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4 Reasons Why Asphalt Is Commonly Used For Outdoor Sports Courts

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4 Reasons Why Asphalt Is Commonly Used For Outdoor Sports Courts
Asphalt Is Commonly Used For Outdoor Sports Courts
Asphalt Is Commonly Used For Outdoor Sports Courts

The world of sport is being supercharged. New icons are immerging, and new generations are being inspired to get active.

Last year, sporting participation increased enormously, and the recent events of this year are unlikely to slow down that progress. The only things that might slow things down are organisations and institutions that are responsible for opening more sporting doors to more people.

One of those figurative doors is the provision of dynamic outdoor sports courts. Asphalt surfaces make these spaces more multi-faceted and accessible than ever, and it’s now commonly used at many leisure and fitness centres in the U.K. But why? Here are 4 reasons why asphalt is commonly used for outdoor sports courts.

Eco-Friendly Innovations

Many industries are investigating what more they can do to protect the planet. Those overseeing outdoor sports courts will be asking the same questions, and one of the answers to those enquiries is using asphalt.

Asphalt is durable and 100% reusable and recyclable, and manufacturers are making big strides in reducing carbon emissions through both their products and operations. Hanson is an example of a dedicated asphalt supplier and contractor that takes sustainability seriously in its operations. It reduces the use of primary aggregates in its offerings, with most of its plants using reclaimed asphalt across their entire range today. It has also reduced emissions through changing the fuel source in its plants and vehicles, and promotes the use of its warm mix asphalt to help cut the amount of energy used in asphalt production.

So long as institutions deal with a responsible asphalt supplier, securing these surfaces can reduce the impact they have on the planet. Few things are as important as running a sustainable ship today, and as shallow as it might seem, going green is a trend. Therefore, these processes are likely a major reason why asphalt is so popular today.

Highly Practical

Asphalt courts are incredibly effective and give users more ways to enjoy their sport in more time. Not having them installed limits the capabilities of sports people and the prospects of fitness centres’ services.

The weather can occasionally impede sport, especially in the rainier U.K. It can either affect athletes’ performances or cause sporting events to be called off completely. With inefficient materials and surfaces, sporting areas can also become weathered and damaged over time.

However, asphalt sports courts are porous allowing water to be absorbed. By comparison, concrete, clay, and grass can crack, pool water unhelpfully or trigger soil erosion.

If required, owners of asphalt sports courts can also apply anti-slip paint to create a safer atmosphere. When fewer accidents happen and participants feel safer, more people can get to grips with sports more confidently. Some variations of asphalt sports courts don’t require much maintenance beyond this at the best of times, either..

Asphalt sports courts are useable all year round. Sport can shine without needless obstructions and restrictions.

Multi-Sport Capabilities

Sport used to be quite regimented and stereotyped. Certain people were barred from participating in specific sports, and even some facilities and leisure centres were designed on that premise.

Of course, more sports are now rightly opening up to the masses, so outdoor sports courts must be more dynamic to accommodate these changing attitudes. An outdoor sports court with an asphalt surface means anyone can play football, tennis, netball, or basketball on a whim. Asphalt is more than just ‘the ground’ and can usher in a new wave of sports participation. Who knows what new talent could be uncovered?

After all, a netball enthusiast may not have even come into contact with tennis in the real world had they not dabbled with asphalt sports courts first. For many people, these environments can serve as an introduction to brand-new hobbies and life-changing abilities.

Many schools and sporting facilities will want to pioneer and facilitate change. Any one institution or organisation caught lagging will undoubtedly draw scrutiny. Asphalt outdoor sports courts aren’t a luxury, but a necessity, ensuring the world of sport opens up to more people more freely and conveniently.

Bringing the Community Together

Sport has been underfunded for a while. Sadly, many leisure centres have been scrambling for further investment, fearing they’ll let down their customers and fall into obscurity.

An asphalt outdoor sports court can provide common ground to the masses, literally and figuratively. It unifies the sporting community, brings people together, and lets enthusiasts know that sport is alive and well. It’s the mark of a sporting institution that wants the best for its customers and members. Its presence can inspire hope in a sporting world that sometimes seems almost hopeless.

