operation Pull Your Own Weight, an informational web site that's dedicated to naturally immunizing kids against obesity for a lifetime without pills, shots, or special diets. If you're interested in childhood and obesity, then check out http://www.pullyourownweight.net any time. Osbourne is also a public speaker, and hes recently published an e-book entitled Operation Pull Your Own Weight: A Radically Simple Solution to Childhood Obesity (http://booksonboard.com/index.php?BODY=viewbook&BOOK=139219) that provides practical minded parents and educators with a simple, functional, affordable, and infinitely measurable antidote to childhood obesity.

Obesity and fast foods - there's little doubt about the link. Obesity has reached epidemic proportions in the United states. And it's an epidemic that has grown side by side, step by step with the the fast food industry.

Eric Schlosser in his brilliant and shocking book, Fast Food Nation, describes the US as "an empire of fat," and he lays the blame for this clearly and convincingly at the door of the fast food industry.

Obesity Fast Food Data

Twice as many American adults are obese today as in the 1960s. More than half of all adults and a quarter of all children are now obese. Over this same period, fast food has become cheaper and easier to buy. Further evidence for the link between obesity and fast food can be found outside the US. Since the early 1980s, American-style fast food culture has spread like wildfire around the world... And obesity has followed, accompanied by its many unwelcome side effects: heart disease, diabetes, arthritis and other ills.

As people in countries like Japan and China have abandoned traditional healthy diets in favour of fast food, the rates of obesity and associated diseases have soared.

In countries which have resisted the spread of fast food culture, like France, Italy and Spain, obesity is far less of a problem. The good news is that there is now more awareness about the ill effects of fast food than ever before, thanks in part to books like Fast Food Nation and documentary movies like Morgan Spurlock's popular and punchy Super Size Me.

There also seems to be a genuine change in people's attituded to to food and how it is produced. As Schlosser says modestly of his book: "its success should not be attributed to my literary style, my storytelling ability, or the novelty of my arguments.

"Had the same book been published a decade ago, with the same words in the same order, it probably wouldn't have attracted much attention. Not just in the United States, but throughout western Europe,people are beginning to question the massive, homogenizing systems that produce, distribute, and market their food. The unexpected popularity of Fast Food Nation, I believe, has a simple yet profound explanation. The times are changing."

What can we do about fast food and obesity?

So what can we do to as consumers to tackle the problem of obesity and fast foods?

First, we can stop supporting the traditional, unhealthy fast food chains. Let's rather buy from outlets that sell healthy alternatives. More and more of these restaurants and delis are opening. There should be at least one near you. Support it!

Another thing we can do is to lobby our congressperson (or MP or some other political representative if we're in a country outside the US) to ban all advertisements that promote foods high in fat and sugar to children.

As Schlosser points out, prevention is far better than cure. "A ban on advertising unhealthy foods to children would discourage eating habits that are not only hard to break, but potentially life-threatening."

Such a ban may sound far-fetched, until you remember that 35 years ago a ban on cigarette advertising sounded equally unlikely. Five years later Congress banned cigarette ads from television and radio. And those ads were directed at adults, not children.

Smoking has declined ever since.

It's time we did something similar with obesity and fast food

Alan Cooper is a journalist with 20 year's experience and the publisher of http://www.ObesityCures.com, a site with the ambitious aim of being a "one-stop-shop" for impartial information on obesity and weight loss solutions - including fad diets, prescription weightloss pills and herbal diet aides.

As a result of the recent economic boom, housing stock in Ireland is in no short supply. However, it is being rapidly snapped up from an unusual quarter as research shows that 40% of first-time buyers in Ireland last year actually hailed from Asia!

Not unlike the UK, new houses in Ireland are small and have been ranked 10th in size among EU member countries. But despite their size and limited floor space, the increased supply of housing has created some market stability, although it is also causing problems higher up the property ladder. As first-time buyers seek to trade up their property in order to gain more space, a dwindling supply of housing at the top end of the market is causing house prices to spiral upwards; so many families are now unable to find larger, higher-quality homes at realistic price levels. In fact, recent research on worldwide urban property markets Dublin as one of many areas deemed to be severely unaffordable.

As a result, fledgling EU member states could soon become prime targets for overseas ownership by Irish nationals. In Bulgaria, for example, housing standards are high and with property prices around 40% lower than other EU countries, there are bargains to be found whether you are looking for a city apartment in Sofia or Varna, or a holiday home on the Black Sea coast.

