I am a rookie and looking to get into the hobby.  I am looking for my first experience when in Las Vegas in a few weeks.  I have contacted a few providers via email to set some things up and have a few questions.  In a few cases, the providers are reviewed on TER, but they don’t have websites and the topic of time and donations hasn’t come up.

What are the does and don’ts of discussing donations?  It is easy to determine if the provider has a web site with donations and times.  However, what if the provider doesn’t have a web site?  Is it safe to assume the rates on TER are accurate?  How should donations be discussed or brought up?

Any help would be appreciated.