I remember when I started planning my first solo trip to Goa 10 years back. I had no idea what I was doing. I spoke to my friends who had been to Goa earlier to get some insights. But my purpose was not met as their driving force was purely about getting drunk, being out of bound and wasted while in Goa. So, instead I tried to google out about the place. Back then, travel blogs were not that common. Instead people used to rely more on travel magazines. So, I went to a second hand book market and grabbed a copy of Outlook Traveller Magazine. It made the trip seem more real, but it didn’t prepare me for planning a solo trip. I was lost. I figured it out as I went, just hoping I didn’t miss anything.

Trip planning can be a daunting task. Where do you begin? What’s step one? What’s step two? What’s step three? It’s easy to get overwhelmed, especially when you haven’t done something like this before.

I don’t want to get to my next destination and then realize I forgot something. And neither do you!

Nothing ruins the joy of traveling like forgetting and stressing over something you should have done ahead of time. Simple steps like asking the right questions, reading reviews, and checking the weather are just a few ways to get started. Read on to learn ways in which you can prepare for your next trip. Then reduce travel anxiety by printing a travel planning checklist.

Travel Planning Checklist: 18 Ways To Prepare For Your Next Vacation

1. Recognise your REAL budget

YES! Majority of the people do the mistake of finalising the destination first without being sure whether they have the budget for that. Consequently, half-way down the planning they realise that they are short of budget and either they cut down on the trip or choose an alternate destination and go through the whole planning process again.  Don’t try to inflate your budget. It will only cause you a headache later. It’s best to find your budget and then choose a destination so you can go somewhere affordable. It’s best to have a vacation fund set aside, but if you don’t, you’ll want to save money for your trip before you go on to the next step.

If you’re on a lower budget, one the biggest tips I can give is to travel to places off-season. You can save about 50% off your total trip by doing this because not only are flights cheaper but so are hotels and even tours.

2. Decide the length of your trip

If you are not a full time traveller then this is also very important. You must be doing something to earn your daily bread and your finances are dependent on that. So, you shall have to arrange for leaves if not travelling during holidays. Knowing the length of your trip becomes crucial for that.

How much does it cost to travel? I have no idea without knowing for how long I’m going away. You can’t figure out how much you need to save if you haven’t decided on how long you’ll be in your destination. After you say “I’m going to Paris,” add “for 10 days.” Now, you have a concrete plan to work from. “I am going to Paris for 10 days” is a trip that you can plan for.

3. Choose your destination

Once you have your budget and decided the length of your trip you’ll want to choose where to go! Sunny? Snowy? Paradise island? Backpacking Asia? The Grand Canyon? Figure out what the dream destination of the moment is. You might feel torn, but that’s because there is so much of this beautiful world to see. You might never feel 100% sure, but you can’t travel without choosing your destination, so pick the one that stands out the most within the budget and the length of trip.

Set realistic goals. Say you can not plan a 15 day trip to Swiss Alps, French Polynesia and Spain for a shoestring budget.

4. Research your Costs

So you know your budget, where you’re going and how long you’ll be there, but to really nail down how much money you need, your next task is to research the costs in your destination at the style of travel you want. Do you want to backpack, or would you rather stay in luxury hotels? How much are hostels, hotels, restaurants, and attractions? Knowing will allow you to estimate how much money you’ll need for your trip. Here is how to research costs:

1. Buy a guidebook.
2. Ask on community websites like travel forums and Facebook group, Tripadvisor or Lonely Planet.
3. Google prices for specific things you want to do.

You don’t need to do more than that. There’s so much information on the web that if you go down the rabbit hole of overplanning, you’ll get lost and confused by the firehose of information. Stick to those three things and you’ll be set!

For say if you are going to Thailand for 10 days and need Rs. 2750 a day (not including your flight),  you know you need to save  Rs. 27,500 (though round up to Rs. 30,000since it’s good to have extra) for your trip.

5. Start saving money

Write down all your current expenses so you can determine where you are spending money and how you can cut back. People bleed a lot of money every day through small purchases: that bottle of water, the Rs. 100 for that snack, that extra coffee. All of that adds up and creating this breakdown can let you know where you need to cut and save.

For example, if you need Rs. 40,000 for the trip you’re taking in six months, that means you only have to save Rs. 222.22 per day. Couldn’t you find a way to save Rs. 222 per day? Heck, your daily cigarette and that whiskey twice a week and that weekend lunch at the lounge is most of that!

