Great Savings On Travel Cards - includes many attractions!
Boston • Blue Ridge • Chicago Las Vegas • Los Angeles • Maui Miami • New York • Oahu • Orlando San Diego San Francisco • Seattle Toronto • 16 Mountain Ski Pass
Traveling does not need to put you in the poor house, just follow these 10 cheap travel tips to save money and still enjoy your vacation.
Carry Snacks With You Buying snacks in bulk before you go and dividing them up into zip lock bags saves the cost and hassle of purchasing snack foods while traveling.
Bring Along A Water Bottle Cheap travel tips do not need to be time consuming and inconvenient. This one is easy and simple. Just pack a nice water bottle and refill it whenever you get the chance, so you don’t have to purchase bottled water.
Travel Facts & Tips •It takes 2 additional days to adjust to time zone changes when traveling east as compared to traveling west.
•If you are seeking an upgrade for hotel room suites, first class flights or cruise ship accommodations remember some basic rules. First, don’t expect nor demand the upgrade. Smile, engage the employee courteously and politely, tell a joke, dress nicely & know what you are asking for. You’re more likely to receive an upgrade. If you are not a member of the frequent customer program, sign up for it and ask about benefits. Off-season and weekends are the best time to receive upgrades. Remember to say thank you and send a thank you note. You’ll be remembered.
•Once when I checked into a hotel I overheard one of the clerks having a hard time with one of the guests on the phone. Something about their dog causing disturbance with adjoining rooms. The clerk was obviously trying so hard to handle the situation with great courtesy. Once the call ended the clerk apologized to me for the delay. I relayed my empathy for the clerk. Once I got settled in my room I went out to my vehicle and unpacked a toaster oven I carry when I do workshops, as well as some homemade cookie dough that I was planning to bake for the next morning’s workshop. I brought a half dozen freshly baked cookies to the front desk and said they seemed like they could use some cheering up. Later, when I got back from dinner, there was a gift basket in my room and 2 complimentary tickets to the breakfast buffet. I hadn’t asked for, or expected, anything. To top that, every time I stay at that hotel, they know ahead of time and always do something special for me - a gift basket, breakfast, free drinks, tickets to a nearby show or dinner, room upgrade. Of course I enjoy carrying on the tradition and bring them a plate of hot cookies each day. This little courtesy has gotten me first class upgrades at airlines and frequent hotel extras. I don’t expect something in return. That is a nice benefit, but mainly it is great to just know that I have helped brighten someone’s day.
Savings on many attractions in Las Vegas, Honolulu, New York, New Orleans, Washington, DC and New Orleans
Develop your travel photos here for less, plus get prints and digital copies. Load you favorite digital photos to share
Get your favorite travel magazines for less. Visit the site now!
More Travel Facts & Tips •Traveling to Europe? It is often cheaper to fly to London and then to your destination via regional airline.
•Take pictures of your rental car before leaving the lot if you think there will be any disputes when you return the car.
•Check weight limits per bag before leaving home. Many airlines have lowered weight limits and increased overweight fees.
More Travel Facts & Tips •Do not put your address on your luggage when traveling. Thieves will know your address and that you are not home. Instead include your name and a telephone where you can be reached.
•Always keep a copy of your passport and ID packed separately from your actual passport in case it is lost or stolen.
•Check with your medical insurance carrier prior to traveling to find out about your coverage when out of state or traveling to foreign countries.
•Write down and carry all of the important information in your wallet, such as credit card numbers and issuer phone numbers in a secure place separate from your wallet in the event your wallet is lost are stolen. While you’re at it, carry emergency travelers checks, cards or cash with the information.
•Always carry a copy of your itinerary and reservations. Leave a copy at home with someone you can contact and send to parties you may be visiting. I always have copies of internet reservations as active new messages in case I need the information but can’t access saved files while traveling.
•Confirm reservations a day or two prior to arriving to insure there are no mix-ups.
•Visit travel.state.gov/ the website for the US Department of State for international travel info - tips, requirements, travel conditions, Visas, Laws & Policy and more.
•Grand Circle Travel, gct.com, arranges hundreds of travel opportunities each year. Founded by the same person who started AARP, the main clientele are seniors, but there are no specific age requirements. Want to travel for free? Arrange for others to join a trip or tour that you would like to take. Get enough people to sign up and your trip is free.
