11 things to do the day before you travel - what are your tips?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Thanks for sharing.

I would suggest checking to make sure your travel documents (passport, visa) are not expiring within 6 months.

This is the only step that you really must do. And only for international travel. Domestic travel? Just get on the plane people!

But if you do it the day before you travel, what good is it? It's not like you're going to be able to fix it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

1) Alert your credit card company.
To ensure your credit card works while you’re traveling, your credit card company needs to know your travel plans. If you’ve waited this long though, you may have to call instead of submitting an online form.

Most credit card companies don't want you to do this anymore. It isn't required or even necessary.

Depends where you are going. My credit card company denies charges from places as diverse as Switzerland and Costa Rica if I don’t give them a heads-up. Ironically, this is with an airline credit card. It also ha pens with my credit union credit card.

[Anonymous]

I don’t think MPD is going to do extra stops around my house.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

1) Alert your credit card company.
To ensure your credit card works while you’re traveling, your credit card company needs to know your travel plans. If you’ve waited this long though, you may have to call instead of submitting an online form.

Most credit card companies don't want you to do this anymore. It isn't required or even necessary.

Depends where you are going. My credit card company denies charges from places as diverse as Switzerland and Costa Rica if I don’t give them a heads-up. Ironically, this is with an airline credit card. It also ha pens with my credit union credit card.

Really? I traveled last month to Australia, Ethiopia, Israel and Denver. Zero denials. I haven't had a cc denied overseas in a decade.

It still denied the truly fraudulent charges that occurred when I traveled to Atlanta though. hah

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I know someone who came home from a short trip to find that a pipe under a sink in an upstairs bathroom had broken and water had been spewing out for days. It had filled the bathroom floor, gone over the sill and dripped and dripped down onto their first floor.

It was a huge mess and all the drywall and flooring affected had to be torn out. On the plus side, insurance did cover everything, but it was a nightmare to deal with. We always turn our water off when we go away now because of their bad experience.

Same. We went away for 2 weeks and the toilet ran nonstop for 2 weeks. We had a $400 water bill, but no flooding thankfully. We always turn off the water.

[Anonymous]

Nearly all of this list is manageable well before departure. I do most of it, but never at the last minute.

We have an apartment/cat sitter stay while we are away (high maintenance animals). For sanity’s sake, we have the cleaner come through the morning of departure and the day of return, so that we walk into a clean house with fresh sheets.

Also, I make sure we have the makings for an easy dinner & breakfast so that we aren’t in a rush to do shopping upon return.

Another task for the list (esp if we will not be easily reachable) is to leave a note with the vet, giving permission for house/pet sitter to bring animals in for treatment & our credit card number.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I know someone who came home from a short trip to find that a pipe under a sink in an upstairs bathroom had broken and water had been spewing out for days. It had filled the bathroom floor, gone over the sill and dripped and dripped down onto their first floor.

It was a huge mess and all the drywall and flooring affected had to be torn out. On the plus side, insurance did cover everything, but it was a nightmare to deal with. We always turn our water off when we go away now because of their bad experience.

Same. We went away for 2 weeks and the toilet ran nonstop for 2 weeks. We had a $400 water bill, but no flooding thankfully. We always turn off the water.

Do you drain the pipes too? And what about the hot water heater?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I know someone who came home from a short trip to find that a pipe under a sink in an upstairs bathroom had broken and water had been spewing out for days. It had filled the bathroom floor, gone over the sill and dripped and dripped down onto their first floor.

It was a huge mess and all the drywall and flooring affected had to be torn out. On the plus side, insurance did cover everything, but it was a nightmare to deal with. We always turn our water off when we go away now because of their bad experience.

Same. We went away for 2 weeks and the toilet ran nonstop for 2 weeks. We had a $400 water bill, but no flooding thankfully. We always turn off the water.

Do you drain the pipes too? And what about the hot water heater?

The amount of water in pipes is pretty negligible compared to free flowing tap. Water heater usually has a drain and is in utility area of house.

Honestly, wish water shutoff could be controlled as easily as thermostat, just good practice with record cold and when traveling

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

1) Alert your credit card company.
To ensure your credit card works while you’re traveling, your credit card company needs to know your travel plans. If you’ve waited this long though, you may have to call instead of submitting an online form.

Most credit card companies don't want you to do this anymore. It isn't required or even necessary.

Depends where you are going. My credit card company denies charges from places as diverse as Switzerland and Costa Rica if I don’t give them a heads-up. Ironically, this is with an airline credit card. It also ha pens with my credit union credit card.

I had Italy charges denied last year.

[Anonymous]

My parents always turn off the water to their washing machine. I've never had it happen but apparently it's a pretty common trouble area for flooding.

I do hide my jewelry. It's the one thing I would miss if someone broke in (not that it's valuable, but most of it was my grandmother's and reminds me of her). My sister had all hers stolen when she was away.

I freeze a lot of the perishable food (like fruit and veggies to use in smoothies later).

I also make a "last check" list to look at when we're headed out the door of stuff that I tend to leave until the last minute or that is not in the packed luggage: sunglasses; camera; battery charger for camera; medication; cell phone charging cords; toothbrushes; etc. All stuff I've forgotten on previous trips!

And I do now try to print out all the confirmations and maybe even a map or two. We went to Mexico last year and my phone wouldn't work right off the bat, and I was at a total loss for where our hotel was -- it was all in my email on my phone.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

1) Alert your credit card company.
To ensure your credit card works while you’re traveling, your credit card company needs to know your travel plans. If you’ve waited this long though, you may have to call instead of submitting an online form.

Most credit card companies don't want you to do this anymore. It isn't required or even necessary.

I alerted my credit card company about a recent trip to Mexico (they have a form online). They still put a hold on my card and were supremely unhelpful when I called from Mexico. They had messed something up and it took quite a while on the phone when I got back to straighten it out. (There were added complications - like they'd sent out a new card but I hadn't received it yet when I left so I was using the old one...) Grrr.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Oh my god, I would never go on vacation if I had to go all that before leaving.

I don't know, I think these are all pretty much common sense but the list is a good reminder.

[Anonymous]

Yes I also turn the water off and open a few taps. Also for home insurance reasons, we are to have someone come check on the house every 72 hours.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Thanks for sharing.

I would suggest checking to make sure your travel documents (passport, visa) are not expiring within 6 months.

This is the only step that you really must do. And only for international travel. Domestic travel? Just get on the plane people!

Agree. But doing it the evening before travel is too late. This needs to be done way before. Also, checking weather, double checking tickets, etc and a few other things on the list are better to be done ahead of time (2-3 days). So that not everything is piled for that last evening. Overall useful list but I would look at it as list for week before travel, not day before travel.

[Anonymous]

I travel a lot and usually never give it a second thought.

I would add to make sure to bring your vitamins, tooth brush, tooth paste and turn off your newspapers if you have them delivered. Also, don't forget your IDs and travel itinerary/confirmation numbers. I always print them out in case my phone dies.