Four Things You Must Do Before Heading Out On Vacation

As we move into summer, we are surrounded by travel inspiration each time we open social media, making it all the more tempting to book a vacation – whether you’re heading out with your family or traveling solo.

However, it’s often not as simple as booking your flight and jetting off – as a vacation of any length requires careful planning and organization. 

Photo by Annie Spratt on Unsplash

With that in mind, here are four things you must do before heading on vacation that people often forget about until the last minute. 

Contact Pet Sitters

While your pets may share your sense of adventure and excitement, it’s unlikely you will be able to bring them along, especially if you are traveling overseas. As a result, it means you need to arrange for someone to care for them while you’re gone. In addition to ensuring they are well-fed, this also means that they’ll have some companionship while you are away, which contributes greatly to their overall health and well-being.

If none of your friends or family are available to care for your pet, consider reaching out to dog or cat sitters in your local area who will be able to look after your four-legged friend on your behalf.  Do plenty of research into different providers or sitters ahead of time, and check out their previous reviews from other pet parents. This will make it a little easier for you to leave your pet in their care, as you know that you can trust them.

Get Holiday Insurance

According to a recent study, “some 40% of holidaymakers have no plans to buy travel insurance for their trip abroad this summer,” often viewing this as a way to keep the costs down when traveling. However, taking out holiday insurance is actually a great way to protect your finances, especially if you encounter any problems when traveling.

For example, were you to get sick when abroad, your insurance can help cover the cost of any medical or healthcare support you need, which could otherwise cost you thousands of dollars. Furthermore, you can also use your insurance to protect you should your accommodation or flights get canceled or if they are not up to standard. 

Again, you should carry out plenty of research before purchasing health insurance. For example, you could use a price comparison website, such as Go Compare to compare the cost of insurance between different providers so that you get the best possible value for money.  

Gather your  prescriptions

If you’re traveling for a long period of time, it’s important you speak with your doctor ahead of time so that you can pick up enough of your medication to last the duration of your trip. After all, being without your medication when you need it most can lead to a range of problems, or interfere with your overall enjoyment of the trip.

You should also carry out some research ahead of time about bringing medication into the different countries you are visiting, as you may have to bring along your prescription and a note from your doctor, depending on the countries you are heading to. This research ensures that your medication will not be confiscated when you are checking in. 

Think about home security

When traveling abroad, you are leaving your home unattended to for days and sometimes weeks at a time. While this may not seem like a major issue, it means you are actually much more vulnerable to theft and burglary during this time, as criminals will often target vacant properties. According to a recent study, your risk of having your home burglarized increases if you are posting vacation pics onto your social media, as you’re essentially letting people know there’s nobody present at your home.

As such, it’s important that you invest in home security measures before you travel. For example, you should install a security alarm that will alert the relevant authorities when someone has gained unauthorised access to your home and property. You may also want to install a ring doorbell, so that you can see who is coming and going (such as pet sitters or friends and family). 

You may also want to store anything that is particularly valuable in storage during this time, or at least lock it away somewhere within your home as opposed to leaving it on the side. This will again provide you with a greater sense of security so that you can enjoy your vacation without worrying about your home and belongings. This means you’ll have much more fun on your trip!