The cost of living is also much lower, with a study undertaken by the Confederation of Independent Trade Unions revealing that the monthly cost of living for a family of 4 in Bulgaria was just 460. As such, property investment in Bulgaria would seem to be very rosy indeed, with opportunities for some excellent returns on investment, especially when used in conjunction with a series of newly launched, cheap flights to Bulgaria from Dublin.

However, Bulgaria isnt the only country to be attracting property buyers from abroad, with more Irish nationals than ever before buying properties on foreign soil. In fact, over 50000 of these are in Spain where luxury properties continue to attract purchasers at the top end of both the Irish and UK markets. In addition to climate benefits, one of the major factors in the purchasing decision process is the proximity to a prestigious golf course; luxury golf developments being responsible for fuelling foreign ownership property markets in destinations around the world, and creating fierce competition for investment opportunities.

Even celebrities are buying into property developments away from their home countries. Tiger Woods, for example, recently announced plans to develop his first golf course in the United Arab Emirates as part of Dubailand an incredibly ambitious and expensive theme park project. The first of the Dubailand projects is due to open in 2009 and will be twice the size of Floridas Walt Disney World attraction. And with 3 additional phases planned through to 2020, the mega project looks set to rocket property prices to even higher levels than those generated by Dubais already prolific construction developments.

Also, in Dubai, the Three Palm and the World Islands leisure developments are not only high-profile media fodder, but also physically prominent enough to be visible from outer space! Rising out of the sea, both of these land reclamation projects are attracting the worlds rich-and-famous into a maze of luxurious island homes - all complete with multi-million dollar price tags!

If youre looking to take that next step on the property ladder, why not consider buying a property abroad? Whether youre after a holiday apartment in Bulgaria or a villa in Dubai, investing in a foreign property could turn out to be an ideal investment.

Andrew Regan is an online, freelance journalist.

When you just cant take another day at the theme parks on your Orlando vacation consider these suggestions:

Book a Spa Treatment - What better way to soothe fragile nerves and sore feet than a session at one of Orlandos resort spas. On Disney property theres the Grand Floridian as well as the Saratoga Springs Spa where one of their luxurious treatments are a perfect addition to your vacation. Off property you cant do any better than the ultra luxurious Ritz-Carlton Spa or the Gaylord Palms Canyon Ranch Spa. Those staying at a Universal Resort should consider an exotic Javanese treatment at the Mandara Spa at Portofino Bay Hotel.

Relax At Your Resorts Pool - Orlandos resort pools are justifiably renowned for their spectacular theming. Disney offers some of the best, particularly Stormalong Bay at the Yacht and Beach Club, a 3-acre mini waterpark, or the boulder lined beauty at the Wilderness Lodge featuring waterfalls and its very own geyser. Off property, the Hyatt Regency Grand Cypress fantasyland pool is cooled by twelve waterfalls and at the JW Marriotts Lazy River you can float to your hearts content. And at Universal Orlandos Hard Rock Hotel is the coolest (and I dont just mean the water temperature) pool around with an underwater sound system, sand beach, and poolside cabanas.

Spend Time On Disneys Waterways - Disney has miles of lakes and lagoons to explore. Youll find that most Disney resorts have a marina where many types of watercraft are available for hire. Sailboats, pontoon and canopy boats, Sea Raycers, even a 48-foot yacht. Take your pick. Perhaps the biggest bang for your buck is to be had at the Contemporary Resort where in addition to the above youll also find parasailing, waterskiing, tubing, and wakeboarding on beautiful Bay Lake.

Cool Off at a Disney Waterpark - Disney has two wonderful waterparks: Blizzard Beach, a perfect place for daredevils, and Typhoon Lagoon where youll find a whopper of a surf pool along with tamer attractions. Spend your day hopping from one crazy waterslide to another or just kick back and relax on a lounge chair for the afternoon.

Shop Till You Drop in The Mall at Millenia - For one of Orlandos best shopping experiences head to this fabulous new mall just minutes from Universal Orlando. Here youll find only the best with stores such as Neiman Marcus, Gucci, Jimmy Choo, Louis Vuitton, and Tiffany. But fair warning: this trip could end up costing a pretty penny. Those with great taste but thriftier intentions will love the Orlando Premium Outlets Mall located just across I-4 from Downtown Disney where designer outlet stores such as Hugo Boss, Armani, Escada, Ermenegildo Zegna, and Burberry wont break the bank.

Head to Downtown Disney - For a change of pace theres Downtown Disney. Here youll find over 70 shops, restaurants, and nightclubs plus a 24-screen theater, Disney Quest with five floors of virtual games and adventures, even a Cirque du Soleil. Adults will want to pick a great restaurant for dinner like Wolfgang Puck or Portofino Yacht Club and then head to Pleasure Island to party down until the wee hours of the morning.