•Collect postcards of historical and interesting sites as you travel, even if you take your own pictures. Postcards are inexpensive and can give you shots that many tourists can’t get into position to take. They are also good back up in case something happens to your photos. Write the date on the postcard so you know when you visited the site.
•Travel with 2 cameras - your expensive camera that takes great shots, and a disposable camera to give to strangers when you want to be in the picture.
•Develop your disposable camera and other film rolls at Snapfish for less than $5 each, shipping included. You get prints, negatives and digital copies of each photo. Plus you can upload all of your digital camera photos to share with others you invite.
Bring a large Ziplock bag when you travel to store all of your receipts. When the time comes you can see where your money went, reconcile credit card charges, remember the names of great restaurants to keep on file for later and easily find all of your receipts for expense reports.
•Not enough hangers at hotels? Buy over the door hooks at your local hardware store. Great for coats, jackets and jeans.
•Have trouble waking up, especially when traveling, or you need to wake without waking everyone else? Try Shake Awake Alarms. Attach to your pillow or place on the nightstand.
•Unplug your electric garage door when leaving town to prevent your garage door from mysteriously opening
•Pack some Shout wipes when traveling to attend to those unexpected stains on clothes.
•Visit greatports.com before leaving on a cruise. You can get information about the ports you will visit, including sightseeing, restaurants & activities.
•Bungee cords are great travel tools that can be used to lash a carry bag to your wheeled bag or to make a clothesline or for many other uses.
•Many all-inclusive resorts serve meals buffet style, but don’t alternate foods day to day. Pace yourself and eat themed meals each day to give yourself variety.
•Call ahead when planning a themed trip - diving, fishing, etc. - asking employees about affordable accommodations nearby. You can often save money and will be closer to your destination.
•Travel with a frisbee. It keeps your wallet, keys and change from falling off the desk or nightstand in your room, makes a temporary holder for food and is there if you just want to have fun at a park or beach.
•When you get to your hotel and hang your clothes, spritz the clothes using a water bottle. In a couple hours the wrinkles wil fall out.
•Pack a couple carabiners when traveling. Clip the handle or strap of your bags to a chair, bench or post while eating or snoozing for added security. Great every day idea for securing your purse where someone could walk by and grab it at an outdoor eatery, etc.
•If you are stranded overnight at an airport, don’t just settle for the accommodations voucher the airline gives you. Call a hotel of your choice. They may accept the discounted rate or for a few dollars more you can stay at a nicer hotel with amenities to help ease your travel related stress - nice bed, pool, restaurant, etc.
•Buy laminated city maps when traveling. You can mark on them with an erasable marker for your daily itinerary, wipe them off, and plan your next day’s travels.
•Foreign pharmacies will often fill your medication needs without a prescription for much less than US pharmacies. Great for when you forgot your medicine or when you just want to stock up for less.
•If you store vital information such as passwords and personal information on your laptop or PDA, use a coded form only you would know in case they fall into the wrong hands. Example: put a useless number or letter between each digit of your password so that only you know how to decipher.
•Keep your unused shower caps from hotels. They make great covers for your camera. At home you can use them to cover bowls of leftovers.
•Carry a small spray bottle with you when traveling in hot climates. You can use them to spritz a cool spray to help keep you cool.
•A double room is usually the same price as a single, but is much roomier.
Useful Travel Web Addresses •fly.faa.gov/flyfaa/usmap.jsp shows a color coded map of the US so you can see which airports are experiencing delays and delay times.
•www.minimus.biz has everything you need travel sized. Toothpaste to mini bottles of ketchup.
•www.seatguru.com has detailed info on airline seats - reclining, legroom, windows, laptop jacks and even which seats have obstructed views to movies
•www.worldclimate.com monthly averages of rainfall and temperature for almost anywhere in the world.
•www.worldtimezone.com will show what time it is around the world. Did you know that Australia has both horizontal and vertical time zones and that the time difference in Rio de Janeiro changes 3 times throughout the year.
Odd Travel Web Addresses •anyworkanywhere.com will show seasonal work available around the world. Updated daily. No fees.
•Engrish.com is a humorous site showing the ways English is mangled around the world.
•www.hotelchatter.com is a site to see how other travelers rate hotels worldwide and their experiences - good and bad.
•sleepinginairports.com rates what others say about the best and worst airports and the amenities provided by each. At least if you face a possible layover or extended delay you will know what to do and expect.
