I have this fear – planning the most wonderful vacation for the whole family only to experience something hellish in the end. Even singles and childless couples are justified in having this fear as there are simply too many factors to consider when going on a trip, especially an extended one. Simply add the fact of having to handle several children to the equation and you just might have a complex situation.
However, this fear does not need to turn into reality. With the right degree of planning and preparing, you can avoid nightmarish vacations. Here are some helpful tips to help you avoid getting into sticky situations.
If it sounds too good to be true…
…then it probably is. I don’t want to sound jaded but it’s a fact of life – you just don’t find too many things for (absolutely) free these days. This is even truer if you receive unsolicited e-mails, brochures, or phone calls about the ultimate family vacation. If I were you, I’d stay clear of those offers. If you are feeling adventurous, though, and you don’t want to miss out on a potentially wondrous opportunity, I suggest that you do extensive research on the offer before agreeing to anything.
Don’t give away personal and financial information
This is especially applicable to situations arising from unsolicited offers, such as the ones I described above. Unless you know the company and trust them, you really shouldn’t give your credit card number and other financial information until you have everything you need for the vacation in hand. Otherwise, you just might find yourself a victim of a rip off.
(to be continued)