Swim With a Dolphin - Perhaps the most unusual experience in Orlando is Discovery Cove. Spend up close and personal time with your very own dolphin friend, snorkel with tropical fish and rays, even feed birds right out of your hand. Then relax on a sandy beach with little or no crowds. Definitely a day to be remembered.

Make the Rounds Resort Hopping - Spend a few hours ogling at Disneys wonderfully themed resorts. And best of all, it doesnt cost a thing. Board the monorail at the Ticket and Transportation Center and hop off at each of the three Magic Kingdom resorts. First the Polynesian, a tropical wonderland, then the Grand Floridian, Disneys flagship resort, and lastly the Contemporary where youll enjoy the Grand Concourse with the monorail silently gliding overhead. Out back you can catch a boat to the Wilderness Lodge, Disneys most beautiful resort modeled after an early 1900s national park lodge. Then catch a boat to the Magic Kingdom and a ferry to the TTC where you started. Its a grand circle that cant be beat.

Cara Goldsbury is the author of "The Luxury Guide to Walt Disney World". A former travel agent and agency owner, she has traveled extensively throughout the world. Visit her at http://www.luxurydisneyguide.com.

Oregon has always been known as an environmentally conscious state. To this end, you can even get a tax credit for using renewable energy.

Get a Tax Credit for Using Renewable Energy in Oregon

Residents in Oregon can claim a Residential Energy Tax Credit if they use renewable energy systems. The tax credit can be claimed by both homeowners and renters, a scope not found in most states.

To qualify for the Residential Energy Tax Credit, a homeowner or renter must convert to a clean energy system in one of the following areas:

1. Appliances,

2. Heating systems,

3. Cooling systems,

4. Ventilation or Duct Stems,

5. Closed-loop geothermal system for space heating or water heating,

6. Solar thermal heating,

7. Solar electrical generation through solar panels,

8. Wind power production,

9. Use of fuel cells, and

10. Hybrid fuel vehicles.

The amount of the Renewable Energy Tax Credit depends on the particular area in which you pursue clean energy platforms. Highlighted amounts are:

1. Solar Systems Nope, not the planetary system. Instead, you can claim up to $3 per peak watt for your system with a cap of $6,000. Please note, however, that you can only claim up to $1,500 a year, but can carry the credit forward to following years. For solar platforms used to heat structures and water, the tax credit is 60 cents per kilo-watt hour with a cap of $1,500. The same applies to wind systems, fuel cell platforms.

Unlike other states, Oregon will give you a tax break for heating your pool. Clean energy pool heating systems such as solar are eligible for a tax credit equal to 15 cents per kilo-watt hour of saved energy compared to a traditional heating system. There is a cap on the system, which is 50 percent of the total cost or $1,500. Still, this represents a major savings over programs offered in other states.

2. A closed loop geothermal system is one in which circulating fluid remains in the piping without exception. They are typically used to cool and heat homes. If you convert to such a system, you can claim a tax credit of $300 to $900 depending on the type of system.

3. Appliances are often the biggest energy wasters. If you purchase an appliance approved by the Oregon Department of Energy you can claim a tax credit equal to the amount indicated by the department or 25 percent of the net cost of it. Sorry, but you have to take the lesser amount.

4. Clean energy heat pump systems can garner you a tax credit of $300 to $500. Note, however, that you must have it installed by a licensed contractor.

5. Hybrid vehicles are all the rage these days. If you have one in Oregon, you can claim a tax credit of $750. This is on top of the tax credit you get from the federal government as of January 1, 2006.

Oregon has always been known as a green state. Financial incentives in the form of tax credits bear this out.

Rick Chapo is with SolarCompanies.com, a directory of solar energy companies. Visit us to read more articles on solar power and renewable energy.

There are many simple ways to prolong the life of your new washer dryer, to ensure that your money is well spent and your machine has as long a life as possible. None of these tips will cost money, and most take only a small amount of time to do, although they will need to be performed regularly to get the most out of your washer dryer.

Important Washer Dryer Tips

It's always important to make sure that the filter screen is not clogged, so that clothes are always at their cleanest. You can make your own lint screen to fit over your washers drain hose, simply be securing the foot of a stocking to the end of it with a rubber band. When the washing machine drains, the sock will collect all the lint, and it can be cleaned easily by turning it inside out.

The washing machine itself needs cleaning as well. Simply pour a gallon of vinegar and a bit of bleach into the machine instead of detergent and run at least a 60 degree wash cycle (hotter is better). This will clear build-up away and also remove any odors the machine might collect. It also kills bacteria, removes soap scum that can build up and lead to mold and mildew, especially around the door seal. A maintenance wash should be done on average once a month, and is especially important if you regularly do washes under 60 degrees. Leaving the machine's door slightly open also allows the drum to dry completely and will lessen the chance of mold growing in damp conditions.

