Comments on: Twelve Tips for Cheap, Low Stress Christmas Travel

By: Nick

Nick — Wed, 31 Dec 2008 02:16:06 +0000

Just don’t forget to turn that cruise control off when the roadways are wet.

By: Another Marie

Another Marie — Sat, 27 Dec 2008 04:41:01 +0000

Pack a bag with a complete change of clothes for each person traveling and keep it easily accessible. Then when a child dumps their drink in a parent’s lap you don’t have to unpack the entire car looking for dry underwear. Packk a couple of grocery store bags for the wet clothes.

Pack bags by stop not by person. If you will spend one night at a hotel bring in only one bag. One bag for the two days at Aunt Bee’s etc. Plus one “shaving kit” that goes in everywhere.

Pack a laundry bag or two. At the last stop sort your dirty clothes and repack by the loads you will wash (this suitcase underwear that one dark clothes etc.) You can start laundry as you unload.

There are at least two different books (The Next Exit and Exit Now) that list what’s at each highway exit in the US. When my car made started making funny noises on a trip this fall we found a dealer two exits away.

We drive 1000 miles in a minivan with 5 kids between 8 months and 10 years old in one day. You don’t need a DVD player or lots of electronics. You do need a parental attitude that it’s no big deal for the kids to do it. (My mom pointed this out and as always she is right.)

When driving long distances in winter tuck the snowpants and hats and gloves under the seats. They will be accessible without opening the door if you get stuck. Travel wearing boots – pack the less bulky shoes.

If you bring a training potty line it with a disposable diaper – makes cleanup easier.

By: Sharon

Sharon — Wed, 24 Dec 2008 15:33:05 +0000

RE Tip #11′
My father’s rule was “If the gas tank isn’t empty, your bladder is not full.” It made for some really uncomfortable rides…

By: Jayson

Jayson — Tue, 23 Dec 2008 19:56:45 +0000

Tip #1:

Make sure to air up tires based on the numbers on the tires themselves. The door jam might not reflect upgraded tires either at purchase or after market and could result in big problems.

By: bentley

bentley — Tue, 23 Dec 2008 18:22:53 +0000

Tip #13 for low-stress Christmas travel: if necessary, postpone the trip for a week or two (or three). It won’t kill you, but black ice can.

By: CathyG

CathyG — Tue, 23 Dec 2008 17:25:55 +0000

When my children were small, we always insisted that everyone use the restroom every time we stopped. Of course, our little independent daughter said “I don’t have to go.” Rather than argue with her, we agreed. “You don’t have to go. BUT you need to come inside with the rest of us, sit on the potty and count to 10″ (We made it 20 when she got older.) Trust me, if you can sit on a toilet for 10 seconds and not actually “go”, then you’re right, you don’t have to go.

By: Diane

Diane — Tue, 23 Dec 2008 15:09:21 +0000

An emergency car kit should also include a pee jar. Use a quart canning jar and don’t forget the screw-top lid. We were very grateful this was in our our kit when a Christmas trip in the early 90′s included being parked for 9 hours on I-95 in southern Georgia in bumper to bumper traffic with three small children. They had 1/2″ of snow and no road cleaning equipment or salt trucks. Being from the snowy north, we could NOT understand it.

By: Monroe on a Budget

Monroe on a Budget — Tue, 23 Dec 2008 12:50:17 +0000

Yes I have gone to a grocery store during a travel stop!

We picked up some of those cheese and meat lunch packs on the trip I recall. Yes, they are pricey but have you paid attention to the fast food menus these days?

By: Jade

Jade — Tue, 23 Dec 2008 10:36:44 +0000

My boyfriend needs to read tip #11…

We added an extra 15-30 minutes to our 13 hour drive to Las Vegas last summer because he just got off the freeway to use a bush. If he had asked me if I needed the restroom as well, I would have said yes and we could have made one stop at a gas station, rather than stopping once for him to go, and then again for me to go at a gas station.

And why he didn’t just go at Barstow I have no idea… For all we know, the extra stop may have added 2 hours to the trip as we got stuck in traffic due to night time road work. At least it was only 80 degrees out by then!

So there’s another reason to use the restroom at every stop, you never know when you’re going to get stuck in traffic along the way…

By: Rich

Rich — Tue, 23 Dec 2008 04:11:39 +0000

Wow I am so glad I don’t have to drive in conditions like those in the picture. Good ol California!

By: Kate

Kate — Tue, 23 Dec 2008 01:32:41 +0000

The best thing we ever did when traveling with small children was to take books on tape and a tape recorder (which has been replaced many times over with new technology).

By: KoryO

KoryO — Tue, 23 Dec 2008 00:47:07 +0000

Don’t know where you are going right now, but will be hoping that you stay warm and safe. Take care, Trent!

By: Kevin

Kevin — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 23:20:54 +0000

+++++++ to comment #2.
In Iowa your emergency kit should include the warmest weather gear you own – should you become stranded.
Now if you only have tips for making our trip tomorrow to NY (Lincoln to Albany,NY via O’Hare) stress-free, I’d be all set.
Wish us luck – I fully expect to arrive in NY on the 24th rather than tomorrow. Have a great – and safe – Holiday!!

By: Brian

Brian — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 21:38:23 +0000

Depending on your area a shovel and cat litter should also go into the emergency kit.

This tip is only for good weather and small kids, at rest stops take a small ball and play catch, overthrowing the ball and have the kids run after it, thus burning off some of their energy, the only downside with my kids was 10 minutes after leaving the rest stop my son would be ” I have a idea why don’t we stop and throw the ball.

By: greg

greg — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 21:24:47 +0000

I did not know you had a daughter – congratulations! they must be about the same age as our kids.

By: Ian P.

Ian P. — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 20:45:44 +0000

I’m not sure about the midwest, but I’ll be traveling up I-95 on the east coast, and we have plenty of rest areas along the highway. Rarely do you have to get off the highway unless you want to. I’ll be taking three kids with me from FL to NY. I’m going to bring a cooler with drinks, and jars of PB & J, along with a loaf of bread. I figure if I bring a tablecloth, I can put together a nice little picnic at a rest area.
You are absolutely right about the fast food. It’s best to avoid it. Just hit the grocery store before you leave and get fresh fruit and stuff to make sandwiches.

By: Nanc

Nanc — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 20:44:01 +0000

You need to be careful when using cruise control on wet and snow- and/or ice-covered road. If you start to skid and step on the brake to disengage the cruise control you could loss control of your car.

By: Trevor - 14 Year Old Money Blogger

Trevor - 14 Year Old Money Blogger — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 20:28:37 +0000

Listen to the music you enjoy is a great tip you missed.

I don’t know if this works for everyone but for me, as long as I have my music, i’m fine for the whole trip. Stopping often at every little free tourist destination is also a great way to keep interest high and boredom low.

By: Johanna

Johanna — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 20:16:01 +0000

You should maybe have specified in the title that by “travel” you mean “travel by car.” My #1 tip for reducing stress during busy travel periods is to take the train, if you’re lucky enough that there’s a train that goes where you want to go.

By: Scordo.com

Scordo.com — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 20:03:10 +0000

Eating before leaving for a long trip is a good idea. There’s something about the open road and craving fast food (so, like you suggest, bringing real food with you is also a good move).

Have a good holiday.

Best,
Vince from http://www.scordo.com/blog/blog – a practical living blog