So you’re in the market for a home theater, home audio system, new Television or some other piece of home entertainment. What do you do? Head to the Big Box Retailer? After all, their prices are great. You could save a ton of money buying that new LCD TV there. Just go into the store, check out the myriad of TV’s on display, find your size, check the picture and price and you’re on your merry way. What could be easier?

Option 2, meet with a Custom Integrator. Sit down, discuss your needs and desires with someone who has knowledge of the equipment you are interested in. You may find out that the TV that looked great in the showroom will last 30 to 45 days longer than the manufacturer’s warranty. You may find that the custom person has a better line of equipment that you weren’t aware of. You could find out that the price you pay is not always the best deal out there.

 Most Custom Integrators do a lot of research on equipment so as to save themselves service calls. What is a service call? It is money out of a Custom guy’s pocket. The fewer times the custom guy has to come back to your house for free, the better for him and for you. Better for you because that means the equipment you purchased is working without any problems. It’s better for the integrator because he has maximized his profits. The Big Box guys will sell you whatever they have the most of, whatever is in stock or whatever has the highest profit margin. Is that really what you want?

 Another thing the Big Boxes will try to do is sell you the extended warranty. Why? Additional profit. So you saved $100 on the Ramrung LCD TV and paid $350 for the extended warranty. This is akin to buying insurance at the Black Jack table.  You are betting that the new piece of gear you just bought will fail. Why not buy something that isn’t going to fail for a long time? Buy the wrong thing, buy the extra warranty and what did you really save? A Custom guy will sell you the correct thing for your wants and needs. That is the proper way to buy.

Be aware that most of the Big Boxes has specially manufactured equipment for their stores. The AV Receiver you see at Bust By may not be the same receiver your Custom Guy carries. Always check model numbers and compare apples to apples. Just because it is the same brand of TV and the same size of TV does not mean it is the same TV. One Japanese TV manufacturer makes approximately twenty five different 46” LCD TV’s in varying states of quality. How does Mal-Wart sell so cheaply? By buying in large quantities, and by selling you a lesser model. Be very aware of this fact. Ask an expert what the difference is in the different models.

In summarizing, always talk with a Custom Integrator before making a purchase. The expert advice you'll receive will help you become a much more informed consumer, and being an informed consumer is always a good thing. Buy from an expert.  You can’t really go wrong with that decision.

Across from the East Library
5527 N Union Blvd, Ste 101, 
Colorado Springs, CO 80918
719-597-0004 

*Travel Specialists On-Site to answer all your questions
*Receive a $20.00 travel certificate for attending
*Family fun includes Children's Coloring contest 
*Hot Dogs & Refreshments from 11:30 ~ 1:00 
*Many Door prizes including 2 prizes of 1 Roundtrip ticket on Frontier
                            (restrictions apply, must be 18 years or older)

*Each quarter Travel Leaders is supporting one nonprofit organization. This quarter we are  supporting “Orphanos” who has 4 orphanages, 2 in Brazil, one in Korea, and on in  Columbia. We are supporting the orphanage in Latica Columbia as here they have a new kitchen and are in need of quality kitchen supplies. Your order through  Pampered Chef will help them obtain kitchen supplies from their wish list.       
                           
                            
From all of us at 
High Plains Travel Co. / imtravel ~ Divisions of Travel League Inc.
Your Travel Leaders ~ We can't wait to see you!

  
www.travelleaders.com/cos/282128

Road warriors know that travel disruptions come in many forms, from a single thunderstorm to an unusually large cloud of ash emitted by a thundering volcano. Dense fog, hurricanes, earthquakes, oil spills – and of these recent occurrences and more can delay your travel, even if they happen far from your current location or your destination. Sometimes, no disaster is needed – airline equipment problems can result in delayed or cancelled flights, too.

Whether your flight is delayed for a few hours, a few days or indefinitely, the first call you should make is to your company’s provider of travel services. Top corporate travel companies provide 24-hour emergency assistance lines. These hotlines are staffed by experienced travel professionals who have access to all of your travel information and can make new flight arrangements for you, wherever you are. These professionals can also update other travel arrangements that may be disrupted when your flight plans change, including hotel reservations and car rentals.
           
