A List of Things To Do Before You Travel
It’s always been cheesy comic fodder to throw a line about someone leaving the iron on before a trip in the mix of things. However for anyone who has ever forgotten to do something important before a trip, there is hardly a chuckle involved.
When we forget to do something before a trip it often weighs heavily on our mind and really takes the joy out of our travel.
To help keep you a bit more sane when travelling, here is a quick checklist of ten things you should remember to do before you take off on your journey:
Arrange For Your Mail To Be Taken Care Of
Either set up for your local post office to hold your mail and deliveries until you return or arrange for a neighbor to pick it up daily. The same should be done for your newspaper deliveries. Either put this on hold or have someone pick them up for you so they don’t collect on your front porch.
Pay Bills
If you aren’t using automated or online bill payments then you should make sure that you mail off any bills that need to be paid while you are away. Better to spend the money you would be paying in late fees on your trip.
Notify Your Bank
When you are travelling out of state, or out of the country, your bank could become suspicious if they see charges, or debits, coming from these locations and lock out your account. If they are aware that you will be using your cards elsewhere you can prevent any hassles involved with calling your bank or credit card company while standing in line or trying to pay for dinner.
Get Your Shots
If you are travelling out of the country make sure to get any necessary, or recommended, vaccinations from your physician. This should be done in advance so you do not suffer from any side effects while en route to your destination.
Create An Itinerary
Even an informal itinerary should be drawn up so that someone back home knows where you should be in the event something unforeseen happens. Make sure you include contact information for hotels that you will be staying in as well.
Copy Your Information
Go to the local Kinko’s or UPS store and make color copies of all your important documents. Passport, driver license, visas, etc and carry them with you in a safe place and leave a copy at home with someone. If you need to have them replaced it will help to have these copies available.
Check The Weather
Knowing what the weather conditions are going to be like can help you pack for your trip much more effectively. Remember to note any climate changes that may happen as well. If it is unusually warm or cold for your destination pack as if the weather could revert back to normal.
Get Travel Insurance
The moment you know you are going to be travelling you should start looking into travel insurance. Having the right policy can protect you if you become sick or injured on your trip, but there are also riders that cover you should you need to cancel you travels, if you lose your luggage or fall victim to crime. They key to getting the best rate and the best coverage possible is to start looking for insurance early.
Jeff Orloff writes on insurance related topics for the Consumer Media Network’s travel insurance blog.