The soap drawer on the machine needs to be cleaned regularly as well - simply slide it out and rinse it in hot water to remove the soap and soap scum buildup. When you remove the soap box, make sure that you use a toothbrush or small wire brush dipped in bleach to clean out the space on the machine that the soap box fits into.

Check the hoses at the rear of the machine periodically to make sure that the rubber is still in good condition. If it is not, they will need to be replaced. These are very inexpensive to replace and are easily found in builders merchants, DIY shops, and online. They come in a standard size, so all washer dryers should be able to use the same hoses. As an added precaution, if you are going away from home, or not using the washer dryer for an extended period of time, shut the water line off completely, so there is no water running into or out of the machine.

Elisabeth Kirsch owner of Website WD440

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You have got a leaking water pipe in your bathroom. You know that you need a Plumber, but how do you find one that is reputable?

Here are a few hints to help you find a plumber in your area.

One thing to consider is if it is a real emergency. If it is then you will be looking for 24 hour plumbers if it is the middle of the night.

Alternatively, if you just have a dripping tap then you can certainly wait a few hours and possibly a few days before a Plumber arrives.

Do you have friend who has recently used a Plumber? If so this should be your first contact. See if the friend will recommend the Plumber. You want to avoid cowboy plumbers so a word of mouth recommendation is always good and far better than picking one at random from the large telephone directories.

Try and agree a fixed price before the work is done.

Keep any old parts that the Plumber claims are broken. This will give you some evidence if a low quality job is done.

If the water leak or problem is associated with your gas central heating then you should look for corgi registered plumbers. Corgi plumbers are certified to work on gas systems.

Make sure that you have the Plumbers land line telephone number rather than just a mobile number. Make sure you also have his address.

Most reputable Plumbers will not ask for up front payments.

Do not use Plumbers who say that they will do the job cash-in-hand. This is probably an indication that they are not registered for VAT, this is an indication that the Plumber is not as professional as you should expect.

Ask to see copies of any qualifications the Plumber has and make sure you verify the qualifications with the organisation.

Ask if you can pay by credit card, this will give you additional protection.

Hopefully the above hits will help you find a reliable plumber to fix the dripping tap.

Clive Carlton works for http://www.handyexperts.co.uk For more details on how to find a professional plumber click the following link. How to find a plumber

Can you remember the time in which we did not have a microwave oven? In fact, can you remember a time in which the mere thought of a microwave oven inspired a science fiction like imagination, that it was unrealistic that people who said that we will be able to cook and heat our meals in a matter of seconds, and that all the waiting will be a thing of the past, well, this was not so far ago.

The technological achievements of the last few decades are nothing less then phenomenal, one of the easiest ways to examine how significant is the change is to learn what are peoples expectations of appliances in the house today, and the fact is that most of us has become very used to the microwave oven, most people would not compromise on anything less than a microwave oven speed today, and if fact most kitchens have a micro oven, and not necessarily an oven.

The day of the micro wave oven has certainly come, and today you can find a huge market of these micro wave ovens with different features and tools you can use, when the micro waves just started appearing on the market they had some problems and their baking quality was not perfect, some micro ovens did not have proper timing features and power regulators, today this is no problem, all of the new micro wave have varying degrees of heat and some combine oven features to complete a baking procedure, or pizza making.

With the advancement in the use and making of the micro wave ovens, the understanding of using the microwaves has increased, and today you can find many kitchens in which the micro wave oven replaces many different appliances, you can use the micro wave oven to boil water so you do not need an electric kettle, while its no real replacement for a coffee maker, it is a nice replacement. If you are exploring healthy cooking, the micro oven can help you steam your vegetables and keep all those vitamins, a micro wave is perfect for teaming and in fact, its the micro wave most basic and initial purposes.

Using the proper tools and kitchen appliances you can cook almost everything in the micro wave, you just need to remember a few simple things (like covering liquid based sauces and food in sauce so it wouldnt go splashing all over the place) and you will be enjoying your micro wave oven.

One product that has been significantly effected by the appearance of the micro wave oven is the popcorn, most people dont even remember how difficult it was to prepare popcorn before we had the microwave, to start talking about that is an article by itself, the main point is that just like making popcorn, the micro wave oven has made our life much easier, nice and much faster.

