How to get through airport security faster

By JD Rinne

(Budget Travel) -- Airport security is a traveler's rite of passage: the long lines, the ID check, the shuffling of personal items. Get through security faster with these easy strategies.

To move through security quickly, wear slip-on shoes, minimal jewelry and no belt.

Pack like you're making lasagna (no, seriously!)
You probably don't want a security official inspecting your carry-on bag by hand. Time-consuming inspections usually only happen when an X-ray machine operator can't identify items. Avoid this hassle by packing in a way that keeps your curling iron, hair dryer, and other hard-plastic or dense items separate in your bag, instead of allowing them to get tangled in a pile -- and look suspiciously like a bomb or a weapon on an X-ray scan.

Layer your electronics and toiletries in between your clothes like you're spreading ricotta cheese in between strips of pasta to prepare lasagna. Put heavy clothes on top to act as a weight and secure loose items.

Remember the 3-1-1 rule
If you plan to go carry-on only, any liquid should be kept in a 3.4-ounce bottle or smaller. You're only allowed as many bottles as can fit in one quart-size, clear ziplock bag. Find bottles in your local drugstore's travel or $1 section, or online.

Buying products packaged in small amounts can be expensive: We recently found face wash in a two-ounce bottle for for $9, shaving cream for about $6, and contact lens solution for $10.50. By transferring your liquids from standard-size bottles into TSA-friendly containers, like these squishy bottles from humangear.com, you should save a lot of money.

Dress for success
Slip-on shoes (preferably with socks; think of the dirty feet that have been on that linoleum), minimal jewelry and no belt is the standard uniform for moving through security fast. If you insist on wearing jewelry and a watch on the plane, take them off and slip them into a pocket in your carry-on before you enter the security cordon.

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Use flight-ready toiletries
Keep your travel bag stocked with "flight ready" items that don't break the TSA's liquid rules, such as solid perfume, and lip balm instead of lip gloss.

Buy a TSA-approved laptop bag
The TSA allows laptops to go through the X-ray in checkpoint-friendly laptop bags, like a simple $20 Skooba Skin. The most common and cheapest is a laptop sleeve. Consumer Reports recommends a few here. Laptops are also among the most-forgotten items at security, so label yours with a business card or ID tag.

Keep an eye peeled for new security programs
Fifty airports (including Boston, Chicago, and Seattle) have security lines split among Expert, Casual, and Family travelers. Look for the signs and hit the line that's right for you -- we suggest Expert now that you've read our tips.

Also, remember that 18 airports and five airlines are currently participating in the Paperless Boarding Pass pilot program. If the program covers your flight, you can go straight to the security checkpoint and use your cell phone as a boarding pass. Read about it on our blog.

It's showtime
Once you've presented your ID and boarding pass, get moving. Find the shortest line -- look especially for lines toward your left because studies show that Americans are more likely to turn right than left when entering a building, so lines on the left will tend to be shorter.

Grab two bins. The TSA is asking travelers to put shoes directly on the X-ray belt, so do that first. Pull out your quart-size bag of liquids and small electronics (like an iPhone) and lay them on top of your jacket. In the second bin, put your laptop (or, if you've got just got one bag or purse, use this bin for that).

After successfully passing through the metal detector (because we know you will), grab your shoes and slip them on, then snag your other belongings and slip them back in your bag. Look around quickly for anything that may have come loose, and then exit the security area to keep the line moving.

7 Rules of the Road for Maximum Mobile Bliss

By Kevin C. Tofel | Thursday, October 15,

James and I have been involved in the mobile technology space for quite some time now. He’s been using mobile devices “since they weighed 30 pounds.” Those are the days when I weighed 30 pounds, but you catch my drift. Between the two of us, we have years of practical experience in this space. And while new gadgets, operating systems and software appear on a daily basis, there are still some common fundamentals that are useful — mobile maxims, if you will. While the specific tools supporting them might change, these mobile suggestions never go out of style.

1. Always buy a second battery for your main device — This one is really simple. If you can afford it, buy a second battery for your main notebook or netbook upon purchasing the device. I do this for a few reasons. Doubling the battery life on any of my current — and presumably future — devices means that I have all day mobile computing. This frees me from having to work only in locations where I may be able to find an electrical outlet. I don’t have to be constrained to locations with electricity when I have two batteries. This also helps with leveling the “wear” in my batteries. Eventually, the batteries will hold less of a charge when full. By rotating batteries on a regular basis, I can even out that wear over time. If I don’t do that, I end up with two batteries that offer a wildly variable run time. Need another reason to buy a second battery at time of purchase? You don’t have to worry as much about battery availability in the future. There’s nothing worse than to have a device — and its batteries — become discontinued or hard to find when you really need a spare power pack.

2. Carry a toolkit for drive restores – It helps to expect the unexpected. In the case of mobile computers, it could be a hard drive failure, file corruption or who knows what. While you can’t anticipate every issue, you can easily prepare yourself for disaster with nothing more than a small flash drive. I carry one around with me and make sure it has software like a partition manager, certain device drivers, portable apps and anything else I might need in the event of a major issue. These days it’s not all that hard to build up a collection of such tools and drop them on a cheap USB drive. Why not even carry an OS with you? Ubuntu can be booted and run off of a flash drive in a pinch.

3. Have a backup plan for wireless connectivity — You can’t be totally mobile without some type of connectivity. So I pay for a monthly 3G plan with Verizon Wireless and use the very common USB adapter for it. This lets me use the connection with any Mac or PC, plus I can share that connection over Bluetooth or Wi-Fi in a pinch. But I also pay $10 a month for access to the Boingo Wireless network. I consider it cheap insurance and I often use it at a Starbucks or other location. I also have my iPhone set up for Internet Tethering, which is why I’m not upgrading beyond iPhone OS 3.0. I recommend having at least one backup connectivity plan, just in case your primary one goes on the fritz. It happened to me once before and because I was prepared, I was still productive.