You can read this post Save For Your Trip for more in-depth and creative ways to cut your day-to-day expenses.

6. Check for Last-Minute Deals

Okay, you’re inspired, prepared, and on your way to saving money for your trip. But before you go buy that flight or book that hotel, check for deals you might have missed. You may dream of Switzerland but maybe there are great deals to Slovenia right now. Maybe you can get a seven-day cruise for 70% off, a package deal to Thailand for the price of your flight to Singapore, or 50% off sailing trips around Greece.

It’s a big world, and there are lots of places I want to see, so if I end up choosing B over A, I’m happy! If you’re flexible too, make sure you look for any money-saving deals.

Also, do not associate travelling with ego satiation or as a status quo. For every honeymoon couple Switzerland is the dream destination. Also it is a status quo to go there for your honeymoon. BUT there are other destinations which are not less, may be even better a place to be. Travel for the love of it and not just to mere get your passport stamped for bragging.

7. Keep Up-To-Date On Weather Conditions

Are you booking a cruise during hurricane season? Could your plans be delayed due to winter weather? Weather conditions can play a huge role in your travel plans. Knowing what to expect can help you pack, plan, and be prepared!

8. Book your flight

Once you are through all of the above its time to book your flights. And learning how to find cheap flights will help you to reduce one of your biggest travel expenses.

If it’s an overseas trip and a long haul flight I like to plan my trip so we get to our destination as quickly as possible, with the most amount of comfort and facilities our budget allows!

If it’s your one-and-only dream vacation for the year, and you only have 1-2 weeks, I recommend you pay the little bit extra for a premium airline and fly direct too!

Searching for flights

There are many ways to avoid being the person on the flight who paid the most. My favorite sites for finding cheap airfare:

• Momondo – A great platform for finding really cheap flights.
• Skyscanner – Skyscanner is one of the best websites for searching multiple destinations at the same time.
• Kiwi – Kiwi is great for finding lesser-known routes or smaller carriers.
• AirTreks – AirTreks focuses exclusively on multi-destination RTW tickets.

For the best deals, book your flight about two months in advance.

When searching for cheap flights online we always start with Skyscanner, it’s one of my favorite booking sites.

Skyscanner is a comparison site that searches millions of flights from over a thousand airlines, and once you’ve found your flight on Skyscanner you are taken to the airline or agency to make your booking (no extra fees added).

Other credible flight search engines include Kayak, Hipmunk and Google Flights.

Go direct to the airlines

After you have used the flight search engines suggested above and found your best flight, go directly to that airline’s own website and see if you can get it for cheaper.

Many airlines have lower fares only available on their own site.

9. Book your accommodation

Where you sleep is your other major fixed travel expense, so choosing the best accommodation for your needs at the best price will free up more money for activities. Depending on the length of my trip and the destination, I chop and change between accommodation styles.

If I am planning my trip that’s longer than a weekend getaway we prefer to stay in apartments. They offer several benefits:

• Access to a full kitchen
• Separate bedrooms from the living room
• You have your own laundry.
• You can book a 3 or 4-bed apartment and split the costs with another family or friends.

These extra facilities on a long stay can make your trip so much more enjoyable. But if it’s a short city stay, or we’re just traveling as a couple, we’re happy to stay in a hotel. While traveling solo, I prefer to go for Dorms or Hostels.

Love hotels? They won’t save you money, but you can sign up for some hotel credit cards and get free rooms, too. Marriott has a great rewards card whose sign-up bonus is equal to one week’s free stay. Starwood’s AMEX card is wonderful too, but the spending threshold in order to get the points bonus is higher.

The following booking sites offer the best rates for accommodation:

• Hostelworld – Hostelworld has the largest selection of hostels and is my go-to site for finding affordable hostels online.
• Agoda – Agoda has the best results if you’re heading to Asia and the widest selection of properties in the region.
• Booking.com – Booking.com is the best overall platform for finding budget hotels and guesthouses. They have the biggest inventory and best deals.

My favorite accommodation search website is Booking.com. They have over 1 million properties worldwide in 200 countries.

Besides listing all the major hotel brands, you can find a variety of low-cost independently owned hotels that can be difficult to find elsewhere.

I find their website user-friendly and recommend you start your accommodation search there when you plan your trip.

Great features:

• Book now, pay later at check in
• Free cancellation on most rooms
• 24/7 customer service
• Best price guarantee

When you plan your trip also consider Airbnb. They are another one of our favorite accommodation sites when I plan my trip.