It is not just one community that will come together either. Tennis clubs may rent out these courts for practice, schools may want to stop by for P.E. lessons, or groups of friends just wanting a quick and casual game of something may book a sporting session. Asphalt outdoor sports courts generate a lot of interest in physical activity and help people sustain the learning environments they’re trying to build.

Asphalt Is Commonly Used For Outdoor Sports Courts
Asphalt Is Commonly Used For Outdoor Sports Courts

Conclusion

Asphalt outdoor sports courts help the environment and business and give opportunities to those with few or none. Sport is in crisis, and these measures could be its lifeline. If you’re in a position to implement asphalt outdoor sports courts, delay no further.

Helpful Tips For Learning About Your Surname

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Helpful Tips For Learning About Your Surname

Surnames, or last names, are a way to identify individuals based on their family lineage, country of origin, and ancestral clans. Trying to learn about your last name can be daunting because these names emanate from various aspects such as ancestral nationality, beliefs, and even occupation.

Here are  some great pointers to help you learn about your surname and understand all the historical clues your last name holds.

1. Talk To Your Elders

Your grandparents, parents, and older siblings are sometimes your living bookshelves. The family history they have stored in their minds can help you avoid many difficulties in your search.

Take time to ask your elders (parents, grandparents, and great-grandparents) detailed questions and record their answers to help you uncover and understand new information about the origin of your surname.

You can do some photo restoration and revamp your old family lineage photos; then, ask about the people in the images and where they were taken. This might serve as a springboard for tales and leads.

Ask about their complete names, names of siblings, birthplaces, dates of birth, ethnicity, nationality, educational background, and occupation. These questions will get you fundamental information to help you understand more about your surname.

2. Utilize Social Media

If you don’t have a close relative to help with your search, social media platforms like Twitter and Facebook are a good place to start. Search and connect with people online who share your surname.

Even though the people you’ll meet are not related to you, they might help you uncover traces of your similar ancestral lineages.

You can also search for tour guides specializing in genealogy-related services within your ancestor’s hometown and take a trip there.

The natural place to learn about your surname is to do an online search about the genealogy of the name.

You can use trusted online platforms that can tell you more about the ethnic background of your name and what it culturally means.

From these online searches, you can also learn whether your surname is matronymic (from the mother’s) or patronymic (from the father’s). And whether the name is under the descriptive, habitational, or occupational categories.

Descriptive surnames are the typical nicknames given to your ancestors.

Habitational surnames are derived from the specific geographical location where your ancestor lived.

Occupational surnames are derived from jobs and economic activities your ancestors engaged in.

4. Understand If Your Surname Is A Clan Or Family Name

There are surnames predicated on the names of their family patriarchs, such as in North America. While in other regions like Asia and Africa, the surname is derived from the clan name. The clan origins can be linked to whatever clan their ancestors belonged to, and the clan surname is passed down to the incoming generations.

Once you’ve established the difference between clan and family surnames, it gives you a sense of direction on what to look for and where.

5. Hire A Professional Genealogist

Searching and learning about your surname can be tedious, and you can easily be snowed under. To avoid this, you can take a shortcut and hire a professional.

A genealogist can help you find your ancestors. For instance, they might be able to determine the identities and origins of your immigrant ancestors. Or they could trace one of your kinship ties back to a particular era or person. With this information, you can quickly put the puzzle pieces together and learn so much about your surname.

6. Subscribe To A Surname Society

You can also join a social group that shares your surname. These one-name studies and surname societies gather biographical information and vital statistics on everyone who shares a surname and they share their summarized findings.

Surname groups provide members with research resources, arrange social gatherings, and organize DNA surname studies. Even password-protected sections of some society websites allow members to publish images and family details.

This is an excellent way to connect and link with people who are also in the quest of learning about your surname.

7. Keep Searching

Learning about your surname can turn out to be a never-ending game. The farther back you go into your family history, the more ancestors and relatives you discover you have. And this can be a little overwhelming.

If you feel you haven’t gotten the answer you’re looking for, take it as a personal history mystery and keep going. Dig through every relevant lineage till you’re content.

Conclusion

All surnames have great importance to genealogy. These identifiers make distinguishing different people in today’s modern community easier. If you’re intrigued by family history, these helpful tips can open wider doors to discover more about your family or clan surname.