Corporate travel providers also keep an eye on developing situations and can sometimes make changes to your itinerary in anticipation of a disruption. They will also increase staffing during times of crisis to provide assistance. While other travelers deal with travel Web sites, jammed call centers or long lines at ticket counters, you’ll have prompt and professional assistance focused on your needs.
        
If you do get caught up in a natural disaster or other crisis that disrupts your business travel, be sure to talk with your corporate travel provider as soon as possible after you are safely home. They will be interested in your feedback and any suggestions for enhancing their service.

www.travelleaders.com/cos/286818

By Jay Boehmer

MAY 25, 2010 -- The U.S. Transportation Department plans to propose new rules next week that will broaden and extend the airline passenger protections it enacted last month.

In prepared remarks delivered during DOT's inaugural Future Of Aviation Committee meeting today, DOT secretary Ray LaHood hinted at some of proposals. "On our agenda for the next meeting will be a proposed rule—which we plan to announce next week—that provides additional consumer protections for air travelers, building on the airline consumer rule that took effect last month," according to LaHood's prepared remarks.

LaHood said next week's rule proposal will "strengthen consumer protections in a number of areas—expanding consumer rights in the event of over-sales, flight cancellations and long delays and ensuring that passengers have accurate and adequate information to make informed decisions when selecting flights." LaHood also said the proposal would address "data reporting and contingency plans in the event of tarmac delays" and "broaden available consumer information."

Announced in December 2009, DOT last month enacted a number of new passenger protections, including a rule that requires domestic carriers to let passengers deplane any aircraft held on the taxiway for three hours or face hefty federal fines.

A DOT spokesperson would not comment further on the new passenger protection proposals.

http://www.travelleaders.com/COS/AboutUs/286734

It’s a good thing that plenty of travel deals are available these days, because you may need to spend some of the money you save on a new passport. The U.S. State Department has proposed fee hikes that would, for example, raise the fee for an adult applying for a first passport from $100 to $135. The fee for renewal of an existing passport would go from $75 to $110 dollars. The good news is that passports will still be valid for 10 years (five years for children under age 16).

The State Department says that the increased security and anti-fraud measures added to passports in recent years come at a cost, which must be reflected in passport fees. Passport fees also cover the costs of providing emergency services for American citizens overseas who are in crisis situations.

The State Department has also expanded its staff and infrastructure to respond to increased demand for passports. Demand has increased because passports are now required for most travel outside the country, even to Canada or Mexico. There are some exceptions, including travel to U.S. territories, which technically is considered as traveling within the United States.

If you plan to travel outside the U.S., apply for your passport or passport renewal as far in advance as possible. It usually takes four to six weeks for an application to be processed, but a sudden increase in applicants can cause a backlog.

If you already have a passport, check the expiration date – some governments require that visitors have at least six months left on their passports. You may also want to check to see how many visa pages you have left. Since many countries require you to have at least three visa pages upon entry, you may need to apply with the State Department for supplemental pages to be added. While there is currently no cost for the added pages, if the proposed fee increases go into effect, there will be a charge of $82, so it’s best to send your passport and additional visa page application in now to avoid the new fee.

If you need to obtain or renew a passport quickly, there are services that provide expedited processing for a fee. Our travel professionals can give you more details.

www.travelleaders.com/cos/aboutus/285317

Winter is making an early appearance in some parts of the U.S., and you may already be longing for a tropical vacation. However, travel to many of the world’s exotic beaches now requires a passport – if not to enter the country of your destination, then to re-enter the U.S.    

The brochure for the industry trade show looks awfully appealing. It's being held in a sun-drenched resort in the middle of winter. Sure, it's expensive, but you decide to attend because it's tax deductible.

Holiday season travel is wonderful, especially when it reunites you with family and friends (or your favorite tropical beach or ski area). However, since so many people travel during the holidays, airport security checkpoint lines tend to grow longer than usual. That’s in part because holiday season also brings out less experienced travelers, who may not be aware of the latest security requirements or realize that many common gift items are not allowed in carry-on luggage. In turn, that can further slow the securing screening process.

Access to the Internet is essential to road warriors who need to do research, edit documents and presentations, send e-mail or set up meetings on the fly. Fortunately, there are a number of ways to stay connected to the Internet while away from office and home. Some business travelers develop a strong preference for a specific method of connection, such as an Internet connection card or a Wi-Fi access service.