•thebathroomdiaries.com will tell and show you the good and disgusting in thousands of public bathrooms in 100 countries around the world. Check out the one at NYC’s Bar 89 or the solid gold toilet at 3-D Gold Store in Hong Kong or the bathrooms in Antarctica.
x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x
Travel Emergency Tips
Lost Passport Go to a US Embassy or Consulate to get an emergency passport issued on the spot. Bring the copy of the passport you packed separately with your ID or copies of ID. Didn’t bring those emergency copies and pack the separately? You’ll have to prove citizenship and it’ll take a few days
Really Sick or Injured and Need Medical Care
Before you left you checked with your medical insurance carrier for their policies or purchased travel medical insurance - right? Medicare does not provide for any care outside the US. Some medical companies have you pay for the service and then reimburse you - almost never for the entire amount. Most 800 numbers to the US don’t work internationally, so be prepared with local numbers if your provider does pay foreign health coverage.
Stolen Wallet
1) Cancel all debit and credit cards. You had all the info stored separately and securely along with some extra cash, cards or travelers checks- right? The cards generally are not re-issued immediately. 2) File a police report. You probably won’t get your property back, but you at least have it for any insurance claims or, if needed, for airport check-ins.
Lost / Damaged Baggage
File a claim within 24 hours of arrival or your claim likely will be dismissed. Carry a list separately from your baggage itemizing what is inside in the event your baggage is lost. 98% of lost baggage is found. So, find out your airline’s policies for reimbursement and funds for necessities prior to leaving the airport. Clearly mark your baggage in case they find it and need to deliver it to you
Arrested
Drugs account for a third of the 2,500 arrests of US Citizens abroad. Don’t carry packages for anyone and do not ever leave baggage unattended. Trying to carry out antiquities or precious souvenirs belonging to the country can land you in a slammer also. It is not finders keepers. If arrested ask politely but actively that local authorities contact the US embassy. The Vienna Convention on Consular Relations states this must happen ‘without delay.’ When traveling obey local laws.
Lost a Travel Companion
Prearrange meeting points if you get separated, especially in very crowded areas. You may also prearrange phone contacts in the event you still can’t find one another. In extreme situations contact local hospitals or authorities.
x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x
Travel Insurance
Travel insurance can cover weather related delays and cancellations, lost luggage, medical costs and trip cancellations.
Before you purchase full coverage, consider what you actually need.
Is the area you are traveling to prone to weather problems or storms at the time you will be there? Weather insurance may be appropriate.
Does your medical, auto or home insurance cover you while you’re gone for medical costs or lost luggage? If so, you don’t need to pay extra for these coverages.
What does the credit card you used to charge your trip cover while traveling? Do they cover any cancellations or lost baggage? Check your credit card policies.
Trip cancellation policies will often reimburse you for the full costs you have paid for a trip. If you are tentative about your travel plans and may need to cancel, this insurance may be worth your attention.
Be sure to review the fine print of any travel insurance. They often cover you for matters you don’t need. Also review the policy for concerns you have for other problems you may face.
Finally, determine the costs of your travels and how much you will lose if your trip is interrupted, cut short or just ruined by a storm or bad weather.
More Travel Facts & Tips •When traveling in a country you do not speak the language, purchase postcards of the sites you want to visit. Show the picture to a taxi driver and he’ll get you to your destination easily.
•When renting a car in England, remove the left hubcap and place it in the trunk. Many Americans have trouble negotiating the English roads and end up paying for lost left hubcaps when the return their rentals.
•Empty film cases and even M&M’s mini containers are perfect for carrying quarters for when you have to pay a toll, a parking meter or want to purchase a newspaper.
•Your TV, DVD player, cable box and TiVo use as much energy as a refrigerator. Unplug them if you’re going to be away from home for a few days.
•Drop an electronic in water? Place it in a bag of rice overnight to draw out the moisture.
•Feel nausea while traveling. Place a coin over the veins in your wrist and secure it in place with a rubber band or hair band. The pressure stimulates the nerves that control nausea.
•Carry a duffle bag or laundry bag. Dirty clothes go in the bag keeping your other clothes fresh. At the end of your trip you can either stuff it in your bag or put a tag on it as a second thus keeping unused clothes clean
•Put shoes in old socks before packing in your bag. They will keep the dirt and polish from your shoes from getting on your clothes.
•Keep your camera memory card away from your camera when not in use. You won’t lose the photos you have already taken if your camera is lost or stolen.
•Hotel room too hot and can’t sleep? Place a cold bottle of water under the crook in your neck. It will cool your entire body.
