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.
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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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