Visit an Internet Cafe to Plan Your Next Vacation

Posted on December 8, 2010 by Scott
Are you lacking the motivation to sit down and plan your next vacation?  Have you opened your last paycheck stub and while excited to see vacation days adding up, you are unsure what to do about it?  Is time your excuse, and the difficulty to free up time to research, plan, and book an ideal vacation for yourself and your family?

Internet Cafe Cup of CoffeeWhile it does require some effort to decide where to take your next vacation and to book the perfect itinerary, procrastination gets the better of us all too often.  I am proposing an out of the box solution to this problem, one that gets you away from your home and into a travel planner mindset.  Why not take one vacation day or a half day if you able, tote your laptop computer to a local coffee shop (one that offers free Wi-Fi), and plan away?  With strong coffee, sweet and savory snacks, and free wireless internet access at your disposal, it will be a breeze for you to focus on researching and planning what will be one amazing trip.

Why Not Plan a Vacation from Home?

The answer to this question is the same as to why many people have trouble working from home.  The home environment is chock full of distractions and numerous other things that need to get done.  And let’s be honest… how likely is it that you will be able to give trip planning the time and attention it deserves?  Your family members might be around and demand attention, you will have constant reminders of the overdue chores around the house, and in general something else can and usually does come up.  When surrounded by the familiarity of your home and your personal stuff, it can be challenging to invest the energy to kick start your vacation plans.

Another important reason to leave the comforts of your home is to receive the same type of benefit that results from taking a vacation.  By packing up your computer and various travel guidebooks and brochures and heading to a wifi zone, you are actually embarking on a (mini) trip.  Which cafe will you visit?  How cozy will the tables and chairs (or couches) be?  What will be on the menu board of specials and treats that day?  Who else might be at the same cafe working, meeting up with someone special, or also planning a vacation?

By changing your surroundings and planning your next vacation at a cafe, you will be more open to considering new destinations and embarking on a once-in-a-lifetime experience.  Instead of making the easy choice and booking another package deal to a familiar beach town or heading to DisneyWorld, the full range of travel possibilities will be there for you to discover.  Plus it will be an exciting day out without the stress of work and responsibilities of home.

Planning a Vacation with Free WiFi

How to Find an Internet Cafe

There are many online resources whose purpose is to help you locate nearby cafes, coffee shops, restaurants, and public spaces that offer food, drinks, and most importantly free wifi.  Before you hit the search button, first think about places you’ve stopped in or walked by in the past with a “Free WiFi Zone” sign in the window.  I’ll bet you noticed the handful of people inside clicking and typing away on their computer and wondered what it would be like to do the same.  This is your chance to be a mobile (tech savvy) worker for the day, where the cafe is your home office and your one job responsibility is to plan the ultimate vacation.  Don’t you wish every day could be this fun?

For those of you who cannot instantly think of cafes with free wifi nearby or if you prefer to visit another town or less familiar neighborhood, go online and discover a new hot spot.  There are several useful directories of Internet Cafe’s, Laptop Friendly Cafe’s, Places with Open Wifi Hotspots, and such which are free to search.  Here is my list of recommended resources to try:
A Google search will also help you narrow down the list of possibilities to a single city or zip code.  Search in Google or your favorite search engine for “Free Wifi” or “Free Wi-Fi” plus the name of your city or a zip code to target the results.  While viewing the list of search results in Google click on the “Maps” link at the top or the “Places” icon on the left (you may have to click the More button to see this option) to change your perspective.  Zooming and scrolling the interactive map will cause your search results to be updated instantly to match the geographic area of interest.  Local businesses found typically include customer reviews, contact information, and direct links to their websites to learn more.

What Else to Consider

As part of your vacation planning wifi-cafe-day, consider stopping by a bookstore to pick up a few travel guidebooks that cover places which are on your wish list.  Even if your favorite guidebook or map is already online (for free with ads), a book is a valuable source of itinerary ideas and maps to reference.  Plus if you can’t find a power outlet at the cafe and your laptop battery gets drained, you will have reading material to peruse as you order another skinny latte.

One final reminder – not only do you need to request a day or half day off to plan your next vacation, you may also need to get your actual vacation request approved and on your employer’s calendar.  Having your vacation request approval in hand means that you can book flights, hotels, transportation, and other activities right away and without worry.  The cost of a family vacation can easily run into the thousands of dollars whether budget or luxury, so using a day off to ensure your vacation dollars are spent wisely is also a smart financial decision.

