Been There, Seen It

Getting the Most Out of Your Vacation

Hard work deserves a great reward. After laboring and saving for your trip, you deserve to enjoy your free time. While your aim is to enjoy your trip, you can ruin your vacation by spending too much money. Contrary to some beliefs, it is possible to get the most out of your trip without going bankrupt.

Plan Ahead

The best way to get the most out of your trip is to plan. You may miss an important attraction if you sporadically travel, but planning allows you to see everything that your trip has to offer. Even a trip to Las Vegas improves with a little planning, as you can map out your itinerary, attend more shows, and spend less money. Planning ahead is the best way to get the most out of your dollar while enjoying a well deserved getaway.

Utilize Coupons

While they are not always popular, coupons are great tools that save money. Many travel agencies offer discount codes that are useful for any trip. Expensive boat getaways can essentially turn into cheap cruises after applying a coupon code. Although savings vary by itinerary, some people have reported discounts of up to $100; that’s $100 of extra funds for shopping or dining. Coupons are perfect for families looking to save money on vacation plans.

Surf the Web

Sometimes the best way to get the most out of your vacation is to search around. While the Internet is sometimes unreliable, it is the best tool to use when you’re looking for good rates. Cunard Cruises offers many discounts on its website that you ordinarily would not enjoy outside of the Internet. The best way to completely enjoy your trip is to shop around for options.

Filed Under: Cautions, Destinations Tagged With: Coupon, Money, Travel

Best Destinations For Families

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When you travel alone, you can go just about anywhere in the world. Travelers who have families need to narrow down their destination options, though, particularly when they have young children. Safety and comfort are of utmost importance; remember that you may be okay with “roughing it” to travel to a particular country, but your kids deserve comfortable accomodations.

Here are some of the best destinations for families:

Amsterdam. Despite a reputation for its red light district, Amsterdam is actually very safe, welcoming to foreigners, and full of wonderful things to do. Particularly great for kids are the popular houseboat hotels.
Costa Rica. This tiny country is home to lush jungle, eco-tourism, bautiful and exotic wildlife, and friendly locals who often speak English. Costa Rica has high-tech hospitals, and is a very safe place for families to travel.
Switzerland. Check out the world-famous Swiss Alps, have some genuine Swiss chocolate, and enjoy excellent public transportation. Swiss people speak an average of four languages fluently.
Australia. Home to some of the world’s most friendly locals, Australia also offers your kids the opportunity to see animals like kangaroos, koalas and duck-billed platypuses in the wild. Australians speak English, and since Australia has a robust tourist trade, you can expect to meet other travelers.
England: London in particular is a great place for families to vacation, because the locals speak English and the food is close enough to that at home that kids won’t turn up their noses at it.

When traveling with family, always remember to keep copies of everybody’s passports and IDs, even the kids’, for a smooth trip.

Filed Under: Traveling Tagged With: Costa Rica, Swiss Alps, Switzerland

Best Destinations For Women Traveling Alone

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Despite what many people say, women can and do travel the world alone in relative safety. No place on earth is perfectly safe, but if you are a woman traveling alone, choosing one of the following countries as your destination can help keep you as safe as you would be in any city in the United States.

Australia. Home to both a thriving tourist trade and people who speak English, Australia is reknowned for having some of the most friendly locals in the world. Australian scenery, wildlife and also the beer are not to be missed!
Nordic countries. Sweden, Finland, Iceland, Denmark and Norway have extremely low crime rates, beautiful natural scenery, and peaceful safe atmospheres.
Ireland. Irish women are known for being “fiery” and outgoing, so many American women will blend right in! Go here if you like to party, because women and men alike have no problems with drinking a lot here.
Vietnam. The Vietnamese are a welcoming and friendly people, and female travelers often make this country their destination. That means if you’re traveling alone, you can make lots of friends who are doing the same thing!
India. India has a positive relationship with the United States, and many locals in popular areas for travelers speak English. The general attitude toward women is one of respect.
Costa Rica. One of the safest Latin American countries for women to travel in alone, Costa Rica offers gorgeous scenery, friendly locals, and enough tourism that being a foreign woman traveling alone won’t single you out.