Airbnb are in 180 countries and you can book entire apartments and houses, or just spare bedrooms allowing you the choice between having the place all to yourself or staying with and getting to know the owner.

Even if you never meet your host, you’ll get to feel more like a local.

10. Getting Around

Another thing to consider when planning a trip is to find out the transportation options in your chosen destination.

Will you need to book a rental car or pre-purchase any transportation passes online? Is there a train or bus service? Are there taxis or Uber? Can you simply walk to most places?

For example, when you visit Sydney you need an Opal Card to get around on public transport. When you visit London you need an Oyster Card for public transportation. If you travel to New Delhi, Delhi Metro Tourist Card helps you cover most of the city by Metro Train. Are you planning to travel through Europe by train?

During your travel planning research the transport options for your destination. This will save you time and stress once there.

Rental Cars

If you need a rental car, booking online in advance will almost always get you a better deal than if you just show up at the counter. And it’s easier and quicker.

The last thing you want to do after a long flight is deal with rental car companies at the airport and negotiate a deal.

The quickest way to compare rental companies is to use an aggregator site that searches all the major car brands at once and checks which supplier offers the best prices for your chosen dates and location.

RentalCars.com is one such site helps save time and money for finding cheap rental cars.

11. Plan your activities

Outline the major activities you want to enjoy and how much they cost. Make any last-minute adjustments to your savings so you can ensure you have enough money. This will also help you figure out if you need any reservations for your chosen tours or activities.

When you plan a trip you’ll want to know what are the must-visit tourist attractions and the best free things to do in your chosen destination.

As much as I like to just show up, some trip planning is a good idea especially if you are visiting a popular destination in the peak travel season.

Popular attractions like Alcatraz in San Francisco and the Sydney Harbour Bridge Climb are booked out well in advance, so don’t just show up on the day expecting to get in.

Research and organize your tickets to any theme parks, zoos, and concerts etc. And many cities also have City Passes that can save you money on attractions. Research those in your travel planning!

Are you planning a trip so you can:

• Eat at a famous restaurant
• See a Broadway Show when you visit New York
• Take a scenic flight over The Grand Canyon
• Do a cooking class in Italy
• Visit Disney World in Orlando

Plan ahead and book any necessary experiences you would like to have.

Make a list of:

• Free things to do
• Parks and playgrounds
• Best walks
• City tours
• Day trips

Resources:

For ideas on things to do in your destination, use these resources:

• Blogs / Google (use different search terms)
• Pinterest (create a board for your destination)
• Tourism board websites
• Ask family & friends who have been there
• Facebook (put out an update asking for tips)
• Twitter (hashtags)
• Guide books (we use Lonely Planet Guide Books)
• Instagram (hashtags)
• Viator
• Trip Advisor
• Hotel receptionist/bellboy (once in location)

Need help choosing a tour or activity?

Viator has a team of travel insiders who handpick the best local tours, attractions, and activities. And they pre-vet them all to make sure you always have an exceptional experience.

12. Places to Eat & Drink

You can learn a lot about a destination through its food and drink, and you can even plan a trip by eating your way through a destination. For some people that is their favorite thing about travel. Is that you?

When I plan my trips I love to discover new cafes, restaurants, bars and pubs when I travel. I like to try the local delicacies, the local craft beers, and coffee scene.

And as a family, it’s important we learn about the family friendly places to eat, not only from a practicality standpoint but from a budget standpoint.

Research ideas for:

• Coffee shops
• Cafes
• Restaurants
• Street food
• Food trucks
• Bars
• Pubs
• Picnic spots (supermarkets for supplies)
• Famous local dishes

Resources:

• Blogs / Google (use different search terms)
• Pinterest (create a board for your destination)
• Ask family & friends who have been there
• Facebook (put out an update asking for tips)
• Twitter (hashtags)
• Instagram (hashtags)
• Trip Advisor
• Hotel receptionist/bellboy (once in location)

13. Make Copies of Important Documents

When you are planning a trip sometimes your important documents get misplaced. Companies can lose your booking reservation or there is a communication breakdown between the price you paid and the expected service.

For peace of mind, make copies of important documents such as:

• Passports
• Visas
• Flight tickets
• Itineraries
• Hotel reservations
• Rental car reservations
• Tour bookings
• Drivers license
• Credit Cards
• and anything else you booked for your trip.