Happy Traveling…
-Scott
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Ask for Time Off to Volunteer for a Community Service Vacation

Posted on November 30, 2010 by Scott

The holiday time of year serves up an important reminder that there are many people in need of a little assistance and numerous ways to lend a hand in the community.  There are no shortage of opportunities to volunteer at a government agency or non-profit organization, but is this the desired use of a vacation? The word vacation means fun and sun for most people, but a Volunteer Vacation is an ideal way to improve your work-life balance while enriching the lives of others. I realize that having a limited number of vacation days per year makes it difficult to justify spending any time slated for rest and relaxation in a volunteer activity.  The rewards of volunteering are present whether you use your own vacation days or preferably, when your employer grants you “free” days to volunteer.  As such you probably fall into one of two mindsets when it comes to considering taking a volunteer vacation:

1. You treat every opportunity in life as a chance to connect with people and you are passionate about good causes. Therefore you are perfectly happy using paid vacation days for community service and volunteer purposes.

2. You value paid time off and wish to use all of your vacation days for travel and family purposes, with volunteering coming in a close second.  Therefore you wish there was a way to give back as a community volunteer without the loss of hard earned vacation time.

Volunteer to help clean up the environment

For the people in category 2, you will quickly learn that taking as little as one day to volunteer can deliver the same kind of result as taking a “traditional” vacation day. Volunteering your time for as little as an afternoon or one full day is within the reach of everybody and you have much to gain by lending a hand, not just during the holiday season but all year long. It may not resemble a typical vacation in your eyes or the eyes of your friends and family, but you may be surprised at how much enjoyment and a sense of accomplishment it brings. This is not unlike traveling to an unknown destination where you must step outside your comfort zone, learn a little about the local area, meet interesting people, and return to work fulfilled and refreshed.

How to Ask Your Employer for Time Off to Volunteer

The ultimate scenario is to be given time off from work for the purpose of volunteering in the community. Using your own vacation time is the next best option and a responsible way to use up vacation days that cannot roll over to the following year. Your first step is to ask your human resources contact or consult the employee handbook at your workplace to find out if there is a written policy on volunteering during working hours. Many employers match cash donations to charities and some will also offer paid time off to volunteer which can deliver a greater impact.

If you determine that there is no set policy on taking off from work to volunteer, the next step is to ask your manager. Whether you draft a detailed email proposal or talk to your manager in person, mention how volunteering offers work-life balance benefits in addition to providing an opportunity to give back. It also makes your employer look like a responsible corporate citizen and may generate positive press as a result of your volunteering.  Maybe you will be able to encourage your co-workers to participate as well and turn it into a group effort.  It is critical that you pick out the volunteer opportunity in advance including possible dates and time commitments, before talking to your manager. By presenting official information about the volunteer opportunity, including the fact that the non-profit organization is both established, reputable, and well-respected in your community, your manager will be more likely to approve your request.

Where to Find Volunteer Opportunities

As you can guess, the Web is chock full of non-profit and charitable groups and sites listing organizations that are in need of volunteers. Before you search the web, consider the organizations that you have seen in your community as well as causes that are important to you personally. Visit those website, stop by in person, or give a call and see if they have a volunteer coordinator who can describe the ways in which volunteers can lend a hand in their free time. I recommend that you browse the website VolunteerMatch, which is a comprehensive directory of volunteer opportunities. You can search by geographic location (city and state) as well as keywords such as seniors, pets, environment, or food.  A particularly cool feature is their VolunteerMatch Live Map, which is a live feed of volunteers sought and found across the United States.  They also offer an iPhone App, though I hope they create one for Android phones too.

Food Bank Volunteer Sorting Meals

Search for Volunteer Opportunities at VolunteerMatch.org

Whether you decide to use part of your vacation time to volunteer or get approval from your employer to take bonus time off to volunteer in your community, the rewards are the same.  Giving back as a volunteer is a smart way to maintain a healthy work-life balance and travel locally in ways that benefit you and the community.  I hope that you consider this approach and find creative ways to volunteer as part of your overall vacation plans during the holiday season and for the new year.  Comment below to suggest other websites that seek to place volunteers in the U.S. and abroad.

Happy Traveling…
-Scott

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Save Your Holiday Bonus in a Travel Bank Account and Vacation Gift Card

Posted on November 15, 2010 by Scott

Holiday bonuses are a welcome treasure from your employer, though one becoming all too rare these days unless you work for Google or another fast growing company with huge profits predicted for 2010. Whether you are expecting a cash bonus this holiday season or if one comes as a complete surprise, this type of bonus should be treated like vacation money. Since your salary is already budgeted for monthly and general expenses, a bonus at year’s end is an opportunity to put these dollars aside to save up for your next (bigger and better) vacation and improve your work-life balance.

