Travel is an important part of the lives of most everyone. In the past, people didn’t have as much opportunity to travel, and some people never even ventured out of their state. Even though fuel prices have made it more difficult for people to vacation in the past couple years, most still make shorter trips. This article can help you to save money and get the most from your travel plans.
Leave most of your items of value at home. If you decide to bring valuables, you could lose them, or they could even be stolen.
Shop around for the best deal. Often, a shift in a day or two from your departure or return can amount to a significant savings of several hundred dollars in your transportation cost. Many websites can check this automatically for you. As a general rule, if you can avoid travelling on Fridays or Sundays, you will save a pile of money.
Walk when you can. To keep your ankles from swelling and your joints from getting sore, stand up and walk whenever you get a chance. On the plane, get up and go to the bathroom or walk the aisle, once every hour. If you have a layover, opt to take a few laps of the terminal, rather than just sitting at your gate.
Drive through windows at fast food places almost inevitably give you too much or too little sugar or other sweetener when you order coffee or tea. When traveling, don’t throw the extra away! Tuck into a baggie or maybe a little tin and keep it for the next time you are shorted. It sure beats having to turn around and go back through the drive through!
If you’re on vacation and you arrive at the hotel only to find out that you left the charger to your cell phone, video game, tablet, or whatever at home, don’t panic! Go down to the front desk and ask nicely if they have one you can use. Most hotels have a box of chargers that past guests have left behind and you can probably find one that fits your device.
Some hotels have video games in them for you to use. If you’re traveling with kids, ask the front desk to disconnect these. Most of the time as soon as they’re turned on they’ll bill you for playing them. So if you take a shower you may not notice your kids have been playing them until you get your bill at checkout.
Know the rules for your airline’s baggage check policy. Some airlines will make you go and claim your baggage and recheck it for connecting flights. Be aware of this so you can schedule flights accordingly. You do not want to get caught running across an airport to catch a flight because of baggage!
If you know in advance that you will be passing through some less-than-desirable neighborhoods or areas of town en route to your destination, don’t rely solely on your in-dash GPS system. Map out alternate routes using MapQuest or Google Maps, so you don’t end up in a bad part of town, in the middle of the night, with bad directions.
When traveling with a baby or a toddler, try not to make too strict of a schedule. A child this age follows their own schedule and you might not be able to do the things that you had planned to do. By being open about the schedule, you will get a greater satisfaction from your trip.
Travel insurance might be worth considering for a big ticket, non-refundable trip. The small price you will pay for insurance will be well worth it if an emergency medical situation comes up, or your baggage is lost, damaged, or even delayed. You will recoup at least some of the cost of your trip and feel some piece of mind as well.
Traveling long distance in a car with children can be challenging. Take along a variety of activities for the kids to play with such as coloring books, crayons, toys, etc. It is also fun to play games with the kids such as trying to find license plates from all the states, or playing I Spy.
When travelling, one important concern is keeping valuables and personal information safe. Before you depart, scan copies of your passport and other IDs and save them digitally somewhere, such as an email account. That way if any important documents disappear, you can access copies in emergency situations. To protect valuables, such as, money or credit cards, split them up between bags or people in the party. That way, if one bag gets stolen, not every valuable disappears with it.
The travel industry has grown to be a large percentage of our economy with motels and hotels increasing in great numbers. Even though there is less travel taking place recently, most larger chains are still doing well. Some smaller independent businesses are suffering, especially in the off season. You should be able to use the tips in this article to help you save some money, while taking the vacation of your dreams.