4. When not in use, turn off the juice — There are many strategies for this mantra and they’ll vary based on your needs and your devices. For me it means to turn off radios and put devices into sleep mode when possible. I often use this strategy with my mail and RSS feeds. Because I use Google for both services and Google supports offline use via Gears — except for Snow Leopard installs — it’s common for me to fetch mail or feeds and then shut down my Wi-Fi or 3G. Although idle radios today are more efficient than they used to be, why have them use power when I can work offline for a while thanks to Gears? I also reduce the screen brightness on everything to the lowest usable level that’s still comfortable. For me that’s around 30% or so, but of course for you it could be different. The point is: aside from using the built-in power management features of your device, reducing your power needs can help bring more run time during the day.

5. Invest in a useful web-based data storage and synchronization service (or provide your own) — I actually use several tools in this area, mainly because if one experiences a service disruption, chances are one of the others will be fine. The idea behind this mantra is to have your data available to you regardless of what device you have with you. And if your device itself goes bad, a web-based storage service like Dropbox, SugarSync, Box.net, or ZumoDrive (to name a few) can be used with a public or borrowed machine. Ultimately, you don’t want to have data only available to one local device. When you do, you’re limited to using only that device. If you can’t use that device because the batteries ran down or because you left it somewhere, you’re dead in the water with local data. The corollary to this mantra is to provide your own remote storage. I’ve done just that with my Windows Home Server project, but you don’t need to buy or build another machine. Installing remote access software or using a service like LogMeIn can get you back to the data on a computer at home.

6. Consider using the “lightest” tool for the task at hand — Think about pairing the right tool with right task when it comes to mobile activities. For example, if I’m simply consuming basic content like email, I use my phone. Why? Because the phone battery lasts far longer than a laptop battery. It’s a “lighter” tool for the task and saves the battery on a “heavier tool” like my netbook or notebook for doing things I can’t easily do on the phone. I realize that it’s far more comfortable to reply or compose long emails on a larger device, so I often read my mail and mark items so I know I have to take action or respond. I later take action on those messages on the laptop if they require much typing. The same goes for checking a few items on the web. Why waste CPU cycles and battery life on a notebook or netbook if I can almost as easily hit them on a handset? Would I sit and surf the web for hours on a phone? Nope. But if I’m just checking the latest Techmeme headlines, browsing the most recent blog comments or something else that’s a bite-sized chunk of the web, why not do it on a “lighter” device? It seems a shame to waste precious battery life on a laptop for small, Internet morsels.

7. Tote a headset -- I make sure to always carry a wired headset and mic combo. At first, this one might sound frivolous, but I’ve found it to be very useful. It doesn’t add much weight to your gear bag, yet it can reap big rewards. I still carry a Bluetooth headset from time to time, but you run the risk of a dead battery. With a wired headset, battery life is one less thing to worry about. It comes in handy when you’re trying to work in a noisy area or you simply want to hear some relaxing music. I can also hear much better on a headset when a call comes in because I can be in any number of situations. It could be noisy when that phone rings unexpectedly, but I’m prepared to have my conversation regardless.

So those are my mobile mantras. Pick and choose to see what works for you. Even better — share yours in the comments so we can build up a nice useful list!

How to pick the perfect holiday for your personality

By Kate Schneide

The key to finding your perfect type of holiday may lie in discovering your personality traits / Supplied

HAVE you ever returned from a holiday feeling underwhelmed, or needing another trip away to recover?

A city break that’s a bit too hectic or a holiday that’s too tranquil may be the result of not having chosen the right holiday for your personality type, travel booking site Expedia says.

The key to selecting the perfect getaway lies in knowing both your and your travel companion’s personality types, Expedia Australia’s Marketing Manager Louise Crompton says.

Researching likely holiday scenarios and considering these alongside practical elements such as time available, distance and budget, can help.

“Choosing the right holiday is more than just picking a place or experience that sounds fun or interesting,” she said.

“Travellers should carefully reflect on what makes them and their travel companions tick, and then research travel destination options and consult independent traveller reviews.“

Dr Marylouise Caldwell, a Senior Lecturer in Marketing at the University of Sydney, says that a model called the Five Factor, which includes five broad domains of personality that have been found to include roughly all known personality traits, could aid traveller in picking the perfect holiday.

Related Coverage

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• Women find it doesn't pay to be niceNEWS.com.au, 15 Jul 2009

The five personality traits include extrovert or introvert, apprehensive or relaxed, open or closed, conservative or eccentric, conscientious or non-conscientious.

So which ones relate to you?

Personality Trait #1: Extrovert v Introvert

Extroverts are characterised by sociability, assertiveness, activity, talkativeness and the need for excitement and stimulation.

Conversely, introverts are typically more reserved, and prefer to be alone or in small groups. They like to lead life at a more even pace.

Holiday behaviour: Extroverts seek holiday experiences that provide high levels of stimulation, novelty, risk taking and social interaction. They tend to prefer big cities, restaurants and crowded bars rather than art galleries and temples or churches. They don’t like to rise too early – they are likely to stay out to the wee hours because they are night owls.

Introverts are the opposite: they like activities that promote introspection, deep thinking and experiences that have an intellectual or mystical bent, like art-house film festivals or meditating at Buddhist retreats.

Personality Trait #2: Apprehensive v Relaxed

Apprehensive people tend to experience negative emotions such as anxiety, fear, disappointment, embarrassment, anger, guilt and disgust, while relaxed individuals tend to have an absence of these feelings.

Relaxed people are not easily flustered, shocked or irritated and they tend to be even tempered.

