6 tips to help you plan your next vacation

November 02, 2017

With winter upon us, it’s time to start planning your tropical getaway. Or maybe you want to embrace the cold and snow and go skiing. Either way, we have 6 quick tips to help you plan whatever vacation floats your boat. Ooo a cruise could be fun!

Fly home on a weekday

Although it’s nice to add to your vacation with an extra weekend, it’s usually cheaper to fly home on a Thursday or Friday than a Sunday. On the flip-side, starting your vacation on a Sunday or Monday is also cheaper.

Plus you usually need a few days after you get home to relax anyways.

Pre-book your rental car and pick the base model

If you need a rental car on vacation, book it right now and pick the base model. You don’t really need all the fancy features and if the car company runs out of the basic cars, you’ll get a free upgrade anyway.

Also, buy your rental car insurance from an insurance company at home, rather than the rental company. It will cost you less and you may find that you already have coverage! Just make sure you bring proof of coverage with you.

Book activities and tours in advance

If you know you’re going to go on a walking food tour through Rome or if you need to take a train from London to Paris, see if you can book them in advance. Booking online is easy and allows you to pay in your own currency and avoid foreign transaction fees. Just make sure you’re booking with on a secure website.

Use your travel credit card

If you have a travel credit card use it to book everything for your trip. Book your plane tickets with it to activate travel insurance and baggage coverage. Plus you’ll get all those awesome points!

Speaking of points, if you have enough, a trip is the perfect time to use them up. See if you can use them for a hotel or a tour.

Get travel insurance

Plain and simple, make sure you have travel insurance and maybe even trip cancellation insurance. True it costs you money, but you’ll save in the long run. Also, if you have travel coverage at work, don’t assume it’s enough. Ask your favourite insurance place to help you double check before you hit the road (or skies!).

Cook your own food

Book an Airbnb or a hotel room with a kitchen and cook your own meals while you’re away. It saves you so much money, but still gives you a chance to get a taste of the culture.