(ARA) – If you find yourself waking up in the middle of the night scrambling to add to your growing holiday to-do list, you are not alone. Many Americans find the holiday season to be one of the most stressful times of the year, despite extra vacation time, an over-abundance of delicious treats and ample family time.

Expectations are high during the holidays. Family get-togethers, extra costs and big trips often bring with them lots of additional things to worry about. Follow these tips from Bank of America and AOL to see how a little planning will go a long way.

1. No more backtracking: A lesser-known “route planner” feature on MapQuest helps you save both time and money by mapping out an entire journey – with multiple stops – all in one convenient step. You can add up to 25 destinations along any route, and the tool gives you the fastest route. According to MapQuest, since launching in July, it has saved North Americans more than 3.2 million miles.

2. Walk off your pie: Walk off the holiday meal and recharge your mental batteries. Start a family tradition. Go for a two mile walk and you’ll burn off about 170 calories, equivalent to one slice of pumpkin pie, according to About.com’s Thanksgiving Calorie Calculator.

3. Cover yourself: Make sure you’re protected while tracking down the best deals online. Bank of America’s $0 Liability Guarantee will credit any fraudulent charges made with your credit or debit card back to your account as soon as the next business day. To be covered, report purchases made by others promptly. Don’t share personal or account information with anyone. You will have access to funds the next business day in most cases, pending resolution of claim. Consult customer and account agreements for full details.

4. Avoid holiday shipping cost hikes: Make online purchases immediately to avoid rush and expedited shipping charges. Staying one step ahead of shipping deadlines will help ensure your packages reach their destination on time and under your budget. Mark it on your calendar now so you don’t forget.

5. PIN check: If you are traveling internationally, take note that ATMs in many countries do not recognize PIN numbers with more than four digits. Do some double-checking in advance to ensure you can access your funds while abroad.

6. Avoid holiday meal meltdown: Planning and delegating is key to preparing the perfect holiday meal. Assign a dish per guest. The meal will be more delicious, more diverse and more fun for everyone involved. Can’t find a certain ingredient locally? Try a website like penzeys.com, a one-stop-shop for hard to find spices and seasonings.

7. Secure online shopping: Make sure you’re shopping on reputable websites. When checking out online, the beginning part of the address on a secure website should change from “http” to “https.” Before submitting financial information through a site, look for the “lock” icon on the bottom right of the browser’s status bar. It signals that your information is secure during transmission.

8. Bank safely online: Bank of America customers receive free Trusteer Rapport software, which helps block malicious programs from stealing your ID and passcode and tampering with your online accounts. Customers can protect their Online Banking sessions by going to www.bankofamerica.com/rapport.

Learn more on how to get back money, time and peace of mind this holiday season at bankofamerica.com/solutions.