Traveling Safe

Packing Lighter – Save Carry on Fees

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Planning a vacation or business trip it makes sense to travel light and pack light. Airlines are starting to charge for carry on luggage as most seasoned travellers have beat the checked baggage fees and adjusted to packing light so that all their travelling necessities can be packed into their carry ons. Hence, no baggage check fees. But now, airlines are charging for carry ons, minimum of $15 – $35, unless you can fit your carry on under your seat of the airplane. There are only a couple of airlines that are charging for carry ons, Allegiant Air and Spirit Airlines, it is only a matter of time before the other airlines jump on board especially if they find that it is profitable to do so. Now, travellers have to beat the system once more by packing lighter in order to be more economical while traveling.

Packing light means more than just packing less, it means you need to pack smart. You can fit a small weekend travel bag under a typical airline seat. That bag sets your boundaries and you will need to be creative in order to use every inch of that travel bag. All the space needs to be used to its full capacity. Everything you pack needs to be more compact, pull double-duty, fit inside something else, or be easily washed and worn again. Instead of taking extra outfits for every event or outing pack jewelry and scarves. These items are compact, easy to pack and can accentuate any casual outfit. It’s tempting to pack all your most fashion-forward pieces, but you’ll run out of room fast. When you are packing think about what you can do without, not what will be handy on your trip. When in doubt, leave it out.

Reasons to pack light

1. It will cost you money to pack. All airlines now charge excess baggage fees and some will charge for carry ons. If at all possible

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packing smart and light can prevent the carry on fees if you can fit the bag under your seat. Check with your airline as to the maximum size of luggage bag that will fit under the seat and allow you to still travel comfortably.

2. Seasoned travellers can pack everything in a carry-on. This means you do not have to wait in line for your luggage and there is no stress about losing it.

3. When travelling you may need to use some form of public transportation. Whether you use a train, taxi, or a bus to get around it’s much easier when you do not have to haul excess luggage.

4. If you pack light, you will prevent yourself from hauling your luggage up a flight of stairs if you find that the hotel at your destination does not have an elevator.

5. Organization and planning are pre requisites for packing light. But, in the long run you will have a more enjoyable vacation.

6. If you are travelling on a family vacation and there are young children involved, it is a lot easier to keep an eye on them if you are not bogged down with loads of luggage.

The key to successful packing is sticking to essentials. Either make a list or lay out all the travel necessities that you think you may need for your trip. Once you have done this, start to take items away that you may can do without or even find them unnecessary. It does seem difficult and stressful to pack light, but the more you do it the better and easier it becomes. Packing light is more economical as well. You know what they say “practice makes perfect”.

Plan A Successful Vacation

Planning to have a successful vacation, there are several factors that you should consider in order to accomplish this. Three important things to keep in mind when planning a vacation would include the destination, total cost and the length of your vacation. As you research for the popular destinations, there are vacation packages that are available that can save you money on certain items

Research your vacation.

pertaining to your vacation. For example, flights, hotels and even tourist attractions. Many people are not aware of holiday packages and what they would include. These packages will normally include discounts and instead of having to pay for things like park entrance or the beach separately they are included in the package. Many different companies offer these packages at different rates and with different terms. You would need to research the different packages and what they entail so that the package you choose will suit your budget and you would still get the amenities that you would need.

It is important to consider your budget before you go on vacation. Know how much money you have and how much you will be willing to spend on your vacation. After determining your budget, you can start to choose the airline with the best rate, your hotel and activities you will want to do when on vacation. All these will be, of course, within your budget so as not to run out of cash and be left with debts. Things like airfare and hotel accommodation should be researched so that you can find the right price to suit your budget. As you search for a hotel you need to consider things like amenities, locations, room rates and activities offered. When booking your airfare try to look for promotion rates so that you can save money. If you plan on going for vacation as a group ask the airline if there is a discount on airfare for groups.

