Traveling is difficult. It’s one big hassle from the time your wife says, “It’s time to pack” until she says “It’s time to put the cases back in the attic.” It’s not the sitting on the plane all those endless hours that have changed – I have grown older and less patient, true – it’s a mixture of the rigmarole that the airport and the airline have developed. The rising costs of travel don’t help, either.

The cab isn’t cheap either

It starts in the cab to the airport. Last time I travelled I spent most of a very respectable Payday Loan just getting to the airport. Yesterday I asked my son to give us a lift. It was an imposition but he is a son and what are children for anyway? He didn’t mind at all. “Gives me a chance to see the new terminal building,” he said.

The terminal

Inside, the terminal is brand new and huge. Security men are everywhere and it takes me a few minutes to orientate myself and find a line to stand in. I am a few passengers away from the check-in counter when I see the signs. “American Airlines and United Airlines are now charging to check bags on their flights.”

I look around to see if anyone else has gone into shock. All I see are American and United officials in their smart uniforms examining the passengers. Clearly they are keeping watch on how much carry-on baggage people take on board to avoid the new check-in fees. I try and explain at the counter that I would love to fly without any bags, but my wife…, you know…, she insists on a change of clothing.

I pay the fee, answer all the security questions about who packed the bag, where the bag was packed, where the bag has been since it was packed and silently swear that I will not travel again. Ever.

Security

Finally I have the precious boarding pass in my hand and I have to pass through the personal security checkpoint. It’s a pain. I empty all the metal objects into the plastic tray – which I understand you will soon have to pay to use – take off my belt and shoes and shuffle through the metal detector that is set to super-sensitive and goes off from a cheap filling job I once had done on a tooth. More questions and hands patting me all over. I’m on holiday and I’m supposed to be having fun and relaxing, I think.

The waiting

There is nowhere to sit. I don’t shop in the duty-free. I find it very expensive and I buy stuff I don’t need in there. I pace. The plane leaves late. Is it my imagination or do all planes always leave late?

The plane

The plane is a flying sardine can. We sit and passengers argue about seats, change seats and try and squeeze more bags into the already over-full overhead bins. We sit and we sit. Then there is some sort of ruckus up front and a gang of uniformed men come in and start opening all the overhead bins. “Checking for excess bags,” they explain.

The end

I think holiday travel is fast coming to an end. It’s just not fun anymore!

No fax payday loans are probably the last thing on most consumer’s holiday travel lists right now, but for those who are on a tight budget, it’s an option to keep in mind. There’s nothing worse then having to spend the holidays alone because you can’t afford to travel home, but with the way our economy is right now, a lot of consumers are choosing to do just that. Even though gas prices have dropped to almost half of what they were in July of 2008, people still can’t afford the extra cash to be at home with loved ones. Not to mention that airline tickets are up 8% and car rental prices are up 4% from 2007, making it an even harder choice for consumers to choose between family and making ends meet.

Soaring Airfare Effects College Students

Even college students are suffering the effects of the economy on holiday travel and need money or no fax payday loans to make it home for the holidays. Many students this year optioned not to go home for Thanksgiving in hopes of having enough funds to make it home for Christmas, but for most of them, it’s still not going to be a possibility. Most students are at least 3 or more states away from home and holiday airfare prices for those students are averaging over $500. Train and bus fares are up as well making it even harder for students to make it home.

Traveling vs. Shipping

For those of you who are tinkering with the notion of not spending the holidays at home and just shipping gifts to family members, think of this. How many gifts will you be shipping? If you are like me and have brothers, sisters, cousins, uncles, aunts, nieces and nephews you buy presents for each year, that is a whole lot of money spent on shipping those gifts to your family. Wouldn’t you rather give those gifts in person? Last year I spent over $200 just on shipping gifts to family, and even with last year’s gas prices, I could have driven home for that price. Plus, when you ship you have the added worry of whether or not the gifts will even make it to your family on time for the holiday or at all.

Make Memories Not More Debt

Now I’m not endorsing no fax payday loans for those of you who blew your paychecks on countless gifts, ridiculous holiday sweaters, and ties with the Santa Clauses on them. But, if you are paid up on bills and still find yourself coming up a little short to make it home for the holidays, no fax  payday loans can be a valuable resource to get you where you need to go. Like I said, there’s nothing worse than being alone on the holidays. Be responsible this holiday season and make memories with your family you won’t forget.

Holiday stress and overwhelm can lead to weight gain

When it comes to the holidays, stress is the last thing you need; travel tips and quick payday loans can help reduce your stress level this time of year. During the holidays, you’ve got a lot on your plate—literally and figuratively. There are so many things to worry about: travel, shopping, weight gain, family, and money. Did you know that stress is a huge factor in packing on those holiday pounds? So the easier your holiday travel is, the less stressed you will be, and the less weight you will gain this holiday season.

Travel Tips

Holiday travel is inevitable, but the stress associated with holiday travel is avoidable. The holiday travel rush starts at the end of November for Thanksgiving and typically carries on through the end of December for Christmas and New Year’s Day. The family web site Cookiemag.com suggests ways to save no matter which method of transportation you choose:

By Plane…

Traveling is a HUGE expense

When traveling by plane avoid the Wednesday before Thanksgiving. Opt for Tuesday or early Thanksgiving Day instead. You should try to book return flights for Friday night or Saturday instead of Sunday. Flying into alternate airports—Oakland instead of San Francisco, Providence instead of Boston—will also save you time and money. Check in as early as possible and print boarding passes at home; you’ll be able to bypass the check-in lines. Also, make sure you read all the airline agreements before purchasing a ticket; some airlines are starting to charge for extra baggage, window seats, and aisle seats. Although booking a direct flight might be a little more expensive, every connecting flight is a flight that can be missed.

By Train…

Traveling over night by train has a few advantages: you’ll save a travel day, avoid weather delays, and your kids will love the sleeper cabins. There are Amtrak employees called SkyCaps that know the track assignments before they’re posted, so find a SkyCap and you’ll be ahead of the crowd when it comes time to board your train.

By Car…

Make sure your car is all tuned-up before you take off on your trip. Having the fresh oil, balanced tires, and filled coolants will up your gas-mileage and prevent on-the-road hassles. Fill up at a local gas station because gas stations along the freeway charge more than those in town.

The Early Bird Gets the Worm

On rare occasions, waiting until the last minute to plan your holiday travel can prove beneficial because of last-minute holiday deals. However, in most cases, the earlier you plan your trip, the less money you’ll spend. You’ll have a wider selection of travel dates, times, and seat availability. Plus, you won’t have the stress of planning a last-minute trip hanging over your head. The longer you wait, the higher the prices go, so don’t assume that an amazing last-minute travel deal will come your way.

In Case of Emergency – You’ve Got Quick Payday Loans

Now that you have a few travel tips, there should be a little less stress in your life. Hopefully, that means you can keep the pounds away, too. But what happens if not everything goes as planned? You can pray and you can plan, but holiday travel miscues happen to the best of us. In the event that you miss a flight, your car breaks down, or your train encounters weather delays, the last thing you want to stress out about is money. Quick payday loans are available to help get your holiday travel back on track.