Print out hard copies and save your confirmation emails into a “folder” in your web-based email account. Consider leaving copies at home with a trusted person, and if traveling with a partner each carry copies.

Hard copies of certain documents are important as you won’t always have access to the internet to search email.

14. Phone & Internet

These days almost everyone travels with at least a smartphone, plus other gadgets that require connection to the internet and a data plan.

As travel bloggers, I know more than most the frustration at not being able to be connected on the road. But you might just like to update your Facebook account or send emails so family and friends can follow your travels.

This is what I do when I travel abroad:

• I have an unlocked phone so I can use local SIM cards.
• Or, I use my phone only when I have access to free wifi.
• As for my laptop, I either use the free wifi in my room, at a cafe, or I use a mobile data device such as WiWander and Tep Wireless.

Research the data plans and SIM card situation for your destination.

One thing you will need is an international travel plug adapter so you can plug in your charger, phone, and laptop. I don’t go anywhere without one of these and it makes for a great travel gift.

15. Accessing your money

We all want ease and convenience when traveling, especially when it comes to accessing our money. We also want to reduce our bank and transaction fees. The more money we keep in our own pockets, the more we have to spend on travel.

International transaction fees can be hefty when using the WRONG credit cards and checking account cards.

Considering there are people reading this from many different countries and traveling to different destinations, it is impossible for me to recommend THE BEST cards or ways for everyone to access their money.

Checking (Current) or Savings Account

There may be times when you need to make multiple payments, receipts and other transactions, similar to traders and entrepreneurs. They need to access their accounts frequently prefer using a Checking (Current) Account for this. But what is a Checking Account and how does it differ from a Savings Account? Here is a list to help you understand the difference between Current Account and saving account:

• Meaning 
  A savings account is a deposit account which allows limited transactions, while a Checking Account is meant for daily transactions.
• Suitability
  A savings account is most suitable for people who are salaried employees or have a monthly income, whereas, Checking Accounts work best for traders and entrepreneurs who need to access their accounts frequently.
• Interest
  Savings accounts earn interest at a rate of around 4%, while there is no such earning from a Checking Account. A Checking Account is actually a no interest-bearing deposit account.
• Overdrawing
  When you withdraw more money from the account, than is actually there, then your account is said to be overdrawn. In the case of a savings account, banks neither offer nor allow overdraft facilities, whereas, this facility is provided with a Checking Account.
• Minimum balance
  The minimum balance required to maintain a Savings Account is usually low, but for a Checking Account it is much higher in comparison.

The usage of various facilities associated with the above two accounts varies from country to country. So, please check banking regulations respective to the visiting country.

How to carry your money?

If this is your first overseas trip and you don’t know how to carry your money, one of my best travel tips is to have more than one option! When I travel I use a combination of:

• Debit Cards
• Credit Cards
• Travel Money Cards
• Cash

Debit Cards

Debit cards are a good alternative to credit cards for when you plan your trip overseas. Not everyone has a credit card, but most have a debit card.

Debit cards also come with either a MasterCard or Visa logo so you can use them everywhere MasterCard or Visa cards are accepted.

The other benefit is there’s no risk of overspending with a debit card because it’s your money in the account to start with, not your bank’s money.

Which debit card is best for you?

That depends on what country you come from. We can’t offer advice for every nationality, but you can still apply these tips and seek a card with similar features as the cards listed below!

Benefits:

• No ATM fees worldwide.
• No fee for foreign currency exchange.
• No monthly service fees.
• No account minimum.
• Unlimited reimbursement of any ATM usage.

Credit Cards

You’ll almost certainly need a credit card when traveling in order to book flights, rental cars, hotels etc online. Providers require this for the security deposit, plus paying with a credit card provides some insurance and security for you.

If you have a problem with a hotel room or a tour, you can dispute the payment with Visa/MasterCard. If you pay cash, it’s gone.

Make sure when you plan your trip overseas your card is linked to either the PLUS, Cirrus or Maestro networks. This enables you to access cash anywhere worldwide.

And it’s a good idea to carry both a Visa and a MasterCard. You can also have an American Express Platinum Edge Card.

Look for a credit card that has:

• No international ATM withdrawal fees.
• No currency conversion fees.
• No fees on cash advances.
• No annual fee.
• Reward points for airlines and hotels

PIN Number Tips

• Get a 4 digit PIN number.
• Many ATM’s abroad, particularly Europe, do not accept PIN’s longer than four digits.
• If your PIN is based on letters rather than numbers, change it to numbers. Many ATM’s only have numbers on their keypads.
• ATM’s often don’t have a 0 button (zero) or won’t accept PIN’s that start with 0. Go to your bank and change your pin to four digits that don’t include the number zero.
• Know your PIN number by heart—never carry it around in your wallet.