It is also good to take note on how long you will be staying on your vacation. You should know whether you plan on staying for one week, two weeks or five days. It is good to know the length of your holiday as it will help you assess your budget, book your hotel accommodation, create your itinerary and travel reservations. Planning your vacation is not a hard task, if you have these important points in mind. Even if it seems a little confusing at first, it is a simple task as long as you know where to begin. If you are not sure of all the details of the vacation package, check with a travel agent to explain what you do not understand. It is also good to ask friends and family for vacation suggestions and they can share their experiences about their vacations, and you will be able to get some ideas from them. We have a few friends that plan there vacation with researching the packages that are available for the times that they want to go on holidays. When they do not understand certain items they call do call a travel agent and they have never had a bad vacation.

When planning your vacation, try to follow these tips:

Destination: Where do you want to go?
Is it a beach resort, or inland, perhaps even touring, or a safari?

Accommodation: Do you want to stay in a hotel, inn, B & B, or a condominium, perhaps even a tent, or will it be a villa?

Budget: How much do you want to spend?

Choose the best flight: Who will you have to fly with, what size of aircraft, how many stops, or will it be direct? How long are the transfers at your destination, and how does that happen?

Food and Drink: Are you going room only, bed and breakfast, half board, full board, or all inclusive? Just as important what are the eating options close to your accommodation, and if you are in a villa what are the catering options?

Ambience: What do you really know about where you are going. Is it lively, quiet, no children, full of kids, in a quiet area or a noisy loud resort.

Weather: What kind of weather can you expect, and if it is low season, do you know why?

When planning your vacation if you have followed the above travel tips you will have planned a successful vacation. With the proper research you can find the right vacation where everyone has a great time and it is within your budget.

Carry on Luggage Fees – Pack Lighter

The weak economy and rising fuel costs over the past six years, the airlines have increasingly created fees for various formerly free services and have seen that they can achieve additional revenue to get a larger piece of the pie. Checked baggage fees were one of the first, travellers were able to overcome that. But now, they have started to create carry on luggage fees. Now, travellers have to be creative and smarter with their packing in order to try and overcome those fees as well, if they chose to do so.

Most travellers avoided the checked baggage fees by packing light and only travelling with carry on luggage. The airlines caught on to how smart travellers are. Some airlines like Allegiant, as of April 4th, have started to charge for carry on luggage. This fee is $15 to $35 for each bag. Of course, this is not the first airline to do this. Spirit Airlines started charging fees for carry on luggage in 2010. The fees for carry on luggage for this airline can go up to $45 per bag. It is only a matter of time before all airlines start charging for carry ons.

Now, we have to show the airlines that we can still be smarter than they are even if it is just for a short period of time. These carry on luggage fees can be avoided by packing even lighter. You do not have to pay to “rent” a space in the overhead compartment on an airline. It might be a little more difficult but I am sure if you set your mind to it, it can be done. If you can fit or squeeze your carry on bag under the seat of the plane you can avoid the carry on fees. The smaller carry on luggage items such as purses, backpacks, laptops and briefcases that fit under the seat are not included in this fee. The size of these bags must not exceed 16 x 14 x 12 inches (40 x 35 x 30 cm). This means that you have to pack your luggage even lighter and maybe in a smaller carry on bag in order to do this. You will need to utilize all the space that your carry provides. In doing this, you will be packing smarter lighter.

Packing Tips to Pack Lighter

When packing your carry on bag:

All your travel essentials need to be more compact, you need to pack essentials inside other ones, your items needs to pull double-duty and be easily washed and worn again.
Maximize all the space you have in your carry on. Use the inside of your shoes for smaller items like underwear, belts, chargers, etc. If you pack clothes with pockets, use them for smaller items also.
Roll your clothes, don’t pile them. By doing this you maximize the space in your carry on. Your clothes will also wrinkle less, be more compact and you will be able to pack more.
Pack for flexibility — clothes that can be easily washed, separate pieces that you can mix and match, and neutral colors are all perfect ways to start in order to pack light.
Pack smaller toiletries. This can be difficult as sometimes you have to settle for whatever brand comes in travel size bottles and they are not what you are used to. Sometimes, the dollar store will have small empty bottles that you can buy and just fill them from the larger brand that you have at home. You would definitely get your money’s worth by doing this.
Think about what you wear to the airport. Dress smart. You can also wear it at your destination, for example your favourite boots, jacket, or jeans etc. If you have bulky clothing that will not fit into your carry on but you discover that you need it, wear it to your destination.
If possible, use a backpack or smaller duffel bag or tote bag that meets the dimensions of the area under your seat of the plane.

