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whatatrip
02-28-2006, 01:04 PM
Things to do four weeks before you go.
1. Do some research on the destination you will be visiting. This is especially important to start your research early if you are planning foreign travel.
2. Check the valid dates on your passport if you are planning on leaving the country. Warning: NEW LAW will require Passports by all persons.
3. Take care of medical and dental checkups and vaccinations if necessary.
4. After consulting your physician, consider starting an exercise program to prepare your body for the extra exertion you will experience while traveling.

Things to do three weeks before you travel.
1. Watch the weather, so youll know what to expect and can pack accordingly.
2. Check with your credit card company for available spending amount; ask your bank for an increase if needed. Don't forget about the deposits that will be charged and leave some room on the card for emergencies.
3. Check the valid dates on your credit card to make sure they will remain valid while you are traveling.
4. Notify the Credit Card Company that you will be traveling, so they will expect charges from your destination.
5. Check your ATM and debit card for both daily and total limits.
6. Remember your PIN numbers or get new ones issued for all your credit, debit, ATM and phone cards.
7. Purchase automatic light timers to switch on and off in the evening.
8. Check your driver license to make sure it will remain valid while youre traveling.
9. Check cameras, purchase new batteries if necessary, and film.
10. Make an arrangement with a neighbor, friend or relative to check your home periodically.
11. If a friend or neighbor cannot collect your mail, make arrangements for it to be held at the Post Office.
12. Arrange for lawn care or snow removal. Ignoring these areas will make your house stand out in the neighborhood and announce to everyone that you are gone.
13. Arrange for someone to start your car during very cold or very hot weather.
14. Arrange boarding for your pets.
15. Start breaking in the shoes youll be taking with you on your trip.
16. Add some yogurt to your diet to strengthen your digestive system. This is especially important if your plans include travel to foreign countries where you will be exposed to elements that are hostile to your digestive system.

Things to do two weeks before you travel.
1. Reconfirm all your reservations.
2. Get traveles checks from the bank.
3. Make arrangements to purchase some foreign currency if you are traveling abroad.
4. Check your insurance for expiration dates and coverage for your automobile, home and the valuables that youll take with you, as well as those youll leave at home.
5. Put your valuables and jewelry in a safety deposit box.
6. If you don't have, or can't get access to a safety deposit box, you still want to hinder a hurried burglar by hiding valuable items in your house.

Things to do one week before you travel.
1. Reduce the amount of fresh items you buy at the grocery, such as milk, fruit and other perishables youll need to throw out before you leave.
2. Get out the suitcase and start your packing.
3. Be sure your luggage is marked with identification on the inside and out.
4. Start adjusting your sleeping and eating habits closer to your destinations time zone to help avoid jetlag.
5. Make at least two lists of credit card numbers and travelers check serial numbers.
6. Make several copies of your passport. Leave one list at home and keep the other with you in case you lose your passport. Do not keep the copies on your person, rather keep a copy in your suitcase and/or give your traveling companion a copy.
7. Notify the local police and security system company to immediately consider any alarms as real. Leave with them the names of anyone responsible to watch over your house.
8. Check prescriptions for necessary refills; bring a list with the drugs generic name listed since the brand names available can differ in other areas.
9. Pick up all your items from the dry cleaners.

Things to do one day before you travel.
1. Pay bills that will come due while you are away.
2. Walk around with your packed luggage to evaluate your comfort with the weight of the luggage.
3. Move houseplants away from direct sunlight, water thoroughly and wrap pots with plastic. Most plants can then live without further watering for two weeks.
4. Empty the refrigerator of items that might spoil.
5. Cancel or hold your newspaper delivery.
6. You might want to turn your refrigerator to its lowest setting.
7. Set automatic light and radio timers. Check the bulbs to see if they will last for your entire trip.

Things to do the day you travel.
1. Turn water heater down to the lowest setting.
2. Turn your air conditioner up in summer. You want to reduce your bills, but you may have to keep the house from getting too hot to protect your pets and electronics.
3. Turn your heat down or off in spring or fall. Be sure to leave the house warm enough in the winter. You may want to reduce your bills, but you may need to keep the house from getting too cold to protect your pets and water pipes.
4. Leave shades or drapes as you normally do.
5. Plug a cheap radio into a timer so you can have some noise in the house during part of the day.
6. Lock all doors and windows including basement & garage.
7. Unplug electronic items, such as, your computer to protect them if you have a storm while you are gone. Remember to unhook your phone line from the modem. Unfortunately, you may have to leave it all hooked up if your computer is your only answering machine. Make sure your surge protectors are properly installed.
8. Pack the car inside the garage, with the door down, so people driving by won't find out youÂ’be leaving.
9. Disconnect the garage door. Unplug it if you can, don't pull the fuse for the garage door until you verify the fuse isn't hooked up to something that needs to stay on, such as, your refrigerator or maybe a freezer in the garage.


