Travel,Technology,facts

Sunday 6 December 2015

Ways to make money quickly

No-risk matched betting
Hands down the quickest way to make a lot of money (well, without breaking the law). Lots of students have genuinely made £100s from this technique. It’s completely legal, risk free, tax free, and anyone can do it.
It works by taking advantage of free bets regularly offered by betting sites through ‘matching’ them at a betting exchange. Matched betting eliminates the risk (you are betting both for and against a certain outcome).
This leaves you being able to squeeze out the free bet, which can be as much as £200! Multiply this by how many betting sites there are and you can quite easily come away with a profit of a few hundred pounds.
Owen walks you through how to make your first £15 profit (using a real life example) in this gem of a guide to matched betting. If you know of any better way to make £30/hr sitting at home, please let us know!
Online surveys
Credit: Julio Marquez – Flickr.com
An increasingly popular way for students to make money is to fill out online surveys in their spare time. Research companies are always recruiting new members to answer surveys and test new products.
For a few minutes of form filling, you can make a couple of quid which is paid as cash or rewards. You can bag up to £3 ($5) for some surveys!
Paid for searching the web
Interested in earning cash for doing what you already do online? This has to be one of the easiest methods of making money online without really any effort or change in your behavior.
This innovative idea by Qmee.com rewards you for searching in Google, Bing or Yahoo. You just install a simple add-on to your browser and when you conduct a search there may be a few sponsored results alongside your normal search.
Each Qmee result has a cash reward attached – if you are interested in it simply click on it and collect your reward.
The best thing is there is no minimum to cashout – our first one was just 72p wired to our Paypal account. You also have the option to donate it to charity.
Social Investment Networks
The historically hard-to-break world of investing in stock markets and currencies has been cracked wide open. Today there is no need to be a fat cat or fund the yachts of Wolf of Wall Street style stock brokers. You can do it all yourself with the help of free online market trading platforms.
Having spent many hours researching this new opportunity, I’ve been experimenting with eToro.com which has over 4 million users worldwide. It was recently featured in the BBC 2 documentary

One of the best things on eToro is the CopyTrader feature. This lets you literally see, follow and copy the investments of other top performing traders.
Follow George’s complete guide to trading on eToro to learn more. I think $200 is a good amount to get the most out of the learning curve by trying out a few different markets. If nothing else you’ll learn a great deal about various investments and industries.
Warning: trading can be volatile and you can lose money, so don’t throw your life savings into it!
Sell your notes

If you don’t mind sharing your notes with other students it’s a great way to generate a little extra cash. There are sites out there that you can upload your notes to, along with your price, and then when another student downloads them you get paid.
Sites like Notesale are free for you to list your notes but tend to take a cut of your profit in order to handle the marketing etc so that you don’t have to go out there and promote your notes yourself.
You will most likely have to upload PDFs but it’s worth it for the return and you can submit handwritten notes but you’re likely to make more money if they’re typed up.
Review websites & apps for cash
Well it seems like you’re pretty nifty with a web browser, so perhaps it’s time to turn pro and browse websites as a paid and fun job!
Introducing UserTesting.com – a new platform that pays everyday people to review all kinds of websites. Each review takes around 20 minutes and bags you $10 (£6.50) via Paypal.
The ‘Disney Vault’ secret
To keep demand high across generations, Disney Studios carefully restrict the supply of some home release classics. They are locked away in the ‘vault’ for 8-10 years before being released for a short unspecified time.
Buy them in this window at normal retail price and you can turn a nice profit when they go off sale for another decade or so.
For example, in 2011 you could buy Beauty and the Beast on Blu-ray 3D for just £24.99. In just a couple of years it was on Amazon for a staggering £74.99!Importantly, not all Disney releases are subject to the vault and only the true classics will maintain such demand.
‘Get Paid To’ sites

