Going away for the holidays is always exciting whether you are going to see out of town family, or you just wanted to go some place you have never been. The best way to make it a memorable trip is to plan ahead. Here is how!
Make reservations
If you are flying to your destination, get your airline tickets well in advance. You will save a lot of money and you will ensure that the dates and seats you want are available. You can do this by contacting a travel agent or you can do this online or over the phone.
During the Holidays, a lot of people are traveling. Don't risk getting to your destination and not having a place to stay. I worked in a hotel for 6 years, and I was always amazed at the amount of people that did not make reservations. They were very upset when they were told that the closest hotel that had rooms available was in the next town.
Budget
Budgeting extra money for a trip around the holidays is difficult because you still have to buy gifts. The trick is to start early. Do your homework and find out exactly what the trip will cost you. This needs to include airfare, hotel, gas, food and any shopping you may want to do. Plan extra in your budget in case the car breaks down or you are unable to get home on your scheduled day due to weather. You will need to be able to pay for a mechanic or an extra night at the hotel. Once you figure out what your trip will cost you, you can decide how much you will need to save each month to be ready for it.
Plan for problems
No one wants their vacation to have any problems. If you plan ahead for them, it won't be so bad if it happens. If you are traveling by car, here are some things you should remember.
- Take your car into a mechanic before your trip.
- Have warm blankets and non-perishable, high energy foods like unsalted canned nuts, dried fruits, and hard candy
- Keep a working flashlight and extra batteries, a compass, a first aid kit, and an ice scraper and snow brush readily available if it is snowing.
- Always remember that if you find yourself stranded if it is cold and snowing, stay in your car and wait for help to arrive.
If you are traveling by airplane, don't wrap your presents. Chances are good that when you go through security, they will need to know what is in the packages. You don't want to have to re-wrap them when you got to your destination. Shipping them ahead of time would probably be a better idea. Just make sure you send them soon enough to get them there before Christmas. Check with your local post office for details.
Christmas can be a fun time for everybody. The smiles on the kids' faces are priceless when they get to see out of town family members or places they haven't ever been before. When you decide to take a trip and you plan ahead it can be remarkable and so much fun. Enjoy!
Amy Royce has been married since 1995 and she has two wonderful children.
She is an affiliate marketer and she has a blog that you can view at http://amyswordsandthoughts.blogspot.com
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