TSA PreCheck is the Best Money You'll Spend Traveling

I have been traveling  at least three times per year pretty consistently, so 3 1/2 years ago we signed up for PreCheck (shown everywhere as Preü), because as much fun as it is to stand in line with a hundred other people and take half the stuff out of my bag and take off my shoes and get x-rayed, we decided we traveled enough to spend the $85 each to apply for it. 

Listen, I understand why the TSA exists and why the procedures are so important. The above inconveniences don't really even bother me, except when I'm stuck behind the person who hasn't done any research or read the 48373602 signs in the airport and in the line and on their ticket and haven't taken out their laptop, put their liquids in a bag at all, taken off their belt and emptied their pockets or even gotten their ID out to show the security desk. Come on, people! They make it easy to be prepared. Just because it's annoying doesn't mean that they won't make you do it.

So, considering I would rather spend less time waiting in line and more time waiting at the gate (or, more likely, eating, shopping, people watching and scrolling Instagram), spending that money was a no-brainer. Did you know that if you are approved for PreCheck that you are able to breeze through security for FIVE YEARS  at any American airport that supports it without taking off your shoes, belts, hats or jackets, without taking out your laptop, without segregating your liquids from your other toiletries?! For real. 

The PreCheck lines are crazy short. The most we've ever seen was 10 people and usually there are even less. Your pass-through time is cut down considerably, too. In fact, you basically get through the metal detector and wait for your bags to be scanned. It's fast, but not nearly as fast as you are not having to take off shoes and watches and remembering to take that random tissue out of your pocket. Plus, you don't have to wonder exactly what the agents are seeing on the screen that makes you look like a terrorist. 

Eric took his hat off as we were coming back home from Vegas and it fell out of the coin bowl - you know, the one that looks like a dog dish - and was annoyed that he didn't just put it on the conveyor belt. The agent, never looking away from the screen, just said "you should have just left it on." I'm not sure we actually knew you could until that point. But now we do and our trips are even easier.

Now, you're probably wondering what happens when you travel internationally. We do every few years, but didn't think it was enough to do more than PreCheck at this point. If you do, then instead of PreCheck, you'll want to apply for Global Entry, which automatically includes PreCheck and only costs $15 more. I actually didn't think I knew that when we applied, and probably would have done that instead had I known. So, if you travel at all internationally, just head to your nearest PreCheck office (we visited the one in McCarran Airport when we were already on vacation) with your passport, ID and credit card. Global Entry requires you to fill out forms online beforehand though.

You may need an appointment, so call ahead before just showing up. They take you back one at a time to answer a bunch of background questions. They're all easy and give the government insight into who you are, so they can check you out and make their decision. It takes up to four weeks to hear if you're approved. We got our approval letters in just two weeks and were really surprised by how fast it was. These letters contain your new travel number, which you enter every time you book an airline ticket. 

Whether you use a paper ticket or an eticket on your phone, you'll see PreCheck designated on it and can go directly to that security line and get on your trip faster. You should still get to the airport as early as you would without it though, because you never know if the PreCheck line will be closed (this doesn't usually happen) or there will be some other annoying delay. I say two hours for a domestic flight and three for an international flight. Traffic may suck or the airport may be crazy packed, so you need that bit of padding.

I don't regret for a second having spent the money on PreCheck and will immediately sign up for Global Entry once it expires, even if I only plan two weeks of travel a year. Some people pay that amount per trip to check a bag, so why not get five years of frustration-free airport visits instead? I'll update on how easy it is to re-up when the time comes. 

Have you signed up for or used PreCheck on your trips?

How to Plan Your Trip Using Public Transportation

This is a guest post from Ella, who blogs at TrekBible. See more at the bottom.

Public transit is very useful when you are planning a trip—whether you are traveling far away or close by. There are a number of things that you must do when planning a trip that involves using public transit. 

Photo by Matthew Henry on Unsplash

Take A Deep Breathe And Think 

Planning your trip around using public transit can seem overwhelming at first. You may not be familiar with the public transit systems that you are about to use. If you are familiar with a given public transit system, there might be things about it that you don't know about. In public transit systems, there are all kinds of routes, schedules, timings, names and numbers. Sometimes, not knowing a particular area that you plan on traveling in can make planning more tedious and stressful, even if it is in the general area where you live. You just need to set some time aside, relax and just think things through as you plan your trip. 

Become Acquainted With the Area That You Are Traveling To Or In 

Looking at a map of where you plan on traveling is the first step that you should take. Being acquainted with the area will help you to plot out where you need to pick up certain types of transit, where you need to wait and where you will be let off. Try to remember street names. We are lucky to live in an age of internet street views. I would advise to look at street views online. 

Learn About the Public Transit System 

The second thing that you should do is learn about the transit system that you are going to use. Learn about what types of transportation are included in the system. Study maps of the public transit system to get an idea of which trains or buses to take. Study schedules very closely and keep in mind that some types of public transmit may run for the whole day while others may only part of the day. For example, some buses might operate on a fairly regular schedule twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week, while others may only operate on certain days during certain times. 

The internet provides some really good information when it comes to looking up public transit systems. Search engines such as Google are great places to start when it comes to finding information about public transportation systems. Usually, transportation systems have their own websites where they show maps, schedules, fares and information. Outside of the internet, there are books and pamphlets that you can get to learn about various transportation systems. 

Learn about prices, and plan on how much you are going to spend on public transit. Some types of public transit cost more than others. However, sometimes the more expensive types get will you to your destination quicker. If saving time is important to you, then this is something important to think about. 

