Most people who travel intend to have a good time at the place they go to and this means that they have to pack in some cash, credit cards and debit cards when they travel to various destinations. Unfortunately, this is a fact that most robbers, snatchers and thieves are also aware of and therefore it becomes pertinent that you protect your money when you hit the road.

Here are 5 top tips that will help you protect your money when you are traveling

1. Choose what you want to carry

Most of us carry all the cash that we have along with the credit cards and debit cards in a wallet that we always keep with us. Make an exception when you are traveling and spend some time in deciding the ones that you want to carry. You may not need store cards in the place that you go to. Also consider whether you will need to carry your debit cards or not. These are cards that are (in all probability) linked to your checking account and a robber can empty out your account before you realize that you have lost your wallet and have the chance to inform the authorities. Choose credit cards that have a zero liability policy so that you can report a fraudulent charge if it does get lost. The Fair Credit Billing Act also sets the maximum liability on a credit card if it gets lost to $50 and therefore that is the maximum amount that you may have to pay otherwise too.

2. Split it up

Even though you may need a couple of credit cards and cash on your travels, make sure that you do not keep them all in one place. Split the booty and keep some in your checked bag, some in your carry-on and carry some on yourself. This ensures that you are not left stranded with nothing in case someone does manage to lay his hands on one of your hiding places. This is also helpful because you do not show all the cash that you are carrying when you open your wallet to make a payment.

3. Proper credit card usage

A tourist location is replete with fraudsters and scammers. Therefore it is necessary that you always have your credit card in sight. Do not let anyone walk away with your credit card when swiping it and insist on it being swiped in front of you. It is also a good idea to let your credit card company know that you are traveling and the places that you are going to so that they are aware of the places where the charges are likely to come in from.

4. Products for safe keeping

There are various products that have been designed to ensure that you can keep your cash, credit cards and travel documents safe from prying hands when you are traveling. Check out some options like the money belt that has a zipped compartment on the inside that can be used to store paper money in. There are also safe pouches that you can sling around your neck that have tamper proof zips so that someone cannot just open them. Ensure that you keep the pouch inside your shirt while traveling so that it does not become an obvious focus of attention. You can also find leg bands and arm bands that you can keep cash or credit cards in and strap them safely around your arm under a trouser or a full sleeved shirt too. Some people also carry an almost empty wallet with a few bucks and some expired credit cards in an obvious place to distract and satisfy robbers.

5. Stay alert at all times

Needless to say it is important that you stay alert all the time. Remember that sometimes when you are traveling to third world countries, the stuff that you wear on your wrist or the amount that you are carrying on person can be as much as the annual income of some people. Stay conscious of your pouch or wallet when you have to navigate crowds and do not get listless or spaced out at any time. Ensure that you are organized at all times and that you research foreign destinations before you set out on your travels.

About Fox Rent A Car:

Fox Rent A Car, your discount car rental company, has been providing excellent customer service along with low rates for rental cars since its founding in 1989. Today, our success in these areas has enabled us to develop into the largest independent car rentals company headquartered in California. You will find Fox Car Rental offices conveniently located at major airports throughout the world.

Now that the worst of the economic slowdown is over, everyone is looking forward to spending this holiday season with a lot of merriment. While there are many who are still recovering, the upward trend is making everyone feel optimistic about the future. And after having spent so many months trying to save money and be careful with expenditure, this is one time when splurging may well be justified. With everyone rushing to travel and go to popular destinations, a good holiday can turn into a nightmare if some care is not taken. Here are some great travel tips for this holiday season.

1.       Plan Ahead – Tips for Traveling during the Holiday Season

There is not better advice for holiday travel than to plan ahead. And this is especially true for the holiday season between Thanksgiving and New Years. There are many things that you can avoid by planning your trip ahead of time. Once you have chosen the location that you want to visit, you can book the flight tickets and make arrangements for the stay too. Holiday travel deals start to appear months before the actual dates of the holiday season and the sooner you book you can avail of the benefits. Some holiday packages also provide early bird discounts that can be extremely lucrative and attractive.

2.       Be Flexible – Tips for Traveling during the Holiday Season

Allowing for flexibility can help in ensuring that you get the most optimum of rates for the travel that you plan. Since the children anyways have their vacations, it does not matter whether you are traveling on the weekend or the weekdays. So make the choice based on the dates that allow the lowest fares. If you plan a vacation during a dead week (week right after thanksgiving or right after New Year) you can save a significant amount of money.