If you use common sense while traveling alone, you can see the world safely.

Filed Under: Traveling Tagged With: Australia, CostaRica, United States

What to Pack When Traveling Abroad

With air travel restrictions becoming tighter, especially in the area of what is and isn’t allowed in travel bags, and with more and more airlines charging for the number of checked bags, packing for traveling abroad has become more difficult. However, there are ways you can make this easier.

Start by determining what the weather is for your destination, and then plan your wardrobe around that. You probably won’t need a fur coat or ski parka in the tropics, and even in colder climates, layering may allow you to dispense with a bulky, heavy jacket.

Choose colors that can be mixed and matched. Khaki, black, brown, and white are good choices for pants, dresses, and skirts. Choose a cotton blend or cotton-wool blend. A cotton blend means less wrinkling. Then, choose tops that can be matched with all of these colors. Take the versatility one step further by choosing some that can double as light jackets. All of these items can be purchased with your vision prepaid card.

If you think you will need a dressy outfit, consider waiting until you arrive at your destination to purchase. Use the Internet to find out prices of dressy outfits in other countries, and then carry a vision prepaid card which makes traveling aboard easier regarding money.

Because vision prepaid cards are as versatile as your wardrobe will be, especially after you’ve followed these tips, you may want to consider carrying one for your dressy outfit purchase and another one for your other travel expenses. Doing this will not only help you keep track of your expenses, but will eliminate the need for a bulky purse or bag.

Filed Under: Preparations, Traveling Tagged With: Preparations, Traveling

Legal Concerns When Traveling Abroad

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A surprising amount of Americans travel abroad without even being aware that they aren’t under United States legal protection anymore while out of the country. What may be legal or perhaps a minor offense in the United States can be severely punished in some other nations — in fact, many Americans have ended up arrested or serving jail time for such innocent mistakes as bringing along prescription medication that happened to be an illegal substance in the country that they were traveling in!

To prevent such an incident from happening to you, always thoroughly research the laws of the country you are planning to visit. Pay particular attention to laws that apply to your specific situation; for example, if you must bring along a prescription drug, look up whether that drug is legal in your destination country or not.

If you absolutely must take along a prescription drug that you think might land you in legal trouble while abroad, make sure to bring along not one, but two copies of a letter from your doctor stating that you do in fact need to take the medication for health reasons. Store the copies of the letter in separate places — in the event that one gets lost or destroyed, you will still have the other.

Research customs and acceptible behavior to decrease chances of offending anyone. It would be helpful during a trip to Japan to know that people don’t call each other by their first names unless they know each other well, for example. Always pay special attention to your own gender and age group’s common clothing and behavior, and try to stick to it.

Filed Under: Traveling Tagged With: Japan, Prescription drug, United States

3 Reason Why You Should Book Your Flight Early

In reality, there are dozens of reasons why travelers should book flights as early as possible, but the three main ones are price, seating and availability.

Prices for airline flights change rapidly from day to day. The reason for this is conditions are constantly changing. Fuel is a big expense, so as fuel costs change, ticket prices also change. A flight starts out at a lower price to entice people to book early to avoid ending up with a partially filled flight. A savvy traveler can take advantage of these early ticket prices. While it is true that sometimes last minute bargains can be found, this is happening less often now that airlines have reduced the number of flights they offer.

Reduced flights results in another reason why it is smart to book early. Checking airline availability online is easy with www.offers.com, but if you wait until the last minute, you will most likely get an inside seat by the engines or far in the back. Snagging that window or aisle seat at the front is much more likely the earlier you book your ticket on those airlines that allow seat choice at booking.

The third advantage is increased availability, which is especially important to those using frequent flyer miles or preferring non-stop flights. Layovers can be very long. Booking early may get you on the best flight possible to accomplish your trip in the shortest amount of time.

