Photo by nullalux on Flickr.

This month’s guest post comes from Michelle Strashoon. Writer and editor of the popular travel blog Hip Compass, Michelle offers travel news on the go, all delivered in quick snippets.

Here are a few of her words of advice.

Tip # 1: Jingle all the way

Who needs personal security when they have the mighty jingle bell?

What I am talking about here is attaching a bell to your carry-on when traveling…that way if someone tries to walk away with it you will hear your reindeeresque bag prancing away….and hopefully you are quick enough to intercept.

But please use this advice with caution, as walking around all day with a jingling bag could get rather annoying…I would suggest whipping out the bell while in airports, train stations, etc…

Tip # 2: Old shoes, new life

Although many people consider the ritual of shopping for vacation clothes necessary…you might want to focus on new clothes and not shoes…a vacation is not the place to break-in new footwear.

I must admit I have not followed my own advice in the past and my poor feet paid the price dearly, and my travel plans needed to be altered once I became chair bound due to bad blisters.

Do yourself a favor and travel with old shoes!

Tip # 3: Avoid the lag

To avoid jetlag when you are traveling far, make it a habit to change your watch to the new time zone once you get on the plane…and start living by this new time zone immediately. Acclimating as soon as possible will help ease the pain of jetlag.

Tip # 4: You’ve got mail

Most people opt out of most email newsletters…the fear of spam has has infiltrated our souls.

But think twice before unchecking the “would you like our newsletter” box when it comes to airlines…some of the best deals are found in the emails sent to frequent flyer members.