Holiday behaviour: Apprehensive individuals tend to seek destinations, cultural activities and food types that remind them of home, or past travel experiences. Although they prefer not to travel alone, they can find resorts or holiday experiences with high levels of socialising and activities overwhelming.

Relaxed people are just the opposite. They are okay with trips involving unknowns, and deal with new challenges one at a time and take them in their stride.

Personality Trait #3: Open v Closed

Open people are characterised by vivid fantasy, attraction to art and beauty, depth of feelings, intellectual curiosity and flexible value systems. Very open people seek heaps of different types of experiences that are emotional, sensual, aesthetic or social.

Closed people prefer familiarity over novelty and are resistant to new or unfamiliar experiences – similar to apprehensive individuals.

Holiday behaviour: Open people will rarely go back to the same destination unless they have fallen in love with the place and wish to explore it further. They seek urban hubs that offer lots of variety, such as London, Paris, New York or Sydney – not smaller cities like Darwin, Cleveland or Birmingham.

Closed people visit places they have fond memories of such as their hometowns. They will often go back to the same holiday destination time and time again.

Personality Trait #4: Conservative v Eccentric

Conservative types are cooperative, altruistic and easily fit in with others. They gravitate towards what is traditional or the norm.

Eccentrics like to be different to others, staying clear of what they consider to be fads. They are often uninterested in others, let alone others’ opinions.

Holiday behaviour: Conservative types will often do what is socially accepted and rewarded – taking holidays that others will be impressed by within their immediate social circles. Hence they love telling others where they have been and showing them their latest holiday photos.

Eccentrics take holidays that might not win them much social approval, such as bird-watching in Siberia!

Personality Trait #5: Conscientious v Non-conscientious

People with a conscientious personality trait enjoy control, planning and order. They are always prepared and pay attention to detail, doing their best to control what’s going on around them.

Non-conscientious people tend to be less disciplined and are inclined to be a lot more self-indulgent and impulsive. They often appear disorganised.

Holiday behaviour: Conscientious people like to plan well in advance – way before a holiday even begins. They tend to have strict time and money budgets and will spend a lot of time researching on the internet, reading travel books and questioning their travel agents.

Non-conscientious people are spontaneous, acting on their desires without planning or notice and will go along with the flow with whatever might come along in their travels.

A North America tour & travel service guide

United States
Alabama : Alabaster Albertville Bessemer Eight Mile Montgomery Rainbow City
Alaska : Anchorage Fairbanks Homer Juneau Kenai Seward Skagway Talkeetna Wasilla
Arizona : Apache Junction Cave Creek Flagstaff Gilbert Kingman Lake Havasu City Maricopa Mesa Page Phoenix Sasabe Scottsdale Sedona Tempe Tucson
Arkansas : Benton Bentonville Little Rock
California : Aptos Artesia Auburn Ben Lomond Beverly Hills Cameron Park Campbell Capitola Ceres Chico Chula Vista Corona Crockett Davis El Cerrito El Segundo Emeryville Encino Foster City Fremont Fresno Fullerton Garden Grove Gilroy Hacienda Heights Hermosa Beach Hollywood Huntington Beach Ione Irvine La Jolla La Mirada Laguna Hills Laguna Niguel Lake Forest Larkspur Los Angeles Marina Del Rey Martinez Mission Viejo Modesto Montrose Mountain View National City Norco North Highlands Novato Oakland Ontario Orinda Palm Springs Palo Alto Pasadena Paso Robles Patterson Pine Grove Pismo Beach Rancho Palos Verdes Rancho Santa Fe Rancho Santa Margarita Rescue Reseda Roseville Ross Sacramento San Bruno San Carlos San Clemente San Diego San Francisco San Geronimo San Mateo San Rafael Santa Ana Santa Clara Santa Clarita Santa Monica Santa Rosa Sausalito Scotts Valley Sherman Oaks Solana Beach Sonoma Stockton Studio City Torrance Tujunga Tustin Upland Valley Village Van Nuys Walnut Creek Watsonville Westlake Village Westminster Woodland Hills Yountville
Colorado : Aspen Denver Hygiene Sterling
Connecticut : Ellington Farmington Hamden Hartford New Canaan New Haven Old Greenwich South Windsor Woodbridge
Delaware : Wilmington
Florida : Clearwater Coral Springs Davie Daytona Beach Fort Lauderdale Fort Myers Lake Worth Longwood Miami Orlando Palm Beach Plantation Pompano Beach Sarasota Seminole Vero Beach
Georgia : Atlanta Newnan
Hawaii : Honolulu Kailua Kona Kaneohe Kauai Keaau Kihei
Idaho : Grangeville Hagerman Hailey Lewiston
Illinois : Chicago Niles Quincy
Iowa : Cedar Rapids
Kansas : Leawood Overland Park
Kentucky : Louisville Owingsville
Louisiana : Crowley La Place New Orleans Prairieville Slidell
Maine : Bar Harbor Rockport
Maryland : Annapolis Beltsville Columbia Towson
Massachusetts : Barnstable Beverly Boston Eastham Gloucester Kingston Nantucket Newburyport Newton Provincetown South Weymouth Yarmouth
Michigan : Dearborn Grand Rapids Grosse Point Farms Lincoln Park Royal Oak Troy Walled Lake
Minnesota : Minneapolis Upsala
Missouri : St. Louis St. Peters
Montana : Kirksville
Nevada : Las Vegas Reno
New Jersey : Denville Hawthorne Marlton Pennington Princeton Rockaway Seaside Park Secaucus West Windsor
New Mexico : Albuquerque Santa Fe
New York : Brooklyn Buffalo Grand Island Holbrook Ithaca Manhasset Manhattan Millerton New York City Poughkeepsie Queens Rochester Staten Island White Plains
North Carolina : Asheville Burlington Charlotte Cornelius Dunn Raleigh Salisbury
Ohio : Cincinnati Columbus Galloway Reynoldsburg
Oklahoma : Bethany Norman Oklahoma City Tulsa
Oregon : Albany Beavercreek Beaverton Eugene Glide Hillsboro Independence Jacksonville Junction City Lagrande Portland Sisters
Pennsylvania : Allentown Carlisle Carnegie Chester Springs Mcmurray Philadelphia Pittsburgh Tarentum Whitehall York
Rhode Island : Cranston Providence
South Carolina : Anderson Andrews Beaufort Chapin Charleston Greenville Mt. Pleasant Myrtle Beach North Charleston Salem
South Dakota : Rapid City
Tennessee : Chattanooga Cleveland Dickson Nashville
Texas : Austin Bandera Dallas Fort Worth Garland Houston Plano Richardson San Antonio Stafford
Utah : Draper Kanab North Salt Lake Salt Lake City
Vermont : Poultney
Virginia : Fairfax Mclean Portsmouth Virginia Beach
Washington : Bellevue Bellingham Federal Way Kirkland Olympia Seattle Tacoma
West Virginia : Huntington
Wisconsin : Beloit Brookfield Greenfield Mcfarland Mequon Milwaukee Wauwatosa West Bend
Wyoming : Cheyenne Jackson Hole
U.S.A. Tour Specials:
Whale Watching Cruises
Grand Canyon Adventures