Snorkeler attacked by a giant Cocktopus

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Snorkeler attacked by a giant Cocktopus
Snorkeler attacked by a giant Cocktopus at Thorpeness beach.

A Snorkeler in the seaside village of Thorpeness, E.Suffolk has been fingered as the likely source of a sizeable severed cock – dubbed the ‘cocktopus’ which was found drifting in the North Sea by a stunned Cornish frogwoman.

The Health Sense Clinic* in Pilgrims Way, Thorpeness is well known for its specialism in the area of penectomy and other services of specific interest to the transexual community. Trans women (or men) a.k.a. ‘people who bleed when operated on’ can be ‘pre-op’ or ‘post-op’ which loosely translates to ‘cock-on’ or ‘cock-off.’

Snorkeler want cocks out fast

A number of controversial nob removals are known to have taken place at the clinic in recent months and this reporter has been told by an insider.

Our source revealed… “(whispering) Look, I shouldn’t really be telling you this but we have been told that, due to cost-cutting measures being brought in to increase profits for the bosses, we are to get rid of all cocks, nobs, dicks, pricks, tadgers, willies, peckers and other sorts of penes (bet you didn’t know that was the plural form) as cheap as possible.”

Looking around to make sure no-one was listening, the cockblower whistleblower went-on “Basically, the bosses want cocks out fast. The staff are up in arms, they are not happy about it, I can tell you. The proper procedures are being totally ignored. It’s mayhem.

You’ve had people stuffing cocks up their jumper sleeves and in their handbags. One fella put one in his coffee flask and a friend of mine, she’s a fat lass, smuggled three out in one go… one under each armpit and another clenched between her boobs. We couldn’t stop larfing on the way out. How she didn’t get caught?”

I luzzed it

On condition of remaining anonymous, the medical grass (who is about 5′3″ in height, wears unique pink horn-rimmed spectacles with the initials B.S. set in diamanté on the arms, and is probably the only member of staff with a club foot) admitted that it was probably she who disposed of ‘cocktopus.’ “Well I’ve got a mate who lives down on Admiral’s walk so it made sense, didn’t it?

While I was down there, I just took it out me packed lunch box and luzzed it as far as I could… which wasn’t very far. It hit the washing line in my mate’s neighbour’s garden first, so I had to go and get it, then I just started to panic a bit so I legged it down to the beach, shut me eyes and luzzed it again.

That was the last I saw of it until they put it on the news, calling it ‘cocktopus’. That doesn’t really make sense does it? Octopuses have eight arms. I would have just called it a new species of ‘blowfish’, ‘codfish’, or maybe ‘sea snake’? ”

Total bollocks

The Health Sense Clinic is currently under investigation by the General Medical Council.

* fictional clinic not to be confused with any other health clinic of a similar name.

What are the benefits of a Sports Massage?

The Editor
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What are the benefits of a Sports Massage?
benefits of a Sports Massage

Before we have a look at the main benefits of sports massage let us first look at the difference between sports massage specifically versus other types of massage. So, sports massage is a form of deep tissue massage that involves the manipulation of areas of soft tissue to relieve the symptoms of pain, tightness, and a lack of mobility, typically caused by exercise (hence the name sports massage).

Most people’s bodies have imbalances that give rise to exacerbated problems with repetitive physical activity, and sports massage alleviates these problems by working on muscles, fascia, skin, ligaments, and tendons to help restore balance. This helps to prevent injury, increase speed of recovery, and improve sporting performance.

Sports massage can also be effective for of enormous benefit to people in an increasingly sedentary world of inactivity. Put it like this, sitting down at a desk all day, does nothing for your back, shoulders, or neck muscles and joints.

To get a good idea of the main benefits of sports massage, we spoke to Vicki Askew, who runs Enhance Massage in Wymondham, Norfolk.

Top Benefits of Sports Massage

Now that we have an understand of what is unique about sports massage and what it’s designed for, lets have a look at some of the main benefits of receiving treatment.

1. Improved Performance

Having sports massage therapy on a regular basis helps improve sporting performance, because muscles that are conditioned well, and enable a full scope of mobility enable you to run faster, pick up heavier objects, be more agile, and jump higher. This isn’t sport specific either, no matter what your sport of choice, sports massage will help you do it better.