How to Save a Year End Bonus for a Vacation

Vacation Piggy Bank - Saving for Travel
It is necessary that you quickly take your bonus balance and remove it from your checking account or risk it being relegated to a car payment or tax bill for example.  Open up a “travel” bank account at your local or online bank, where there are no maintenance fees or minimum balance requirements. Check out Capital One InterestPlus Online Savings and ING Direct Orange Savings Account for a fast application process and the highest interest rates. Once you transfer the holiday bonus from your primary checking account to the online savings account  (the full amount after taxes if you must), there is no chance your vacation dollars will be spent on everyday expenses.

Vacation Prepaid Debit Cards

When the time comes to take your next vacation, turn that vacation bank account balance into dedicated vacation spending money. How? Purchase a Prepaid Debit Card from Visa, MasterCard, or American Express (Gift Card) and transfer the entire bonus money (now grown slightly with interest) onto the card. While traveling use the card to pay for a reward like a fancy dinner, brief stay at a 5-star hotel, exotic rental car, private tour, or pricey souvenir.  Try to spend it all at once in order to sidestep maintenance fees or expiration dates (becoming less common these days) and to avoid tracking and remembering to use any leftover balance at a future date.

Vacation Gift Cards

For small end of year bonuses that do not justify opening a separate savings account, a Retail Store Gift Card is another excellent option.  Does your favorite restaurant or store have a franchise location in your next travel destination?  Purchase a gift card or two for the total amount of your bonus and have it ready in your wallet or purse during your next trip. You will have an exciting travel goal to fulfill; that is to spend your holiday bonus $ shopping or on a memorable meal, paid for by your employer.  For some ideas on which restaurants and shopping destinations offer gift cards and have numerous locations, review the list of Gift Cards available for purchase at Amazon.com.

Buy All Gift Cards at Amazon.com

As you probably know from past experience, it is all to easy to take bonus monies and use it to bulk up your bank account just like a regular paycheck. Take the excitement of receiving a bonus and turn into into an opportunity to save for vacation time. It is infinitely more exciting to leverage a bonus for what it is designed for – special occasions such as your next trip or treating yourself to a personal vacation day in your home city. By depositing the end of year bonus into a vacation savings account and transferring the balance into either a prepaid debit card or branded gift card, you will reap the rewards of a job well done.

A majority of deserving workers will not receive any sizable bonus in 2010 but if you are one of the fortunate ones, make it count as a vacation with a little something extra. Start planning now by opening a travel bank account as New Year’s 2010 is fast approaching!

Happy traveling…
-Scott

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Work+Life and Stumbling On Happiness – 2 Book Reviews

Posted on November 4, 2010 by Scott

I recently finished reading two highly recommended books and posted my reviews at Amazon.com.  The first is called Work + Life and is subtitled “Finding the Fit That’s Right for You.”  As you can guess it is about work-life balance but in this case the author Cali Williams Yost re-brands it as Work-Life Fit.  I can agree that the term “balance” has been overused and lost much of its meaning over the years.  Today when you say that you have no work-life balance, most people assume that you are working too hard and want to work less.  In very simple terms this implies “good” for employee, “bad” for employer.  Of course the reality is that most overworked Americans clock not just too many hours per week but also fail to use the limited number of vacation days they have earned to take (much deserved) time off from work each year.  Since there is no one-size-fits-all approach to balancing work and life and since the balance one seeks varies at each stage of life and career, the word “fit” captures the reality better.  Your approach to work (how much, where, when) that meets your life goals must be agreeable to your employer and that is where this book comes into play – as you life and career coach.

Read the VacationCounts Review of the book “Work+Life” at Amazon.com

The next book is titled Stumbling on Happiness and I have to admit I found this book by chance while browsing recommended books at Amazon.com based on past purchases and what other people were reading.  A major goal of this book is to teach you how the brain works when it comes to predicting your own happiness based on life choices and events past and present.  All of us want to be happy and make decisions in life that lead to happiness, everything from shopping decisions to major life and family events.  The author Daniel Gilbert is an accomplished Harvard professor who presents this topic by mixing profound insight with quick humor while employing research studies to back up each lesson.  Do humans know how to find, measure, predict, and reflect on happiness with great accuracy in life, or do our brains get in the way by simplifying memories and using imagination so that it becomes tricky to make the smart (right) decision every time?  Read the full review and the reviews of others to decide if this book should make it onto your shopping cart and either bookshelf or Kindle device.

Read the VacationCounts Review of the book “Stumbling On Happiness” at Amazon.com


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No Money for Raises This Year? Ask for Bonus Vacation Days (Part II)

Posted on October 22, 2010 by Scott

In Part I of this post, No Money for Raises This Year? Ask for Bonus Vacation Days, I proposed the idea of asking for additional vacation days off from work if you are expecting a raise, but money is tight where you work so there is a good chance of getting nothing at all.

