Embarking on the trip of a lifetime, but don’t know how to leave things at home? Here are some tips and resources to make sure your life is crazy organized before you jet off. And maybe, just maybe, you’ll even be making money while you’re gone...
By Brendon Marchand, Eagle Creek
Embarking on a trip of epic proportions requires some upfront legwork. Since you’ll be busy quitting your job, bargaining for a sabbatical, or at least filling out that PTO request, we’ve done some heavy lifting for you. Enjoy your freedom and travel without worry.
Here are a few tools to streamline your I’m-going-to-be-gone-for-a-long-time process:
Bust out of your lease
When you’re looking to leave your pad behind, make sure to get out of your lease. You don’t have to pay for a place you don’t use. Breaking your lease is not as hard as you think. Most lease agreements will let you leave your place with little excuse. So get out of that lease and put that rent money to better use. You know, like a zipline ride through the jungle.
Rent out your pad
If you own your place and are feeling stuck, then look into renting it out. Vacationers are always looking for sweet pads to stay in for the weekend or even an entire month. It’s time to have someone pay your bills so you can instead pay attention to that cool new waterfall you discovered.
Sell your car
If you’re thinking about keeping your car while you’re away, that could totally work. But it might also just become another problem waiting for you when you get home. Keeping your car idle for a long period of time can be bad for the engine. Plus, leaving your car could also potentially mean break-ins or tickets that stack up due to pesky street sweepings. Cars are depreciating assets, so if you’re taking off for a good amount of time, consider selling your car. You’d have more money in your pocket on your trip - which could even mean a sweet weekend getaway to yet another spot while on your vacay.
Keep your pet occupied
We know that leaving your pet is never fun, but there are some great way to make sure your pet is taken care of while you’re away. To make sure they are taken care of, we’d suggest first reaching out to a friend or family member. You would be surprised at who would want to have a new friend to hangout with while you’re away. Another option is to look into pet hotels or dog walking. These can be a good alternative to make sure your Max is having the time of their life. There are tons of dog lovers out there who want to make sure your buddy is being cared for the right way. Just ask!
Store your stuff
If you’re moving out of your place, it is crucial that all of your stuff is packed away and safe while you’re gone. One way to pack it all up is to look into getting a storage unit. It’ll force you to declutter your life and give you the peace of mind that everything you own is under lock and key while you’re away. Definitely look around because some storage companies have killer deals on first month storage. That said, if you are actually into ditching most everything, call on a good friend to store a box or two of your stuff in their garage, or pack up only your valuables and keep them in a safety deposit box.
Freeze your cable
Cable companies can be a pain, but if you aren’t a cord cutter yet, give them a call to freeze your cable. It’s true, they’ll ask way too many questions before getting to the point, but there are options. Some companies like Spectrum have seasonal status options so can can freeze - and not cancel service. (Which saves you those start up fees.) If your cable company is giving you too much grief, remember that there are a handful of streaming subscriptions out there, still cheaper than cable. You can always walk away from that god-awful monthly bill feeling guilt-free with travel in your future. Main takeaway here: freeze your cable, not your travel plans.
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