Listed above are just a few of the packing tips so that you can pack lighter in order for you to prevent paying carry on luggage fees. With time, creativity, and of course practice you will be able to develop some of your own packing tips. If you are a seasoned traveller eventually you will become an expert and it will be second nature to you.

When it comes to travelling it all depends what you want out of your airline as to what airline you would choose. These “budget” airlines get you from point A to point B with charging cheaper rates to fly but then add on the baggage fees. You can enrol yourself in their club member plan and save money for these fees but that will cost you a membership fee in order to get discounts. Before booking your flight, compare pricing with other airlines that fly to the same destination. Carry on luggage fees, checked baggage fees and other hidden costs like taxes, charging you a fee for using your credit card or using a third party such as a travel agent you really need to look at the overall picture to make sure that you are getting the best deal possible before you fly.

Soft Side Luggage or Hard Side Luggage – You Choose

When choosing a new luggage bag today, there are different factors that you need to consider, it’s not just about the size, capacity, number of wheels, or TSA regulations. You also need to choose what your luggage bag will look like. You need to decide whether to choose a soft-side or hard-side bag. You need to choose what luggage bag will best suit your travel requirements.

Soft-Side Bags

Obviously, these bags provide huge flexibility. The tops aren’t rigid so it is easier to squeeze them into tight spaces like crowded airplane overhead bins even if you have overpacked a little. To add to their flexibility, most of this type of luggage bag are capable of expanding to allow for even more packing capacity. Their flexibility makes them durable in a different way compared to their hard-side counterparts. Soft sided luggage won’t give in to pressure from being tossed onto luggage conveyers or the occasional bag handler getting rough with it, because it can withstand many of the bumps and bruises from travel. These bags come well protected with skid guards and corner guards. The inside of a soft side luggage bag have pockets or special dividers to store the items that you may need to pack to accommodate your travel needs. Lastly, these bags also tend to be lightweight because of the fabric used to contruct these bags like nylon, polyester etc. These materials are considerably lighter than the plastic needed to build a hard-side bag. With saying this, it does depend on the structure of the suitcase. The variables depend on the frame, hardware, and the accessories that are included in a soft side luggage bag.

Advantages of Softside Luggage

Soft side Luggage is flexible, easy to maneuver and lightweight.
Softside bags are considerably lighter both empty and full and most of the luggage bags are expandable compared to the hard side models.
Easier to store in overhead compartments in airplanes and buses due to its flexibility and is able to conform itself to irregular shapes spaces.

Disadvantages to Soft Sided Luggage

They are less water/moisture resistant than hardsided bags. The soft sided luggage bag will stand up to a bit of rain. The contents of the bag will be slightly damp or worse if they are in contact with any significant amount of water.
Valuables or breakable items are not as well protected in a softside bag due to their flexibility and their squeezability as hard side luggage.

Choosing Hard-Side Bags

Hard-side luggage can be made from a variety of materials, these include ABS plastic and highly durable polycarbonates. In numerous ways, their features are no different than the soft-side bags — fairly light weight, durable, designed for simple organization. One reason travelers purchase hard side luggage is to enhance their individual and personal preference. They can be more visually exciting than the standard black rollaboard models.

Hard side luggage bags are available in a variety of colors and are available in flashy printed patterns, solid colors and even textured patterns. Their surfaces can come in a gloss or matte finish. Some hard side luggage really stand out, which distinguishes a travelers personality and also makes it a lot easier at baggage claim. Unfortunately, the hard side luggage is more apt to get scratches, blemishes and more structural damage from rough baggage handlers and normal wear and tear of pushing them into overhead airplane bins and pulling them up and down sidewalks. Your belongings are more protected in a hard side suitcase as they don’t flex as much.

