George Andrew Fotheringham

Saving Money
With the stress of packing, classes, work and constant calls from family, getting home for the holidays without losing half your paycheck and hair can be more than anyone wants to manage. Even though the TSA seems bent on ruining your day, there are some smart ways to get home or to your vacation destination in as much comfort as economy class can offer. For frequent travelers, the first step to getting the most out of your trip is taking advantage of reward systems. You don’t always need to sign up for another credit card to start earning points, as JetBlue, Amtrak Trains and various hotels all offer point systems that can be redeemed for travel. They offer points for shopping through their website, answering surveys or shopping at certain locations like Walmart. Also, stick with the same airline each time you fly to accrue the most amount of rewards you can. When it comes to buying tickets make sure you book your flights far in advance because prices will rise each week leading up to the flight. It is not likely that flights will sell out completely, but you should plan ahead to get the most out of your dollar. Foresight is the key to frugality and always remember to work smarter not harder.

Staying Comfy
To some, planes are cramped smelly boxes of terror that are pressurized to feel like the inside of a champagne bottle, or at least I hope that’s not just me. As a 6’’7 man I understand more than most how uncomfortable it can be on a plane for any length of time. Certain airlines can be a life saver when it comes to leg room, but flight staff on cheaper lines like Spirit have been kind enough to offer me an empty row in the back of the plane once they noticed I was physically unable to fit my legs behind my seat. If you don’t mind a little extra turbulence, picking your seat in the farthest back rows of the plane while purchasing your ticket gives you the chance of having a row all to yourself. I’m sure most of you won’t have the same comfort issues that I do, but there are some other general tips I have for staying cozy in the air. The first and most obvious tip is to dress in whatever outfit is most comfortable. Unless your anticipating a romantic reunion right before you board, no one is going to mind your grey sweat-suit and tumbleweed hair. I always bring a sweatshirt onto planes because it gets cold in the air and it’s one less bulky item to shove into your case. If you want to be extra clever you can bring a cardigan and wear it backwards like a Snuggie. That way, when you need to take it off, you won’t have to awkwardly wriggle around in your seat while you try not to elbow your neighbors in the face. Along with a pillow and some noise cancelling headphones you might just be the most comfortable person in coach.

Don’t Freak Out
No matter how perfectly you plan there can be anything to send you into a tizzy at the airport, and it’s always important to remember to keep your cool. Everyone is stressed out and airport employees are very used to (and tired of) being yelled at by someone who’s running late for their flight. At the same time most people will understand what you’re going through if something goes wrong and being nice enough will probably get them to help you out. Sometimes, you might just encounter an employee who is having a bad day themselves and it is best to simply go to someone else for help instead of getting into a fight. I have had an airport employee tell my family that we were too late for our flight to go through security and that we would be unable to check our bags, but someone else empathized with our trouble and let us skip the line at the bag check. The other flyers in the security line were also kind enough to let us ahead of them so we can make our mad dash to the gate. I even got a few cheers at four in the morning as I sprinted ahead of my family, wheezing through the terminal to make sure they didn’t close the gate without us. The moral is don’t make the process any harder for yourself than it already is, and to stay in better shape than I am. Double check everything you need and all your flight information, and don’t try and put it all together on the day of the flight. If you’re properly prepared you can stay grounded while flying home this holiday season.