Canada
Alberta : Banff Bragg Creek Calgary Canmore Devon Edmonton Jasper Rocky Mountain House Waterton Park
British Columbia : Campbell River Chilliwack Christina Lake Coquitlam Cowichan Bay Galiano Island Hazelton Hudson Hope Iskut Kelowna Kimberley Langley Mcbride Nanaimo New Westminster North Vancouver Port McNeill Quathiaski Cove Revelstoke Richmond Salt Spring Island Sidney Smithers Squamish Surrey Telegraph Cove Tofino Tulameen Ucluelet Vancouver Vernon Victoria Whistler White Rock
Manitoba : Erickson Winnipeg
New Brunswick : Fredericton Moncton
Newfoundland : Conception Bay South Corner Brook Norris Point Windsor
Nova Scotia : Advocate Harbour Baddeck Digby Englishtown Halifax Hubbards Lower Prospect Lunenburg Westport
Ontario : Belmont Brampton Don Mills Leamington Mississauga Niagara Falls Ottawa Thunder Bay Toronto Whitby
Prince Edward Island : North Rustico
Quebec : Baie-Saint-Paul Havre-Aubert Montreal Quebec City
Saskactchewan : Saskatoon
Saskatchewan : Preeceville
Yukon Territory : Whitehorse

How much should you tip when traveling abroad?

 
By Paul Sancya, AP

Many travelers are unsure about when, how, who, and how much to tip.Despite all the ink — and more recently, pixels — devoted to the subject, many travelers are still unsure about when, how, who, and how much to tip. A reader put his question succinctly:

"How much should I tip a tour guide in Penang Malaysia for a day tour?"

The short answer is, "Most travel writers would recommend $5 to $10 a day." But our reader's question brings up the broader question of tipping, generally, which deserves a bit of a look.

Overview

One learned source traces the history of tipping back to Roman times (or maybe even 2,680 BCE). Until recently, however, tipping was often practiced only in limited situations, and many countries developed no-tipping cultures.

As far as I can tell, the current worldwide practice of tipping practically everybody emerged after World War II: Those days, tip-happy Americans did most of the world's leisure and business travel, and they exported their tipping culture just as they exported entertainment and music cultures. I remember in my first visit to Australia (in the 1950s) hearing complaints from locals about how Americans were "ruining" the country's no-tipping restaurant and hotel environment.

Whatever the history, today's travelers face a wide array of potential tipping situations. And although most of us can make reasonable estimates in most situations, two situations remain something of a challenge:

• What to do in supposedly no-tipping countries or situations, and

• What to do when a "service" charge is automatically added to the bill.

Although you can find some guidance, these questions are by no means settled.

Restaurants, porters, and taxis

Although lots of online sites post "tipping guides," many of them reference the same basic source: The extremely comprehensive Worldwide Tipping Guide posted on the website for Magellan's travel supply mart. It covers tipping for restaurants, porters, and taxis in 77 countries from Argentina to Wales, including most of those you're likely to visit. Here are some highlights from this tabulation:

• Absent service charges, the most common tipping rates around the world are 10% in restaurants, 10% in taxis, and the rough equivalent of $1 US or 1 euro per bag in hotels.

• In Western Europe, where restaurants typically add a 10 to 15% service charge, the standard recommendation seems to be to add something between rounding up the odd change to about 5%.

• Current no-tipping countries include Japan, Malaysia, Oman, Singapore, South Korea, Thailand, the United Arab Emirates, and Vietnam.

The Independent's non-tabular guide is in general agreement. However, it recommends tipping the maid in Japanese-style accommodations. It also describes Australia as a "no tipping country," in contrast to Magellan's recommendation of 10% in "fine" restaurants and $2 per bag to porters.

One other general rule: If you're eating or staying on a voucher, at a huge discount, or on a meals-included package, calculate the tip on the "list" price rather than what you actually paid.

Tour guides and drivers

Most sources tend to recommend tipping a tour guide anywhere from $2 for a short tour to $5 for a full day or multiples of a day. Some recommend up to $10 for a full day, as well as $2 or so to the tour bus driver.

Hotels

The general rule seems to be tip only when an employee has performed some special service for you. Typically, that means $1 or $2 per bag for porters, $1 or $2 for a doorperson—maybe a bit more for hailing you a taxi on a rainy day—and more for "concierges" or others who take time to make special arrangements for you.

