It’s summer and that means it’s time for a break! Here’s how to plan ahead to get the best deals and stave off “vacationer’s remorse.”
While Americans are less likely to take their jobs for granted right now, grinding through month after month of work without a break can exact a price not only from your emotional well-being, but from your productivity on the job as well. It is possible to take a break and still be responsible.
“Time away from work is more important now than ever, and it’s unfortunate that one-third of Americans won’t use all of their vacation days this year,” says Tim MacDonald, general manager of Expedia.com. “Even if you can only get away from work for a few days, there are amazing vacation values and opportunities this year, many within your own area.”
In honor of Charles Darwin’s 200th birthday we’ll apply one of his maxims to Homo excursus: “It is not the strongest species that survive, nor the most intelligent, but the ones most responsive to change.” Learn that. Memorize it. Cross-stitch it into your luggage. It applies to every aspect of your vacation (at least). Budget travelers Laura Williams and Melanie Rogers are turning business travel into vacations, with Laura and Melanie meeting their husbands on business trips. For the price of one plane ticket, they get a long weekend at a free hotel in a big city.
The slowing economy is prompting many tourist destinations to lower their rates. “Cities that have a lot of hotel rooms to fill will have the best deals,” says Expedia spokesman Ian Jeffries. “Las Vegas is always a safe bet, as well as Orlando and San Francisco. Even New York hotel rates have dropped 22 percent since last year.” Jeffries also encourages people to book airfare and accommodations together, because websites like Expedia often negotiate special deals with hotels for travelers who do so. “Expedia travelers save an average of $200 by booking together,” he says.
While traveling in the U.S., remember the following:
to realize you’ve taken your own state for granted. If you live in Idaho, go whitewater rafting! If you live in Massachusetts, visit to the Salem Witch Museum. Or if you have a default vacation spot that’s close to home, see the other side of it — the side that you’ve never been to because it means spending 40 more minutes in the car.
While their three kids are young, Seth and Melanie Rogers prefer to go on road trips rather than deal with airports and rental cars. “All we need is a hotel with a pool,” Seth says. “Our kids are as happy swimming for three days as they would be at Disneyland.”
To make the most of your in-state vacation:
KEY FACT: More than half (58 percent) of Americans plan to travel by car in 2009 while 30 percent plan to travel by plane.
If you’re really spontaneous you can get a last-minute flight from Boston to Heathrow for $181 (for example). Consider the exchange rate. “London and Paris are having some great deals right now, and airfare has dropped to São Paulo and Sydney as well,” Jeffries says. Remember that while a dollar will get you breakfast in Lima, it will get you one-third of a chocolate square in Geneva. He also recommends cruises for those looking to watch their spending because so much of the cost is paid up front that passengers are less likely to outstrip their budget.
Amy Ochoa of Morris Murdock Travel says that while international travel is slowing with the economy, many people are still willing to pay for humanitarian or religious tours. “Travelers are going to be more likely to spend money traveling to somewhere exotic if they feel it is a once in a lifetime opportunity,” Ochoa says.
Tips for expats:
In the end, whether you have $10,000 to spend on your summer vacation or $10, have the courage to go somewhere — anywhere. Vacations are a way of marking time, reminding yourself that you are more than your job, more than your house, more than your daily obligations. Even now —maybe more now than ever — you need to get away to maintain your sanity and keep life from getting the best of you.
Let your vacation be therapeutic. A frenetic, expensive vacation can leave you more riled than when you left, so sit an extra half hour over your picnic lunch while you breathe deeply and enjoy the conversation.
Here are a few ideas:
Scooter craze: High schoolers and 20-somethings may be the drivers most people imagine when they think of scooters, but many riders are cruising toward midlife or beyond, says David Hurtado, owner of The Scooter Lounge in Orem, Utah. Hurtado’s shop sells primarily to men and women between 20 and 40 years old, but also gets a good cross section of buyers.
Kitty Smith, part owner of Scooters of Boise in Boise, Idaho, says most of her patrons are around 40 years old, with sales split evenly between men and women. Her oldest rider is an 86-year-old man.
One reason scooters appeal to people from all demographics is because of the vast range of prices available.
Brand-new scooters sell for as low as $1,000 to more than $7,000. Insurance for most scooters is around $100 a year and maintenance costs are similar, Hurtado says. A fill-up costs around $5, with each tank averaging at least 70 miles per gallon.