3.       Compare – Tips for Traveling during the Holiday Season

If you decide the days that you shall be traveling, you can avail of the ample time that you have to compare and contrast various deals across travel sites, travel agents and airlines. There are also some auction and comparison sites that you can use to get good deals too.

4.       Flight Woes – Tips for Traveling during the Holiday Season

The holiday season makes airports become a place of chaos. You only have to check out the movie ‘Home Alone’ to know the kind of chaos that takes place on airports during the holiday season. If you are judicious you will be careful enough to choose airports that you are familiar with when planning your route. Keep the weather in mind because some of the locations can land you in trouble if they are snowed in. If all this sounds too much of a hassle for you, just decide to drive down and avoid the complications. Only make sure that you have your winter tyres on or rent a good car for winter driving.

5.       Packing – Tips for Traveling during the Holiday Season

Make sure that you check the weather of the place that you are traveling to. Not only must you check the current weather but have a look at the weather forecast for the days that you are likely to be there. This is necessary to plan appropriate clothing so that you can pack them in. if you are traveling with kids, then you need to make sure that you have some of their favorite toys with you as well. You may want to keep in some of your favorite music, crosswords and more too. Other things that you may want to keep include medication candy and nicotine patches (for smokers who have a tough time on a long non smoking flight).

6.      Don’t Wrap Gifts – Tips for Traveling during the Holiday Season

If you are likely to be traveling to visit family and friends, make sure that you do not gift wrap the presents since they can be opened during the baggage security check. Opt for fancy bags instead.

7.       Bonus Advice – Tips for Traveling during the Holiday Season

Make sure that your cell phone is completely charged, in case your plane is delayed or if you are traveling without a charger in your car. Make the pet hotel reservations for your beloved cat, dog or hamster early on during the holiday season, since space is in high demand to check in pets. Take all the phone numbers including those of the airlines, the pickup, the hotel and all family and friends too. Never forget to buy travel insurance for everyone who is traveling.

If all this talk about planning is making you nauseous then you might just want to pick up a car, throw in some clothes and get some adventure. This might not be the kind of holiday that you may have imagined, but it might just turn out to be interesting.

Even though traveling during the Holiday Season can be quite exhausting, don’t lose your Holiday Spirit and stay relaxed. This is why you are going on vacation for anyways, right?

About Fox Rent A Car:

Fox Rent A Car, your discount car rental company, has been providing excellent customer service along with low rates for rental cars since its founding in 1989. Today, our success in these areas has enabled us to develop into the largest independent car rentals company headquartered in California. You will find Fox Car Rental offices conveniently located at major airports throughout the world.

Travel insurance can help in various situations including a medical condition while you are abroad or canceled flights. Traveling overseas can be an expensive affair and it is foolhardy to assume that nothing can happen to you or your companions as you travel. Just as the other insurance policies that you may have explored, travel insurance can also get complicated at times. Here are some of the things that you need to know to ensure that you are sufficiently and adequately covered.

1.       Check what you have – Travel Insurance

Before you start to reach out to travel agents to get new travel insurance, it is wise to check the polices that you have to see what they cover. It is important to know that Medicare does not provide coverage outside of the United States. Check your personal medical insurance, if you have one, and ensure that it takes care of overseas medical needs. Print out a form and take it along with you when traveling. Overseas medical coverage is also included in some International credit cards as well.

2.        Types of travel medical insurance –Travel Insurance

While the specific items covered and the amount that you can claim differs across insurance companies, there are essentially 2 kinds of travel insurance policies – Travel Medical Insurance and Travel Evacuation Insurance.

3.       Coverage –Travel Insurance

Along with the medical coverage that travel insurance provides, other items such as trip cancellation and interruption is also covered. This is actually the most common kind of travel policy that is sold since international medical coverage is provided by some form of insurance that people already have. The cancellation and interruption travel policy comes into action when you cannot travel after booking your tickets due to some unforeseen circumstances like illness, debt, a jury duty call or cancellation of the flight by the carrier. In addition to that travel insurance also covers accidental death, trip delays, baggage insurance and emergency assistance too.