To convince your boss and HR that bonus vacation days are a mutually beneficial reward, I am offering several bullet points to help prove that you have thought this through and are serious in your request.  Tailor these to your particular situation and place of work and be sure to include the results from the vacation day cost versus value calculation that you performed in Part I.

Negotiating for Extra Vacation Days versus a Raise this year

How To Negotiate for Bonus Vacation Days

  • Vacation days are not the same as a raise, and cost the company virtually nothing in the form of salary and taxes.  Here is where you show off the calculation you made earlier, comparing the monetary cost of a small raise with the intrinsic value of a similar number of days off from work.
  • Granting bonus vacation days to you means that more money is available to give some of your co-workers raises this year.  Explain how you understand that since funds available are extremely limited, your creative solution can deliver a cost-free reward to you (one you value as someone that lives the VacationCounts philosophy) while at the same time benefiting other equally deserving staff members that value raises over paid time off.
  • Since you have shown in the past how you get your work done on time and do not let vacations (time away from the office) negatively affect productivity, the same will apply to the few additional days you are requesting for the next calendar year.  Remind your manager of your proven work ethic and get-things-done attitude and if you must, offer to work extra hours the week leading up to and the week upon your return from the next vacation period.
  • As this is a one-time only request that applies to the next calendar or employee review period, the same rules apply when it comes to raises and bonuses.  That is only excellent performance, however that is measured in your organization, will lead to future raises and bonuses whether in the form of cash, vacation days, or another form of reward.  With the elimination of the concern that your request is a permanent change, your boss is more likely to give vacation rewards a try and approve it on the spot.

With the points above on the table you are likely to encounter some objections and may need to negotiate and compromise on your initial proposal.  Be flexible as to the exact number of vacation days your bonus will include as well as any stipulations on how you must track and use them in the upcoming year.  Based on my own experience, I have outlined the most common objections that you may hear.  I recommend you review each one and be prepared to address them during your conversation in person with your manager or HR representative (the decision maker).  All of these legitimate reasons can be overcome if you approach them with a professional and positive attitude and if you work for an organization that is willing to embrace creative solutions for rewarding top talent (that’s you!).

Common Objections to Bonus Vacation Days

  • The HR system (HRIS) at your company is not capable of overriding vacation policy for one employee to account for additional paid vacation days or PTO hours.
    Solution: Track the extra vacation days on paper personally and trust that your manager will approve their usage at a future date.  To protect against the possibility that you may have a different manager in the future, get the details of your bonus vacation days in writing.
  • Staff members on your team or elsewhere in the company will feel that it is unfair you are receiving extra vacation days; that is if they find out.
    Solution: Since your manager is concerned about morale, promise not to share information about your bonus vacation days with others inside the company.  At most jobs today salary and benefits are negotiable at hire time as well as afterward.  Getting a performance raise and the amount of that raise isn’t something you would normally share with your co-workers and the same applies to being rewarded with vacation days.
  • No one has ever asked for extra vacation days before and no official policy exists, so therefore it can’t be done.
    Solution: Challenge your manager to think outside the box by explaining the importance of vacation time to meet your current work-life balance goals versus the value of other forms of compensation and rewards.  Try modifying your initial request by limiting the number of bonus vacation days or how and when you can use them to put your manager at ease.  This is also the time to reiterate the points above about your performance, work-ethic, and the multiple benefits of this cost-free reward.

Despite my best advice there are going to be situations where your employer is a stickler for policy and would never offer the creative flexibility that people in your shoes thrive on to meet work-life balance goals for travel, family, and enrichment.  The only way you will know which type of employer and manager you work for is to review this advice, outline your own points for discussion, prepare for the typical objections, and give it your best try.  You may be pleasantly surprised to find that your request for a couple of bonus vacation days is easy to say “Yes” to, especially when your manager wants to reward you but raise dollars are not available this fiscal year.

Be aware that your manager may agree that your proposal is the best way to reward you but decide not to include the Human Resources department or payroll when approving your bonus.  You will have the ability to take these extra vacation days but it will not show up on your paycheck stub or visible on the HR web portal as earned PTO.  Taking one of these special days means informing your manager and keeping track off the record.  I cannot advise for or against this unofficial approach as it all depends on the type of employer and the nature of the relationship between you and your manager.

Hopefully you work for a company that is willing to consider your request with the respect and seriousness it deserves and fit their HR policies to what you find important and not the other way around.  Post a comment below if you have successfully requested vacation days as an alternative to a raise (in good or bad economic times) or if you ran into inflexible corporate policies at your workplace.

