Last week, I was asked to appear on FoxBusiness.com's web show to discuss baggage fees. We also discussed tips to avoid the fees, airfare for spring, and the value of hotels.

It’s c-c-c-c-cold outside--and not only here in New York, where you can count on January being bitter. Huge swathes of the U.S. and Europe are being battered by arctic air this week, catching some sun-seekers by surprise. When I watched a video this morning of three children swimming at an icy Florida beach, I decided I had to offer up some tips for enjoying a trip even when the mercury drops. (For one thing, get out of the water!)

So here are the five things I always pack to keep warm--the items that I think make the most difference when it comes to staying comfortable in cold weather. I’ve used all five of these things in cities and in the backcountry, in wind chills that have dipped to -40 degrees. I even wore two of them on my walk to work this morning.

If you read this blog, you're probably a lot like us, constantly planning your next trip, collecting passport stamps like medals of honor, and always looking for that next peak to climb. The older I get the more keenly I feel that if I love travel this much, I also have a responsibility to preserve beloved destinations for my children and my children's children.

Responsible or green travel is at heart a conservation movement, a desire to keep pristine places around the world as they are--or even restore them to how they were. Here are 10 green travel resolutions you can make for Mother Earth. I've listed them from simplest to most ambitious so you can choose where you'd like to start. If we all make a pact to do just one of these resolutions, I think you'd be surprised at the huge impact it would have over time.

Even if budgets are a little snug this year, travel hopes remain high. Here's a list of affordable travel gifts for the globetrotter on your list. The best part? All of the items are $60 or less (and in many cases, much, much less). Happy holiday shopping!

For the Green Globetrotter

VeloPouch $45

(Source)

Recently I discovered How I Met Your Mother, which means I was the second-to-last person on Earth to get obsessed with it. This show nails what it's like to be a young adult in the city. And so far my favorite episode has been "Murtaugh." In it, Ted says he has a list of things he is now too old to do, like pull an all-nighter or drink from a beer bong. The list is named after the main character in Lethal Weapon, Roger Murtaugh, who famously says, "I'm gettin' too old for this sh*t." But the item on Ted's Murtaugh List that resonated the most with me was: Crash on a friend's futon for the night instead of getting a hotel room.

Ever wonder where that lost luggage of yours ended up? If you flew through PHX, it may be at this creepy couple's house. They were arrested this week for stealing more than 1,000 bags from Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport. I got a call from channel 12 News in Phoenix to talk about how travelers can prevent this from happening to them. Even though it's tough to protect a bag that isn't in your possession, there are a few things you can do to make sure someone else doesn't claim your luggage.

Packing a carry-on bag for a flight has never been effortless; it’s always taken a bit of ingenuity to arrange things so you can reach what you might need. And for a long time now, we’ve had to remove any scissors or blades and bid au revoir to bottles that hold over 3 ounces. But now? Now we have to do all this and also pack our carry-ons as if they’re about to be checked: no valuables, no breakables, no necessary medications.

Since airlines began charging checked-bag fees last year, many of us have adjusted our habits to avoid checking any luggage. In my opinion, the problems this has caused—overly full overhead bins and major delays boarding—are only getting worse.

Just this morning, I said bye to my Mom, Gram and a close family friend, who all came to San Francisco for a five-night visit. The length of their visit is very significant to my point of this blog, which is simply that they overpacked. Big time. Each arrived with a large suitcase (one weighed in at 61 pounds), a carry-on duffel and a purse. Between the three of them, I'm pretty sure we could have opened a beauty supply store that would put Sally's out of business. Among their items were various hair apparatuses, Febreeze, air freshener and an electrical make-up mirror with lights.

Yes, you read that right, an electrical make-up mirror with lights.

This week's question comes from Moses in Roy, UT, home of the Hill Aerospace Museum (where admission is free!):

This is a shameless plea for help. Has anyone else ever sent their precious documents through a very unforgiving spin cycle? My husband and I got back from Peru on Sunday--after traveling for 24 straight hours. Needless to say, I wasn't thinking clearly when I decided to throw my filthy backpack into the washing machine, complete with both of our passports in one of the pockets. Note to self: Sleep, then clean.