Traveling with kids this summer? Don’t do another thing until you’ve read my list of 13 items to bring with you. This list of FSA-eligible items saved us a trip to the ER!
It was a pleasure working with FSAstore.com on this campaign. I received compensation for my honest review of their website. Please note that all opinions stated are 100% mine.
Traveling With Kids This Summer?
If you are traveling with kids this summer, this post is for you.
Leaving the comfort of your home is always a daunting task when you have kids in tow. Add in the stress of “what if they get sick while we are gone” and you might as well just stay at home, safe and sound, far far away from germs and uncertainty.
Take it from someone who knows!
I just returned from an 11-day trip to Denmark with our two youngest kids (ages 5 and 7). Exposing my kids to all the germs found on an airplane, public transportation, a foreign country and on their sticky grimy fingers was NOT something I looked forward to – at all.
However, this trip wasn’t my first rodeo, so to speak. I have left the house often enough to know that our kids are germ and virus magnets. If there’s something contagious in the air, they WILL catch it, guaranteed. Kids are great that way!
Thankfully, I’m always travel prepared – and I want to help you do the same during your family vacations. There were things in my suitcase that saved our trip and spared us a trip to the emergency room. I kid you not!
These are the 13 things I would never ever (ever) leave home without, when traveling with kids. AND… as an extra bonus, all these items are FSA-eligible!
Why Shop at FSAstore.com Before Traveling With Kids?
If you participate in an FSA program through your employer, you need to know about FSAstore.com. Spend your hard-earned FSA balance at FSAstore.com and you too will be well-prepared for your next family trip!
Before we get started: “Why FSAstore.com?” you may ask.
FSAstore.com is an online store where EVERY ITEM is guaranteed FSA-eligible. Oh… and you get free shipping on orders over $50, which is always totally awesome!
Do you remember during “open enrollment” at work when you enrolled in the FSA savings program? After that, you completely forgot about your FSA money, until a debit card arrived in the mail and months later, the emails started rolling in, reminding you to spend your FSA balance before the end of the year (or whatever deadline your employer established).
Instead of running to the local drug store and loading your cart with random “health care items” you may or may not ever need and worrying if they are even FSA-eligible, head over to FSAstore.com and shop with confidence.
Check out this handy calculator to get an estimate of how much you save when using your FSA account.
Additionally, with this list of things to buy at FSAstore.com before you travel with kids, your family vacation is almost guaranteed not to be derailed due to minor medical emergencies.
13 things I never leave home without, when traveling with kids:
- Thermometer:
- This Braun thermometer has been through the flu and random viruses with our family for 10 years. I rely on its ease of use and accuracy several times a month and it’s never failed me.
- Children’s Tylenol (Prescription required): *
- Don’t even try to step foot in an airport without this pain-relieving elixir. Your kids WILL develop some random ache or pain while you are traveling, it’s almost a universal certainty.
- Saline Nasal Mist:
- Whether it’s seasonal allergies or the common cold, a runny nose is bound to happen while traveling. This sterile nasal mist will also help alleviate nasal “dryness” after long flights.
- Nasal Aspirator (aka Snot Sucker):
- THIS! Because it’s guaranteed that your kids will forget how to blow their nose while on vacation. Without fail, our kids refuse to voluntarily give up their snot when it matters the most.
- Sinus Rinse Kit:
- At the first sign of a cold, I rinse our 7 year old’s sinuses since he’s prone to severe sinus infections. This kit goes with us everywhere and has saved us lots of sick days, discomfort and persistent infections.
- Zyrtec Allergy Medication (Prescription Required): *
- When traveling to new areas, someone in your group is BOUND to be affected by a local season allergy. That pesky pollen, especially during spring time, can surely put a damper on outdoor activities if someone has an allergic reaction.
- Flonase Nasal Spray (Prescription Required): *
- Again, allergies. I have one of these sprays designated for each of our four kids from the winter through summer. I line them up for their daily nasal spray at the first signs of a runny nose. Don’t dare to travel without this!
- Children’s Benadryl (Prescription Required): *
- Rashes or hives due to a previously unknown allergy always happens to our kids when we are away from home. New soaps, weird plants – you name it… something odd is going to give your kids an unexplained rash – keeping Benadryl handy gives you peace of mind, trust me!
- Children’s Ibuprofen Pain Reliever (Prescription Required): *
- Because not only WILL your kids catch a weird virus that causes high fevers, but their fevers WILL require both Tylenol AND Ibuprofen to come down to a tolerable level. It’s Murphy’s parenting law!
- First Aid Kit:
- This one is a parenting no-brainer, right? Blisters, cuts, scrapes… you name them, your kids will get them.
- Peak Flow Meter:
- If you know what this is, you may have a kid with asthma. One of our kids is on a daily inhaler, but he’s also prone to get croup – it happens every time we travel. Having this device on hand is crucial to know when we need to up his meds and stay ahead of an attack.
- Nausea Relief Wrist Bands:
- Whether you are traveling by land or sea, motion sickness is a real struggle. Once it hits, it’s sure to put a damper on your day. These wrist bands are a drug-free solution to a problem that hits lots of kids.
- Sunscreen:
- There’s no explanation needed here. We all know that there’s no such thing as a “healthy tan” – right?! Protect your kids and your WHOLE family from sun burns – all day, every day!
So… with this comprehensive list of things to bring when you travel with kids, you are sure not to let anything put a damper on your many opportunities to have fun.
Enjoy your summer travels with the kids, knowing that FSAstore.com left you well-equipped to handle anything life throws at you! Now, go make those sweet memories!
*) Please note these items require a prescription in order to use your FSA funds. But fear not, FSAstore.com makes the prescription process really easy and hassle-free for you.
Enjoyed learning about some good ol’ flex spending? As an FYI, I may earn a share of sales when you purchase these wonderful (and totally FSA-eligible) products through the links on this page!
