Travelling is exciting, but it can be a bit chaotic when the week before your departure comes about. It’s not uncommon to accidentally forget or overlook something important. For example, you probably want to plan ahead if you are going to try a bit of the local lingo; learn a bit of Spanish, French, Italian, or even learn Tagalog for a trip to the Philippines. Whatever it is, to put it simply: every traveller needs to plan their trip ahead of time. Doing so can prevent a lot of unnecessary stress and can allow you to have a smooth trip. Here’s what you need to prepare before you embark on your travels.
Photo, Sharon McCutcheon.
The Finances
No matter where you’re headed, travelling is a bit of an investment. The average cost of a travel expense depends on how you go about it. If it’s a domestic trip, you can expect to spend at least $600 while international trips can be around $3,500. Even if you manage to get a deal, you’re still going to be spending a good amount of money. If you’re someone who’s on a budget, the price might be a bit taxing at first glance. Fortunately, you do have other ways to pay for this.
Taking out a personal loan is an option to obtain funds as they’re easy to obtain and can be used for anything you need. Going to a private lender is your best choice as they offer lower interest rates than banks and credit bureaus. But before you apply, it’s important to assess your credit report to make sure there are no discrepancies.
These can have a significant impact on not only your score, but how much you receive from the loan as well. Contact your credit company, so you can remove anything that shouldn’t be there. Once everything is taken care of, shop around for a private lender.
Photo, Danka & Peter.
Travel Insurance
Before you unlock all your best packing tips and hit the road you need to be sure that you protect the interest of your trip. Insurance is used to protect you and your assets in the event of a disaster. Since you’re going to be away from home, you never know what could potentially happen, especially if you’re travelling out of the country. Whether you lose your luggage, sustain an injury, or become ill. Purchasing travel insurance can even reimburse you if you have to cancel your trip due to medical reasons or flight delays.
Have Extra Pages for Your Passport
Something that’s not commonly brought up when preparing to travel is having extra pages for your passport. You might be wondering why you would need these if you already have an up-to-date passport. If you’re travelling to another country, your base passport might not be enough. Some countries require a Schengen visa, which is a form of verification that allows you to travel to the designated areas. Italy, Switzerland, Portugal and Greece are to name a few.
Get the Appropriate Vaccinations
Remember how we mentioned you could get sick? Each country has its own illnesses and diseases that you must protect yourself from. In fact, these travel vaccinations are mandatory before you can even take off. Wherever you’re headed, make sure to do some research about the trending illnesses, so you know what type of shots you need.
