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| Getting ready for your summer vacation means more than just packing your bags. photo by Madyson Grant |
Planning a summer vacation is an exciting experience. Individuals and families can lose sight of some important factors while packing and preparing for a trip. Failing to take certain precautions could result in costly or inconvenient problems after returning. There are four points that any person taking a summer vacation should consider before leaving.
4. Contact Information
Anyone taking a summer vacation should make certain that one or more people know exactly where the family is going and how to make contact in an emergency. A simple misunderstanding could result in missing person reports or worried neighbors. Providing a cell phone number or the number of a hotel will make it possible for family, friends and neighbors to call if an emergency occurs. Similarly, some notice should be given to friends online. This could be an email automatic response to new messages or a private message on social media. This will allow friends and business associates to plan around the trip.
3. Home Security
Families taking a summer vacation are leaving the home or apartment behind and unattended. Some home security precautions should be taken. It is best to find a friend or neighbor who will regularly visit the home to collect mail and check that nothing has happened. It can also help to purchase a vacation timer for outlets so that lights turn on and off to give the appearance that someone is home. The outside of the property should be cleaned so that it requires little to no maintenance and shows no signs of neglect. Also consider hiring a house sitter.
2. Insurance
Families or individuals who are leaving for a summer vacation overseas or who will be taking part in risky activities like mountain climbing might want to consider purchasing travel insurance. Travel insurance is a short-term policy that will cover expenses such as medical bills, lost credit cards and canceled reservations. Some policies will even pay for alternate travel tickets, hotel rooms and food if something unexpected happens during the trip. Although the policy might never be used, it can provide peace of mind when traveling in unfamiliar areas.
1. Bills
It can be easy to forget the bills when preparing for a summer vacation. Many bills can now be paid online but do you really want to be spending valuable pool time online paying your utilities. All of the bills for the utilities and other services need to be paid before leaving on vacation. This might include paying some bills early so that they do not become overdue while the family is away. Travel delays and other unexpected events could extend a vacation by a few days to a week. Individuals who do not take care of all bills before leaving on a summer vacation could return to find a home with no electricity or an empty storage unit.
Photo & story by Madyson Grant