Similar to making money from online surveys, GPT sites reward you in cash and vouchers for completing various offers or activities online.
The most popular sites today are Toluna, Swagbucks, InboxPounds and PaidOffers.
If you’ve ever seen the film The Social Network then you’ve most likely had your brain spinning as to what website you can start-up to make you billions.
And of course there are lots of stories out there about successful students who have started a site while at university, or even bought a domain name and later sold it for 1000s.
In fact, Save the Student is one such example of a website started at university by Owen Burek in his first year, which has since grown into a full-time and successful enterprise.
Read Owen’s 4-step guide to setting up a website if you’re interested in finding out more. It’s really not that difficult to get started and there are plenty of opportunities to make money online.
Write and publish a Kindle eBook
If students are good at anything, it’s researching and writing. With the Amazon Kindle store, anyone can publish an eBook and make money.
And the Kindle app is now available on almost any device (laptops, iPads, smartphones and yes, Kindles) so your global market is huge!
List your book for £1.49 – £6.99 and you earn 70% of the sale. Considering Amazon is the ultimate selling machine (and remember people are looking to spend), that is a fantastic deal.
The key to success with eBooks is to create value, and write non-fiction. Simply bundling information you have researched and complied on a common problem (eg. ‘secrets’ to finding a job) and then presenting it in an easy to digest format (an eBook) justifies someone spending a few quid on it.
Another big tip is to have a great cover designed so it stands out, and once your book is live on the Kindle store it’s really important to get some reviews so it shows up higher in results. Encourage readers to leave an honest review at the end of your book.
Affiliate marketing
If you’ve got a good presence on social media or perhaps you even have a blog or website, you can start bringing in money immediately by promoting all sorts of companies, products, services and offers online.
Sign up to an affiliate network such as Affiliate Window, check their offers blog or browse the merchant listings to find something you think your friends would be interested in, grab your affiliate link and share it. If someone buys (can be within up to 90 days) using your link you’ll make a nice commission.
To take it a step further, set up a website or a topical Facebook page and invite all your friends to join it and post your affiliate offers on there.

Great Places to see Snowfall in India

Auli, Uttarakhand
auli

If you like to give your skiing skills a test or are a freaking skiing beginner then Auli is an ultimate stopover. With a deep in temperature, the place comes alive like a dreamland. Known as ‘bugyal’, in local dialect, it lies enroute to Badrinath (just 16 km away from Joshimath). Though Auli is full of panoramic sights, from forest surrounding to lofty peaks, but what makes it one of the best snow destinations in India are its 2500 to 3000 meters high skiing slopes that give tough competition to various international ski places.

Pahalgam, Jammu Kashmir

Perched at a height of 8,957 ft above the sea level, Pahalgam is one of the pristine snow beauties in the country. Everything about this natural splendor is exciting: riverside location, snow-capped peaks, freezing weather conditions and surrounding calmness as well as skiing. But the real magic of Pahalgam lies within its quiet long treks that provide you a tranquil snowy escape away from the madness of mainland.

Gulmarg, Jammu Kashmir

What better location you can think to see snow fall in India other than Gulmarg? Situated around 880 km away from the national capital, tourists can easily access this pristine snow beauty from Srinagar. Snowy peaks in the backdrop, freezing winds, blooming varieties of flowers and vast snow cover for skiing as well as a breathtaking ride in world’s highest cable car (Gondola) are not-to-be missed charms. A trip to Gulmarg is, however, incomplete without enjoying Kashmiri dishes and a visit to Alpathar Lake and Tangmarg – a beautiful tourist spot just 1 km ahead.

Patnitop, Jammu Kashmir

No idea of snow winter holidays in India is complete without mentioning Patnitop, a tourist point in the district of Udhampur in Jammu and Kashmir. This hilltop place is quite close to Pir Panjal range and is nestled in Lower Himalayan Range. Thus it is full of abundance of natural beauty, revitalizing sights and of white snow cover. Along with skiers and nature lovers, Patnitop also enthrall trekkers. It will take around 3 hours to reach this exotic destination from Jammu.

Manali, Himachal Pradesh
manali

Despite being one of the most sought hill stations in India, the appeal of Manali never fades among tourists. Its emerald meadows, crystal clear rivers and the dancing drama of snowy slopping mounts and blue sky over the horizon are just unparallel. And with the onset of winters, the appeal only grows giving tourists’ pleasure of skiing and ice-skating. Situated at a distance of 270 km north of Shimla, Manali is nestled in River Beas Valley at a height of 2,050 meters above sea level.

Shimla, Himachal Pradesh
shimla

If you are running short of time but wants to enjoy snow fall in its full bloom then Shimla is an excellent place to throng. Wait till mid-December and you will see the place in a new avatar with a sheet of white cover fetching hordes of vacationers and honeymooners. Being the main gateway to Himachal Pardesh, explorers can also extend their journey to various other destinations of the state like Kufri, Manali and Naldehra from Shimla.

Nainital, Uttarakhand

Planning a trip to Nainital in winters? A good choice if you want to enjoy the chill factor around Delhi. Lying 274 km from the national capital city, Nainital not only serves as a refreshing weekend escape but is also quite popular among newly-wed couples. But the best time to visit the place is December to January when Nanda Devi Peak looks stunning in a white cover and you can feel the chill in the breeze while following snow-covered trekking routes. A leisure walk along the iconic Naina Lake is also a must thing to do to complete your hoary experience in Nainital.

Kufri, Himachal Pradesh
kufri

Kufri, a skiing hotspot, is one of the popular winter holiday destinations in India in comparison to other places. This little quaint yet captivating region of Himachal Pradesh transforms into a heaven during winters. The white snow spread all over gives a very refreshing and chilly look. And cherries on the pasty cake are the tall deodars and pines as well as the postcard beauty of the surroundings.

