Maybe It's Time for A New Suitcase

First time I remember seeing people get hit with overweight fees for their bags was back in 2006. Checking in for a Thanksgiving week flight, a family of 3 ahead of us had to cough up $280 for their three bags. Needless to say, they were those 28" traditional soft side suitcases. Of course I was a little worried, because Big Red(if you don't know we like to nickname stuff in my family) was the next size down, but luckily it was fine. After that the bags always went on the bathroom scale to make sure they were under 50 lbs. A few years later I was in the market for a bag that bridged the size from Big Red to our collection of those ubiquitous black 20" wheelies that everyone uses for carry-ons. I came across a soft wheelie duffle bag from High Sierra, 24" and it only weighs 7 lbs. Eye roll from my husband, on why I needed that. Well come one of those winter long weekends and we are headed up to Boyne Mountain to ski. He volunteered to pack, and came down stairs amazed at what he could get into that bag, ski pants, ski gloves, snow boots and goggles and he still had room and it didn't feel that heavy. Of course this bag has a nickname also, Angry Orange, so you can guess what color it is. It's a tough bag it's been on 4 cruises, various other flying trips and it handled 6th grade Camp Michindoh with my youngest. Other than a few dirt marks, it still looks great and nothing has fallen off.

So when ebags had a sale I purchased the above bag, which is a TLS Mother Load 29" Wheeled Duffle. I really like the two sections, which is great when I have to do a dual trip, vacation stuff in one section and business clothes in the other. I used it this past summer when I was in Europe for 10 days I weighed it before I left and it was only 38 pounds and that included 4 pairs of shoes! I promise I will do a blog on how I decide what to bring on a trip.

So if you are planning on hitting the road or skies in the near future take a look at your suitcase. I am not a fan of those lightweight hard side bags. They tend not to last more than a few flights if you are checking them, seen more than a few on the baggage carousel that are cracked.

Here are my tips:

1. Always weigh your bags at home, I use my bathroom scale and for a checked bag I don't want it to weigh more than 45 pounds. I have found my scale is pretty accurate, but leave some room for purchases and scale variations.

2. If you have too much get that 2nd bag out, 2nd bag fees are usually less than overweight charges. I have seen Delta want to charge $100 for 5 pounds.

3. Know your airlines weight restrictions, yep the usual suspects are 50 pounds, but you fly Spirit it's  only 40 pounds.

4. If you have to pay for bags, figure out when is the best time to pay for them. Spirit and a lot of the European budget airlines have price breaks on when you buy bag fees. Cheapest when you buy the ticket, more expensive when you check in online and you really pay through the nose when you do it at the airport. And we all think Spirit nickels & dimes us, you haven't seen the European budget airlines!

5. Some airlines are weighing your carry-on bag, the 20" ones that are so loved by road warriors. Air Canada & Hawaiian have started to do this.

So if your old suitcases don't look like they will make another flight or you are just plain embarrassed by them, check out some of the newer lightweight bags.

Get The Right Resort For You

Oops guess the girls missed the part about "senior" singles all inclusive resort. Looks like they focused on the "bright shiny thing" aka the price and didn't catch who the resort actually caters too. So now that vacation they have been eagerly anticipating is not what they wanted. So they either sulk for the entire time or make the best of it. Has this happened to you? Went to a resort and found that it was either too loud, too quiet or too many or not enough kids?

Don't want to be a subject of a cartoon after your next vacation? Call your travel consultant! They want you to have a great vacation, whether you are looking for a resort to let your hair down and party hardy or taking the kids and your mom for a holiday trip so she can spend time with her family instead of being stuck in the kitchen for days. A travel consultant asks the right questions and then goes to work finding the resort that is right for YOU and your vacation objectives. They do this everyday and have their fingers on the pulse of the travel industry.

Besides looking for a family or adult only resort and what your budget is, a travel consultant will ask how long are thinking about going for? Are you a beach person, who wants a long stretch of sand or are you looking for a cove where the water is calmer for your younger kids? And speaking of kids, how old are they? A travel professional wants to know your party's likes/dislikes and what you would like to do on vacation. Are you happy sitting by the pool or does that drive you crazy? By getting to know you, the can narrow down the selection to 2-3 resorts to present to you and help you pick the right one for you and your budget.

How long would it take you to do this yourself? Travel Professionals save you time and make vacation planning stress free for you by providing all the components you need for a great trip.

Also they have your back if something goes wrong, they will be your advocate and spend that time on hold to get something taken care of for you. Most of us get calls from people who have booked themselves via online or the stores that specialize in bulk toilet paper and ask for help. Since we are not the agent of record we can't. This is especially painful for customers who "used" us for research and went and booked themselves. Nothing we can do other than tell you to call that 800 number and hope someone can assist you.

By developing a relationship with a travel professional, you'll find someone who will find the best trip at the best price for you. Plus as an added bonus you get someone who will always be excited to talk about your trip with you.

Selecting The Right Family Vacation

When choosing a family vacation there are lots of things to consider including climate, available vacation time, how much you want to spend and whether you want to drive or fly.  If you only have a short weekend, you might want to consider a quick city getaway or even a short three or four day cruise.  We have done both, and they can really give your family a nice break from the daily grind.  With short weekend trips you may even want to consider options where you can drive instead of flying.  Flying can be quite the hassle these days, and if your time is short, you may not want to risk 8 hours in an airport while your flights are delayed.

With a week of vacation time, you can do almost anything...within reason.  There are excellent vacation packages and hundreds of cruises to choose from that leave on both Saturday and Sunday, making it very convenient.  You will also find that many hotels offer you a package rate when you stay an extended period.  Look for hotels that give you free nights when you stay 3, 4 or 5 nights.  Even if you do not see it when booking, be sure to ask.  I always say, "Good things come to those who ask."

If you have vacation time, you may want to consider an international vacation.  This is the perfect time to visit Alaska, Europe, Asia or even the South Pacific.