Are you planning to do some traveling this holiday season? If so, make sure that you’re doing the following things before making holiday travel plans.
Make Sure You Have All the Documents Needed for Your Trip
- Your driver’s license
- Passport
- Insurance
- Health Insurance Cards
- Birth Certificates
- Social Security Cards
While the distance you are traveling will play a role in which documents you need, these are just the basic ones that are usually required when traveling.
It seems like the luggage allowance and other airport rules are always changing. Therefore, before committing to making a trip during the holiday season that requires you to fly, I would highly suggest getting up to speed with the latest guidelines, especially the luggage allowance.
The last thing you want to do is have Christmas presents packed only to find out that you are not going to be allowed to fly with all the presents. If you would have checked ahead of time, you could have just shipped the packages directly to your destination and saved yourself some heartache.
When traveling it is always important to make sure that your home is secure especially if you won’t be having someone house sit for you.
You never know who is watching your every move and calculating how they can best break in when you decide to take an extended trip.
During the holiday season, traffic can be crazy and if you live in an area that has harsh winter weather it can make already horrible traffic even worst. So, it is important to plan your drive route in advance and have alternative routes that you can take if the unexpected occurs.
Planning your driving route is especially important if you must go to the airport to make it to your destination. The plane isn’t going to wait for you just because there is traffic on the day of your flight. Furthermore, missing your flight could cancel your plans because the holidays is prime travel time for everyone, which puts you at risk of not being able to secure a seat on another flight.
If at any point during your trip you will have to park your car somewhere where payment is required, such as the airport or hotel parking garage, pay for your parking in advance to ensure that you have a spot. Plus, you can also save yourself some time from having to pay once at the destination.
While this may seem like something so insignificant, trust me, you will thank yourself for doing so when it’s time to travel.
Whenever traveling, and especially when traveling during the holidays, you want to make sure that you’re not traveling with your everyday wallet.
Instead, limit the amount of cash and credit cards that you have on hand during your trip by putting what you estimate you will need to spend, and a little bit extra for an emergency, on a prepaid card.
Not only will this keep your money more protected from thieves, but since you can’t spend more than the amount of money that you put on the card, this also is a way to prevent you from falling into the holiday debt trap by maxing out your credit cards during your visit.
If a rental car will be required over the holidays, book it in advance. This ensures that you not only secure yourself the car you need for your trip but you’ll get a better deal than if you wait until the last minute as well.
Keep in mind, the closer to the holidays that you book your car, the more money you are going to have to pay.
Last, but certainly not least, to avoid disappointing anyone, including yourself, check with your job and make sure you’re going to be able to take the time off from work to travel, or at the very least work remotely.
This is also something that needs to be done as far in advance as possible, so you avoid competing with your coworkers for the time off as the holiday season nears.
Traveling during the holidays is stressful. However, with the proper precautions, you can take some of the stress out of it so your trip can be more enjoyable. The advice I provided above is a great checklist of things to do before making holiday travel plans and I hope that you find it useful.
Check the Luggage Allowance if You Must Fly to Your Destination
It seems like the luggage allowance and other airport rules are always changing. Therefore, before committing to making a trip during the holiday season that requires you to fly, I would highly suggest getting up to speed with the latest guidelines, especially the luggage allowance.
The last thing you want to do is have Christmas presents packed only to find out that you are not going to be allowed to fly with all the presents. If you would have checked ahead of time, you could have just shipped the packages directly to your destination and saved yourself some heartache.
Make Sure Your Home Is Secure
When traveling it is always important to make sure that your home is secure especially if you won’t be having someone house sit for you.
You never know who is watching your every move and calculating how they can best break in when you decide to take an extended trip.
Things you can do to make sure your home is secure include:
- Installing a security system
- Asking a neighbor to stop by each day while you’re gone
- Ensuring that there are no broken windows
- Making sure there are no other entry points that you aren’t aware of
- Setting your lights and/or tv on a timer so it appears that someone is home at your normally scheduled home times
Plan Your Driving Route
During the holiday season, traffic can be crazy and if you live in an area that has harsh winter weather it can make already horrible traffic even worst. So, it is important to plan your drive route in advance and have alternative routes that you can take if the unexpected occurs.
Planning your driving route is especially important if you must go to the airport to make it to your destination. The plane isn’t going to wait for you just because there is traffic on the day of your flight. Furthermore, missing your flight could cancel your plans because the holidays is prime travel time for everyone, which puts you at risk of not being able to secure a seat on another flight.
Pre-book Parking Space if Applicable
If at any point during your trip you will have to park your car somewhere where payment is required, such as the airport or hotel parking garage, pay for your parking in advance to ensure that you have a spot. Plus, you can also save yourself some time from having to pay once at the destination.
While this may seem like something so insignificant, trust me, you will thank yourself for doing so when it’s time to travel.
Get a Prepaid Card
Whenever traveling, and especially when traveling during the holidays, you want to make sure that you’re not traveling with your everyday wallet.
Instead, limit the amount of cash and credit cards that you have on hand during your trip by putting what you estimate you will need to spend, and a little bit extra for an emergency, on a prepaid card.
Not only will this keep your money more protected from thieves, but since you can’t spend more than the amount of money that you put on the card, this also is a way to prevent you from falling into the holiday debt trap by maxing out your credit cards during your visit.
Book Your Rental Car in Advance
If a rental car will be required over the holidays, book it in advance. This ensures that you not only secure yourself the car you need for your trip but you’ll get a better deal than if you wait until the last minute as well.
Keep in mind, the closer to the holidays that you book your car, the more money you are going to have to pay.
Make Sure You’ll Be Able to Get the Time Off from Work
Last, but certainly not least, to avoid disappointing anyone, including yourself, check with your job and make sure you’re going to be able to take the time off from work to travel, or at the very least work remotely.
This is also something that needs to be done as far in advance as possible, so you avoid competing with your coworkers for the time off as the holiday season nears.
Traveling during the holidays is stressful. However, with the proper precautions, you can take some of the stress out of it so your trip can be more enjoyable. The advice I provided above is a great checklist of things to do before making holiday travel plans and I hope that you find it useful.
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Great tips. I also suggest getting great airline rates. Frontier has very affordable flights. Southwest Airlines release their sales on Tuesday. For packing, roll clothes for better luggage storage
ReplyDeleteGreat tips Cheryl! I didn't know about Southwest sale days are on Tuesday, very good to know! Thanks so much!
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