| Going away on vacation should be an enjoyable | | | | your wallet the thieves cannot wreck your credit |
| experience but everyone has a horror story to | | | | rating. |
| tell. Perhaps your hotel room was robbed, or | | | | 7. Bring important phone numbers with you on |
| perhaps a careless spouse accidentally gambled | | | | your trip and put them in two different places. |
| away more money than they realized, or perhaps | | | | Bring a phone number that will cancel your credit |
| you simply lost your wallets somewhere between | | | | card; if you're traveling out of the country bring a |
| the airport and hotel. Here are 10 ways to make | | | | phone number to reach the embassy; bring phone |
| sure that your trip is a success in spite of those | | | | numbers of close family and friends who can help |
| obstacles. | | | | you if you get into trouble; and bring phone |
| 1. Use a hidden wallet to carry most of your | | | | numbers of the hotel and car rental company as |
| valuables and identification. | | | | well. |
| 2. If you feel comfortable sending it in the mail, | | | | 8. You'll want to have your travel insurance |
| mail a money order or a traveler's checks to | | | | information. Be sure to keep a copy of your |
| yourself at your hotel so that even if you lose | | | | travel insurance at home as well as on your trip |
| some of your money, more will be coming. | | | | so that a family member can access it if |
| 3. While you don't have to be too strict, you | | | | necessary. |
| should have an agenda and leave it with someone | | | | 9. Bring basic medical information with you, like |
| at home. This way, if something happens in the | | | | blood type and allergies, and make sure that the |
| area where you are vacationing, your loved ones | | | | medical information is translated into the primary |
| will be able to have a fairly good idea of where | | | | language of the place you are going to so that |
| you are. | | | | non-English-speaking doctors will have no problem |
| 4. Keep copies of identification at home, even if | | | | understanding the situation. |
| you take the originals with you. | | | | 10. Know what kind of insurance is covered on |
| 5. When you go on vacation, choose one credit | | | | your credit card, if that is how you are using to |
| card to bring, rather than bringing all of them. This | | | | paying for your trip. For example, some credit |
| way, if your wallet gets stolen, you will minimize | | | | cards cover car rental insurance, but may not |
| your losses. | | | | cover it in the country are you are going to. Be |
| 6. Another option is to choose a preloaded credit | | | | sure to know what insurance you have before |
| card, which is really more like a debit card that | | | | you leave. |
| you put money "on" so that if you end up losing | | | | |