It is always better to get a sure thing early than leave your travel to chance just to save a few dollars. Book early, you won’t regret it.

Filed Under: Traveling Tagged With: Airline, Frequent-flyer program, Price

Common Pickpocket and Thief Tactics

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If you’re traveling abroad, you should be aware that thieving is very much alive all over the world. Thieves target tourists in particular because they tend to have more money on them than the average person, and because any foreign items on them such as cell phones can sell for a high price.

Here are some common pickpocketing and thieving tactics to watch out for.

Distraction tactics. This often involves two or more thieves. One will distract you by bumping into you, striking up a conversation, or asking you for the time, and the others rob you while your attention is directed at the first person.
Hit (or drive by) and run tactics. Drive-by purse snatchings aren’t as uncommon as you might believe in foreign countries, particularly Europe. Even more unbelievable is the opposite — thieves snatch your purse out of your open car window as you drive by!
Fool you into stopping tactics. These thieves are more dangerous, because they confront you head-on. They will typically block the road, put down things in the road to pop your car tires then pretend to help you with them, or pretend they have a broken down car and that they need your help. When you stop to help, they rob you.
Inside vehicle tactics. Some thieves will rob everyone inside a subway or train car, or pretend to be a taxi and then drive you elsewhere so that they can rob you.

These are some common tactics used by thieves and pickpockets you might encounter while traveling abroad. Be wary even of children and people claiming to be from an official organization. Better safe than sorry.

Filed Under: Traveling Tagged With: Mobile phone, Pickpocketing, Theft

Caring for HIgh-Priced Purchases

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If you recently made a high-priced purchase, you want to protect your investment and make sure it’s properly taken care of. Whether it’s jewelry or a luxury vehicle, these tips will help ensure your pricey purchases are protected and last a long time.

Insure your items. Insurance is a must for expensive items. Most insurance companies offer special insurance for expensive items that go above a typical auto or homeowners insurance policy limit. Shop around for the best coverage, and try and get a company that specializes in your item; for example, if you have a motor home, you will want to get motor home insurance quotes from a company that specializes in it.

Store your items properly. If you have a pricey jewelry collection, you probably don’t want to toss it on your dresser at the end of each day. The same goes for a collector car—you wouldn’t want to park it at the curb at night. Whether you use a storage facility or lock box, you should store expensive items with care.
Maintain your purchases. This means having expensive items cleaned and detailed professionally and maintained on a regular basis to ensure they remain in working order and good shape.
Appraise your items regularly. You should have high-ticket items appraised at least once a year so you can update your insurance accordingly. Keep the appraisal and photos stored off-site in a safe deposit box.

With the proper care and maintenance, your investments will stay nice for years to come.

Filed Under: Traveling

Finance Tips for Traveling Abroad

Traveling abroad can be a fun and relaxing way to learn more about other countries. However, it can become expensive when searching out hotel rooms in multiple locations, rental cars or other means of transportation between cities, and eating out for meals while sticking to a budget.

Many families enjoy trips to Europe, Asia, and other far-off places. They are able to find inexpensive ways to enjoy entertainment, fine dining, and lodging for all members of the clan. One way to cut costs is to work with a travel agent. They often have more access to deals than a person performing a simple web search. There are discount programs available, as well as lower rates for those who pay cash. Guests should remember to ask about extra fees. These may arise as parking costs, resort fees, and gratuities.

Traveling with a reach prepaid card is a very safe option, since it provides the security of a credit or debit card without having to worry about high interest rates or the ability to max out. The specific amount of money that has been set aside to be spent on the trip can quickly go out the window when faced with shopping or cuisine, which can cause financial strain on tourists when returning home to the outstanding bills. Using a prepaid card allots a certain number of dollars to be spent, and is great for those budgeting on their travel expensive.

Electing for a prepaid card can help save money when traveling abroad. It also provides the convenience of paying wherever the card is accepted. Budget travelers are sure to enjoy the benefits of these cards.

Filed Under: Destinations, Preparations Tagged With: Debit card, Stored-value card, Travel