When You Go On Vacation

When You Go On Vacation, Remember To Do These Things ...
	by Bart Smith, TheMarketingMan.com & Founder of MyTrainingCenter.com, MyMarketingCart.com, MyPaymentServices.com & MyFulfillmentServices.com

On two separate pieces of paper (that you'll bring with you), write down the numbers and expiration dates of all your credit cards and their respective 800#'s on the back of the card; in the event you lose them!
Bring along an extra $500-$1,000 in traveler's checks; unsigned of course. Don't keep them with your luggage; keep them "on your person", perhaps in your pant/coat pocket, a sock or even under garments in a plastic sandwich bag (until you get to your final destination). I'm not kidding.
Heaven forbid you lose your luggage, get "pocket-picked" in a new country, or simply misplace your wallet while traveling. Having an extra few hundred dollars in traveler's checks might buy you a hotel night somewhere!
Notify the alarm company (and no one else, besides 2-3 people you trust explicitly) that you will be away. To all the rest, you're just out and about, and you'll be right back sooner than you want them to think!
Securely lock all windows and doors.
Turn off gas pilots and water valves (optional).
Shut off water valves to the washer (optional).
Turn off water supply to a refrigerator ice maker (optional).
Have someone take in your mail and newspapers (don't make it look like you're gone).
Keep curtains and shades slightly open in a normal manner.
Unplug all electrical appliances, electric ovens, toasters, irons; everything except the refrigerator anything else that might need to "stay on" all the time.
Set interior/exterior light timers to simulate normal on/off patterns.
Notify relatives, friends and/or neighbors of where you can be reached (bye cell phone, at a hotel, etc.) Leave phone numbers, mailing address and/or eMail address whenever possible. You've seen the news lately, haven't you? People have been disappearing off cruise ships, islands, at airports ...
BE CAREFUL AND ALWAYS TRAVEL IN GROUPS! We can't be too careful today. The world's a much more dangerous place than you think! Oh, especially, if you travel internationally - - WATCH YOURSELF!!!

“Only within the moment of time represented by the present century has one species
(man) acquired significant power to alter the nature of his world.” – Rachel Carson