PostPoints tip: Check your batteries for a charge

Using a digital camera that takes rechargeable AA batteries means you can always buy a set of standard AAs in an emergency. But proper preparation can reduce the odds that you'll need to pay--more likely, overpay--for extra batteries while on vacation. First, make sure your rechargeables still hold a charge at all, since they can lose that ability over time. Second, make sure they're charged up before you go anywhere, because they will run down on their own when left idle. Third, pack a second set whenever you're carrying the camera--easy enough to do when most rechargeable AAs are sold in packs of four--so you don't find your camera out of juice in the middle of a hike in the wilderness. And remember the charger, even if you're only going on a short trip; the camera's flash and screen can drain a set of batteries faster than you'd like.