Consider Waiting Times 

It's easy to overlook waiting times until you find yourself on public transit, taking two hours to go from point to A to point B, one way; or waiting two hours for a train that will bring you to your destination in about an hour. There aren't enough hours in the day, and the time that it takes to wait for and take public transit can eat up a lot of your time. One of the wisest things to do is to think long and hard about wait times, schedules and transfers. You may have to wait a half-hour for a bus, ride a bus for forty minutes, wait for forty more minutes to transfer onto another bus and then get to your destination in an hour. Keep this in mind when you are scheduling what you want to do in your day. The time that it takes to travel on public transit can seriously throw a monkey wrench in your plans if you do not carefully plan your time. 

Listen To What People Have To Say About The System 

Try to see what people have to say about the public transit systems that you are going to use. Go online to find stories about people's experiences and opinions. If anybody around you has anything to say, keep it in mind. 

Work Out Every Option And Alternative 

Sometimes plans might go astray and you might need to take another form of transit. What will you do if the public transit that you plan on taking doesn't work for some reason, forcing you to use an alternative form of transit? Again,get really familiar with public transit system maps so you can plot out alternative routes. Gather phone numbers for cab companies so that you can call a cab if the situation calls for it. You never know what might happen. You may need to to take an alternative public transit route due to a major delay. Another commuter may be harassing you, and you may want to take another route to avoid that person. 

Keep Maps Around 

It really helps to keep a map of the streets where you are traveling because, as mentioned above, knowing where you are helps when using public transit. Some atlases actually have maps where they denote public transit stations and hubs. On Google maps, there are little symbols that indicate where train, subway and bus lines are in numerous places. You should also have maps of the transit system on your person.

Ella, Content Manager for trekbible, is a writer and content specialist with a predilection for learning and exploring new places and cultures around the world. With family scattered throughout the U.S. and South Korea, she loves to see cross-cultural influences around the world. Her favorite thing to do on her travels is to taste the local cuisine of each destination.

Find trekbible on Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest | Instagram

Review: Anti-Theft Tailored Crossbody Phone Pouch by Travelon

Sometimes when you travel, you may not want to carry much with you. Even when you go to a concert or out to dinner, you might just want the essentials: your phone, money and some lip balm. Travelon knows that not every bag works for everyone, which is why they have a variety and their new Tailored collection is both fun and functional. One of my new favorites is the little crossbody phone pouch, which fits all of the things I said above, your car keys and a few other items.

As someone who tries to go to a few nice dinners out and also some very touristy places when on vacation, I hate having to lug everything I own with me. I would totally just carry around my phone and some credit cards if I could, but there aren't many bags that fit those and aren't bulky, or  keep your items safe. Well, now when you're at that crowded museum or festival, you can carry the bare minimum and also have the peace of mind that your info and items are thief-proof. The Anti-theft Tailored Crossbody Phone Pouch is cute to wear, but also has those safety features you love from Travelon.

Look at this profile, and the color. I swear I swooned over this aquamarine, because it's gorgeous, right? 

This outside pocket has this handy little twist lock, so you can keep things handy, like receipts, tickets, or your camera, which is what I would put in there, because I take a ton when I travel, and it's nice to have it right there with me, easy to take out and put back in, without revealing everything else in my bag. 

Obviously, this pocket is large enough for other things, like maybe your backup battery for your phone or a couple of granola bars (you know how I like to have snacks with me). 

Despite the tiny profile, this bag has a pretty large inside compartment. My phone is on the larger side, and it fit in here pretty snugly and I had no issues zipping the bag closed. Plus I was able to get my lip balm, gum and compact in there with room to spare.

This cute little bag has a nice lighter fabric inside, several credit card slots and a larger slot that fits your passport perfectly. All of your cards and passport are RFID-protected (yay!). Try to find that in any other bag this small. 

As with all of Travelon's bags, they have included a key leashwith tiny flashlight. My car keys can be a bit bulky (like a lot of rental car keys), but they still fit in the bag with all my other things and were easy to find now. 

Your main compartment has a locking zipper. You don't have to use this, but if you are worried at all about your stuff, clip the zipper to the D-ring on the side of the bag. It's easy to use and totally subtle. 

Another awesome anti-theft feature of the phone poucn is the fact that you can unclip our shoulder strap, wrap it around a chair or railing, and then reclip and lock them, making it impossible to steal. The new clips attached to the strap are dainty looking, but also super easy to work. 

Your strap is nice and wide (but not too wide), and fully adjustable, so you can wear this bag multiple ways. It's also slash-proof, as is the body of the bag.

I love a bag that I can wear several ways. Carry like a regular shoulder bag or a crossbody. The strap enables you to make it as long as you need, because I know taller people probably have more of an issue than I do finding a crossbody that works for them. 

People are loving the fanny pack now, and you can cinch the strap short and wear around your waist. This is fantastic when you want a bag that's even more convenient to carry, like going to a concert and wanting your arms free and to not get caught on anyone while jumping around. It's also nice that the phone pouch doesn't carry too much, meaning it's not heavy, even when completely full, so it's not going to sag on your hips either.

I'm enjoying the chic look of this bag, since before now, anything similar to this size has been kind of athletic looking and didn't work with an outfit that was dressed up at all. The Tailored collection takes are of that, so you can carry it while wearing shorts or a more formal outfit. You're going to love it.

Additional info:

Where can I buy it: On Travelon's website

How much does it cost? $40, but you can get 20% off when you use my code: ShereenTravels20%

What colors does it come in? garnet | onyx | sapphire | sable | aquamarine (shown) | plumrose

More specs: Nylon Twill, size: 5" x 6.75" x 2", full strap length: 54", strap drop: 14.5"-27"

If you adore Travelon as much as I do, get social with them on Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Pinterest | YouTube

Disclosure: I was provided with the Tailored Crossbody Phone Pouch for the purposes of this review, but all opinions are 100% my own.