Stop: Do These 19 Things Before You Travel

Last updated Dec. 27, 2025 | By FinanceBuzz Editors

Still throwing money at overpriced flights and racking up debt just to get a seat in the sky? That's not a vacation. That's financial sabotage.

A new class of savvy travelers is making bold money moves (the kind of moves you should be doing anyway) that let them book the trips they actually want … without draining their bank accounts or settling for less.

We're not talking about coupon clipping or skipping meals. These are practical, powerful tactics that regular people are using to travel better, cheaper, and smarter. Scroll down to see what they are — then take advantage of one (or all) today.

Trick the system with these booking hacks that feel like cheating

Search flights using a foreign language & currency combo: Sometimes booking on a site’s non-English version (say, Google Italy + euros) can surface different fares.

Book “hidden city” flights by choosing a final destination beyond your actual stop: Use Skiplagged to buy a cheaper fare that connects through your real destination — just don’t check a bag.

Set your location to a budget-friendly country: Booking platforms sometimes show lower rates based on user location. A VPN set to India or Mexico could save big.

Offer house sitting in exchange for free lodging: Join platforms like Nomador or MindMyHouse to stay abroad for free in exchange for caring for someone’s home.

Book flights on Wednesdays at 3 a.m. (based on the airline's headquarters time): Weird but true — some airlines release new deals early Wednesday mornings. Try booking at 3 a.m. their time for the best prices.

Earn up to 5 miles per dollar toward travel with this incredible card

If you're someone who loves to travel, the Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit Card (Rates and fees) is the perfect companion for your adventures. New cardholders can earn a bonus of 20,000 miles once you spend $500 on purchases within 3 months from account opening, equal to $200 in travel.

But that's not all. When you use the VentureOne card, you can earn 1.25 miles per dollar on every purchase, every day and 5 miles per dollar on hotels, vacation rentals and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel.

Redeem miles for flights, hotels, and car rentals, OR statement credits, gift cards, and transfers to over 15 airline or hotel partners! This means that your dream vacation could be closer than you think, thanks to the rewards you earn from everyday purchases! There is also no annual fee and no foreign transaction fee.

So if you're gearing up for your next adventure, the Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit Card(Rates and fees) should be at the top of your wallet.

Annual fee: $0

Purchase and Transfer APR: 18.74% - 28.74% (Variable)

Click here to apply for the Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit Card now

Ohio Driver? Cancel your car insurance

Driving without car insurance is illegal, but if you do this, you’re not actually breaking the law.

This tool can help you see if you’re overpaying for car insurance in just a few clicks. You’d be shocked by the difference. $159 per month is what they wanted to charge me. I thought that was the best price, don’t even look anywhere else. Right? Wrong.

I used this tool and now I’m able to pay just $47 a month for two cars.¹ Actual savings and coverage options vary based on factors such as driving history, location, and insurer policies. The rates shown in this example may not reflect what every user will qualify for. Too many insurance companies do this. They push up our rates and make us pay even more. But if you want to try this tool and compare and potentially score same-day savings, here’s what to do:

Click the link below and enter your zip code, date of birth, and phone number.
Answer a few questions about your car’s make and model to get matched with top offers.
Choose the best quote for you and lock it in before rates go up.

Compare rates now and see if you could score same-day savings today!

I can hardly believe I waited so long to do this, but I’m glad I finally did. It only took me two minutes. Super fast. You have to trust me on this. Just try it out.

Adapt to the new airline loyalty landscape

Southwest Airlines: Effective May 28, 2025, Southwest will introduce fees for checked baggage on most fares and transition from open seating to assigned seating options, including Premium and Preferred seats.

United Airlines: Starting May 1, 2025, United's Premier 1K members will no longer receive complimentary CLEAR Plus memberships. Instead, they will be offered a $70 discount on the annual fee, reducing it to $129.

American Airlines: Beginning March 1, 2025, American Airlines will introduce new lifetime elite status tiers: Platinum Pro for members with four million miles and Executive Platinum for those with five million miles. Additionally, systemwide upgrades will be valid through the status membership year.