When I started traveling, nobody ever considered tipping the maids who maintained hotel rooms. These days, however, most sources seem to believe that a tip of $2 to $5 a day is expected, depending on the class of hotel and how much of a mess you generate.

One area of more than usual confusion: tipping at all-inclusive resorts that supposedly include a service charge. In the Mexico Forum at TripAdvisor, the consensus seems to favor some additional tipping, although nobody suggests any firm dollar figures. As far as I can tell, tipping at supposedly "no tipping" inclusive resorts is most prevalent in Mexico.

Cruises

Cruise tipping has generated a disproportionate amount of attention. Although you may disagree with some of the specifics, the most useful cruise tipping guide I've found is the Cruise Tip Calculator, an interactive site with specific information for most major cruise lines. According to this site, most lines now assess overall service charges on a per-day basis, to be paid separately from the base cruise price as promoted. The site shows charges for each line, which generally run $10 to $12 a day, with a few lines above and below this range. Of course, you may be able to opt out of the charge and tip individually—but you probably won't pay any less. For the lines that do not add service charges—Crystal, Disney, and Royal Caribbean—the site calculates appropriate levels of daily tips for the long list of candidates: stewards, waiters, bartenders, and their various assistants. As with all-inclusive land resorts, despite official "no tipping" policies, travelers may want to reward individual employees for outstanding service.

27 Personal Finance Tips for Overseas Travel

Overseas travel can be exciting and nerve-wracking, a dichotomy that can cloud your mind as you prepare for your trip. As you try to pull everything together for that vacation, business trip, or overseas school experience, you might forget small details that canl make your trip much less expensive in the long run. Some of these tips concern health and safety issues, as losses in that area can cost you a bundle. Other issues concern questions about whether to carry credit or debit cards, cash, or traveler's checks on your trip.

Although most colleges grill their students on how to behave on overseas trips, they often exclude information about how to handle money and, when asked, they leave those choices up to the students. In many cases, those students and some adults who travel abroad are caught in situations that can cost them financially. For instance, many overseas travelers do not know to contact their credit card companies or banks about travel plans, nor do they comprehend currency issues that exist at their destinations. Always check the currency exchange rates for your destination country before you travel.

Financial problems are exacerbated if you don't speak the country's language and if you don't understand how to access or use its currency. Most of the following tips will help you to avoid or at least mitigate these issues before you ever leave home, but others will help you maneuver through your trip with ease once you arrive at your destination.

Safety and Health Issues

1. Make two photocopies of any important papers.

   Make two photocopies of all important papers (credit cards, passport, driver's license, etc.) and leave one set at home with a trusted friend or family member. Take the other set of copies with you in your carry-on luggage. While you're at it, be sure to fill in the emergency contact information page on your passport. When you arrive at your hotel room, put all your important items in the room or hotel safe. When you leave your room, take the copy of your passport, not the original. Plus, you need to take only the credit card or other forms of monies that you plan to use on that outing.

   This action will help to limit your losses if you encounter a pickpocket or a thief. In addition, if your papers are confiscated for any reason, you can rest assured that you have copies of those records available elsewhere. If you don't trust your room safe, use the hotel safe. If you don't trust the hotel safe, plan on the purchase of a money belt or some other secure holding for your papers, cards, and money (see number 20).
   

2. Travel light (clothing-wise) and forget the bling.

   Leave the bling at home, and try to avoid any clothing that announces your nationality. The latter tip is to help you to avoid confrontations from any anti-American sentiments. Dress conservatively so that you don't stand out in a crowd. This means that you could try to dress in a casual business-like manner for travel and during weekday travel so that your dress doesn't scream "tourist." Business dress will help you avoid becoming a magnet for any individual who targets tourists for theft.

3. Find answers to your questions before you leave home.

   One way to learn about how the locals dress at your destination is to join a discussion groups like the ones at Fodor. Another method is to find a specialty group like Journeywoman. The latter site is designed for women who travel so they can make connections with other women who reside in the destination country. This type of site can help you learn more about that country including the safe spots, the dangerous places, and how to safeguard yourself in all situations. Learn a few customs so that you don't offend locals and learn simple phrases in their language like "thank you," "hello," and "excuse me."

   Also check the destination country's official site and the U.S. consular or embassy site in that country for travel warnings. However, be aware that the destination Web site may not project the warnings that the U.S. sites will, as the destination country may want to downplay any travel issues.

4. Safeguard your health.

   Don't forget your prescriptions, but be aware that some countries consider prescription medications to be illegal substances (like the U.S.). To be safe, carry a letter from your physician that states your need for the prescription and carry a copy of that prescription order so you can prove you need those medications. Also, keep those prescriptions in their original containers for travel rather than in a daily reminder-type container.

   You may not be able to replace contact lenses or glasses prescriptions while traveling. Carry extra contact lenses, putting one pair in a carry-on and the other in your checked luggage. Carry an extra pair of glasses and sunglasses, as you can be gouged for sunglasses at many tourist locations. If you have your eye prescription handy, make a copy and carry it with you in case you can replace prescription eyewear. Also check in with the Center for Disease Control' s travel site to learn more about how you can safeguard your health in your destination country.

5. Purchase travel insurance.

   You will want to purchase travel insurance and include compensation for delayed flights, cancellations, lost luggage, and any other problem that might occur. Most travel insurance policies charge just pennies more for complete peace of mind and you can be reimbursed for losses with a policy that often costs less than $20. Some even come bundled with medical insurance.

