5 Travel Tips for the Holidays + Giant Eagle Fuel Perks Program!
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The holidays are quickly approaching and for many people that means traveling. I travel on all of the major holidays to my hometown where most of my family is located. It’s about a two and a half hour drive and I like to think that after driving this distance during the holidays for 16 years I have learned a few tips and tricks for making holiday travel easier.
I always make a pit stop before leaving town to stock up on items I’ll need for the holiday. While I usually make dessert for all of the holidays I recently had a baby and it’s been harder to get into the kitchen and make things. That means this year I’m just bringing food with me for the holidays. I usually head to Giant Eagle before leaving town so I can get everything I need in one stop.
The Giant Eagle near me has a GetGo next to it so I can fuel up before leaving and get everything I need in the store. This means I can get cheese and crackers for my appetizer, rolls for dinner, a few last minute gift cards for holiday gifts, and antacids for after dinner. I love being able to get everything in one location instead of driving around trying to find everything I need.
Plus the Giant Eagle Fuel Perks Plus program just launched on September 28th. Not only can I get discounts on GetGo’s gas and prescription copays, Curbside Express orders and giftcards, but I can also redeem my points on up to 20% off of my total grocery bill (in a single transaction of up to $10,000 in qualifying purchases) or up to a free tank of gas(up to 30 gallons of fuel in a single transaction for one vehicle)! I can also earn 50 perks on every 5 prescriptions, plus earn on out of pocket pharmacy expenses at the same rate as groceries. It’s easy to view perks status while I’m on the go by using Giant Eagle’s new mobile app available for iOS and Android devices.
It’s easy to sign up for the Fuel Perks Plus program as all you need is a Giant Eagle Advantage card! I’ve had mine for years so I’m already earning points and rewards every time I stop at Giant Eagle or GetGo. The Giant Eagle Advantage Card will track when you earn and redeem perks. If you’d like to sign up for one, you can visit the Customer Service desk at your neighborhood Giant Eagle where you can register for free in less than five minutes! Or, you can register by phone; just call 1-800-553-2324. If you don’t have an advantage card and would like to sign up to track when you earn and redeem perks, you can visit the Customer Service desk.
1. Get Gas Before You Go
Seriously, fuel up before you leave town. There’s nothing worse then being in a rush to get somewhere at the holidays and halfway there you run out of gas. I like to plan a trip to the local gas station on my way out of town. We usually head to GetGo so I can fuel up the gas tank and then run into Giant Eagle and get anything else I need before leaving town. Plus I can earn perks on my fuel purchases and have the choice to redeem them on food OR fuel. When it’s time to use my perks I can look forward to $0.10 off per gallon of gas OR 2% off my groceries.
2. Leave Plenty of Time to Get to Your Destination
This one seems simple but so many people rush around at the holidays. If it takes me 2 hours to get somewhere I leave 2 and a half hours of time so that I can stop and take a bathroom break or grab a cup of coffee and still get to my destination on time. If you only leave with the amount of time it takes to get somewhere it can add a lot of stress if you hit traffic or need to stop and then arrive late.
3. Grab Snacks Before You Leave
Whenever I am driving more than 1 hour I grab a drink and some type of snack to eat in the car. It doesn’t have to be anything big but I am always thirsty when I am traveling and at some point I usually get hungry. When I go to get gas I usually run into Giant Eagle and grab a few single bags of chips and single bottles of soda for the car. It only takes a few minutes and then I don’t have to worry about looking for somewhere to get off the highway and stop for food or a drink in the middle of my trip.
4. Plug the Address into Your GPS
I don’t care how many times you’ve been to where you are going, plug the address into the GPS. This is key for when you hit traffic or construction and need to go a different way. I travel to my hometown for the holidays and I still plug in the address to my parents house even though I obviously know the way. There have been times when construction has backed up for miles and I’ve gotten off the highway and have been able to keep on going thanks to my GPS.
5. Bring Your Own Antacids
This one seems silly but people eat more during the holidays. There is more food then normal to choose from and food that isn’t made everyday so people like to indulge. Unfortunately this leads to tummy troubles sometimes. I can’t count on the host to have antacids so I like to buy a bottle and stow it in my car before we leave. Since I already have to run into Giant Eagle for snacks I simply make a trip to the pharmacy department and stock up on antacids while I’m there as well. It’s so convenient and it means I’ll have a peaceful evening after filling up on food.