4.       Costs –Travel Insurance

The amount that you will need to pay for travel insurance depends on various factors. These include age of the traveler, trip length, trip cost and the specific areas that you want covered (medical, baggage, trip cancellation etc). Typically, travel insurance costs hover between 4 percent and 8 percent of the total trip cost. It is judicious for frequent travelers to get annual travel insurance to save costs. The difference can be significant and will depend on the number of trips that you are likely to take in a year.

5.       Insurance policy –Travel Insurance

It is necessary to carry the travel insurance policy with you along with the booklet that outlines procedures and places that support the policy. It is also wise to keep a photocopy back home in case you may lose the original. In case of an accident or emergency inform the authorities at once and get the case recorded. And as you spend your money on the medical situation or the booking of extra tickets, make sure that you keep a copy of all the receipts as you do so.

About Fox Rent A Car:

Fox Rent A Car, your discount car rental company, has been providing excellent customer service along with low rates for rental cars since its founding in 1989. Today, our success in these areas has enabled us to develop into the largest independent car rentals company headquartered in California. You will find Fox Car Rental offices conveniently located at major airports throughout the world.

If you are naïve enough to feel that airfare is the only amount that you need to pay when you are travelling by air, then you are probably in for a shock. Airline fees get increasingly complicated each day. Just when you think you are aware of the excess baggage charges and know how much weight to carry for check in baggage, you may realize that the rules have changed. Below are some of the airline fees that are charged and the manner in which you can avoid them.

1.  Tip How to Avoid Airline Fees:  Check-in Baggage

Most of the airlines allow you to carry 2 pieces of check-in baggage. But some airlines are beginning to charge for this too. The practice has become so prevalent across the United States that some airlines that have not converted are using this is as a unique selling proposition. Even if you have traveled with a particular airline, make sure that you check the policy to confirm that they are still allowing check-in baggage. Find the current policies for all major airlines here!

2.    Tip How to Avoid Airline Fees: Oversize and Overweight Baggage

Airlines have always charged extra for excess baggage whether it is in terms of size or weight. Do make sure that you surf the entire site of the airline for this information, even if it is hidden in the deepest corner of the sitemap.

3.  Tip How to Avoid Airline Fees: Operator Services

The involvement of human personnel for any information or processing is being discouraged. This is mainly to save costs on salaries and to minimize the number of employees that they need to hire. And this is the reason why some budget airlines are charging for any interaction that requires human intervention like printing the boarding pass.

4.  Tip How to Avoid Airline Fees: In-flight Movies

People who have discovered in hotels that they are being charged for specific movies that they might have watched last night, can also expect to be charged for movies or videos that are ordered on the flight. Even though the fares are low, you can avoid this cost by watching DVD’s on your laptop.

5.   Tip How to Avoid Airline Fees: Snacks and Refreshments

Snacks and refreshments are a major source of profit for airlines. A small bag of chips can cost $5. It is judicious that you stash a few packs of biscuits and snacks in your carry on bag rather than pay dearly for it when you feel hungry during the flight.

6.    Tip How to Avoid Airline Fees: Seat Selection

If you want to extra leg space that comes with the exit row or the first row, then you need to pay more. The online check-in process allows passengers to choose seats for a small fare. Seat selection at the time of check-in is free though.

7.    Tip How to Avoid Airline Fees: Pillows and Blankets

Most airlines carriers provided a cozy blanket for the comfort of the passengers. This is no longer true and flights can get extremely cold and uncomfortable. Make sure that you are adequately covered and carry a small and thin blanket if you can in your cabin baggage.

8.    Tip How to Avoid Airline Fees: Alcoholic Beverages

Gone are the days when flights were known for the alcoholic beverages that they provided for free. Small bottles or a glass of wine costs unusually high amounts of money these days. There is no way that you will be allowed to carry your own bottle of liquor on board. So just remember that alcohol consumption on a flight causes jet lag and unruly passengers and keep away.

About Fox Rent A Car:

Fox Rent A Car, your discount car rental company, has been providing excellent customer service along with low rates for rental cars since its founding in 1989. Today, our success in these areas has enabled us to develop into the largest independent car rentals company headquartered in California. You will find Fox Car Rental offices conveniently located at major airports throughout the world.

Each year in the late summer months, young students, parents, and drivers get ready for the Back to School time. Only a few days are left until summer holidays are over and many of us are heading back to work and school. This means, that more traffic will be on the streets during rush hour and the start and end of the school days. Fox Rent A Car has a special request to all drivers – please drive very carefully to keep our children and their parents safe.