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No Money for Raises This Year? Ask for Bonus Vacation Days (Part I)

Posted on October 18, 2010 by Scott

Given the current economic climate many employers are quite hesitant to give any raises but know they still must do what they can to retain top talent.  Have you been told not to expect a raise this year despite the fact that you were given above average performance reviews all year long?  Being told that you would have been given a raise (or a larger raise) if the company was more profitable is hard to hear, but if you value time over money you still have a valuable option on the table.  What if you ask your employer for bonus vacation days as a reward instead of a raise?  This option is not only possible, but the perfect opportunity to improve your work-life balance.

Time Off From Work is Worth More Than Money (Time is Money Scales)

Are You a High Performing Employee?

The first question you have to ask yourself is whether your performance over the last few review periods was “exceeds expectations” or a similar high level of achievement.  As the end of the year approaches many employees are being told that only select staff members are up for salary increases this year and you are not likely to be one of those fortunate individuals.  If your performance was above average compared with your peers and your personnel file (real or word-of-mouth) is full of praise, you have every reason to ask for some form of recognition that is both valuable to you and affordable to your employer.

Is Vacation Time Worth More Than Money?

The next question to ask yourself is whether you value days off from work more than a salary increase.  This question is the most difficult since most of us can benefit from more dollars in our paychecks (we always find some way to spend it).  As our culture tends to value money over time as a rule, this can be a challenging financial roadblock to overcome especially when retirement is years off in the future.  My advice is that once you have made the decision to find a way (any practical way) to take more time off from work, make an equally important decision to ignore the dollars and cents calculation happening in your head.  Yes of course a bigger paycheck means that you can afford more expensive vacations but what if you could take more or longer vacations?  What is that worth to you and your goals for travel, family, and enrichment?

Calculating the Value of Vacation Time

Now that you “buy” into the notion that vacation days are like money and maybe even worth more than money, it is time to approach your manager or HR department to see if you can work some magic.  The next step is to determine how many days to request and it must be a number that is fair and equitable to your employer.  Here is the simple formula I devised for this purpose:

Calculating the Value of Your Pay versus Vacation Days

1. Calculate how much you earn for each full day of work

Annual salary / 52 / 5 is sufficiently accurate for most full time employees

2. Divide that number into the amount of your expected raise

Example:
> You earn $55,000 annually and in a good year based on performance deserve a 2.5% raise equal to $1,375
> You currently earn $212 per working day ($55,000 / 52 / 5)
> Taking $1,375 and dividing by $212 yields approximately 6 days (always round down)

3. Divide the number of days from Step 2 in half to come up with the total number of bonus vacation days to request a non-cash bonus instead of a raise this year

Why half?  The math reflects the simple fact that a vacation day is still a liability on the company books even though you only get paid extra (on top of your regular salary) if you quit your job before taking those extra days off.  If the bonus vacation days were not discounted, they would have the same on paper value as a raise and therefore be potentially just as costly to your employer.  I also divide by half since a paid day off is one for which you are paid while not working, so it offers double value to you and should cost half as much to your employer.  Does my fuzzy math sound reasonable to you?

Next Steps

Now comes the time to convince your manager that you deserve a raise (hopefully the easy part) and your request for bonus vacation days instead of money is better for your work-life balance and the the budgetary constraints at your organization this year (the challenge).  Now you will run into some opposition since it is rare for an employee to ask for more vacation days outside of set accrual policies and your manager may initially think that your request is impossible.  Therefore in Part II, I will discuss how to sell this concept to your employer and overcome objections to what will be considered an unusual but justifiable request. Given that you are a top employee and your employer is in agreement that you deserve a small increase in salary over last year, turning this opportunity into more time off from work is a matter of following through with what is a win-win solution.

Click to read the conclusion of this article – No Money for Raises This Year? Ask for Bonus Vacation Days (Part 2/2)

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Leave the Office for Lunch and Take a Vacation Break for Work-Life Balance

Posted on October 6, 2010 by Scott

The VacationCounts philosophy is that time off matters and a healthy work-life balance is essential to happiness in life (and work).  When told by your employer that you are only allowed to take a set number of vacation days each year, your natural belief is that vacations cannot occur outside of these scheduled and approved blocks of time.  While taking a family trip to a beach destination or traveling to a national park over the summer meets the typical definition of “vacation”, I subscribe to a broader meaning that captures the true purpose of the word vacation.

The sign says to take a Vacation Looking up “vacation” in the Merriam Webster dictionary online yields four definitions that back up this point; describing vacations as an “intermission”, time during which activity is suspended, and a period spent away from home and work in travel or recreation.

Vacation (va · ca · tion) \vā-ˈkā-shən, və-\

Improved Definition: Time spent away from work engaged in a chosen activity that results in feelings of happiness.

