Travel Smarter – 10 Time and Money Saving Tips from a Travel Expert
1. Most important: photograph all your documents and keep them on your phone. Or add a scanner application to your devices, and scan in important documents. Photograph your credit card numbers, but cover up the security code and last 4 digits with your finger.
2. Mobile phones overseas: If you only intend to use WiFi connections, bring an extra old phone that is no longer connected to a telephone server. It will work on WiFi, but nowhere else. And if it is lost or stolen, you will not be as miserable!
Alternatively purchase a cheap pay-as-you-go phone overseas. Orange and Vodaphone are large chains in Europe that sell this type of phone/plan. You add a specific amount of money into the phone at the store, and there is no monthly plan. However if you do not use the phone for a year, you will lose the balance.
3. When searching for airfares, erase your surfing history before returning to an airline site. Sometimes a second look creates a higher price for the same flights. Go to “erase history,” usually found under the Privacy option.
4. Join all frequent flyer/car rental and hotel programs! We cannot stress this enough! They usually have a quick check-in and check-out program. Some have automatic upgrades when available.
5. Good travel insurance will cover even frequent flyer co-charges if you need to change or cancel your free tickets. Ask when you buy it.
6. If you feel you made a mistake on an online reservation, call the airline immediately and ask for assistance in correcting the error. Most airlines will do this at no charge, but only if you call right away.
7. Always inquire at check-in with an airline if there is a special last minute upgrade at a discount. At least one major airline now sells these, but only during the check-in process.
8. Pack using cloth “packing bags” to easily separate your wardrobe. Organizing each type of clothing into these makeshift “drawers” in your suitcase will save time when you are getting dressed. They are sold in luggage and camping stores. Zip-lock bags work in the same way for cosmetics.
9. If traveling in certain areas, bring water purification tablets from a camping store to purify water for tooth brushing etc. in your hotel room. This is cheaper and quicker than ordering bottled water from room service.
10. Finally: Do not overpack. Lay out everything you need for a trip, and then put back every fourth item!
Travel Tips are brought to you from www.TheWomensTravelGroup.com.
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