For some of the kids it will be the first days and weeks at school and they are not yet familiar with the surrounding, their walk ways, the spots to get dropped off and picked up at. Same is valid for the parents and drivers of our little ones, and so traffic during Back to School time is nothing uncommon. Plan ahead and either change your route to avoid school areas, or leave early to be prepared for a drive that takes a little longer than usual.

There are a few simple tricks of how you can get to work on time and relaxed while being very careful on the road. Most of them are obvious and ask for behavior on the road that is expected from every driver. The most important tip: pay attention. Of course, it is rather hard to stay calm and concentrated when numerous care with parents and children are all heading into the same direction you need to go to – especially since this route may have been rather calm for the past weeks. Especially in school zones you must pay attention to your driving and surrounding so keep your eyes on the road, stay relaxed, and be concentrated.

In many states it’s already illegal to text or call with your cell phone while driving, but often people still do it. If you are close to a school or children are present, put the phone away and only touch it after you have parked your car. Also, always follow the speed limits and slow down when you are in a school zone! You do not want to be speeding when a child runs onto the street and neither of you can’t stop on time. Follow the signs and watch out for AAA School Safety Patrollers – if you see them, you are close to a school. Watch out for stop signs, you really need to stop rather than passing the crossing slowly. Come to a complete halt, there could always be a child who wants to cross the street!

The last piece of advice that Fox Rent A Car can give you is to stop when there is a loading or unloading school bus. It is impossible to overlook them, so follow the law and only drive when it’s legal and safe.

Fox Rent A Car wishes all families, students and drivers a great and safe Back to School time! You will see, routines will quickly establish and you will be a much safer driver by following these advices. Our schools, families, bus drivers and other commuters like you thank you for you help.

About Fox Rent A Car:

Fox Rent A Car, your discount car rental company, has been providing excellent customer service along with low rates for rental cars since its founding in 1989. Today, our success in these areas has enabled us to develop into the largest independent car rentals company headquartered in California. You will find Fox Car Rental offices conveniently located at major airports throughout the world.

Especially in the age of increased security and a permanent Code Orange on airports (which means that “there is a high risk of terrorist attacks”), stressful flying becomes more and more normal. But what can you do to give yourself a little less excitement during your trip? There is, as for man things, one little keyword: preparation. Fox Rent A Car knows that air traveling can be quite a hassle and a bad can completely ruin your trip. Therefore, we have prepared a short list of things you should know and be prepared for when you travel on a plane.

Air Travel Tip: Book your ticket in advance

Booking a ticket can be quite time consuming. However, you should take the time to compare prices to save some bucks, and make sure you book your flight well in advance. You cannot imagine how much more expensive (or cheaper) the seat right next to yours can be! Make sure you visit all travel booking websites, like Expedia, Priceline, Orbitz, or CheapAir, and compare prices! To know that you made a good deal on your airfare makes your trip just half as stressful.

Air Travel Tip: Chose your seat carefully

Especially when you travel for long distances and your seat will be your home for 6, 8, 12, or even 16 hours, you want to make sure that you have a good spot. An easy advice – if you are tall and need some leg room, try to get a seat at an emergency exit or at least sit on the aisle. This makes it easier to stretch your legs from time to time. If you like leaning against a “wall”, get a window seat. Also make sure you get a spot in the front of the air craft if you only have a short layover. You don’t want to miss a flight just because you sit in the last row and have no time to get to another terminal at the airport!

Air Travel Tip: Get your documents in order

What could be worse than to show up at the airport on time, but you forgot half of your travel documents and can’t check in! Things you always should have with you when you travel by plane are: your ticket and the itinerary; a valid ID or, if you travel internationally, a valid passport; your visa (if needed and not put into your passport) and supporting documents for your visa; insurance documents; and if needed travel immunization records.

Air Travel Tip: What to pack in your carry-on luggage

Be prepared for any delays that can happen or that your luggage gets lost. Pack clothing to change, a toothbrush and tooth paste, and medicine that you may need during your trip, your on-flight-entertainment (iPod, book, DVD player etc.), your wallet, keys, phone and eventually the charger, and a neck pillow (make sure you got yourself the right size). Also – make sure you can be comfortable on the air craft with regards to the temperature. If you know you freeze easily, take a sweater, blanket or a scarf with you! But whatever you pack, make sure you obey the airport security rules!