 Prepaid Travel Money Card

There are pros and cons to using a travel money card when you plan your trip, and from our research we figured the pros lean more towards ease, accessibility, and reduced fees.

These cards are not a credit card. You load up your own money on the card then access the local currency through international ATMs around the world.

What to look for in a pre-paid travel money card:

• What currencies can be loaded onto the card?
• Can you lock in the exchange rate?
• Sign up fee – These can range from $0-$20
• Reload fee – usually a commission or flat fee.
• Currency conversion fees
• ATM withdrawal fees.
• Card cancellation fees.
• Monthly fees to keep the card open
• How many days required before reloading money is cleared?

For a trip that involves multiple destinations, I think prepaid travel money cards are a good option.

Notify Your Bank

Before you depart, be sure to contact your bank and credit card companies to inform them that you will be traveling, where to and when. This is to stop them putting a freeze on your card if they see unusual transactions from overseas.

16. Buy Travel Insurance

“If you can’t afford travel insurance, then you can’t afford to travel”. It’s that simple.

Not having travel insurance on an overseas trip (or domestic) is not worth the risk. Anything can, will, and sometimes goes wrong. If it does and you are not insured, you can be up for a lot of money AND inconvenience.

When you are planning a trip, don’t shrug off this step. It’s one of the most important vacation planning tips!

What happens if:

• You need to cancel your trip unexpectedly
• A hurricane damages your destination
• There is a terrorist event
• You get sick or injured on your trip
• Your luggage is lost or stolen
• You lose your passport

Travel insurance is designed to cover unexpected medical emergencies and events such as trip cancellation, your personal effects, lost, stolen or damaged luggage by an airline, and other related losses incurred while traveling.

Which travel insurance is best for you? There are different levels of coverage depending on:

• The plan
• The insurance company you purchase with
• The size of your deductible (excess)

Best Travel Insurance Companies

One of the best travel insurance companies we have used many times since 2006 is World Nomads. Simple and flexible to use and they cover residents from 150 countries.

World Nomads allows you to buy travel insurance online 24/7 from anywhere in the world, even if you’re already traveling (love this option!)

Americans can check out trusted brands like Allianz Travel and AMEX . And to compare travel insurance companies, check out Insure My Trip and Squaremouth.

17. Pack Smart

Thinking about packing can be stressful when you are planning your trip, but the best thing to do is pack the bare minimum because you can always buy it there!

Encourage your kids to choose and pack their own clothes to minimize complaints and to teach travel planning skills.

Select versatile, comfortable and loose fitting clothes and neutral colors that can be worn in multiple combinations so if something gets dirty you only have to change part of the outfit.

Packing cells are a lifesaver. In each packing cell, I roll up each item and arrange clothes based on type and season.

With young kids, pack a change of clothes for dinner, pajamas, or what is needed during the day in case of accidents.

Top 5 Travel Packing Tips:

1. Know the weather of the destination you are visiting, which helps reduce over-packing.
2. When flying take a change of clothes in your carry-on just in case your checked-in luggage doesn’t arrive with you.
3. Know the activities you will be doing so you can pack appropriately.
4. Know the types of accommodation you will be staying at. If you are staying in hotels you won’t need to take things like towels, hair dryers or linen.
5. Charge your electronics and load up all your tablets and portable devices with things to read, play, watch.

Here’s a suggested packing list to help you take just the right amount of stuff and avoid over-packing. While what you pack will depend on where you are going, remember that you don’t need to pack everything you own. I usually travel with a 50L bag and then a day bag, and that’s probably a great size for pretty much any trip. You don’t need a massive 70L bag stuffed to the top for a trip. So collect your items and then remove at least 20%.

18. Enjoy your trip

Go on your trip and have fun! Head to the airport, board your plane (don’t forget your passport!), and enjoy the fruits of your labor. You’ve worked hard to get here. If you’re feeling nervous, don’t worry — that’s perfectly normal! You’re about to embark on an amazing adventure. Trust your planning, follow your instincts, and you’ll have the trip of a lifetime.

I did leave out visas and vaccinations, because needing those isn’t as universal as the other stuff on this list, but don’t forget to check if you need those, too!

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