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Weigh your options (illustration by Jon Cannell) [enlarge photo]

1. Weigh your options After spending two weeks in Alaska--one week on land and one on a cruise--my husband and I had collected more souvenirs than we'd anticipated. Worried about overweight-luggage fees at the airport, we hauled our suitcases to the cruise ship's gym and weighed them on one of the scales. We kept rearranging the contents until each bag weighed less than 50 pounds (but barely!). Nancy Boehmer, Bridgeton, Mo.

2. Save some summer When I store my summer wardrobe at the end of the season, I always put a week's worth of warm-weather clothes in my suitcase. That way, I don't have to dig through the storage bins months later when I'm packing for a winter getaway to a balmy locale. Lorraine Seymour, Belchertown, Mass.

3. Do the math Google has a feature for some U.S. cities that performs an analysis to show whether it would cost less to drive to a destination or to take public transportation (google.com/transit). Keri Sprenger, Camas, Wash.

4. Sting operation My husband got stung by a bee while we were vacationing in Germany, and a local suggested putting toothpaste on the spot. It worked! The sting didn't swell, burn, or itch. Marie Braatz, Thorp, Wis.

5. Where talk is cheaper I've found an inexpensive way to phone the States from Europe: Many Internet cafés have call centers with phones you can use to make overseas calls, and there are a few that charge only 3¢ to 4¢ per minute. Linda Brunett, Rockville, Md.

6. Cheat sheet If you receive travel info from a college alumni association, keep it--even if you don't plan to join the trip. The literature usually includes details on the destinations, such as hotels and interesting excursions. You can use it as a guide when you plan your own trip later. Chris Barker, Kingsport, Tenn.

7. On the metro beat When I'm planning to visit a city that has a subway, I like to review a subway map in advance to familiarize myself with the system. Amadeus.net makes this easy. Click on Trip Tools for access to subway maps from virtually every city that has one. Alan Brill, Staten Island, N.Y.

8. Slippery business If you're traveling for business, bring several FedEx or DHL slips with your company's preprinted account number on them. If you end up with work-related items that are too heavy or cumbersome to fly with, you can mail them back to your office before you leave. Cindy Lin, New York, N.Y.

9. Earn extra credit Before you book a cruise, find out if the cruise line offers benefits for signing up for its credit card. For example, Carnival offers a card that lets you earn points that can be put toward cruises, resort stays, and air travel. Paula Prindle, Orient, Ohio

10. Get down In elevators, the international symbol for street level is the star or asterisk. Patricia A. Steinkuehler, Boynton Beach, Fla.