Traveling can be a special and fulfilling experience for you if you take advantage of it. Learning how to plan trips is not that hard, but it does require some research so that you don’t end up getting lost or losing money on something you don’t need. This list of tips should help you become a smarter traveler.
If you are traveling with a companion but you do not normally share funds, consider having a joint wallet, for expenses like meals, travel and lodging. You and your companion can add the same amount of money to the joint wallet each day. This way, you aren’t constantly splitting bills or exchanging money.
Check the services that are available, beforehand. Smaller airports will often feature charter airlines. These airlines may not show on the travel sites, but can often offer great deals versus the big airlines.
If you don’t mind the inbox clutter, sign up for airline and hotel mailing lists when planning your trip. These lists will often tell you in advance about promotions or offer coupon codes – and they’re always free. These kinds of deals will go quickly, so seeing them right away gives you an edge when booking.
If you’re purchasing souvenirs as gifts while traveling, be creative. You can use a local newspaper as gift wrap to give it a special touch. This works especially well if the newspaper is in a foreign language or has photographs. Other low-cost souvenir gifts, include matchbooks, coasters and clean napkins.
Try using bubble wrap when packing. There is a good reason things get mailed in bubble wrap. It keeps fragile objects very safe. When you travel, your luggage goes through a process very similar to being sent via the postal service. Bubble wrap isn’t difficult to come by and is a great choice when packing breakable possessions.
Preparing a budget for various expenses before traveling will help one not overspend while on vacation. Having a budget already laid out will keep one more conscious of their spending. The increased attention on not overspending will prevent stressful and frustrating situations such as bouncing a check from occurring. Also it will give one more peace of mind.
Try your best to pack all your belongings in as little amount of luggage as possible. You don’t want to bring 5 bags of luggage with you on the plane and overwhelm yourself. Try and fold and tuck stuff into areas where you can make more space without harming any of your belongings.
If you travel a lot then you could save money by purchasing an annual multi-trip travel insurance policy. Buying travel insurance for every single trip you take can be expensive and take up a lot of time. If you take more than 5 trips per year, consider investing in an annual travel insurance policy to save both time and money.
If you can be forgetful when traveling, consider writing yourself some reminder notes. Small pieces of paper are easily lost, but you won’t miss that note you left on the mirror. Dry-erase markers are great things to use when doing this.
Try to avoid eating anywhere that has a great view of a local tourist attraction if you are on a tight budget. While the food and atmosphere may be great, it will be incredibly expensive. This is due to the fact that you are technically paying a premium price just for the view of the tourist attraction.
Look into getting a hand-held satellite phone. Because a lot of cell phones do not work in many countries, you want to make sure you have some form of communication at all times. If you cannot get a hand-held satellite phone, it would be wise to purchase an international calling card.
When packing for the beach during your trip, try packing your gear separately into a beach bag that can easily fit in your luggage. This is a great time saver since it will be packed prior to your beach outing, and it can also save time if you have kids on your trip.
If there is one available, request a room on a higher floor. This might not seem like a big deal, but thieves have easy access to first-floor or ground-floor rooms. You should also opt for a room without sliding doors whenever possible. It is much easier to enter a room with these types of doors.
A great travel tip is to never fully unpack if you’re staying at a hotel room for a small amount of time. It might get annoying having to get everything out of your suitcase but it’s a great way to make sure you won’t lose anything by leaving it behind.
If you need a cheap place to stay while vacationing in Europe, consider sleeping in a hostel. Hostels are basically rooms that are shared by several people and are a lot more affordable than hotels. They may be small rooms with bunk-beds or large auditoriums with cots. If you can sleep through the noise, it is a great way to meet other travelers.
Get an e-book reader. When you are traveling for a long period of time, books can be a great form of entertainment. Unfortunately, most physical books are very heavy and can take up a lot of space in your bags. A e-book reader, however, is very light and can store 100s of virtual books.
When traveling, pack only what you know you will wear. Try to pack multipurpose outfits, and items that pair with more than one other thing. This will help you to minimize what you need to pack. Making your suitcase lighter will make it easier to carry through an airport, and can save you on baggage costs too.
As you can see, there is a lot more to traveling than most people think. It requires a lot of research and planning, but it will be worth it in the end to have a great trip. By following the above tips, you are well on your way to becoming a smarter traveler.