6. Purchase travel medical insurance and death insurance.

   If your travel or medical policy comes bundled with travel medical insurance, take a long hard look at their offerings. The dollars you spend here can save you thousands of dollars if you become sick or injured while traveling. These policies should cover instances where you need to be transported to another hospital or flown home, as well as seemingly simple procedures like treating a sprained ankle. Additionally, the option to fly your body home should you die is a good option to consider. Charges for medical or body transport can be exorbitant; so, be kind to your family and provide for this possibility before you leave home because the U.S. government doesn't pay for those expenses. Make copies of these papers and leave them with a trusted friend or relative. Also, consider the creation of a Power of Attorney in case you become incapacitated during your travels.

   Although the previous information may sound dire and possibly unnecessary for your situation, a report issued by Johns Hopkins Associates might change your mind. In it, they state that most Americans who die overseas do so in developed countries of Western Europe, where most Americans live or visit. The causes of death are similar to those in the U.S. (heart attack, accident, murder, suicide, etc.). The deaths of Americans in less developed countries are not from infectious and tropical disease, as many health professionals would expect, but are from chronic diseases, injuries, suicides, and homicides.

7. Continue to cover your assets.

   Purchase property insurance for equipment such as cameras, binoculars, laptops and other items. If you already carry insurance on these materials, check with the insurance company to make sure that you're covered for an overseas trip. The travel insurance that you purchase might cover these items as well, so read the fine print carefully before you purchase more insurance than you really need.

   Laptops provide special problems these days, as customs in various countries are concerned about where you obtained the laptop and what you have on it. While you probably won't encounter problems leaving the U.S., for instance, you might experience some hassles upon your return. If you register laptops, cameras, etc. with customs before you leave on your trip, you'll avoid possible duty fees upon your return.

8. Get phone numbers.

   You may not realize that 800 numbers work only in the U.S. and Canada. Before you leave, call your bank and credit card companies to get local (non-800) numbers so that you can call them in an emergency. Also, get numbers for the U.S. Embassy located at your destination in case you lose your passport or other important papers. Better yet, you can register at the Department of State online before you ever leave home. If your money is stolen, you can count on that consulate to offer a small loan for you to function until you retrieve more funds. Plus, if something does happen to you while traveling abroad, the the Bureau of Consular Affairs must locate and inform the next-of-kin, but they can only do that if they know how to reach them.

   Unfortunately, a Catch-22 is involved if you need help from an overseas U.S. consulate. You must show proof of citizenship before they will help you. This is why it's so important that you make copies of that passport, travel visa, driver's license, etc. Even if the only copies you have are the ones at home, those copies can be faxed to that embassy.

   If you plan to travel to a country where there are no U.S. officials, you should register at the U.S. embassy or consulate in an adjacent country. They can inform you about what you will need to do in emergency situations.

9. Purchase an international phone card and open an accessible email account.

   Six months after a major hurricane visited the Bahamian islands, one island's cell phone tower remained dysfunctional. The only way to call out to other islands or to the U.S. was by phone card and the use of landlines. Make sure that you purchase a card that can be used from the destination country and that it can be used to call numbers inside the U.S. in case of emergency. Some cards can be used in the U.S. upon your return, so you won't waste money on the purchase of that card.

   On the other hand, why call when you can email someone? Many foreign countries now support "email cafes" that you can use for a minimal fee, especially in cities and even in smaller towns. In this case, you want an email address like Gmail or Yahoo! so that you can use that email interface from any location.

10. Plan your itinerary before you leave home.

    Nothing says "rude and insecure tourist" like a person who pulls out and opens maps in the middle of a crowded plaza and who blocks foot traffic in the process. Plan your trip before you leave home, and become familiar with airport, public transportation, and city layouts before you reach your destination. Granted, standing in the middle of Heathrow Airport is far different than looking at the Heathrow terminal maps online. But, at least you can begin to understand that the planes may arrive at one terminal, you might need to go through customs in another terminal, and that public transport can be reached from a separate terminal altogether. This information can make you appear more confident and less of a target for thieves and scam artists.

Financial Issues

1. Travel light (financially) and carry a spare card.

   While traveling, keep cash in hand limited to less than $300 in that country's currency and carry just one credit and/or debit card to limit what can be lost or stolen. But, it is a good idea to carry a spare card in case something happens to that first card. Keep the second card locked away for safekeeping once you arrive at your destination.

2. Decide whether you want to use traveler's checks.

   Some folks feel comfortable with the purchase of a traveler's check or two as a means to gain access to money while they're abroad. However, fewer merchants accept traveler's checks these days. Additionally, the fees associated with cashing these checks overseas are often higher than fees for overseas credit card use (see below). With that said, traveler's checks can represent the safest form of travel funds, as a reputable company that issues those checks will usually reimburse you within 24 hours if the checks are lost or stolen. Make sure that you copy the phone number, check numbers, and any other information before you leave. In addition, leave one copy at home and carry the other copies on hand but separate from your actual traveler's checks. Read more about traveler's checks and cards at the Independent Traveler.

3. Check your ATM, credit and debit cards before you leave.

   Be sure to test your cards before you leave home to make sure that they work. Check the expiration date on the cards to make sure they won't expire while you're gone. Additionally, use a four-digit numeric ID for that card's PIN and commit that number to memory. Many ATM machines located outside North America only support four-digit PINs and they don't support letters on their keyboards, or the keyboard may seem unfamiliar because the letters and/or numbers may appear in a different order. If you use an alphabetical PIN, make sure that you know the numeric equivalent before you leave home.

4. Inform credit, debit, and ATM card banks and companies about your travel plans.

   Inform credit, debit, and ATM card banks and companies about your travel plans, but only those companies that you plan to use. Some credit and debit card companies may not allow you to use a card overseas at all, and some may freeze your account when you try to use it overseas unless you've informed them of your plans.

5. Get information about fees and charges for overseas card usage.

   These phone calls to your credit card companies will take a while, as you also need to ask the card companies about their fees for overseas usage. Some cards will charge the usual percentage rate on your balance, but they may also charge a 1% fee for foreign usage in addition to 2% currency conversion fees for foreign purchases made with their credit cards, debit and check cards, as well as ATM cash withdrawals. Once you have information about those fees, you will know to take only those cards with the most travel-friendly policies.

