Trick #1: How To Block Your Phone Number From Spies!

You normally don't want to have your phone number blocked when calling from home or on your cell phone. But there are times when you really don't want someone or a company you need to call to have access to your phone number -- particularly your cell number. Fortunately there's a pretty easy solution to this dilemma.

If you are using either a land line phone or a cell phone all you need do to block your phone number is dial *67 before dialing the number you wish to call.

This trick works across carriers and on all telephone networks. It's the standard way to hide your phone number. And it works on both landline and cell phones.

Some smart phones are set up so you can set your cell phone to always block your number if you wish. For example, on the AT&T iPhone simply go to Settings/Phone/ Show My Caller ID. Just set the switch to Off.

Now you can go anonymous whenever you want!

Trick #2: How To Avoid Travel Delays!

Delays are almost inevitable when flying - but there are some things you can do to minimize these aggravations. The National Air Traffic Controllers Association provides travelers with this neat place to visit before booking your flight - and a place to come back to on the day you travel.

Before booking you can check for the best and worst days and times to fly from and into any specific airport. The flight controllers have joined forces and share their insider tips on how to avoid delays at some of the busiest airports across the country. They share everything from the best time of day to fly out of a specific airport to the best airports to connect through. And of course you can check the status of your specific flight on your day of travel.

Good information from these good guys!

Great Place #1: Where Did That Phrase Come From?

As happy as a clam -- Keep your nose to the grindstone - Kick the bucket. Almost every day we hear phrases and expressions that sound very natural to us - but every once in a while we think, "What does that really mean? Or where did that come from?" This great place has researched and put together information on over 1600 expressions along with their meanings and origins.

All you need to do, when you run into a phrase that piques your curiosity, is type the phrase into the search box provided. Up comes the information on its origin and what it's intended to mean. And if you need a phrase or two to help liven up the best selling novel you're writing -- this is the place. Just type in a topic word and Shazam -- you get a list of matching phrases.

Both fun - and useful!

Great Place #2: How Much Will College Cost Your 6 Year Old?

You have a few years to go before Junior will be packing off to college. But you want to plan ahead based on anticipated costs -- not now -- but on reckoning day! Here's the place to go. The folks at the non- profit College Board provide a plethora of information for prospective college students - and of course for their nail biting parents.

Just go to this great place where you will find their College Cost Calculator. You can use this to see how much college will cost by the time Junior enrolls. If you have a particular college in mind, you can project from actual costs. If not, you can just use the average costs provided there. The calculator instantly presents you with the bad news - but to ease the pain they provide you with a ton of tips that help you (and Junior) get there a little easier.

Lots of good information here!

Copies of all previous "Real Estate CyberTips" columns complete with all direct links are available at REcyber.com.

Published: July 11, 2011

Use of this article without permission is a violation of federal copyright laws.

John M. "Jack" Peckham is the Executive Director of REcyber.com (the Real Estate CyberSpace Society). In that capacity he oversees the development and delivery of the latest up to the minute Real Estate Cyberspace tools, strategies, networking structures and services that the Society provides its members to leverage their effectiveness, visibility, professionalism and earnings. As host of Real Estate CyberSpace Radio, he provides over 40 hours of programming to help listeners integrate the power of the Internet into their daily business lives. He is the author of several real estate books published by Prentice Hall and Harcourt Brace Jovanovich including his latest Master Guide to Income Property Brokerage from Wiley Publishing. A columnist for the Boston Herald for nine years, his syndicated columns have appeared in over 100 papers nationwide. Jack loves to sell real estate has been involved directly in the sale of over one billion dollars in Real Estate. Today he sells in his jeans and fuzzy slippers as a one-man shop and has closed over $40,000,000 in sales on the Internet recently in 20% of his working time. The balance he spends directing the affairs of the 10,000 member Real Estate CyberSpace Society. The Society awards the RECS (Real Estate CyberSpace Specialist) Designation to members based on the current criteria. He served as Chairman of the Strategic Planning Committee for the National Association of Realtors (NAR), is a Past President of the Massachusetts Association of Realtors and has been honored as the Massachusetts State Realtor of the Year. You can reach Jack at or by calling 617-523-4441.