Whether you regularly travel abroad or are planning the trip of a lifetime, we all make small mistakes when we plan. They might be small things, but they can cause us big problems when we travel. If you plan in advance, and use a little common sense, it is easy to avoid these mistakes. You have spent money on your trip and deserve to enjoy it to it’s fullest, right? Here are some common travel mistakes, and how you can make sure that you avoid them.
Spending Money on Your Phone Plan
When you travel to different countries, we are going to take out phones with us. It might double up as our camera, as well as a way of keeping in touch. One thing that lots of us forget to do is to check our call plan. Then it can cost us hundreds when we get home. Does your cell phone package include international calls? Can you use data roaming as part of your package? Some providers will; some will charge you a lot for it. So before you fly, check out what the deal is. You don’t want it to cost you as much as your vacation has!
Not Check the Necessary Documents
We all need a passport for travel. Many of is think that if our passport is still in date, then we are fine. But actually, a number of countries require you to have a minimum length of time left on it. For example, if you are coming into the United States or Canada, you need to have at least six months of time left on your passport. There are similar rules for the UK, the United Arab Emirates, for example. Some countries, like Thailand, don’t have a minimum. So just take the time to do your checking in advance. Some countries also need a pre-authorization before you travel. You can’t just turn up to the US or Canada without one. If you’re not sure about it, you could find out more here.
Overpacking
It can be very tempting to just pack everything and anything for a trip. You might want to plan for every eventuality. The chances of you needing it all is pretty slim, though. Packing too much could incur costs at the airport, as well as leaving no room to bring things back with you. One of the best ways to pack is to write a list before you do so. Write down each day that you are there and give yourself a rough itinerary. Then you can give yourself a rough idea of what you actually need to take. Don’t think you’ll have time to swim at the hotel? Don’t pack a bathing suit!
Spending too much on air travel
Spending too much on air travel is a big mistake. Find the best fare by comparing flights from most providers on sites like Skyscanner. And if you’re looking for an experience you’ll never forget have a look at Jettly for affordable private air travel.
Not Informing Your Bank You Will Be Abroad
There is no worse feeling than needing to get cash or buy something, and your credit card is declined. You need to let your bank know the dates that you are going away, so they know it is you doing the transactions. Otherwise, they will block the transactions, thinking they are fraudulent.