Advantages of Hard Side Luggage

Hard side luggage has a rigid shell that’s created generally from aluminum, ABS plastic or polycarbonate which is one of the main reasons most travellers will choose it.
Hard side Luggage wins the durability contest hands down. They are not likely to break, tear or otherwise come apart than the soft sided bags. The added durability and strength come at an expense of additional weight, however with the existing technology a number of lightweight luggage bags are offered, providing a larger weight allowance for packing.
Hard side luggage also beats soft sided luggage when it comes to the protection of valuable items and water/moisture resistance. There are many models that are waterproof to everything but being submerged or dunked in water.

Disadvantages of Hard Side Luggage

There are less choices for expandable hard side luggage but there are some luggage bags that do have that option.
A rigid shell does not make it possible for ‘squeezing’ making it more difficult to pack into cars, buses and airplane overhead bins.
Bumps and bruises of traveling are more obvious in a hard side luggage bag. Nothing worse than finding a dent, or even worse a hole.
If you are thinking about purchasing affordable hard side travel luggage, it is possible that the material construction is brittle. It is advised to purchase a trustworthy brand and if available, a lengthy warranty.
Most hard side luggage comes with a glossy finish. It looks awesome on the first trip but following that first trip, you have to prepare yourself for the noticable scratches and dents that may occur or the glossy finish wearing off.

Of course, your choice of luggage depends on your own personal preference and your travel requirements. What you choose should fit your budget, your style and the reason you are travelling, whether it be for business or pleasure. The vast variety of luggage outlets out there, whether they be online or brick and mortar, you will always find the right luggage to meet your needs.

Travel Tips for Renting a Car

If you are travelling for a personal or business trip renting a car can make your travel a lot easier. Public transportation is very affordable but depending on your reasons for travel it can be very inconvenient. Renting a car allows you freedom regarding timelines and sites that you would like to visit at your destination. You can go anywhere you wish without inconveniencing anyone. Renting a car is simple nowadays because many car rental companies operate in the U.S. but to be sure you get the car that is suitable for your needs you should have your car booked well ahead of time. This will ensure that you will drive the car you want. Even though renting is simple, you need to be cautious about certain things.

Car rental agencies have certain guidelines that you need to follow such as mileage, a form of security deposit, insurance etc. If you’re traveling on a business trip, you’ll want to drive in a luxury or other professional-looking car. If you’re traveling on honeymoon, you have the additional option of driving in a sports car or convertible. Obviously, if you travel with a large family or crowd, you are going to need a larger vehicle like an SUV or van.

Most car rental agencies are available in the U.S. and have their own websites so that you can research what you want and look for the best and affordable deals. In doing so, you just might get yourself a little confused so you would need to take notes of the ones that look the best. After doing so, you can compare the information that you have compiled and then contact the car rental agencies to obtain more information and of course most important the price. After you have received all the information that you need you can then choose the car rental that will fit you.

When researching car rental agencies you should also check into how you can save money with them. There are a number of ways that you can save on vehicle rentals.

Pay with a credit card. Many well-known credit card companies are affiliated with rental agencies.
Discounts for people who come from specific careers like teachers and doctors. Ask the agency to give you the list of careers that can qualify for these discounts.
Fill up the gas tank yourself because rental agencies will bring additional charges if you expect them to fill up the tank.
Avoid pick-up and drop-off features. The rental agencies make a good deal of money offering these services.

Before renting a car, it is recommended that you obtain insurance coverage. Car insurance is available at a rental agency but before you obtain it through the car rental agency check to see if this coverage is available at a credit card or your own car insurance company. Both of these companies will carry extended insurance when you rent a car. Also, if you use a credit card for any car rental and you receive charges regarding your car rental that you do not agree with after the fact it is easier to dispute these charges.

Renting a car can be a very simple task if you have done your research beforehand. By doing the research you will know exactly what kind of vehicle you need and how much you can afford. You will also be able to rent a car with the best deal so that you can save money along the way.