Tips for Planning a Family Holiday

How to prepare and plan your family holiday trip

When you are planning your family's long-awaited holiday trip, or even a weekend getaway, preparing to head out can be time-consuming and stressful. But if you take care of household responsibilities and plan your trip well before you leave, your family holiday can be something to look forward to. You will enjoy your holiday more and make homecoming relaxing and stress-free.

Before you take off on your family holiday trip, plan and prepare it well, so that you can enjoy your destination care-free.

Here are some the tasks that you should take care of before leaving home. Follow these tips for an enjoyable family holiday.

1. Make home look like you've never left

Set up timers to turn on and off radio, TV and lights. Arrange with postal services to hold off your subscriptions and bills, or get your bills sent electronically. This will avoid piles of papers accummulating at your front door, as a clear indication no one's at home. Prepare your home well before you go on holiday.

2. Take care of business

To avoid missed payments, prepay your bills, or set up automatic bill pay before you leave. Using a Visa card is an easy and convenient way to pay your household utilities, cable TV and insurance while your family's away.

3. Prepare your pets and plants

If you pets aren't leaving with you, hire a pet sitter or make reservation at kennel for the pets to receive proper care. Make arrangements for your card to be cleaned and cared for in your absence. Set a timer for your sprinklers and consider placing house plants in shaded outdoor areas near a sprinkler. Or ask a reliable neighbor to feed your pets and water your house plants.

4. Give yourself a break on energy costs

Before leaving, turn off your water and gas and unplug common appliances such as microwaves and televisions. This will both reduce unnecessary usage and prevent damage caused by energy surges. Consider setting your thermostat 10 degrees lower than the outside temperature or simply turn it off for longer trips.

5. Plan your trip with the whole family

Make sure that you plan a trip that is enjoyable for everyone in the family. Before finalizing any details, sit down with your entire family and make sure they each person has something special to enjoy during the trip. Make sure that your trip is long enough so that everyone can enjoy their favorite activities.

6. Take weather into consideration

We all imagine a perfect summer or winter holiday. But weather is unpredictable. If you are planning outdoor activities, check ahead with the weather forecast. If you are going skiing, make sure to check with the local ski resort to inquire about their conditions.

7. Try to arrive there early

When making family travel plans, always buy tickets as early as possible. Airlines and other forms of transportation, especially near the holidays, tend to fill up early. If you’re flying, call to confirm that your flight is on time before you even leave home. Upon confirmation, make sure that you arrive at the airport early. The same is true if you are traveling by train. Always call ahead to make sure that everything is on schedule because you certainly don’t want to be left standing in the cold.

Remember, your family holiday can be a wonderful experience, with memories that will last a lifetime. The better you prepare for it, the more fun you will have. These few family holiday tips should make your trip a breeze.

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