Air Travel Tip: At the airport

On the day of your travel, make sure you get to the airport on time. Long lines at the ticket counter and the security already caused a lot of missed flights and sometimes it is just better to be prepared for long waits rather than relying onto your luck. Have your ticket and ID handy, wear comfortable clothing, make sure your carry-on luggage is well-sorted so in case of a personal control the security staff can easily see what you are planning to take on board. This will make the check easier and much faster. Also – as funny as it may be – do not make silly jokes at the security. It may cost you a missed flight!

Being that well prepared, we can add nothing else than “Have a safe and good flight”. We hope to see you at any of our Fox Rent A Car locations at your departure and/ or destination!

About Fox Rent A Car:

Fox Rent A Car, your discount car rental company, has been providing excellent customer service along with low rates for rental cars since its founding in 1989. Today, our success in these areas has enabled us to develop into the largest independent car rentals company headquartered in California. You will find Fox Car Rental offices conveniently located at major airports throughout the world.

Flying is always an adventure – even before you actually arrive at the airport! Finding acceptable flights and schedules, comparing prices and seating availabilities, and now you even have to worry about the baggage fee! It is getting more and more complicated to find the cheapest airline ticket, since you must be informed about costs that you may not expect in the beginning. One checked bag can cost you up to $50! Fox Rent A Car prepared a list of tips how you can avoid the airline baggage fee. Have a safe trip!

1. Avoid baggage fee: Chose those airlines that do not charge a fee

There are two airlines in the United States that do not charge a baggage fee and we all hope that it will stay this way. Southwest Airlines lets you check in two bags for free, and at JetBlue you get the first piece of checked luggage for free. While other airlines may cost you an arm and a leg just to get your suitcases to your destination, those two airlines still accept that traveling people do actually have luggage.

2. Avoid baggage fee: Pack less and use sample sizes

Do you really need the 5^th pair of shoes on your weekend trip? How about you just buy your toiletries at the Walgreen’s next to your hotel at the destination, or eventually your hotel provides those even for free? Try to only pack what you really need and you will see how much money you can save by not taking extra stuff that you could easily purchase at your destination. If you need your toiletries during your trip, take sample sizes instead of the full package. A few cents for such samples can save you a lot of money on your flight.

3. Avoid baggage fee: Maximize the usage of your carry-on luggage

Try to get a bag that is big enough to eventually even replace a suitcase, yet small enough to be considered for a carry-on luggage. If you know you have to carry heavy items, such as folders, books or other things that may result in overweight luggage, put them into your carry-on bag, which usually does not get weight.

4. Avoid baggage fee: Be a frequent flyer

Often, airlines offer one or two pieces of free checked luggage for frequent travellers. If you are a Star Alliance member of a certain class, Miles & More user or if you book your ticket for business or first class, you will get your luggage on board for free. The question remains, whether the upgrade to a different class is worth the money just for free bags.

5. Avoid baggage fee: Ship your luggage

If you do have a lot of luggage that you simply cannot take with you on an airplane, you should seriously consider shipping those items that you don’t need right away. Sort your stuff and make sure you have those things that you will need within the next few weeks and the rest can get shipped. Compare prices though – shipping is not cheap. Eventually, it may even be cheaper to pay the airline fee.

Let’s cross our fingers that the airlines will get back to their original pricing strategy to include at least one piece of free luggage, and two bags on international flights. If new pricing regulations do not show financial success to the airlines, maybe they will get back to the “old” standards. The Fox Rent A Car team wishes you a safe flight and hopes to see you at any of our airport locations.

About Fox Rent A Car:

Fox Rent A Car, your discount car rental company, has been providing excellent customer service along with low rates for rental cars since its founding in 1989. Today, our success in these areas has enabled us to develop into the largest independent car rentals company headquartered in California. You will find Fox Car Rental offices conveniently located at major airports throughout the world.

During your visit to the USA you will see a lot of different American restaurant chains. If you are not familiar with their names, it can be hard to decide where to eat, and what to try. So here is a list of the major American restaurants you can find in the US (some of the chains only have locations in some states though).

