With all that goes into planning a major trip for yourself or your family, it is no wonder that many people find the process overwhelming and extremely stressful at times. Fortunately, a little preparation goes a long way. For your consideration, here are the very best travel tips and tricks out there.

When staying at a hotel that offers a digital alarm clock, check both the time and the alarm when you first arrive. It is a common prank to pre-set the alarm to extremely early times, or to fiddle with the time displayed on the clock. Late at night when you go to bed, you may not realize your clock is 30 minutes fast or slow.

Always let someone know when you are planning to travel. While unexpected trips and spontaneous travel may seem like a good idea at the time, it is not so great if something goes awry. Letting a friend, family member or neighbor know you will be gone and where you are going is always a good idea. Contact that person as soon as you reach your destination. Let them know when you will be coming home. You will be glad you did.

Take the first travel photo” of your luggage. If you do end up checking your luggage, take a picture of it before you turn it over to the airline. In case of a problem, this will document what the luggage looks like and its condition when you left it. Also keep your baggage claim ticket in a safe place or snap a picture of it, too, so you have all the information necessary in the event that your luggage is lost.

Sanitize your area. You may get a few sideways glances, but in the confined space of a crowded aircraft, you are just asking to get sick. Bring a small bottle of hand sanitizer or some sanitizing wipes and wipe off your tray table, armrests and any buttons, as soon as you sit down. Be sure to also use it on your hands and try not to touch your eyes, nose or mouth.

It can be beneficial when traveling to put together a large group of friends and family to travel with. In a large group, one will be less vunerable to criminals targeting lone tourists who look like ‘easy pickings.’ You will also have the added bonus of sharing your trip with the ones you are close to.

Before spending hundreds of dollars on a plane or train ticket, consider traveling by bus. Especially for regional trips, you may find the bus is a very economical alternative that adds very little to your travel time in comparison. Often times bus tickets are thirty dollars or less, giving you more money in your pocket to spend.

So whether you are planning a getaway for one person or for the whole clan, chances are good that you could use a little help in making arrangements that will go off without a hitch. Remember the advice in this article to keep things going smoothly during the course of your travels.