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jfrenaye
02-28-2006, 01:21 PM
Fantastic tips---how does one check the life left in a light bulb? LOL

candyharrington
03-09-2006, 11:09 PM
A few comments.

1. I wouldn't just turn my hot water heater down -- I'd turn it off. After all *nobody* should be using it while we are away.

2. I would never put a hold on the paper. Get the same neighbor (or hired housesitter) to pick up the newspaper that picks up the mail. Flagging the newspaper for "on vacation - stop service" is like a red carpet invitation to crooks, some of which may actually work at the newspaper subscription office (or pay employees for that info).

3. Travelers Checks? I haven't used them in about 20 years (and I travel for a living). I use plastic (credit cards) and ATM cards and in some cases (depending on the country visited) carry US cash in small denominations. Travelers checks are not exactly a wise financial investment either (and in most cases you don't really need them today). You give them cash and they give you a check they guarantee -- and so what if you leave a few checks in you dresser drawer for 5-6 (or even more) years (and you collect zero interest)? I just don't see how they are necessary in today's world.

4. I don't know about the light bulb:)


Candy

tdew
03-10-2006, 07:11 AM
Hi Candy,

I'm not sure about the hot water heater - I don't usually bother with that.
You might be right on the newspapers - I'll have to think that one over and maybe change my ways.

However:
I've got a couple of $100 travelers checks that I carry with me at all times. They are tucked deep in my wallet.

I bought them before a trip in 1998 and didn't use them.
Now I know that I always have some money in case of an emergency.
Unlike the bills that I've tried to tuck away for that purpose, these dont' get spent unless it truly is an emergency.
How much interest would I have gotten? Not enough to pay for the comfort of knowing I'm covered...

Terry

Annette
03-10-2006, 09:59 AM
I'm a big proponent of just turning the hot water heat down and not off. The last big trip we took my husband decided it would be a good idea to turn it off completely and it took almost an hour to actually get it started again when we got home. I'd much rather just have it turned down and not have to go through that again.

BYOFT
03-10-2006, 10:23 AM
My boyfriend once decided to turn the hot water heater off by switching off the fuse.

Two weeks later when we got home, much to our horror and disgust, we discovered he had flipped off the switch to the refrigerator. Ice cream melted all over the freezer, and moldy, nasty stuff in the fridge. Gross!!!!

doublelatte
03-11-2006, 10:00 AM
Great list, the only question is how to remember to use it... ;)

candyharrington
03-11-2006, 09:55 PM
Oh man BYOFT -- that sounds horrible!! I won't even ask how long you were gone!! Yeah our hot water heater probably takes about 30 minutes to an hour to heat up, but I'm usually not in a hurry for it when I come home. If I want hot water I will go soak in the spa (which I have to say is incredibly relaxing after a long flight -- I just love those foot jets!!)

I never thought about the travelers checks as kind of a forced savings plan, but I guess if it works for you, then go for it.

On a semi-realted note, I just had an interesting experience with travelers checks last month. No, I haven't used them for years but my dad did when he went on vacations. He passed away right before Christmas and when I went through his stuff I found $2100 worth of TCs (mostly in $50s). They were different sequences so i think he saved them after his trips and then just forgot about them (they were also not found together).

Boy, getting a refund on those was real bear. My atty advised me to call Amex and they made it sound real easy -- gave me a number for the bank to call. Well, that poor gal at the bank -- it was an ordeal. I think it took about 1.5 hours just for that transaction (and she sped it up and saved the mass paperwork for after I left). The problem is that the Amex customer service rep was really not being helpful at all. First she wanted a will, then she said no, then she wanted the trust agreement then she wanted something form the bank. She would ask for it and then say, oh, no I don't need that. Then she told the teller to do something and in a few minutes she would change her mind.

Luckily it was a credit union and the service was great, and even better there was an auditor there that day who did help with the transaction (communicating/clarifying with Amex). None of the tellers that were there (and some had been at the bank for 17 years) had ever had to do a transaction of this sort before.

Anyway, I'm just glad that's over. Man I'm sure the teller went home that day and had a big glass of wine!!

Candy