Hacks to Help Reduce Stress When Traveling

Traveling is supposed to be relaxing, fun, and entertaining; it’s not supposed to be stressful. Of course, we can all expect some stress on our travels; that’s only realistic, but if you want to reduce stress and increase enjoyment, use the simple travel hacks in the article below. 

Private Browser 

Have you ever searched for a flight only to be sent back to the start and select the same flight again for a higher price? Sadly, this is a common occurrence because brokers use a live format and change flight prices according to demand. But there is a clever hack to help get around this. 

The broker browsers store your cookies, so they know when you’re looking for a flight; if more people are looking for a flight, the anticipated demand goes up along with the flight price, so if you refresh the screen a lot, you pay more. Instead, use incognito mode to avoid the cookies.  

Airfare Deals 

There’s nothing better than getting a bargain, and if you can fly to your destination for less, it gives you more money to spend on the things that matter. When it comes to air travel, there’s good news and bad news, the good news is many deals are available, but they are hard to find. 

If you want to grab a bargain for your next flight, you could check the website or broker regularly in an incognito window; alternatively, you could let the computer do the heavy lifting for you. Sign up for a website like Airfarewatchdog and have the deal sent directly to a phone or email.

Hotel Deals 

Air travel isn’t the only place you can save money when traveling, and with the cost of everything sharply rising, it makes sense to look for deals wherever possible, so take some time to look for hotel deals in your destination area. Sites like Trip Advisor are a good place to start. 

Trip Advisor uses social proof to determine the quality of a hotel, meaning you get an accurate and up-to-date opinion of a hotel. Not only that, Trip advisor compares hotel rates across different booking agencies so you can tell at a glance if you are getting the best hotel rates. 

Travel Credit Cards 

Do you want some free money along with your flight, hotel, or shopping? That’s exactly what a travel credit card is - free money. You might have heard of a travel credit card in the past, but you might not have one because you are unsure what they are or how they work, but it’s easy. 

Most of the major credit card companies offer a special travel credit card for rewards, and some of the minor ones do as well. These credit cards allow you to accumulate reward points on things you buy anyway; you can then redeem the points on new purchases or money off items. 

Phone Safety

Nowadays, a smartphone has become more important than a wallet or purse. A smartphone contains lots of personal information and data; it also has access to banking apps and financial resources that you don’t want a third-party person to get their hands on when you are traveling. 

So what can you do when your smartphone goes missing in an airport, shopping centre, or hotel? The answer is don’t panic. First, follow this guide to make sure your phone is secure and your data and money are protected. Next, retrace your steps and contact relevant authorities. 

Check Lists  

Traveling can be a spontaneous affair, and while this is undoubtedly part of the charm, when things take an unexpected direction, it can become stressful pretty quickly. One of the ways you can take the randomness out of the travel experience is to make checklists for everything. 

Before heading off, make a checklist for your clothes, your toiletries, your documents, and your entertainment. Make checklists for anything else you can think of, including a checklist for the checklists you need. Seeing everything written down and ticking off items helps get things right.

Smart Packing 

Pack smartly, and you can fit more items into your bags and make carrying them a little easier; the alternative is to pack inefficiently and pay extra at the flight desk for fewer items. So what is the best way to pack smartly and ensure you get the most value out of the items in your bags? 

Start with the shoes; placing shoes at the bottom of your rucksack or case helps to balance the bags. Next, stuff the shows with items, especially fragile items, because the soles offer extra protection. Then, roll your clothes so you can fit more into a small space without overpacking. 

Scan Documents 

Think of the stress you have at the hotel when you arrive without your ticket or the panic you experience when you don’t have your travel insurance when you need it. These situations seem a long way off when you are planning the trip of a lifetime, but you must expect the unexpected. 

Scan your documents ahead of your travels, and you can access them no matter what the circumstances are. Of course, modern technology makes it easier to access documents than ever before, which is why you should store them in the cloud but make some hard copies too. 

Plan Ahead 

If you’re planning to listen to music at your destination, play a game, or read, but the wifi isn’t sufficient, you might be left scratching your head and somewhat bored by your hotel experience. As with other aspects of the trip, don’t leave your entertainment to chance; plan ahead instead. 

Don’t rely on the internet for your entertainment; instead, download some of your favorite podcasts, playlists, and books to keep you entertained when you’re on your travels. A modern smartphone has sufficient storage to keep you entertained for a week or so on the road.  

Use Apps

Apps are super useful, especially Google Maps when you are in a foreign city. The trouble with Google maps is that it can charge extra for international roaming, so download some maps of the area before you head off. These maps can also be downloaded from Google Maps.