American Fast Food Chains

Other than Mc Donald you can find  numerous fast food chains across the US. Some of those American restaurants are:
- Carl’s Jr. (Hardee’s), Jack in the Box, White Castle, Burger King, In and Out and Big Boy are the typical burger places, like Mc Donald’s where you can buy French fries, sodas and a variety of burgers. They all pretty much have the same menu, which variations depending on the chain. Some are a little healthier than others, but they are still fast food burger places.
- Wendy’s is pretty much like the previous ones but with a different touch to it. You can find items you wouldn’t find in the other typical burger places, and it has a little more of a restaurant feel to it.
- Taco Bell, El Pollo Loco and Del Taco are Mexican food chains. They have the same system of menus with drinks, but with tacos, burritos and such instead of burgers.
- Arby’s is another American fast food chain, but it serves roast beef sandwiches instead of meat patties.
- KFC and Chick-Fil-A serve chicken as the meat of choice. KFC, Kentucky Fried Chicken, is great for a fast family dinner with its grilled or fried chicken buckets and its sides of mashed potatoes.
- Subway and Quiznos are sandwich places, where you can pick the bread you want and all toppings you can put in your sub. Subway has a whole healthy/calories program to help people try to eat better and healthier.
- Dairy Queen is another American fast food chain, that serves burgers as well but mostly know for it milk shakes and ice creams
- Sonic is what we call a drive in. They kept the old school style of drive in restaurants, where you pull in next to a microphone and place your order and it is brought to  your car.

American Restaurant Chains

Not all chain restaurants are Fast Food places, some of them have a typical restaurant atmosphere and good, healthy food.

- Chili’s, TGI Friday’s, Outback and Applebee’s are American steak house restaurant chains where you can have large portions, with steaks, ribs… and of course a cold beer at the bar to watch the football game.
- Olive Garden is another famous American restaurant chain, which serve Italian style cuisine. Great soup and salad deals and a variety of pastas dishes make this a popular chain for families .
- Red Lobster, the name speaks for itself, it’s the American restaurant chain for seafood, shrimps, lobsters and crabs!
- Hooters is little bit different and yet very American restaurant where the waitresses have to have a certain chest size to work! You go there for the show, mini skirts and stretched shirts, chicken wings and some cold beer while watching the football game. Definitely not the restaurant, you want to take your girlfriend on a date!

- For Pizza you have the choice between: Papa John’s, Pizza Hut or Dominos as large chains, as well as Round Table. Then of course, you can find smaller chains in different states.
For kids, ChuckECheese is an American restaurant specially designed with kids in mind, with games, play grounds and a menu they will enjoy.

American Breakfast Restaurant Chains

- IHOP and Denny’s are famous breakfast restaurant chains that serve breakfast and lunch meals all day and they are usually open late. You have a large choice of scrambled eggs, bacon, sausages, and of course pancakes!
- The Pancake House is pretty much the same but it tries to give a more family oriented environment and serves dishes that are a bit more home made style oriented.

It can be helpful to have an idea of the different American restaurant chains, because you most likely will see a lot of them during your trip. And though it is a good idea to try one of them to experience the American culture fully, remember that there are a lot of other places you should try, that might be more diverse, and maybe even healthier!

We get so use to our own ways and culture that we often don’t realize that going abroad can be challenging even if we speak the language perfectly. This guide shows you some of the most common store chains on the West Coast, from grocery stores, pharmacies, and electronic stores. While some of the chains operate nationwide, others only operate stores in a few states. Here you will find information on what super market will carry which products.

Shopping on the West Coast: Grocery Stores

If you are visiting for a longer vacation, you will need to know where to shop for food. Here is a list of the grocery stores you can find on the West Coast.
-Vons/Safeway: This is a typical grocery store chain, where you can find everything from fresh to frozen produce, alcohol, milk, pet food and a few cleaning products.
- Ralph’s: Is another grocery store chain, a little more expensive than the first mentioned, with the same kind of products.
- Albertson: offers lower prices on certain produces and serve the same as the 2 previously mentioned.
- Henry’s and Trader Joe’s are grocery stores, with just groceries, and focus on the fresh and organic produce. You find a larger choice of fresh veggies and fruits and a smaller frozen section. They are considered the “healthy” stores, but also offer great prices.
- Whole Foods is the top of the chain grocery stores: it is the leader in “natural and fresh produce”. You can find international and specialty products and the best produces. It is the Gourmet of the grocery stores, however, it is also the most expensive grocery store.