The first key point is the activity outside of work must be chosen by you and not be a chore or task that you are required to do to run your life and household.  The other key point is the activity must lead to your own happiness and what makes someone happy varies greatly among individuals. The goal of taking time off from work and everyday life (I call this a vacation) is to participate in enriching experiences not just at set times of the year but week after week.  So a weekend trip where your hotel reservation gets lost and your partner is sick with a cold the entire time may not meet the new definition of a vacation, but taking an hour for lunch and trying a hip new restaurant with impeccable food and service most certainly does.  Vacations can involve traveling far from home to an exotic destination for a week or two just as much as it can involve choosing to engage in an activity that makes you happy for as little as 30 minutes during the work week.  It is your time, your choice and your happiness that matters.

For those of you work a typical business day shift of 9 to 5, or 8 to 5, or 8 to 6 or perhaps 9 to 6, a lunch hour is an essential but often neglected part of a full day.  Grabbing a bag lunch that you brought from home and eating at your desk tells yourself and your co-workers that nothing is more important than working non-stop, even if it results in diminished productivity.  Too many hard working individuals seem to have forgotten the art and excitement of going out for lunch and enjoying life, if only for an hour.  Even an employee whose day is filled with meetings and fires only they can put out will find that taking a proper lunch hour once or twice a week is something worth putting on your calendar.  You will quickly realize that the benefits flow back to your employer as well, in terms of reduced stress leading to a better attitude, smarter decision making, and higher productivity.

Here are my easy to follow bullet points to taking back your lunch break as vacation time:

On Vacation Time During the Lunch Hour

  • Invite family and friends that work or live nearby to lunch so the conversation that flows is a true break from work
  • Embrace eating out alone as an opportunity to focus on the food (see Slow Food USA movement), and bring a book of your choosing if that makes you happy
  • Visit a local shop, museum, library, or park to see, read, experience and partake in leisurely lunchtime activities
  • Take a walking tour around an interesting area using Google Maps (with street view) to plan the route to exercise your body and as a feast for the senses

By redefining what it means to take vacation time, you can experience the positive effects of a vacation throughout the year and even in the middle of your work day.  Like “real” vacations, choosing to go on vacation during your lunch break makes use of the same planning skills.  Researching, imagining, discovering, and deciding upon a place to go or an activity that will lead to happiness is part of the enjoyment.  Write down your lunchtime vacation ideas as they come to you and create a reminder for yourself to consult this list weekly.  By doing so you will be able to schedule and block out time on your busy work calendar and make all the necessary arrangements to enjoy a memorable and well-earned vacation over lunch.

Happy Traveling…
-Scott

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Get Your Vacation Requests Approved for Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s Holidays 2010

Posted on September 30, 2010 by Scott

I’ve recently blogged about the upcoming Thanksgiving holiday and the idea of taking a vacation overseas as opposed to participating in a more traditional family-oriented celebration. The one item I forgot to talk about is requesting time off from your employer.  October has arrived and there is no time to waste (if it is not too late already) to decide which days to take as vacation time before the end of the year.  You will need to consider the total number of vacation hours remaining according to your most recent paycheck stub, the roll-over policy at your employer, and the list of holidays recognized at work.  The list of holidays in Q4 is what this blog post is all about.

Paycheck Stub Sample with Vacation Hours

The last two months of the year include a handful of company holidays and with it the opportunity to turn one or two “free” holidays into a full week or two of vacation.  I’ve compiled a list of all the possible holidays left for the year which may appear on your official List of Holidays, along with advice on how to leverage the holidays to maximize your time off from work.  Make sure to consult your work calendar as distributed by HR to double check the actual days you are given as paid holidays.  Those of you who perform critical functions that never sleep such as police, fire, and emergency workers may not have the same level of flexibility, so this is also the time for the rest of us to give thanks for your hard work.

List of Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s Holidays for 2010

Thanksgiving Day – Thursday, November 25, 2010

Most employers offer Thanksgiving Day (learn more at the History Channel) as a paid company holiday as most businesses are closed.  As you know Thanksgiving Day is always the last Thursday in November so the actual date varies from year to year.

Day After Thanksgiving – Friday, November 26, 2010

The day after Thanksgiving (always a Friday) is a nice day to have off, but many employers do not offer a second paid holiday for Thanksgiving.  Since so many Americans spend Thanksgiving with family, either at home or by heading out of town to visit extended family,  it is very common for employees to take Friday as a vacation day if it is not already a company paid holiday.  The Friday after Thanksgiving is for many the kick-off to the holiday shopping season (with stores opening at an insane hour to offer “early bird” discounts), people in retail and related businesses will most likely have to work that day.  My advice is to appreciate the reality of people that are required to work on Black Friday and if you are out shopping, give these hard working individuals your support.

