Rising gas prices, air fares, hotel rates… bills, bills, bills… But none of these are keeping travelers off the roads to get their much deserved vacation. According to the triple-A, around 35 million Americans traveled during the Memorial Day weekend – A hundred thousand more than last year’s. The number only says that there’s no stopping the common American from hitting the road to take a break. But how does one cope with all the spending to make sure that there’s enough left to go back to the normal life they left off? How does one prepare for traveling and avoiding hassles during and after their vacation?

Hotel rates are up between 5 and 10 percent.; Airfares, 14 percent; a gallon of gas? More than a higher than last year. So what’s an American to do? Here are a few tips:

1. Awareness of Peak Travel Day Fees – Peak travel day fees are applied when there is a higher demand. These hidden travel fees increase the price of your flight, especially during the months of June, July, and August. During these months, every day is almost considered as a “peak” day. And the only way to avoid it? – postpone your vacation until the end of the summer, which is quite a hassle since you don’t want to ruin your kids’ summer vacation.

2. Bargains — There are lots of cheap travel packages going to the Caribbean, Cancun and Las Vegas during the summer months.

3. Travel Tips from CBP – They say that people who read fast get ahead. This might be true, except for some information that you really need to remember and digest like the tips from the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP). Here are some CBP tips that you should remember before you go:

a. Have all the required travel documents for the countries you’re visiting. To add, identification for re-entry to the U.S. Passports are also required for re-entry.

b. Declare everything you are bringing in from abroad. This includes items that are bought in a duty free shop as these items are also subject to U.S. duty fees and other restrictions.

c. Be cautious when buying something from a street vendor. Some merchandise can be classified as counterfeit or unsafe and you may have to surrender it to the CBP when you get home.

d. Know that things bought abroad for personal use or as gifts are eligible for duty exemptions. But if you’re going to resell them, they are not eligible.

e. Have a quick look at the list of prohibited merchandise (such as ivory, tortoise shell, absinthe, and counterfeit items) and restricted merchandise.

f. Be aware that many foreign-made meds are not FDA-approved. You cannot bring these meds into the U.S. Also remember that, when traveling abroad, bring only the amount of medication that you’re going to use during your trip.

g. Cuban-made products are a big no-no.

h. Don’t bring any food into the U.S. without checking to see if it’s permitted. To add, exotic pets like live birds, whether it’s for your personal use or for commercial use, may be restricted and/or quarantined.

i. You also have to remember that CBP officers can inspect you and your belongings without a warrant. This may include your luggage, vehicle, and personal searches. This is meant to enforce U.S. laws as well as protect legitimate travelers.

4. Maintain Your Tires – Most people would opt to go on a road trip instead of flying, so a good advice to take is to check if your tires are properly inflated. Estimates show that U.S. motorists could save up to 700 million gallons of gas each year just by maintaining their tires properly. To add, tuning-up and putting the correct motor oil in your car can improve fuel efficiency by up to 4 percent.

5. Find a Cheap Vacation Rental — Looking for a cheap vacation rental near your intended destination can save you money, especially if you’re going out with a large group. Instead of booking a hotel during peak season, try to look for a vacation rental that has all the amenities that you need.

Travel Tips when Backpacking

Backpacking for a holiday can be very rewarding, but there are some safety tips you can do and it will allow for your trip to go that much more smoothly.

Leave copies of important paperwork at home. Before you leave, make sure you leave copies of things like your passport, credit cards and anything else important with someone you trust. Just in case something happens and these documents go missing, having copies back home can make the replacement process that much easier.

Make sure you check back in at home. With technology becoming much more common around the world, and cheaper to use, there is no reason not to keep in touch with someone back home. Even a quick phone call or an email to someone to say all is well, and you are fine, is a great thing. People will always worry while you are gone, and this will alleviate any worries they may have.

Locking up your luggage while you travel is a good idea. When you are out and about, you likely will have a small bag with you. Having either a combination lock or a key lock on this bag will help give you a peace of mind. It can be a pain to open when you need something, but it will prevent someone from stealing out of it when it is on your back.

When you are travelling, by plane, train or a bus, you may want to lock up any luggage that will be out of your site. A second lock is a great idea for this, or a plastic zip tie. The zip tie is easy for security to cut off if they need to check your luggage, and you are not out the cost of the lock. If you are sharing a room with other travellers, you may want to keep your baggage locked up as well, a locker is ideal, but a lock on your bag works well otherwise.

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