2. Recovery Time

If you have an injury or even just a niggle or a tweak, then sports massage will help you to  get back to full fitness quicker. By manipulating your muscles, ligaments, scar tissue and tendons it enables them to heal quicker and in the right way, so that you will have less problems in the future versus not having the treatment.

3. Mobility and Flexibility

Often people don’t place enough emphasis on mobility and flexibility for sports but being supple is imperative if you want to achieve peak performance. If the movement of your joints is inhibited, then you simply won’t have the movement between bones. Sports massage helps in this area by stretching and lengthening your muscles allowing an increase in synovial fluid inside the joints. This is what will help you gain that freedom of movement.

4. Reduce Muscle Soreness

Anyone that has spent a bit of time down the gym and put even a bit of effort in knows abou8t muscle soreness. This is caused by micro tears in the fibres of your muscles when exercising and is what gives you that ache in your muscles a day or two later. To reduce this soreness, sport massage helps by speeding up the process by which waste products including the famed lactic acid are removed from your body, thus speeding up the bodies ability to repair the muscle fibres.

5. Improved Circulation

When your muscles are suffering from tension, caused by exercise, it restricts your blood supply. Therefore, sports massage helps to alleviate this problem by flushing out the waste products like lactic acid, and restoring an increases bloody supply to your muscles, which of course helps them operate at a higher level.

6. Improved Lymphatic Flow

The lymph system isn’t really the most widely known about subject by the general population, but it is what helps our body fight inflammation in the cells by draining out waste products and enabling the all-important nutrients in our blood stream to be used efficiently by the body. Sports massage help the lymphatic system do its job, which is why you’ll always get offered water by the therapist at the end of your massage.

7.     Relaxation and Stress Relief

A sports massage helps relaxation and provide stress relief in several important ways. Firstly, it helps reduce the number of stress-related hormones in the body, which also helps to boost the functioning of your immune system. Secondly, a sports massage helps to activate your parasympathetic nervous system, which helps to control your heart rate and blood pressure among other things, thus helping with relaxation. Thirdly, a sports massage increases the release of endorphins in the body, which not only makes you feel good, but also helps the body to deal with stress and pain.

Conclusion

If you’re a sports person or a gym bunny who cares about your performance, then it should be an absolute no-brainer to have a sports massage as part of your normal schedule. If you’re recovering from a sports injury or you have injury or mobility issues because of a sedentary lifestyle you should probably have a sports massage. In fact, to be honest, there’s not many people who don’t need one.

Royal Mail to launch newly-designed uniform from January 2025

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Royal Mail to launch newly-designed uniform from January 2025
uniform

Royal Mail has released an image of a newly designed uniform which will be trialled across Suffolk from January 2025.

The gender un-neutral outfits which some critics say have a slight ‘cabin crew’ look about them were designed by up-coming, blind fashion and textiles student, Nina Leggett-Flack who studies in Braille at Suffolk New College in Otley, an appointment that cynics say is a transparent attempt by Royal Mail to boost its diversity credentials.

It’s all subjective:

Opinion across Suffolk was today somewhat split however one staid, old-timer, Rosamund Blowers representing the Rotary Club of Sudbury said, after being shown the images by the Gazette.

“You may know that ‘Suffolk Pink’ is the lovely dusky blend of red and yellow ochre which provides the unique, instantly recognizable pale terracotta finish to many historic buildings across Suffolk.

As you should know, the proud flag of Suffolk displays a yellow emblem of a crown and crossed arrows on a field of blue.

It is no surprise therefore that the brainboxes at Royal Mail HQ, have COMPLETELY IGNORED THE SERENE, TRADITIONAL COLOURS OF THIS GREAT COUNTY OF OURS, and decided on bright red for their tacky, new ‘thunderbirds’ postie outfit. We at the RCS say – it’s a load of squit.”

On the other side, Instagrammer Postie749rex posted “Seen the new gear. Thas suffen good. Oil be looken loike Tarm Cruise in thart!”

Delivery not livery:

Although the lazy, small-minded staff at Royal Mail, Suffolk are sure to be amused, intrigued and excited by the new uniform – chatting endlessly about it instead of sorting or delivering mail as they should be doing, some critics say that RM has got its priorities wrong.