Shopping on the West Coast: General Stores

- Wal-mart and Target are the two largest general store chains that you will find all over the US. They are kind of the equivalent of a European super market. You can find everything for your home, clothes, personal care, electronics, food… Wal-mart tends to have lower prices, but some people refuse to shop there due to the bad press they chain received for their employment rules. Target stores don’t always have a food section, only the super Target Stores offer this option.
- Kmart is another general store chain where you can find what the other general stores offer, but with less choices and quality.
- Sears is the first American general store chain, the oldest one ever created. Although it should be called a department store, it is another American store that can be compared to the European super market, carrying fewer choices that the 2 first mentioned.

Shopping on the West Coast: Pharmacy
It is hard in a new country to know where to go for medicines and to know what to take. Yes, even the vocabulary might raise some suspicion. In the US, people often refer to medicine as drugs and call a pharmacy a drug store. All the stores mentioned here have pharmacists available to answer your questions and direct you to the right product. Unlike most of European countries, in the USA you can buy most medicines, which are not personal prescriptions, over the counter.
CVS, Walgreen and Rite Aid are the most popular ones with the most locations. You can find everything for your personal care as well as snacks and cleaning products there. They usually also offer a small convenience section with the most use grocery items (milk, eggs, butter…) and alcohol, but note that in some states, you can only buy liquor in liquor stores. In California you can find every liquor, beer, wine in most stores. However in Texas, only licensed liquor stores can sell hard liquor.

Shopping on the West Coast: Convenient Stores

Sometimes if you just want a snack, a drink, candies, or the typical grocery items like milk you can find them at convenient stores. They usually have a larger selection of candies and cigarettes then grocery stores do. 7 Eleven and Circle K are 2 good examples. Sometimes, they also have a gas station.

Shopping on the West Coast: Electronics Stores

When traveling you might not want to shop for electronics, however, it could happen that your portable DVD player breaks or the camera you want to buy is much cheaper in the US… In case you need electronics for any particular reason, the two best American stores for this are Best Buy and Fry’s. Best Buy is a nationwide chain and offers everything,  from computers to TV, appliances to DVDs. Fry’s also offers these products, but with a wider selection of technical products as well. You can also find a good selection of electronics in Target and Wal-mart and other general stores.

Shopping on the West Coast: Pet Stores

In case you travel with you pet, it is useful to know where you can find everything you might need to keep your beloved pet happy during the vacation. Pet People, Pet Smart and Petco are American stores dedicated to the care of pets, from pet food to flea treatment and beds.

Other Chain Stores on the West Coast:

- For Office Supplies: Staples, Office Depot. You can find everything you need for office supplies, from paper to ink for your printer, envelopes and markers.
- For home and garden maintenance: Home Depot and Lowe’s have everything to fix and built.
- Department Stores
Large Department Stores which carry clothing as well as appliances for kitchen, bed and bath rooms and a beauty department: Macy’s and JC Penney
Large Department stores without the appliances section: Nordstrom, Bloomingdale, (up scale and higher prices, offer all designer brands) and Kohl’s and Ross (cheap clothing)
- For books and magazines, Borders and Barnes & Nobles have every type of books, and can help you find what you need. From dictionary to international authors, to cook books, they offer a large selection of books.

Shopping on the West Coast: Notes:
- Costco requires a membership card to shop there.
- When you pay at the register, you don’t need to put your items in bags, they have employees that will do that for you.
- Don’t try to find the scale to weigh your fruits and veggies; they do it for you when you pay.
- You don’t need money to get a cart.
- You are required to be 18 years old to buy cigarettes and 21 to buy alcohol, and you have to present your ID. You can buy cigarettes at the grocery stores, you just need to ask for them at the cashier.
- When you pay with your credit or debit card, they ask you “ Cash Back?” It is a way for you to get cash without going to the ATM. You are just charged the amount you ask (up to $200 in most stores) in addition to your purchase.

You are all set to shop in the USA. All American stores are different from your country’s stores, but you can still find the common items! Enjoy your trip to the US.

Before going on your trip to the US you should make sure you plan everything ahead of time and plan it well. A trip to the US is usually quite expensive and it should be the trip of your lifetime, right? It is important when traveling to a different country that you learn about the culture and plan your trip accordingly. You might need to adapt your customs and habits to your trip and adopt new ways and attitudes. It is part of the fun to travel to a different country! Discover a new culture, learn about it and act according to it. The US are not that much different from the European culture, but there is a few things your need to be aware of to help you plan your trip to the US.

