10 Common TRAVEL MISTAKES to Avoid Before Travel | Pre-trip checklist

Pre-trip checklist of what NOT to do before traveling. Avoid common travel mistakes before vacation and save yourself money, time, and set yourself up for an easy return home from vacation.

In today's video, we will cover:
- The top 10 easy to avoid mistakes that travelers make before vacation.
- A pre-travel checklist of things not to forget before a trip.
- How to lower home energy costs while on a trip
- How to keep your home safe while on a trip
- Perfect travel life hacks to make for an easy return home from vacation

Travel Insurance ($1.43/ day!)

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CHAPTERS:
0:00 - 10 easy mistakes travelers make
0:38 - Mistake #1: Announcing your trip on Social media
0:48 - Save the photos and announcements for once you return home
0:56 - Mistake #2: Blatantly obvious that your home is empty
1:15 - Put a hold on your mail
1:22 - Install timers to control when lights go on in your home
1:36 - Mistake #3: Forgetting to adjust the thermostat
2:00 - Mistake #4: Not unplugging all of your electronic devices
2:30 - Mistake #5: Neglecting to pay your bills
3:03 - Mistake #6: Not taking out any of the not needed cards from your wallet
3:47 - Mistake #7: Not speaking with a neighbor or family who can access your house
4:33 - Mistake #8: Not Emptying or running your dishwasher
4:47 - Mistake #9: Not Throwing out or giving away your perishable food
5:10 - Mistake #10: Not throwing out your trash

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// ABOUT

Welcome to Portable Professional, your go-to resource for stress-free travel.

Megan here, Hello! I’ve taken well over 300 flights and countless trips in the last decade. I have learned how to have seamless travel experiences without unnecessary stress and anxiety. I’m here to help you also feel confident about your travels while making the most of every trip.

Ready for stress-free travels? Subscribe and join us every Wednesday and Sunday for informative videos full of practical tips. You'll learn how to navigate airport security, pack like a pro, identify scams, and even uncover little-known hacks to take your travel to the next level. (these are my specialty!)

[steveemail]

Great job. A couple more tips I would add: 1) have your airline's customer service number programmed into your phone. If your flight is delayed or cancelled, 9 times out of 10 you will get an agent on the phone faster than standing in a long line at the airport. 2) when you arrive at your destination, love your passport securely in the hotel, just keep a photocopy with you when exploring (good to have as well uncase you lose your passport - the Embassy can get you one faster if you can provide a copy with your PP#. 3) Speaking of the Embassy, when traveling, always know where the closest location of your country's Embassy.

[WhaleTart]

You covered the mistakes very well, I have advised many clients and friends of all these. As a mother of 3 young children back in the day, I didn't check that the toilets were flushed and came back to a very smelly home. So it was on my list after that. And there was a comment further down re water inlets, as I unplug electrical points I also close the washing machine and dishwasher inlet fittings.
A friend of mine had a massively high water bill after a holiday. Their daughter had watered all the pot plants and just shut of the spray at the nozzle and not the tap. The nozzle popped off soon after they left and they came back to a flooded garden and a knee buckling water bill.
Re another comment further down: Making the effort to have two sets of certified copies of all your documents as you start off is something all my clients did moaning and groaning but I insisted as it really really helps when you actually need it. Like travel insurance, you only appreciate it if and when you need it. I had a client who fell in the plane toilet shortly after departure and broke her leg, she really was happy that she was covered.

[robertfader]

Given today's weather, I thought of one more: If you go away during the winter, be sure to arrange for someone to shovel your driveway and sidewalk if it snows. Nothing says "no one is home" like untouched snow for days after a storm!

[robertbangkok]

Rock solid advise. Two points: If you empty a usually full wallet (good advice), be aware that whatever remains will be loose, no longer held in place by the pressure of all the stuff you've removed, and thus prone to falling out quite easily. Second, I always travel with my birth certificate as well as my passport and drivers license and I keep them in "waist wallet" hidden under my pants. I also take color photocopies or color photos of those documents and lock them in a hotel safe, in-room if available.

[playboymaxim]

My recent trip from SC to Las Vegas, I 1: Left my wallet with all my credit cards in my car in the airport parking lot, 2: Dropped my wallet containing my driver's license at the rental center at LAS. Thank God I was able to recover both. I am now strongly considering purchasing a man-purse lol! Great vid!

[markfoley]

Travel notification at my bank and credit card company; clean the toilet if it is a long trip (for the same reason you would take out the trash and run the dishwasher); and leave a copy of my travel insurance and other critical documents with a sibling or friend as well as have printed copies with me and digital copies available on my mobile device or the cloud. Happy New Year!

[vonniebench]

Great mistakes! At 67, I know most...however I really do not publicize on social media - us being gone! That is so important :)

[caroldale]

Also turn off your water to avoid leaks or major flood if something bursts.

[dirtyf]

Not taking out the trash has got me more times than I would like to admit. Great list!

[jamesamberg]

Experience is a great teacher. I also unplug the garage door opener.

[margaretmathis]

This won’t apply for the majority, but we have cats. We have someone come to the house to check on them, etc., but we always make it a point to “cat proof” the house before we leave. Bored kitties can get into a lot of mischief, especially if you’re not there to keep an eye on them.

[Athletics]

Megan; Excellent presentation! Great tips! During my airline career, I was away from home for 4-5 days at a time. More than a few times, I did forget to turn off the thermostat! One more tip: If you have a home security system, turn it on before you leave the house. Hope you have a great 2022! Safe travels!

[angielovett]

Excellent advice! Thank you! I always change the sheets too. I also did think to take a bunch of stuff out of my wallet (and paid the bills) before our last trip.

[Naughtycatholic]

Empty the coffee pot and tea kettle. Coffee grounds and tea bags can get "fuzzy" and spoiled

[davesaunders]

Great tips Megan.If a homeowner I turn off the water to house( usually before the water meter). If in a condo and you have laundry machine you can turn those taps off or possibly dishwasher water feed too. Those braided flexible hoses have a tendency to leak when old and If no one is home when they do.... I know friends who had a toilet crack and leak when they were away and water flowed till they got back. You can also reduce hot water tank to vacation setting as well.

[bencruzsf]

These are great practical tips that are truly necessary when traveling! Happy New Year!

[tammypearson]

Happy New Year! I've made most of these mistakes... ugh! Here's one idea that I don't forget anymore... let your bank, debit or credit card company know you are going on vacation or out of town and where you're going. My bank didn't allow me the use of my cards when I went overseas! It only takes a few minutes to let those institutions know when and where you're going. They will be keeping a closer eye on your accounts too!

[tw]

I always respect a good Charlie Brown Christmas Tree for the Holidays. No mess.

[sherij]

6 out of 20 had their passports stolen? Yikes, I will be in Paris next week.. I do have a backpack with a locked closure so hopefully that will help!

[hmc]

Thank's Megan!
Good work!
And a Happy New Year!