Simon writes tips and advice about better home management and home improvement, you can find more information on Micro Wave Oven

People who choose to stay full time can have numerous reasons for doing so. They could be Disney employees thus enjoying the luxury of a very short journey time to work, since the majority of vacation rental villas are very well situated to access Walt Disney World and all it has to offer. Some residents own vacation homes in and around where they stay and they like to be close at hand to keep an eye on their property and look after their guests themselves. Others may have some kind of occupation related in some way to the hospitality/vacation industry. Then again you may just find some friendly folks who like the idea of having new and different neighbours every few weeks!

Having full time residents nearby can be a great thing. They very much enjoy visitors to their area and those who settle there full-time are well used to new neighbours every one or two weeks and are very friendly and keen to learn you are enjoying your stay and having a fabulous vacation.

Just generally walking about the resort your vacation villa is in, you are bound to pass some local residents who are always ready to greet you with a smile and genuinely wish you a nice day. If you have questions about the local area or attractions, I am sure you will find them only too happy to help.

That said, since these people are resident full time, one should always be remember to be courteous to them whilst still making the most of your vacation.

Local residents need their sleep too!

Generally there are safety and courtesy rules in all residential areas for quiet times at the pool. As a rule of thumb these tend to be 11pm-7am. One of the most tempting times to forget about these rules is for those visitors who have travelled from far away (e.g. U.K.) and need to make huge adjustments to time changes and body clocks. On the first morning of these guests vacation, they will tend to waken very early and it is strongly advised to resist the urge to come straight down to the pool until it reaches what everyone would agree is a slightly more reasonable time.

Stay in a resort based vacation home

You will find a great many of Orlando vacation villas have been built in resorts that offer communal areas. These can include any combination of the following: a communal swimming pool (in addition to your very own private pool at your holiday villa); a games room; a fitness room; a shop; a caf; basketball/volleyball courts; tennis courts; childrens play areas. Any of these areas offer the ideal opportunity to meet people from all over the world- both full time residents and other holidaymakers like you.

Showing your neighbours common courtesies will encourage them to extend a warm welcome when you return for another vacation at a later date and then your villa experience really will be like a home from home since you already know the neighbours!

Peter Kenny has been travelling to Florida for the last 20 years. You can find more articles on renting and buying private vacation homes here http://www.windsorpalmsflorida.com and http://www.reunionresort.us.com.

Now you wish to try an Orlando vacation villa for your forthcoming trip what next?

If this is your first time trying the luxury of a holiday villa for your vacation the following tips and advice should make the whole process quite straightforward for you.

Once you have established how many people will be travelling with you on holiday, you then decide which size of villa will then best suit your requirements. You can choose from a 3-bedroom villa all the way up to 7 or more (for those travelling with several families). Most of the Orlando vacation villas are well within a 30-minute drive of Walt Disney World (many being even much less than that).

Confirm the dates and price

The next step is to contact the owner directly to confirm they have your dates available and they will quote you a price for your length of stay. (Please not villa prices are always per villa per night or per week and NEVER per person.) This is the perfect opportunity to ask the owner any questions you may have about the villa, what it has to offer, its location, or anything else, which comes to mind. To proceed from this point you would pay the homeowner a deposit to secure your booking for those particular dates.

Every villa is privately owned so each one will have their very own terms and conditions. It is advisable to read these-as you would when booking any travel arrangements. Pay particular attention to their cancellation and refund policies in the event of any change in circumstances affecting any members of your party who are due to travel. Popular dates like Christmas and Easter can be booked almost year in advance, so none of us know exactly what is in store for us one year down the line. Do remember to pay any monies due (i.e. deposit/final balance) on time since failure to do so may result in losing your dates.

Time to get directions

Closer to your departure date the balance of your payment is due. It is on receipt of this that the homeowner will issue you with travel directions to their specific rental villa and instructions on when and how to obtain keys to enter the villa. Many rental villas use a lockbox system and the owner will provide you with the access code before you go. Some owners still use a nearby management office where you can pop in to collect keys en-route to your vacation villa.

On arrival at your vacation villa, you will find plenty more information on all that Orlando has to offer you and your party during your stay, and we are SO confident you will be delighted with your Orlando vacation villa that you will wonder why you have never holidayed this way before and undoubtedly will be thinking ahead as to when you can do this again!

Having spoken to the homeowner when booking the villa and probably when balances were due, you may already have some rapport with them, so if you showed an interest in returning to their Orlando vacation rental at a future date, they may just offer you a discount on your next stay as a thank-you for returning to their home in the sun.

Peter Kenny has been travelling to Florida for the last 20 years and runs two vacation rental sites Reunion golf rentals and Orlando vacation rentals Please visit for more articles on vacation rentals and ownership.