Avoid A Financial Crisis By Avoiding Bed Bugs?

Traveling is something that nearly everyone must do at some point. For frequent travelers, there is one major threat that could actually bring a budget to crumbles - bed bugs. These tiny round brown bugs are becoming more common every year in hotels. At one time, they were mostly confined to New York City and parts of the east coast, where most foreign travelers would stay. Now, there have been reports of bed bugs even in the ritziest hotels. These bugs are problematic because if they come home in luggage or on clothing, they will multiply quickly and are nearly impossible to get rid of. Nearly 100 years ago, when bed bugs infested homes, the homes usually had to be burned down. These are a much more serious threat than people realize. Their bite is painful and causes small itchy spots; additionally they will ruin a good night's sleep.

The most important thing to do is be prepared when traveling. Whether the hotel is a 1-star or 5-star, don't be fooled - bed bugs can be anywhere. Upon checking in to the hotel, do not unpack first; pull the covers on the bed back quickly. Bed bugs usually disperse when the covers are pulled back, but people usually pull them back slow enough they are able to keep their cover under the shadows of the blankets. Also check under the mattresses and on the floor around the bed. Keep a flashlight that is powerful in luggage to shine while doing inspections. If any bugs are seen, check out immediately.

Carry bed bug repellent when traveling. This is available in many department stores or online from hundreds of stores. Usually a bottle of the repellent will cost less than $10. There are even travel-size bottles that are the right size to be allowed through TSA checkpoints at airports.

Another useful tool is a bed bug registry. There are two reliable registries online - bedbugreports.com and bedbugregistry.com. Both sites provide reports of any hotel that has bed bug reports. They are reported by consumers who stayed there. Each site has a searchable database and a safe or unsafe category for most hotels.