Munsiyari, Uttarakhand

Nestled on the shores of Goriganga River, Munsiyari is a new discovery for tourists in Uttarakhand. With the name that means ‘place with snow’, it is full of mountains, glaciers, trekking routes and awe-inspiring natural beauty, making it a paradise for explorers, high-altitude trekkers and nature lovers. If you want to explore the richness of Johar Valley then it is the place to throng. Munsiyari is situated 125 km away from Pithorgarh and the enroute is full of beautiful panorama and cascades.

Dhanaulti Uttarakhand

A drive of 24 km from Mussoorie will take you to Dhanaulti, another picturesque hill station of Uttarakhand. Perched high on 2286 meters, the place is known for its tranquility and dark beauty of deodar, oak and rhododendron forests. Though it is a round-the year hangout place but if you really want to enjoy Dhanaulti in its full bloom then winter is the best period. With white carpet below your feet and a canopy of green shade at your eye’s horizon, have some mood-setting snow activities like tic-tac snow or sticky glue.

Things To Do Before You Speak To Your Travel Agent

Image Credit : Flicker.com

Some of us just pack our bags and get going while some of us love to make detailed plans before deciding on where to go for a vacation. Whichever category we belong to, the bottom-line is this – we love travelling!

And if you fall in the second category, here are a few things you would want to consider before speaking to your travel agent.

1. Check app reviews

Nothing’s more helpful than reviews from fellow travellers – they understand your love for travelling and know how passionate a traveller can be. So when another traveller says that a place is excellent, you know that you cannot miss it. Similarly, when a review says that a particular hotel is bad, you know that you have to look for better options.

2. Speak to people

This is certainly one of the best ways to gather information about any destination. Different people have varied opinions about a destination – they can tell you about tourist attractions, affordable options for stay and food, the hidden gems which you must explore which no tour book will tell you about.

3. Discover on your own

Nothing can be more exhilarating and motivating that discovering a new place. Travelling is an amazing way of self-discovery, a path to introspection. If you want to have some direction for your journey, you can always check the HolidayIQ app. There you will find millions of travellers like you and millions of reviews with first-hand accounts from fellow vacationers. Log on to www.holidayiq.com for information about destinations, hotels and things to do. As they say, it’s certainly a way to “Holiday Better.”

4. Look for offers beforehand

Who doesn't like some offers or discounts, right? So before speaking to your travel agent, look up for offers. Now you can find all information online and discount coupons are literally a click away. You never know, you may find a better deal than what your travel agent can offer you.

5. Read up

Choose your destination only after you have all relevant information. Read up all you can everywhere – online, books and apps. Also, consider the purpose of your trip. If you an ardent traveller then you would be happy to go anywhere new. But if you a specific plan in mind, like a holiday in a coastal area or hill station, then you need to put in some thought and read up to make an informed choice

Haunted Places in India

1. Bhangarh Fort, Rajasthan

Scary story: Located in the Alwar district of Rajasthan, this fort is notorious for shocking paranormal activities. There is a legend that explains why the place is haunted. Apparently there was a tantrik named Singhiya who was in love with Princess Ratnavati. He used his black magic on the princess, but it backfired on him and he died. But just before he did, he cursed the fort, saying that all who dwelt in the fort shall die. Till date people are warned not to visit the fort after sunset.

2. Dumas Beach, Gujarat

Scary story: Beaches are the best spots to relax. But not this one. Dumas beach is a cremation ground for the Hindus, therefore it is said that the tormented souls and the ones who did not seek ‘moksha’ loiter on the beach post sunset.

3. Vrindavan Society, Thane

Scary story: It's hard to believe that ghost stories exist even amidst the hustle and bustle of the city. One such case here is that of Vrindavan society, which is said to be the largest residential complex of Thane. 66 B is the building from the complex that has an eerie past. A man had committed suicide here and since then there have been reports of paranormal activities.

4. Lambi Dehar Mines, Uttarakhand

Scary story: So apparently these mines were shut down because workers died coughing blood due to improper work conditions. Locals also say that the location is haunted by a witch who makes unnerving noises at night.

5. Jamali Kamali Masjid, Delhi

Scary story: The masjid is said to be the home of djinns. It is said that people who visit this place experience nightmares and paranormal experiences post their visit.

6. Grand Paradi Towers, Mumbai

Scary story: The swankiest area of South Mumbai called Malabar Hill is a home to a 28-storeyed jinxed tower called Grand Paradi. A spate of suicides at this luxurious society has drawn lot of attention and has made it the most infamous society in the locality. There have been about 20 suicides and accidents which have taken place since the towers were constructed in 1976. Residents here have sought psychiatric help and a few have moved out of the premises.

7. D’Souza Chawl, Mahim

Scary story: A lady who fell in the well while drawing water, apparently haunts the chawl even today.