Feed back on new uniform:

Elliot Keeble from Stoke Park, Ipswich told this reporter “I don’t give a f*****g s**t what those lazy f*****s wear. They can dress up like the village people for all I care.

I’ve been waiting for delivery of a vintage 1973 Evel Knievel stunt cycle complete with original swagger stick and belt buckle for days now. eBay estimated delivery between Sat, 27 Aug and Thu, 1 Sep. Nuffin’! C***s!”

New vehicles called cars arrived in Suffolk

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New vehicles called cars arrived in Suffolk
New vehicles
New vehicles called cars arrived in Suffolk

Announcement: New vehicles called cars are now ready for your inspection!!

Introduced to the American public in 1908, the Ford Motor Company’s Model T was the right car at the right time. It was affordable, efficient, and reliable. Quickly, the Model T became the standard by which all other budget motorcars were judged.

Now, 114 years later, and thanks to recent technological advances in international freight & shipping, lucky residents of Suffolk will soon be able to OWN THEIR OWN CAR!

Join the 21st century:

Suffolk Fair-Maids! Gone are the days of uncomfortably straddling dogs, mules, donkeys, zedonks and horses.

Being dragged on a rope, or traveling by barrow, horse & cart, or basic sled is soon to be a thing of the past! You… yes YOU are invited to join  the rest of us in the 21st Century by owning (or more likely leasing) your own incredible four-wheeled road vehicle known as a car (from the Latin ‘carrot carrier’.)

What is a car (new Vehicles)?

A car is like a horse but instead of legs, it has newer, updated versions of the stone wheels that people in Suffolk use on their carts and barrows. The wheels are covered in a robust outer layer made of rubber which is… oh, don’t worry about it, it’s complicated.

Basically, the four-wheeled horse will help you transport your wares (fruit, vegetables, cheese, milk, ale, etc.) to the local market or carry your dead to the nearest funeral pyre.

Visit other counties:

To make it work, you will have to regularly ‘feed’ the car with fuel, but don’t worry, you can import this from other counties across England. Someone from your family will also have to sit on the car to control it using a steering wheel (which is like the helm on a galleon) and some foot pedals which are like the reins on your horse.

Tinted windscreen stickers bearing the names of you and your sweetheart which are evidently already widely available across Suffolk and can add a stylish, personal touch to your newly rented vehicle.

School openings suspended as kids working in mines to help pay bills

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School openings suspended as kids working in mines to help pay bills
working in mines
kids working in mines to help pay bills

Suffolk elementary schools empty due to kids working in mines to help pay bills. Superintendent, Dennet who oversees Hillpoint Elementary, Oakland Elementary, and Florence Bowser Elementary, among other schools made a public statement.

He had this to say, “It was the first day of school and none of the students showed up. We called the parents and they said that they were struggling with bills due to Covid layoffs, inflation and unexpected emergencies. The parents didn’t even bother to call the schools because that is the least of their worries. They simply shipped their kids to the coal mines”

Parent’s statements on kids working in mines:

One parent came forward and said, “I don’t care if our kids have to deal with toxic gasses, explosions, being crushed or drowned down there, I need my Netflix and fresh salmon every night. Between me and you, those aren’t even my real kids. They are adopted so it’s totally fine.”

Lorraine Fisher, 34, mother of Luther McJonald who is only 7 years old volunteered to work in the mines. Fisher stated, “I told him, he did not have to work in the mines; his father is a successful real estate agent. He owns most of the commercial buildings in Suffolk and Norfolk. Luther insisted.”

Luther McJonald had this to say, “My friend Billy, and my bestest friend Nigel, who is also working in mines cuz..cuzz his parents are poor. His parents r poor… poopy pants…cuz they r… and I want to help Billy and Nigel because Bi and Niggy are my bestest friends in the whole wide world. I don’t want to go to school alone. I want to be with them.”

The kids are aging rapidly. They are no longer “miners” working in the mines. They are just regular adult miners at this point. In just 6 short months, Billy, Nigel, and Luther look like they are 19.

They are only 7 years old!

