Summer is right around the corner, even though you may have a hard time picturing it right now. Your kids are counting the days and dreaming of all the cool stuff you’ve got planned. It’s time for you to turn your attention to your summer vacation!
by Veronica Wold, ACC
Planning ahead gets everything out of the way and removes the worry from your mind. It also gives your kids an incentive to do their best as they finish out the school year. But that’s not all. You can save a fortune on hotels and airfare by booking a few months in advance. Plus, the best views, the best rooms, the best flights (and seats on those flights), and even the best destinations get snapped up by the early birds; late bookers pay a premium for the leftovers. Don’t get stuck in a cabin at the bottom of the ship or in the cough-and-flu section of the plane.
Making payments toward your vacation reduces the financial crunch. A modest deposit is all it takes to reserve cruises, Disney, most hotels and many other exciting destinations. A trusted travel professional will always save you money while insuring the premium experience. They apply your payments while watching for price changes, preparing your itinerary and giving you fast answers to your questions.
Consider any excursions you might want to take while on your vacation. Use the money you saved to plan spa visits, snorkeling, concerts and theatre, sightseeing and dining options.
You also will have more time to think of all the little extras that have to be considered. Start making your checklist. Who’s going to take care of Fido? Watch your house? Water your yard?
Get vacation requests in to your boss as soon as possible. Many employers limit the number of workers who can take vacation at the same time. This is really important. You can lose an entire trip because of this, so do it right now!
Start exercising so you’ll be in top shape for amusement parks or hikes in the country. Surprisingly, when visiting Disney World you can plan to walk 10 to 15 miles a day!
Consider using a travel professional. Most travel professionals are paid by the hotel, the cruise ship or other travel provider. It’s no more expensive and you get an expert. Destinations and travel providers use highly-sophisticated software to maximize revenue. The average person has little chance of finding the deals an expert can get.
Lastly, YOLO. You only live once and so do your children. Vacations are the family memories that will remain with them throughout their life. Make every year a wonderful memory!
Veronica Wold is a licensed travel consultant and owner of Effortless Travel. For more travel ideas, visit effortlesstravel.net.
