A few simple travel tips to ensure your summer trips are safe.
- Mail your luggage. For as little as $40 per bag, you can have FedEx (or others) deliver luggage directly to your hotel room – allowing you to avoid lines and travel with carry-ons only.
- Undress for success. Put Everything metallic in ziplock plastic bags and pack them in your carry-on. Then “dress-up” on the other side of security.
- Take proof pictures of your rental car. You have a digital phone, so why not?
- Go where you shouldn’t. If departing early a.m. without luggage, get dropped off at “arrivals”; it should be empty. Vice versa when you land.
It pays to have a financial emergency plan in case of home disaster:
- Create a grab-and-go file. Store some cash along with insurance policies, tax records and key contact information in a portable file in case of a hurried exit.
- Build an emergency fund. Keep three to six months of living expenses in a liquid account for expenses during an evacuation or setback.
- Create a home inventory. Expedite payment of claims by taking photos or a video of your belongings now.
- Review insurance coverage adequacy. Consider getting extra coverage for non-standard risks.