   You can be hit with currency conversion fees even when you purchase goods from a foreign merchant or from an international Web site from your U.S. location. If you want to purchase overseas rail tickets or tour packages for your trip, for example, you might check to see if that vendor maintains a U.S. office. If you go the U.S. route, you might be able to bypass those charges. To be on the safe side, you might use that company's U.S. phone number to make your purchase.

   Despite overseas credit card usage fees, it pays to charge if you plan to have a purchase shipped home for you. Hold onto those credit card receipts because you can dispute the charges if the item arrives damaged or not at all.

6. Consider a new card for an extensive trip.

   If you plan to take an extensive trip overseas, you might shop around for a traveler-friendly credit card. Capitol One provides the best foreign-travel reputation because they continue its popular policy of charging zero conversion fees and they absorb the 1% fee that Visa and MasterCard charge to process purchases. Discover does not charge a fee and American Express card fees depend upon who issues the card; however, you'll discover that these two cards aren't accepted widely in foreign countries. In fact, the Discover card is basically useless in Europe.

7. Check for overseas partner banks and consider a debit card.

   Some major U.S. banks partner with overseas banks. If this is the case for your bank, ask them where those banks are located at your destination. The use of a partner bank may save you from paying ATM fees to your hometown bank. If you want to use your ATM or debit card overseas (also called a "secured card"), make sure it contains a Visa, MasterCard, Cirrus, or Plus logo, because those cards are used internationally. If you use a Cirrus/Plus card without a Visa/MC logo you might avoid the Visa/MasterCard fees for foreign use and currency conversions.

8. The overseas ATM and your debit card.

   When you use a foreign ATM, it acts just like an ATM at home. The foreign ATM, however, will spit out your cash in local currency using current exchange rates. Make sure that you use the credit or debit card that offers the lowest foreign transaction fee in that machine (usually the debit card). Withdraw enough money to last for a few days to avoid overusing the machine and its charges for each withdrawal.

   Beyond the ATM card issue, many ATMs located in foreign countries won't charge a usage fee as long as that ATM is associated with a bank. As in the U.S., it's often much safer to use an ATM that is associated with a bank rather than a privately owned ATM, as the bank would be easier to contact if problems occur than would the private company. Prior to travel, verify that your financial institution participates in all the networks listed on the back of the card that you plan to purchase and discover what limitations might apply to that card.

9. Consider pre-paid debit cards.

   Pre-paid debit cards are safer than regular debit cards because pre-paid cards aren't connected directly to your checking account. Purchase a card with the amount of money you think you might need and use it in ATM machines while you travel. If you lose the pre-paid card or if it's stolen, you won't lose the entire balance in your checking account as you might if a thief gains access to your regular debit card. But, fees do add up with this type of card. The pre-paid card usually comes with a purchase fee, reloading fees, international transaction fees, and cancellation fees, among other possible charges. Plus, this card may be difficult to replace when you're overseas.

10. Consider a money belt.

    A money belt provides great peace of mind as you travel. When you use a money belt, you don't need to worry about falling asleep on the plane or about pickpockets while you stare at some local artifact. Another option is a neck pack, where important papers, cards or money are stored in a pack that hangs from your neck and that you can tuck away under your shirt or blouse. Check out what others say about money belts and other alternatives at Fodor.

    Money belts aren't normal bits of clothing, so practice wearing the device before you leave. Two tips for money belts: Put all contents into a plastic bag so that sweat won't soak the paper inside the pouch (you can purchase money belts with plastic linings, and silk money belts are more comfortable than most other types). Also, never try to get your money out of that money belt in public. The purpose behind that pouch is to keep your valuables secret and safe. Pull out any cards or cash you might need for your outing before you leave the hotel room and keep those items in a deep pocket.

11. Learn to loop.

    Another tip that will help you to safeguard your purse or a carry-on bag is to wrap the strap around your ankle while you sit to eat or sleep. If someone tries to make off with that bag, the tug on that strap will alert you in a flash. Be aware of distractions that take your attention away from the activity at hand as well. Disturbances in public places might be staged for pickpockets and thieves to work a crowd.

    Finally, be aware at all times. While online, you might read stories about people who had purses and other items stolen as they stood at a hotel desk to check in. You wouldn't leave a purse or laptop sitting on the floor in a busy hotel lobby in a U.S. city, so don't leave one sitting on the floor in a foreign hotel lobby.

12. Learn about the Dynamic Currency Conversion (DCC) process and avoid it.

    Some foreign merchants may capitalize on your currency confusion and offer their prices in U.S. dollar amounts, or they might offer to convert your purchase into U.S. currency. Although this DCC practice might seem tourist-friendly, those prices are usually based upon inflated currency rates. These prices may drive the price up 3-5% over the local price. When you decide to purchase an item on DCC with your credit card, you could take on even more percentage points to the final price.

    You can ask to have the price of the item you want converted back to local currency. If the merchant refuses or states that he or she doesn't know how to convert the rate, ask for the manager or simply refuse the purchase. Visa requires that you are provided a meaningful choice at the point of sale and you have the right to buy your purchase in the local currency so that you do not incur any additional fees the merchant may assess. Visa also requires merchants who offer this service to inform you of the exchange rate including any applicable commission being charged.

    Finally, although Visa and possibly other issuers require a meaningful choice, be sure to check your receipt before you walk out the door. If the item was charged in U.S. currency, you can ask for a new receipt in local currency.

