In part 2 of our Travel Series, we are sharing our thoughts on Travel Insurance as well as a host of other resources you definitely will want to know about! Read on for our tips and tricks so that you can become even more prepared on your journeys.
Travel Hacking, Continued!
Close your eyes and think of your dream destination. I know you have one! Now imagine it crawling with people. If you go your desired destination during peak travel season, not only will it be very busy, but it will also be a lot more expensive. Airlines, hotels, trains, rental cars, and even Uber will increase their prices during peak seasons just because they can.
To avoid the extra costs, large crowds, and long lines travel during “shoulder season.” Shoulder season is the time right before or after peak season. For example, if your dream vacation spot is Paris, don’t go in July or August when everyone else will be there! Instead, go between April and June or September to early November. The weather will still be more agreeable during that time, and there will be fewer crowds and cheaper pricing.
If you want to save even more money, you can travel during the off-season. For Paris that would be November to the end of March, and even cheaper still from December to February. You can still see everything you want to see, the weather will just be a bit cooler. You can easily Google shoulder season or off-season travel dates for wherever you would like to go!
Another way to travel less expensively is to set flight price alerts through Google Flights, Skyscanner, or Hopper. If you know you want to go to a certain destination and are somewhat flexible on dates, just set the alert and wait for the price to drop! It couldn’t be easier!
Travel Insurance 101
What is it?
Travel insurance is not unlike regular insurance – it helps you ensure that you and your travel plans are protected from any unforeseen circumstance. Most of the time, there are two main types of travel insurance: trip cancellation insurance and medical/travel protection. As you may have guessed, trip cancellation insurance protects you if you need to cancel your trip or if unforeseen circumstances (such as weather, natural disasters, and any other unfortunate event) prevent you from traveling. The second type of insurance is the protection you receive while you are on your journey.
Why do you need it?
Insurance is one of those things that you hope you never need to use, but if you do, you’ll be so glad you have it. Travel insurance is no exception. If you’re planning to spend a significant of your savings or budget on a big, pre-paid or non-refundable trip, then you may want to protect yourself and your purchase with trip cancellation insurance. You wouldn’t want to lose your deposit or other funds just because Mother Nature decided to intervene!
On the other hand, if you do travel outside of the country, you may want to obtain actual trip insurance just in case you need medical attention. Most people are actually surprised to learn that typical medical insurance coverage does not extend to you if you are outside of the country. Should you fall ill or need to be airlifted or life-flighted in the case of an emergency, the applicable part of your travel insurance will be incredibly helpful in preventing major bills from accruing.
Who may want to consider it?
If losing all of your pre-paid or non-refundable payments would be fairly detrimental to your budget, you may want to consider protecting your purchase. Additionally, if you are retired and on Medicare, you also may want to consider trip/medical coverage as Medicare will not fund medical coverage outside of the country.
Furthermore, if you know that you tend to be a fairly stressed or anxious traveler, purchasing travel insurance may reduce the amount of anxiety you experience and may potentially give you the peace of mind that comes with knowing you’ve secured protection regardless of what happens.
Where can you go to learn more?
For more information on travel insurance and the various types of options available, head over to www.travelinsurance.com.
Also, as promised, we’ve compiled some of our most favorite resources for you to use to help plan your next adventure. Explore the below and let us know which ones you end up using!!
Favorite travel blog:
Favorite podcast:
ChooseFi – they have some great travel hacking podcasts – https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/choosefi/id1187770032
Talking Points – https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/talking-points/id1441659097
Favorite travel hacking resources:
Favorite Travel Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/suitcase/
Helpful Resources:
Duolingo App – https://www.duolingo.com/register
Lonely Planet Publications – https://www.lonelyplanet.com/
Rick Steve’s Europe – https://www.ricksteves.com/
We would like to thank the lovely and incredibly knowledgeable Laurel Wilson for her assistance in putting together this post. For more on Laurel and her travels, visit her website: Lost in Laurel Land or follow along on Instagram: @laurelwilson.
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