Trip to the US: Packing

When you are planning your trip to the US it is important to know what to pack and what you can leave at home to make your trip easier and lighter!
Don’t forget these things:
Take a little pocket dictionary or translator if your English isn’t perfect. It might be useful to avoid communication problems and will make things a lot easier for you! Find out about the weather and climate of your destination at the time of year, and match the clothes you pack for your trip. For example, if you are planning a trip to California, although it is warm during the summer, the nights are often chilly, so you should think about taking a light sweater or even a coat, if you plan to visit Northern California. Also match your clothes to the activities you have planned. If you plan hikes during the day and a fun nightlife, remember dress codes might be imposed! so you will have to pack more pair of shoes and shirts. If you are planing a trip in a warm part of the US with beach activities remember that it is forbidden for women to be top less. Children always wear their bathing suit as well.

Things you can leave at home:
Of course you want to bring your camera, iPod and some other electronics on your trip, but remember that the US has a different voltage and other differently shaped plugs. This means you have to buy an adapter and check your electronic equipment, if it can handle a different income voltage. Quite a hassle, right? So leave your flat iron, hair dryer, electric tooth brush and razor at home, if you can. Also, if you are staying in hotels during your trip note that most hotel rooms are equipped with a hair dryer, towels, flat irons as well as toiletries such as soap, shampoo and lotion so you don’t need to pack these things! If you are planning on going to the beach though, you might want to bring your own large beach towel. Sunscreen, batteries, even shampoo, soap and toothpaste are easy to find and very cheap, so you might want to lighten your bags and buy these things, when you get there.

Trip to the US: Required Documents

Drivers License: If you are planning to drive in the US make sure to take your driver license. Depending on where you are coming from, you might be required to have an international drivers license, instead of your national driver license. If you are renting a car, ask the car rental company what their policy is about that.
Passport: Your passport is obviously a MUST. No expired passport (or one that will expire during or shortly after your trip) is accepted by US immigration and must be an electronic passport. Even if your passport is not expired, you will need to have it redone if it is not an electronic passport.
Visa: Depending on the nature of your trip to the US, make sure you have all the papers and documents required by immigration to legally enter the country. Get information, if you need a visa and if so, what kind of visa you need and how to get it. As the process can take quite a while , make sure to take care of it early enough.
Insurance: Your insurance might cover you abroad, but some do not. If not, you should consider buying a travel insurance for the duration of your trip. A stay in an American hospital can cost several thousand Dollars and they might not even treat you without proof of insurance, even if you give them your credit card. Take you insurance information with you and keep it in a safe place. Better be safe than sorry and have all the information you need in case of an emergency. Also bring the documents of your car insurance, if you plan to rent a car. Some international insurances are accepted by car rental companies. This can also save you a few bucks.

Plan your Trip to the US: Reservations

Hotels
When you plan your trip to the US and decide to stay in a hotel, make sure to make your reservation ahead of time. Try to check if your travel dates are during any American Holidays. If so make sure to reserve ahead, Holidays are always a good excuse for travel and hotels get booked out quickly. Also prices get higher the closer you get to these special dates.
Camping
Most camp sites in the US require permits for RVs and tents as well. Make sure to call ahead and get the permits soon. Especially, if you are going to very popular places such as National Parks, during the summer, you need to get your permit at least 2 months before your visit.
Rental Cars
It is quite easy to rent a car in the US. However, depending on the type of car you need or want, you should reserve the car before your arrival, so you get the most suitable car model for your needs and plans. Also, if you will need additional equipment, such as a car seat, DVD player, ski racks etc… you will need to request this when doing your reservation so that everything can be set and ready upon your arrival. Make sure before you arrive and get your car, to include while planning of your trip to the US, to learn everything about driving in the US.

Note: when planning an international trip, make sure to respect the baggage weight limits of your airline company, because this will quickly increase your trip expenses. Remember that there might be different weight limits when you plan to fly domestic during your trip in the US (this does not affect layovers that are part of your international connection flight). Due to the increasing number of travelers and very high security standards at US airports, make sure to arrive at least 2 hours before departure at the airport. It is better to arrive early than miss your plane! And remember, it gets cold on planes, so if you have a long flight, plan to bring a sweater!

These tips should help you plan your trip to the US a little and give you insights on what to think about when packing, making your reservations and also about the culture. Enjoy discovering the US!