Christmas Eve – Friday, December 24, 2010

This year Christmas Eve arrives on a Friday with the actual Christmas Day holiday coming on a Saturday.  For employers that give staff just one day off for Christmas, the day will most likely fall on the previous day which is Christmas Eve.  Either way you will have at least a three-day weekend to spend the holiday any way you like.

Christmas Holiday - December 24 and 25, 2010 - Calendar Entry

Christmas Day – Saturday, December 25, 2010

For those in the fortunate position to receive two days off from work for Christmas, there are two possibilities for which days you actually have off as paid holidays.  Since Christmas Day is on a Saturday this year you may have Friday and Monday off from work while others may be given Thursday and Friday.  Regardless, it will be a much deserved four day-weekend for you.

New Year’s Eve – Friday, December 31, 2010

I am not entirely sure how many employers offer New Year’s Eve as a paid holiday in addition to New Year’s Day, so check your holiday calendar and see if you are working for an organization that goes above and beyond the basic set of holidays recognized by the U.S. federal government.  Since New Years Eve is always exactly one week later than Christmas Eve, this day also falls on a Friday.  The same logic applies as to whether you will be entitled to a three-day weekend or a four-day weekend this year.

New Year's 2011 Holiday - Time for a Vacation?

New Year’s Day – Saturday, January 1, 2011

The final holiday in this list actually falls in 2011, and may not appear on your 2010 calendar of holidays at work.  This can cause some confusion unless you have already been given access to the 2011 holiday calendar, but you can usually go by what happened the previous year.  Once again since New Year’s Day falls on a Saturday, you may be given Friday off (especially if you do not have New Year’s Eve off), or the holiday may be observed on the Monday which is January 3, 2011.

Leverage the Holiday to Take One, Two, or Three Vacations

How many vacation days will it take for you to turn your Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s paid company holidays into a full week or two of vacation?  Do you have enough vacation days (or hours) left to take the last two weeks of 2010 off entirely, or did you take most of your vacation time earlier in the year.  Some people prefer to work over the holidays, especially at the end of the year since the workplace will be quiet and offer fewer distractions.  For most it is a popular and easy way to use up their remaining time off, especially when the roll-over policy severely limits the number of days that you can save for next year.  So as I mentioned earlier, now is the best time to consult your home and work calendars, list of family obligations and vacation destination ideas, and the your last paycheck stub to verify how much vacation time you are due.  Based on all these factors, figure out which days to request time off, get it approved by your manager, and put reminders on your calendar for co-workers to be aware of your absence.

Happy Traveling…
-Scott

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Posted in: HR Benefits

Turn Your Business Trip into a Weekend Getaway or Family Vacation (and Save Money)

Posted on September 24, 2010 by Scott

Whether you love or hate to take business trips, for many of us it is a necessary part of our full-time job.  Industry conferences, meetings with sales prospects, on-site client visits, traveling to regional offices, and the like are time away from home and family but also offer the possibility of a low-cost vacation.  Regardless of the destination, there are many ways to turn and extend a standard business trip to include leisure time for fun and better work-life balance.

Business Trip Becomes A Weekend Couple Getaway

My philosophy is that every place is worth visiting, at least once.  Do you have a spouse, partner, or someone special that could use a weekend break?  Since your plane ticket is fully paid for by your employer, it is as if you are using a buy-one-get-one-free flight coupon.  What more justification do you need to take a weekend trip?  Before you book airline tickets for your next business trip, consider whether to tack on a weekend stay before or after, whichever works best.  In many instances the plane ticket will cost LESS when you stay over a Saturday and also save your company money which they will appreciate.  Here are the ways to make it happen and save money.

Business Trip Becomes Weekend Trip for Couple

  • Business hotels offer major bargains if extending a stay over a weekend.  Call and ask or just book a separate hotel stay online and mention it when checking in for the business portion of your stay so you won’t have to change rooms.
  • Since hotels are typically double occupancy in the U.S., see if your partner can arrive during the business trip and work from the room (or explore on their own).  More hotels offer free Wi-Fi today, your company may cover the cost, or sign up for a Boingo wireless account.  That way you can have evenings together and start your weekend early.  The hotel is already paid for, but it makes sense to mention your “guest” to the hotel staff on the reservation or upon arrival.
  • Renting a car from a city location like via Expedia is almost always less expensive than picking one up at the airport due to taxes and fees.  When not renting a car for a business trip, pick up a car in the city to take advantage of weekend rates and be able explore nearby places of interest.
  • Keep receipts for food and travel during the day you would have otherwise arrived or returned from the business trip as they are legitimate expenses for you to claim.