Delta Air Lines: As of January 1, 2024, Delta's SkyMiles Medallion status is earned solely through Medallion Qualification Dollars (MQDs), eliminating Medallion Qualification Miles (MQMs) and Segments (MQSs). New Choice Benefits now include MQD accelerators for Platinum and Diamond Medallion members.

Alaska Airlines: Alaska Airlines has implemented dynamic award pricing across all routes, replacing its traditional award charts. This change means award ticket prices now vary based on factors like demand and route popularity.

Borrow from your home's equity to help you get through 2025

If you have a credit score of 680 or more, a cash-out refinance from Rocket Mortgage² Rocket Mortgage, LLC; NMLS #3030; <a href="https://www.nmlsconsumeraccess.org/">https://www.nmlsconsumeraccess.org/</a>. Equal Housing Lender. Licensed in 50 states. could help you consolidate your debt.

You could pull money out of your home without a second mortgage or HELOC … meaning you could tackle your debt head-on while eliminating multiple monthly payments. (And could possibly afford that vacation after all).

For example, let's say you're able to take out $50,000 with a cash-out refinance. You use $20,000 to pay off high-interest debt and $30,000 for home renovations, lowering your total monthly payments and increasing your home's value. That's a win-win.

See how much could be available to you:Visit Rocket Mortgage and click “Take cash out.” Then use the simple calculator to estimate how much cash you could get out of your home.

See how much cash you could get

Earn up to a $500 bonus offer to use toward your next trip when you open and fund this powerful account

We hate to tell you this, really. But if you aren’t using Bank of America Advantage Banking you could be missing out on extra cash toward your next trip. Don’t worry though … it's easy to fix.

Earn up to a $500 bonus when you open an account through the Bank of America promotional page. This offer is available online only and may not be available if you leave this page, visit bankofamerica.com, visit a Bank of America Financial center, or if you call the bank. See offer page for more details. Bank of America, N.A. Member FDIC.

Besides potentially earning a nice bonus that you can use toward your next trip, you’ll also get access to Bank of America’s highly-rated mobile apps, thousands of ATMs and financial centers, 24/7 security with Total Security Protection® and fraud monitoring, and much more.

This is practically passive income and a great way to supercharge your earnings before your next vacation.

Open a Bank of America Advantage Banking account here

Stop Paying ATM Fees Abroad (You Really Don’t Have To)

Every time you take out cash in another country, the ATM quietly takes a little off the top. Sometimes it’s $3. Sometimes it’s $9. Multiply that by a two-week trip, and you’ve basically tipped banks abroad … for nothing.

The thing is, you don’t really have to pay foreign ATM fees. A handful of banks offer debit cards that refund ATM fees worldwide or don’t charge foreign transaction fees at all. Some even reimburse other banks’ fees, no questions asked. If you travel even once a year, switching to one of these can save you $50–$100 or more per trip.

4.4

Max-Rate Checking - 2.00% Annual Percentage Yield³ As of 09/08/2025, the Annual Percentage Yield (APY) of the Max-Rate Checking Account is 2.00%. Your interest rate and APY may change at any time and fees may reduce earnings. Please visit <a href="http://etrade.com/ratesheet">etrade.com/ratesheet</a> for information regarding this account's current interest rate and corresponding APY. The $15 monthly account fee can be waived when you maintain an average monthly balance of at least $5,000 in the account on or after the end of the second calendar month from opening the account.

For a limited time, earn a cash bonus of $300.⁴ No transaction fees. FDIC insured up to the applicable limits.⁵Waive the $15 monthly account fee when you maintain an average account balance of $5,000.

Learn More

Ask this company to pay off your credit card debt

If you have a lot of debt, getting out of it can feel stressful (and nearly impossible). Here’s the problem: the longer you put off tackling it, the harder it gets to fix. If you don’t take control of it early on, it can add undue stress to your life for years. But what if there was a way to get out of debt once and for all?

National Debt Relief could help. If you have more than $10,000 in debt from credit cards, medical bills, collections, or personal loans, their representatives might be able to assist you in consolidating your debt into one low monthly program payment.