•Pack a few books on tape if you have a long flight or drive.
•If you cancel reservations online keep a copy by saving the email or printing a copy. If they try to charge your card you will have proof. Best to keep for 2 billing cycles.
•Paramadics will look for contact information on your cell phone in an emergency. Store it as “ice” - in case of emergency. List name, phone & address of person to contact in an emergency. Be sure and let that person know you listed them as your contact and give them a list of allergies, medicines and your medical wishes in an emergency.
•Use the free address labels you get from charities to place labels on your film when developing rolls after a trip. They will save you having to rewrite your information for each roll.
•Sew extra buttons inside garments. When you’re out and lose a button you will have a matching replacement handy.
•Tip your housekeeper each day of your hotel stay, not just at the beginning or end. Your housekeeper may change from day to day due to days off. You will great service your entire visit.
•Long airport layovers? Check ahead of time to see if there is a hotel within a reasonable distance from the airport - shuttle ride or short taxi ride - that has a health club or sauna. Many offer day passes. Enjoy the facilities, reserve a massage and even enjoy a nice meal at the hotel restaurants before heading back to the airport. In a smaller town? Visit local sites of interest.
•Need sightseeing or activity advice, or want an experience most tourists won’t see? Visit an internet cafe while traveling. You will often find people from the local community who will be happy to share information on local activities and sites that most foreigners won’t experience,
•Carry a USB flash drive with all your important information. You can access it at most hotels and it is easy to carry.
•Buy local maps when driving in foreign countries. They will have the right spelling of road signs in the local language, not the American spelling. (ie: Roma instead of Rome, Firenze rather than Florence, Munchen not Munich.)
•Don’t know the language well enough to read a foreign menu? Stop by a restaurant before leaving and grab a take out menu with English and the foreign language (Chinese, Korean, German, French, etc). Travel with the menus. You can show the menus to your waiter to see if they have that dish, or compare menus so you know what you’re ordering. Many restaurants will ask if they can keep your menu.
•When traveling with kids, send a package of snacks ahead of time by mail or FedEx Ground. You can purchase them much cheaper before you leave and they will be waiting for you when you check into your hotel so you don’t have to go searching when you get there. Be sure to call the hotel in advance to let them know the package will arrive before you.
•Found out about exit fees or departure taxes before exchanging foreign currency. If the country you visited charges a fee or tax before they allow you to leave, usually at the airport, it may cost you new exchange fees, ATM fees or foreign transaction fees on your credit card. In one case they were accepting US dollars and didn’t even bother telling any of us the charge in local currency. When I returned home I did some checking and found that by doing so I had paid about 20 times the tax I would have paid by local currency.
•Your baggage often isn’t delivered to your room until hours after you board a cruise ship. Pack anything you want or need earlier, especially medications, in a small carry-on bag.
•Flying to a foreign country? After checking rates on the US airline, check on rates through their foreign partner. The foreign airline will often be cheaper. In the case of foreign partners or affiliates you will probably be on the same airplane that you would have purchased the ticket thru stateside.
•When making reservations never mention you AAA, AARP, government, military or other group discount card until after you get a quote.
•Check on amenities before you book your hotel. Some hotels charge for various things - phone, internet, spa, gym, etc. while many more do not. The pricier hotels tend to be the nickel and dimers.
•Pre purchase whatever you can before leaving on your trip. Resort areas overcharge for sunscreen, toiletries and vacation rental equipment such as snorkeling gear.
•Park & Fly packages at airport hotels are often cheaper than paying for airport parking while you’re gone
•Run out of digital memory or need somewhere to store all your pictures until you have a chance to review them? Go to smugmug.com where they offer unlimited photo storage for $40 per year.
•Purchase local specialty foods as unique gifts at the local grocery or farmers market.
•When searching for lower prices online delete cookies from your computer before revisiting a site on your next visit. Without the cookie the site will think you’re a new visitor and will give you a new search result. With a cookie the site may direct you back to your old search results and your old pricing quotes.
•Pack a collapsible cooler if you plan to take day trips on your travels. Or check a hard-shell cooler with extra clothes as a 2nd bag.
•Check all airports in the vicinity of your destination. Often there are other airports nearby with dramatically different fares. For example, instead of Los Angeles International try Long Beach or Burbank.
More Travel Facts & Tips •To check on luggage weight when traveling, step on your bathroom scale with the luggage and note the weight. Step back on without the luggage. The difference in weight is the weight of your luggage.