A mid-priced scooter from a reputable company like Genuine will cost around $3,000, Hurtado says, and should last for several years. Premium brands like Vespa range from $4,200 to $7,000 and are intended to last for 100,000 miles. Unlike some less-expensive scooters, Vespas have an all-metal body, more horsepower, a larger gas tank and higher weight capacity.
“Vespas are the high-class scooters,” Della Corte says. “They’re pretty much the BMWs and Mercedes of the scooter world.”
Fishing: While fishing can turn into an expensive hobby, a simple rod and reel, hooks, sinkers and bobbers can be had for less than $20.
Bass, bluegill, carp and catfish are wonderful at adapting to various environments and can be caught virtually from coast to coast.
Expensive lures are not needed at all and night crawlers (worms) are only $2 or so a dozen. The refrigerator probably holds great baits as well, including cheese, bologna, bread and corn. Also, consider investing in a sturdy raft if you decide to take up fishing seriously.
Your friends may have rafts or fishing boats of their own, but truly avid fishers should have regular access to a boat of their own.
Visit your credit union to find out more about the low rates on RV, boat, real estate, auto or motorcycle loans.
HOW CAN WE HELP?
Did You Know?
This year, Americans will give back an average of three vacation days each.
Are you in need of a vacation but think you can’t afford one? You may want to think again.
Are you in need of a vacation but think you can’t afford one? You may want to think again.
While Americans are less likely to take their jobs for granted right now, grinding through month after month of work without a break can exact a price not only from your emotional well-being, but from your productivity on the job as well. It is possible to take a break and still be responsible.
“Time away from work is more important now than ever, and it’s unfortunate that one-third of Americans won’t use all of their vacation days this year,” says Tim MacDonald, general manager of Expedia.com. “Even if you can only get away from work for a few days, there are amazing vacation values and opportunities this year, many within your own area.”
Pin the Tail on the State
If your dates and destination are open-ended, you are in luck. Discount travel websites specialize in finding cheap airfare and hotel rates for those travelers able to book at a moment’s notice. Browse their lists of discounted cities and see which one sounds most exciting. If you are willing to adapt your travel plans to sales that pop up, you’ll maximize your vacation dollar.
In honor of Charles Darwin’s 200th birthday we’ll apply one of his maxims to Homo excursus: “It is not the strongest species that survive, nor the most intelligent, but the ones most responsive to change.” Learn that. Memorize it. Cross-stitch it into your luggage. It applies to every aspect of your vacation (at least). Budget travelers Laura Williams and Melanie Rogers are turning business travel into vacations, with Laura and Melanie meeting their husbands on business trips. For the price of one plane ticket, they get a long weekend at a free hotel in a big city.
The slowing economy is prompting many tourist destinations to lower their rates. “Cities that have a lot of hotel rooms to fill will have the best deals,” says Expedia spokesman Ian Jeffries. “Las Vegas is always a safe bet, as well as Orlando and San Francisco. Even New York hotel rates have dropped 22 percent since last year.” Jeffries also encourages people to book airfare and accommodations together, because websites like Expedia often negotiate special deals with hotels for travelers who do so. “Expedia travelers save an average of $200 by booking together,” he says.
While traveling in the U.S., remember the following:
- Visiting tourist hotspots in their off season will get you 88 percent of the experience for 50 percent of the cost.
- Make a vacation out of visiting friends or family. Think of the $100 dollars a night you’ll be saving on hotels. Sleep on the floor if you have to.
- Book a room with a kitchen. Find a grocery store and prepare two of your meals each day. A granola bar and a banana make a perfect touring lunch. Drink water.
- If your destination has good public transportation, don’t rent a car. See the city like a local.
Consider Driving, Not Flying
Have you ever been at a dinner party and overheard someone say they’d just moved to the area for the skiing/biking/climbing/sailing/insert-your-state’s-most-amazing-recreation-here, and then realized you’d never gotten around to doing it? It is a special kind of guilt
While their three kids are young, Seth and Melanie Rogers prefer to go on road trips rather than deal with airports and rental cars. “All we need is a hotel with a pool,” Seth says. “Our kids are as happy swimming for three days as they would be at Disneyland.”
To make the most of your in-state vacation:
- Keep all travelers’ interests in mind. That tour of Washington D.C.’s historic monuments can wait until your kids care.
- Road trip with your family or friends who live in your area to defray hotel and gas costs.
- Look for “locals only” discounts on the websites of popular tourist attractions.
KEY FACT: More than half (58 percent) of Americans plan to travel by car in 2009 while 30 percent plan to travel by plane.