Best of all? There are zero fees until your debt is resolved, and you could be debt-free in 24-48 months. To get started, just answer a few simple questions. It only takes 30 seconds to see if you qualify!⁶ Clients who complete the program and settle all debts typically save around 45% before fees or 20% including fees over 24–48 months, based on enrolled debts. “Debt-free” applies only to enrolled credit cards, personal loans, and medical bills. Not mortgages, car loans, or other debts. Average program completion time is 24–48 months; not all debts are eligible, and results vary as not all clients complete the program due to factors like insufficient savings. We do not guarantee specific debt reductions or timelines, nor do we assume debt, make payments to creditors, or offer legal, tax, bankruptcy, or credit repair services. Consult a tax professional or attorney as needed. Services are not available in all states. Participation may adversely affect your credit rating or score. Nonpayment of debt may result in increased finance and other charges, collection efforts, or litigation. Read all program materials before enrolling. National Debt Relief’s fees are based on a percentage of enrolled debt. All communications may be recorded or monitored for quality assurance. In certain states, additional disclosures and licensing apply. ©️ 2009–2025 National Debt Relief LLC. National Debt Relief (NMLS #1250950, CA CFL Lic. No. 60DBO-70443) is located at 180 Maiden Lane, 28th Floor, New York, NY 10038. All rights reserved. <a href="https://www.nationaldebtrelief.com/licenses/">Click here</a> for additional state-specific disclosures and licensing information.

Try National Debt Relief

Get an affordable eSIM to over 200+ countries

Traveling is awesome. What’s NOT awesome is arriving at your destination only to realize your phone data isn’t working. You can’t access the internet, call an Uber, or make a phone call.

Even worse … if you forget to set up an eSIM before traveling, it can be a huge headache once you arrive, and you could potentially be stuck relying on wifi your entire trip.

Airalo fixes this. You can get an eSIM to 200+ countries through their simple app. Just download, choose your destination and package, then install and activate. It’s 100% digital, and can be done quickly without any physical SIM card.

Airalo is trusted by over 10,000,000 people, has a near 5-star rating from 300,000+ reviews, and plans can cost just a little over a few dollars per week — with instant connectivity. Seriously.

Get an eSIM here before your trip

Stay safe in foreign countries: 25% of travelers using public WiFi abroad are hacked

Public Wi-Fi is not secure. In fact, up to 25% of travelers using public WiFi abroad are hacked, potentially letting bad actors gain access to things like your bank account. But it isn’t just hackers you need to worry about … it could be the network itself.

Hotels, airports, and cafés often log the websites you visit. Some even inject ads or trackers directly into your browsing. It’s not unheard of for these public networks to monetize user data — and when you’re in another country, privacy laws may be weaker or nonexistent.

NordVPN helps protect you by encrypting your internet traffic, hiding your IP address, and blocking malware, trackers, and phishing threats, even on public networks you don’t control. (Bonus: Changing virtual locations with a VPN could help you access lower prices on flights before buying.)

Plans start as low as $3.39/month and include advanced tools like Threat Protection, Dark Web Monitoring, and Meshnet, which lets you securely access your devices while abroad — all backed by a strict no-logs policy and 24/7 support.

Get 76% off NordVPN + up to 10GB free eSIM data

Finally skip the rental car insurance trap

You know the drill. That awkward moment when the agent asks if you want “optional” insurance coverage ... and you’re not sure what’s actually covered by your regular auto policy (if anything). Say yes, and your cheap rental just got a lot more expensive. Say no, and you might be on the hook for thousands.

But there is one way out of this trap. Certain credit cards have built-in rental car coverage that could be even better than what the rental company offers. The Chase Sapphire Preferred^® Card (Rates and fees) is one of the few cards that offers primary rental car insurance. If something happens, you can file a claim directly with the card’s coverage — without touching your personal auto insurance.

This card is also powerhouse that supercharges your hard-earned spending. Become a Chase Sapphire Preferred^® Card cardholder, and you can earn 75,000 bonus points after you spend $5,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening ... all with an incredibly low $95 annual fee.

Recommended Credit 670+: Click here to apply now for the Chase Sapphire Preferred^® Card

Excellent for travel + intro purchase and balance transfer perks