•You can often access wireless internet in hotel lobbies even if you are not a guest.
•27% of drivers don’t check their tire pressure before a road trip.
•Trivia games, not music, keep a driver more alert when driving.
•Getting tired when driving at night. Pull over for a 15 minute nap. When you start driving again, keep your eyes moving looking at signs, cars, etc. At the end of every song check speed, all of your mirrors and all the gauges to keep your mind alert.
•Have you tried checkinSOONER.com? They check you in within 3 minutes of the check-in window opening for American, Continental, Delta, Southwest and United. Checking in early can nab you an upgrade or, on Southwest, one of the first places in line. Try it free the first time. A 10-day trial is $10. An annual service is $79. The boarding pass is e-mailed to you or you can print at an airport kiosk.
More Airline Fees?: •Curbside check-in over $2 a bag •Charges for choosing your seat. If it is a preferred seat with more leg room or on an aisle prepare to pay even more. •Charging up to a full price fare for standby travel •Fees to check any baggage. High prices for additional baggage. •Booking fees for using a person face to face or on the telephone •Convenience fee for booking a ticket using the airline’s website •Overpriced snacks and drinks. I think they keep the air dry and parse just so they can sell more drinks. •Upgrade fees •Fees for using frequent flier miles for a ticket or even upgrade What’s next? •Fees for carry-ons weighing more than a set weight? •Fees to use electronic devices? •Fees to use the bathroom?
More Travel Facts & Tips •Use the hotel provided shower cap as an ice bucket liner. It holds tightly.
•When traveling abroad check for rail passes. If you purchase them before you leave you can often get them for less. Passes are available in Japan, many European countries, Australia, the USA, etc.
•If you take items out of your carryon luggage be sure it is labeled with your name & address so the airline knows where to send it if you leave it onboard
•Empty film cases come in handy for storing jewelry, spare change, toiletries and other items while traveling
•Cut small plastic squares to put under lids on toothpaste and toiletries to avoid spills and leaky containers.
•Have a problem loosing buttons? When you buy new clothes place a tiny dab of krazy glue on the front of the buttons to help prevent the thread from fraying.
•Low fare airlines like Southwest, JetBle and AirTran are not the only games in town anymore. The bigger airlines are adding more fares, often cheaper than the low fare airlines, on routes that they compete with low far carriers. So, check with the big airlines for possible lower prices and assigned seats rather than automatically shopping the low fare websites.
•Airline websites offer the best prices as their expenses are reduced.
•Airlines post prices up to three times daily, add sales on Friday nights, but only post once daily on Saturdays and Sundays.
•Bundling air, hotels and rental cars usually save the most. Look for bundlers specializing in a specific area.
Travel Sickness •Work long hours before a vacation or business trip and suffer from weakened immune system when traveling? Drink 20 ounces of brewed black tea daily about a week before leaving. This will help build your immune response. (Have a stressful day often? Have a relaxing drink of black tea daily to increase your immune system)
•Tend to have mountain sickness when traveling to higher elevations? Ask your doctor for acetazolamide, a drug that helps the body metabolize oxygen. Take 250 mg twice daily a day or two before departure and for 2 days after arriving should alleviate all symptoms
•Gastro-intestinal troubles and altered bowel movements when you travel a problem? Probably because you alter you eating and drinking habits. Stay hydrated and avoid alcohol, caffeine, sodas and other diuretics. Drinking 64 to 80 ounces of water daily will help you fight off dehydration and changes to your diet.
•Avoid problems caused by bad water by bringing your own water purifier. Many countries have drinking water that do not meet quality standards. 25% to 40% of water in Asia, Africa & Mexico contained pathogens. Even airplane lavatories and water used for coffee and tea do not fair well. Use your own purified water for drinking and even brushing teeth to avoid unexpected pathogens.
•Low humidity in planes drying you out and causing dry nasal passages and even nose bleeds? Drink water to keep hydrated during the flight.
•Motion sickness while traveling? Eat a protein meal low in fats and carbohydrates before you travel. The protein will calm your stomach.
More Travel Facts & Tips •Saving money on foreign exchange purchases: Use a credit card or debit card for the best conversion rates. Even these are not equal; some have low or no exchange fees. Second, get cash from an ATM; some banks will waive fees at affiliated ATM’s. Traveler’s checks and prepaid cards offer the worst exchange rates, charging high conversion rates and up front fees.