Globetrotting
Though you’ll definitely want to plan ahead for international travel, there are still plenty of deals out there for the diligent researcher. Sign up for weekly e-mails from travel sites and airlines. Travelzoo compiles the top 20 travel deals from hundreds of airlines, hotels, and cruise companies each week so you don’t have to spend hours combing the hundreds of travel websites out there. Sign up for the Southwest Ding! program. Each time Southwest has deeply discounted airfare from your preferred airports, you’ll get a “ding” notification on your desktop.
If you’re really spontaneous you can get a last-minute flight from Boston to Heathrow for $181 (for example). Consider the exchange rate. “London and Paris are having some great deals right now, and airfare has dropped to São Paulo and Sydney as well,” Jeffries says. Remember that while a dollar will get you breakfast in Lima, it will get you one-third of a chocolate square in Geneva. He also recommends cruises for those looking to watch their spending because so much of the cost is paid up front that passengers are less likely to outstrip their budget.
Amy Ochoa of Morris Murdock Travel says that while international travel is slowing with the economy, many people are still willing to pay for humanitarian or religious tours. “Travelers are going to be more likely to spend money traveling to somewhere exotic if they feel it is a once in a lifetime opportunity,” Ochoa says.
Tips for expats:
- Some of the best museums and historical landmarks are free and open to the public.
- Do your homework. Pick the brains of friends who have been where you’re going. Ask them what’s worth the price and learn from their mistakes.
- Look up facts, advice and travel warnings on the U.S. Travel Bureau website (www.travel.state.gov).
- Apply your adaptability generously to foreign culture. Sleep in hostels. Eat the local cuisine. Fly on cheap regional airlines like Ryanair or LAN. Learn a few phrases in Hmong. Use their weird toilets.
In the end, whether you have $10,000 to spend on your summer vacation or $10, have the courage to go somewhere — anywhere. Vacations are a way of marking time, reminding yourself that you are more than your job, more than your house, more than your daily obligations. Even now —maybe more now than ever — you need to get away to maintain your sanity and keep life from getting the best of you.
Let your vacation be therapeutic. A frenetic, expensive vacation can leave you more riled than when you left, so sit an extra half hour over your picnic lunch while you breathe deeply and enjoy the conversation.
Summer Hobbies
You don’t need to leave town to take a vacation. Picking up a new hobby or reviving an old one can be the trick to refreshing yourself.
Here are a few ideas:
Scooter craze: High schoolers and 20-somethings may be the drivers most people imagine when they think of scooters, but many riders are cruising toward midlife or beyond, says David Hurtado, owner of The Scooter Lounge in Orem, Utah. Hurtado’s shop sells primarily to men and women between 20 and 40 years old, but also gets a good cross section of buyers.
Kitty Smith, part owner of Scooters of Boise in Boise, Idaho, says most of her patrons are around 40 years old, with sales split evenly between men and women. Her oldest rider is an 86-year-old man.
One reason scooters appeal to people from all demographics is because of the vast range of prices available.
Brand-new scooters sell for as low as $1,000 to more than $7,000. Insurance for most scooters is around $100 a year and maintenance costs are similar, Hurtado says. A fill-up costs around $5, with each tank averaging at least 70 miles per gallon.
A mid-priced scooter from a reputable company like Genuine will cost around $3,000, Hurtado says, and should last for several years. Premium brands like Vespa range from $4,200 to $7,000 and are intended to last for 100,000 miles. Unlike some less-expensive scooters, Vespas have an all-metal body, more horsepower, a larger gas tank and higher weight capacity.
“Vespas are the high-class scooters,” Della Corte says. “They’re pretty much the BMWs and Mercedes of the scooter world.”
Fishing: While fishing can turn into an expensive hobby, a simple rod and reel, hooks, sinkers and bobbers can be had for less than $20.
Bass, bluegill, carp and catfish are wonderful at adapting to various environments and can be caught virtually from coast to coast.
Expensive lures are not needed at all and night crawlers (worms) are only $2 or so a dozen. The refrigerator probably holds great baits as well, including cheese, bologna, bread and corn. Also, consider investing in a sturdy raft if you decide to take up fishing seriously.
Your friends may have rafts or fishing boats of their own, but truly avid fishers should have regular access to a boat of their own.
Visit your credit union to find out more about the low rates on RV, boat, real estate, auto or motorcycle loans.
HOW CAN WE HELP?
Setting up a designated savings account for travel can help ease your mind about taking a vacation, and automated transfers from your checking account to your travel account make it easy. Talk to your credit union representative to set up an account that will help you set aside as little as $10 per paycheck so you have money waiting when you want to get away.
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