Superindented Hugh Dennet sent out a letter to all parents saying, “You don’t have to send your kids down there. If you need financial assistance, you can come work at the school and we also

have government programs that can help you with your financial needs. The kids need a formal education. They are not kids, but the future adults of Suffolk. Please, bring your kids home. They love you.”

It has been 2 years and the kids are still down there working their little butts off. Most of the families are financially free now and still want their kids down there.

Is leaving your kids down there “injustice” or “ingenious”?

You decide. They are your kids.

Top 3 Financial Tips for Those Who Want to Rent a Car for the First Time

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Top 3 Financial Tips for Those Who Want to Rent a Car for the First Time
Rent a Car

We all love a good road trip. What we don’t like is the runaround of having to rent a car. We are here to make it easy with our three tips that are meant to be both financially helpful and actionable. So let’s talk about how to help you make sound decisions about renting. But first, we’ll reveal something that may be a shock to our younger (but driving-eligible!) readers:

Renting is Expensive If You’re Young!

Renting cars is expensive if you’re not 25 years old. Make sure that you talk to the company beforehand to make sure you know what to expect. Depending on where you’re renting, some countries have different rules, so doing your research will help you to save money.

If you’re a little younger, perhaps you can consider buying a car instead. It’s cheaper in the long run if you’re going to use it every day. Plus, it can be a great way to build your credit! Don’t forget to check car finance eligibility to make sure you can finance your dream car.

3 Tips for Renting a Car

  1. Have Someone Rent It for You If You’re Younger

Adulthood can be quite hard, especially when you realise that there’s a minimum age limit to rent a car. It ranges from 19 in some European countries to 25 in the U.S. Make sure to check your local laws.

 It is not that you cannot rent a car but more of the fees that come with being under those certain ages that you might not want to pay. In reality, companies know that they will lose customers if they do not let people under those ages rent, so they create the fees to deter you.

Someone who is 25 years old may be paying £10 per day to rent. But because of this age discrimination of sorts, a younger person might have to pay double on top of other fees that fall under the company’s policy.

Companies even restrict the class of vehicles that a younger person can rent. You might have to think again if you want to lease an SUV or a luxury vehicle from some companies. Some countries even have a restriction for people who are 75 years and older.

  1. Check Your Insurance Coverage and Explore Insurance Options

If you have a car and just have to rent a different one for a vacation, maybe you don’t need car rental insurance. Car insurance nowadays covers not only your car but also any vehicle that you may be in. Therefore, your existing coverage may already have the coverage you need for your rental vehicle. Make sure to check if your current insurance policy covers rental cars.

Deciding whether to up your policy limit might be something to consider, as your current limit may not be the best match for the car you plan to rent. Liability insurance will cover not only the people inside the car but also those who come into contact with it as well. It can help with court costs and medical bills if it is required. You will be able to rest easy knowing that you are protecting yourself, your loved ones, and your assets.

The insurance that should be at the top of your list is the rental car loss waiver insurance. It allows you to waive not only accidents but also environmental damage and vandalism. This type of insurance will also be useful in case you need to take the car for a repair.

  1. Examine the Pros and Cons of Various Payment Types

Some companies charge you for using your credit card, while younger renters may be charged extra for using their debit cards. Not only will you have to pay for the car, but you may also be required to leave a deposit. This leaves you less money for your vacation.

Credit cards may not be able to cover everything. Some credit card companies only allow you to cover a finite amount of fees so be sure to check with your company. Even though debit cards can be used, many rental companies may require a credit card from you. This is to help them in the case that they have to pay for damages that are not covered by the deposit that you left behind.

Another reason for that is to deter theft. By using a credit card, the company will be able to issue you a fine immediately instead of taking a few days or weeks, which tends to happen when using debit cards. Your credit scores can hurt as well if they don’t get their money back.

Even though many companies do allow you to pay using virtual cards and prepaid cards, rental companies may not. But to be sure, you can check their T&C for more information on what cards they accept.

It can save you time and hassle if you bring your card when picking up the car as you may be required to use your card as a deposit if you are the driver. 

Conclusion

Using these tips will certainly save you money when you rent a car for the first time. From knowing about the age limit that some countries may have to the different payment types there are and how they can affect you. And if you’re not happy with the rates, explore other companies! Who knows? Maybe those in less busy areas have better rates.

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