Traveling can be about more than fun. It can also be about education. As fun and educating as it is, it can be costly and chew up a ton of time. Here are a few tips you can use in making you vacation both enjoyable and affordable.
When in another country, use the ATM for pocket money rather than exchanging your cash at the local bank. The banks generally have access to superior exchange rates. This can save you a substantial amount of money over time.
Always write down everything you need to pack in the form of a list. Some time before your trip, write down everything you need to bring with you. If you are delayed in beginning your packing, having a comprehensive list will make the task quicker, easier, and with less clutter.
Make your travel arrangements way ahead of your trip. Although there are many things you can purchase on your trip, it is important to know that most of the things will much pricier now rather than if you had bought them much earlier. Minimizing last-minute expenses can help your trip stretch further.
Try to add travel price watcher to save money. This is a feature many travel sites use, and allows you to enter the destination you want and it will watch for deals for you. When the hotel or airfare price drops by the amount chosen, the site ends you an email alert. This saves you from checking every day for the price.
Amusements parks and other attractions have options of printing tickets out online before you leave for your destination. The often nominal purchase fee is usually well worth the time saved, when you are able to skip the long lines at the ticket office. For big attractions that have timed entry available, you can use that, too, to get you in faster.
If you want a little extra safety in your hotel room, bring along a door stopper. It is wise to sometimes have extra security for your hotel room when you’re traveling outside the US. If you do not have a door that is equipped with a chain or deadbolt, use a wedge doorstop before retiring at night.
Try exercising prior to flying. Being on a long flight can be incredibly boring. When you are forced to sit in the same position for hours on end, your back and legs can cramp up. Stretching or doing a quick workout prior to flying can eliminate or lower your risk of getting soreness or leg cramps.
If you are using traveler’s checks, cash them in before you go to shop or eat. Although traveler’s checks are accepted in most places, they’re hard to deal with. You might be shortchanged if you spend them in-store, so be safe and change them to local currency prior to spending.
Consider environmentally friendly services for an ecologically mindful trip. There are now many hotels that use linen reuse programs, have energy efficient lighting, have recycling bins that guests can use, and have low flow plumbing. Lots of tourism companies and local service providers emphasize green living in their offerings.
Jet Lag
If you are traveling to a different time zone, keep yourself awake until around 8pm or later in the new time zone in order to help you adjust. Even if you are tired, going to bed too early can prolong jet lag by keeping your body in your home time zone. If you can adjust to the local time zone, then your jet lag will be gone.
Look into all kinds of transportation. Buses are not like they used to be. You can often find great prices for buses, and they are clean and quite a few offer free WiFi outlets along with other perks you wouldn’t have thought of. Some companies offer package deals, making traveling very easy.
Earplugs will be of great help to you if you’re a light sleeper. The hotel you stay at may not have sufficient walls to keep out noise. You can ignore the noise and sleep better with earplugs.
Atm Machines
It is not a good idea to exchange currency while in a different country. You can get foreign currency using an easier method. Before you travel find out if the area you are traveling to has bank ATM machines available. ATM machines usually have better exchange rates and are actually cheaper than currency exchanges.
Try not to bring luggage with you when traveling by plane. It can save unnecessary travel and time. Send your luggage to your destination by FedEx or UPS. While this might be more expensive, it’s most likely worth it for you in the end.
You should now be able to use the advice form this article to help plan your next trip. Whether your destination is to a neighboring town or a foreign country, you are now better prepared. Regardless, if you plan ahead, your trip is sure to be fulfilling, interesting and something that you will never forget.