13. Purchase some foreign currency at your local bank just before you leave.

    Your local bank might have a branch at your departing airport, or you might stop at the bank on the way out of town. You need just enough money to get to your hotel from the destination airport and possibly enough for one meal. The reason I say this is because there have been times when students are hustled straight from their baggage pickup to the hotel and then from the hotel to their first classes or tour with little to no time to access an ATM.

    I also advocate this step because I operate on the "worse case scenario" mindset. In this case, the destination airport's ATMs are out of order, it's too late and all the banks are closed, and there's a line a mile long at the money exchange booth. Criminals may watch for and target international travelers purchasing large amounts of foreign currency at airport banks and currency exchange windows as well. I'd rather pick up my luggage and head straight to the hotel room. A limited amount of foreign currency on hand allows that luxury.

14. Avoid Cash-to-Cash machines.

    These machines are popular in Europe, and they look just like an ATM. But instead of feeding a card into the machine, you feed money into these machines and they spit out a currency exchange. These machines are so convenient and prolific that you might be tempted to use one. However, you might regret your choice as these machines usually operate on inflated exchange rates and often charge fees for the exchange (which is taken out of your input).

15. Use cash whenever possible.

    You'd be hard pressed to find a merchant anywhere (even in the U.S.) who would prefer a credit card over cash. Merchants pay fees to use credit cards, whereas cash-in-hand is fee-free for that merchant. Therefore, you might discover that many overseas merchants won't accept credit cards. Additionally, you can often find your best bargains at street markets or with merchants who are willing to haggle. You can't haggle with a credit card, so don't even try.

Other Issues

1. Hotel rooms

   Try to get a hotel room between the second and seventh floors for bodily and financial safety. Most fire departments don't have equipment that will reach above the seventh floor and lower floors are susceptible to thieves, especially if those rooms have sliding glass doors and/or easily opened windows. When you check in, study hotel uniforms so you can recognize them. You can always verify hotel employees with the front desk before permitting that person's entry to your room. On the other hand, accept the bellman's assistance upon check-in, as that person can open the door, turn on your lights and check all rooms before you enter.

2. Public transportation saves money.

   Public transportation is usually safe and may be the easiest and least expensive way to travel, especially around Europe, Australia, and other developed countries. In fact, some of these countries maintain more elaborate systems than those found in the U.S. Learn about available systems that operate at your destination and learn whether you can purchase special deals through ticket packets, seasonal deals, or other options before you leave home.

If you're a seasoned overseas traveler, you probably know other travel tips and tricks that work for you. Additionally, some tips are more relevant to some countries than others. There's nothing like the first trip overseas to shake up your idea of the world as you know it and each country you visit will help you to learn new travel tricks.

To help overcome "newbie" jitters that are generated from overseas trips, learn as much about the country you intend to visit before you go. And, despite any attempts at dressing like the locals, as soon as you open your mouth the locals will know that you're the foreigner. But, if you voice positive comments about that country and keep negative comments and criticism to yourself, you can help to make your trip much more enjoyable and safer all around.

Top Ten Secrets to Saving Big Money in the Airline Flights

Do you know that some people travel around the country and abroad, for both business and pleasure, and save bundles of money in the process?

They do that by using little known ways of really taking advantage of the most popular form of transportation - airline flights.

They don't rely on the ever-famous "airfare price-wars". They don't rely on their travel agents to save money while flying.

Certainly, you should not dismiss these two methods. The price-wars can work to your advantage. But depending on them too much is a big mistake.

1. Call the airlines.

Call the airlines between midnight and 1 a.m. Monday through Friday to get cheaper tickets.

Most people never realize that at midnight, airline agents revise and load new fares into their computers. The best fares are just after they have done the updating!

2. Check into other airports other than the main one you use.

Many major cities have two airports. Check into surrounding towns and cities so you can compare airfares. You may save hundreds of dollars on your flights.

3. The early bird catches the plane.

The earlier you book your flight the more you save. Most special fares have restrictions of 7 to 30 day advance purchase. Usually non-refundable but they can offer deep discounts.

On the other hand, there are "last minute" deals too. Visit www.smartliving.com to get emails for last minute deals.

4. Get out of town on Wednesday.

Mid-week travel is usually less expensive. If you leave on Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday and stay over a Saturday night, you can garner terrific savings compared to Friday through Monday when most people fly.

Start taking your vacations Wednesday-to-Wednesday or Tuesday-to-Tuesday. You'll save a lot by choosing your departure and arrival dates this way!

5. purchaseing a one way or split ticket.

Let's say you travel from Boston to Dallas. It may be cheaper to get two separate tickets. You could purchase one ticket from Boston to Nashville and one from Nashville to Dallas.

It all depends on the connecting cities and your airlines hubs. Just tell your agent you are willing to travel out of other airports and connect using regional airports to save money.

6. Open wide.

You should look into what is called an "Open-Jaw" ticket. These are used when a traveler is arriving and departing from different cities.

One ticket is purchased to cover both cities. Check with your travel agent or airline representative to see if this trick is available instead of two one-way tickets. Compare the price of each.

7. An excellent online service www.sidestep.com

You enter destinations and dates and SideStep quickly searches a couple of dozen affiliated regional and international airlines to find the best rates.

8. "Code share".

Ask your agent if this flight is a "code-share" flight. That means the same flight is offered by two different airlines. Just copy down the name of the other airline and check into what they are charging.

Only one of the airlines is actually operating the flight. The actual operator always offers this flight for less, so book with them.

9. Sign up for the airline newsletters.

From weekend getaways to international flight packages the newsletter saves you money on travel and doesn't require that you constantly visit the airline website for the latest offering.

10. The airlines often slash their fares during sluggish travel times.

Scan your travel sections in the newspapers and talk to your agent about these low fares.

Is Your Travel Experience Limited by Your Credit Card? Alex Fir is providing 250+ pages of insider tips and tricks that teach you how to travel cheap and sometimes free.