8. Tunnel No. 33, Shimla

Scary story: Shimla is abode to many scary stories. One such story is of Tunnel no.33, where the friendly ghost of Colonel Barog loiters around the tunnel during the night. Colonel Barog was a railway engineer during the times of the British Raj. Locals say that his ghost has friendly chats with people who take the tunnel. Though it is said to be a harmless soul, but a ghost talking can never be a friendly thing right?

9. Agrasen Ki Baoli, Delhi

Scary story: There's something going on in the well here, that lures people to jump in and commit suicide.

10. Brij Raj Bhavan Palace in Kota, Rajasthan

Scary story: Major Burton who was the British resident of the Kota palace was killed by sepoys in the 1857 mutiny. It is believed that his ghost walks the palace at night.

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Best Things to do In singapore

From chowing down on noodles to checking out the night zoo, Singapore gives us some of the most unique things to do.

The English-speaking city-state/country of Singapore gives Americans a great entry into Asia. But what to do when you’re in the Lion City? Skyscanner has you covered with the 10 best things to do in Singapore.

1. Head to a hawker food market for something to eat

You’re never going to be hungry in Singapore as it has one of the widest selections of Asian food you can find anywhere on Earth. You can find local favorites like Hainanese chicken rice, dim sum, and the national dish of nasi lemak at food markets, like Lau Pa Sat or Maxwell Road. The food is awesome, and a person could easily get there fill at the hawkers (best spots being Max for no more than $20 USD.

2. Satiate your vice at Marina Bay Sands

You can get a taste of Las Vegas while in Singapore at the ginormous Marina Bay Sands. This five-star resort has everything you’d want from Vegas – a huge casino, quality shows, and a shopping mall so big that’s got a canal with gondola rides. Oh, it also has an infinity pool 57 stories above the ground in a boat-like structure that sits atop three curved skyscrapers.

3. Visit the Singapore Zoo and Night Safari for a walk on the wild side

Two of the world’s best zoological attractions happen to be in Singapore, so you simply can’t go there and not see them. The Singapore Zoo is known for how open enclosures are designed to make many of the animals look closer than they appear. Meanwhile the Night Safari – the first of its kind – gives you a tour of nocturnal animals when they’re stirring.

4. Stop and smell the orchids at the Botanic Gardens

Sometimes you need just need to take a moment to relax on your vacation. And there’s not a better place to do that than Singapore’s Botanic Gardens. You’ll find a rainforest, lakes and cool plants from around the world here. But the star of the show is the National Orchid Garden, where you’ll find 60,000 orchid plants on over seven acres.

5. Enter another realm at the Gardens by the Bay

Gardens by the Bay is one of the coolest places to visit in Singapore. It covers almost 250 acres, and showcases exotic flora and fauna from around the globe at the bio-domes Flower Dome and Cloud Forest. The main attraction, however, are the incredible Supertrees – a shimmering group of 50 meter structures that enchant the masses with a musical light show every night.

6. Relax in the Arab Quarter

For those that are tired of all the shopping malls in Singapore (seriously, there are a lot of them), we suggest take a look at Haji Lane in the heart of the city’s Arab Quarter. Find unique designer dresses or a Persian carpet at the many unique shops. Kick back with a hookah as you look at the golden-domed Sultan Mosque, or take a tour of the inside. The possibilities here are endless.

7. See the city from a different view on the Singapore Flyer

Welcome to Singapore’s answer to the London Eye! At 541 feet tall, it’s one of the tallest Ferris wheels in the world to give you a great look at the city during the 30-minute ride. Locals haven’t take a shine to it like you’d expect, which means the wait in line will be relatively small.

8. Head on down to Chinatown

One of the coolest things about walking around Singapore is seeing traditional “shop house” situated below skyscrapers in the city’s Chinatown. Sit around and watch the locals play chess, maybe even get in a game yourself. You can even chill out with a drink at the rooftop bar on nearby Club Street, or grab some chili crab at Chinatown Seafood Restaurant (an establishment possibly named by Ron Swanson).

9. Dine at the White Rabbit

A trip to Demspey Hill will give you a look at some great restaurants, art galleries and spas in buildings that started out as the home of the British Army in the 1950s. We’re particular to the White Rabbit, which inhabits the old garrison church. It’s customary to get fixated on the beautiful interior. But you do it at the peril of not truly appreciating cuisine like Wagyu carpaccio, tagliatelle, and deconstructed cheesecake.

10. Experience Little India

Just closing your eyes while Singapore’s Little India is a feast for the sense. The bustle of the crowd, blaring music, the scent of the spices, and delicious food instantly takes you to India. The temples are very impressive. But you can’t go here and not visit Mustafa, the 24-hour department store that sells everything from perfumes to golden baubles.