Traveling on Business Offers Evenings At Leisure

So you think you are stuck in an unknown and unexciting destination for a quick business meeting and think there is no time for fun?  Not true no matter where you happen to be staying the night.  First consider whether you have any work colleagues that you can connect with professionally during the day and go out for some local dinner and entertainment.  All by yourself and not comfortable asking a customer or prospect to go out in the evenings, or simply want to keep work firmly within business hours?  Even by yourself there are many ways to explore the town or city you are visiting and become a local, even for only a day.  Here are my suggestions but I’m sure you can come up with many more based on your personal interests.

Museum Art Gallery Night Event

  • Search online for the events guide to the city such as listed on the official visitor’s website, Ticketmaster, or a local city “What’s On” site to find out what is happening.  You could be up for an art gallery opening, sporting event, live music concert, book signing, theater performance, or evening festival.
  • Browse the Meetup website and don’t be afraid to sign up for an event that you find from among the hundreds of categories.  You do not have to be a local to attend just one meetup, but you will be treated like one at happy hour or perhaps over dinner meeting new people and discussing common interests.
  • Become a tourist, even for one evening.  Again check the tourism bureau website for ideas on museums that stay open late, special city-wide or regional events, nighttime walking tours, or a special place of historical or personal interest.
  • Pretty much every city of a reasonable size that you’ll visit on business will have either a main street or downtown area and a major college or university campus that is open to the public.  Ask at your hotel front desk and set off to explore the downtown streets or pretend to be a college student for an evening.
  • Bonus Tip: Early risers or business travelers without early morning meetings can use this opportunity to skip the boring hotel breakfast and head out while the sun is hopefully shining.  I like to seek out a coffee shop or cozy cafe that is popular (based on the crowds flowing in and out) with the local workers.  You will appreciate what life is like working there and be glad to be out of the sterile hotel environment.

Extended Business Travel Leads to a Family Vacation

Are you lucky enough to be going on a business trip or attending a conference someplace exotic, relaxing, or just plain fun like in Florida, Hawaii, New York, New Orleans, San Francisco, Chicago, Las Vegas, or any other top tourist destination?  Turning that business trip into a full fledged family vacation means you don’t have to decide where or when to go on a big vacation.  Of course timing is crucial so that your family can take time off from work and school at the same time as your scheduled trip.  Consider these tips when researching your options and making your travel plans.

Business Trip turns into Family Vacation in National Park

  • You may not be flying into an ideal destination but you can decide to fly home from one.  Consult RoadTripAmerica or browse online maps and see what driving trips are possible given the number of days you have planned for a family vacation.  Rental cars come with unlimited miles and depending upon how far you are going and whether you are crossing one or more state lines, the fee to pick up and return to different locations can be minimal.
  • When considering the option to fly home with your family from a different airport than the one for your business trip, compare the airline fares from the original airport and original return date with the new return date and airport to make sure the total cost doesn’t change by much.  Print out these fares when booking so that if the person that signs off on expenses asks, you have proof of equivalent costs to the company.
  • Be cautious when the tacked on vacation involves non refundable tickets and other prepaid expenses if the business trip has any likelihood of being cancelled.  Conferences that involve registration fees and special rate booked hotel rooms are usually safe, but a sales meeting can be changed or cancelled at a moments notice.
  • Try to ship your work-mode baggage back to the office at a local UPS Store before you start the vacation phase of your business trip.  Business travel tends to include sales collateral, business attire, corporate schwag, and electronic devices which will not be needed on vacation, nor do you want to use up the precious airline baggage allowance.  Come prepared with a return shipping box and label so the items can arrive back in the office while you are away and in case a colleague needs it.

This covers the basics of leveraging your next business trip to take more time off from work and enjoy a healthy work-life balance.  I plan to cover these topics in more detail in future posts so please leave a comment below if you also think of every business trip as a vacation opportunity.

Happy Traveling…
-Scott

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Posted in: Family

Spend Thanksgiving Holiday in Europe – No Crowds and Free Vacation Days

Posted on September 15, 2010 by Scott

Yes, the Labor Day holiday has passed, people are back to school and work, and the Fall season is (gasp!) upon us.  For me this means thinking ahead to the next big holiday event which in the U.S. is Thanksgiving (unfortunately Halloween doesn’t bring with it a day off from work).  Should I plan to spend it with family like most Americans or should I leverage the paid holiday (or two if you are fortunate to get both the Thursday and Friday off) to take another trip?  After my wife and I caught the travel bug and first ventured outside of North America, we quickly realized the opportunity of a trip to Europe during Thanksgiving and have done it many times since.

A Traditional Thanksgiving Weekend Option

Thanksgiving Turkey in the Oven (or time to travel?)

I know for many Americans Thanksgiving is a family ritual and a time for you to enjoy a bountiful dinner, multi-generational get-together, and (for some) the start of the holiday (bargain) shopping (hunting) season.  I freely admit that I’ve enjoyed many Thanksgiving dinners over the years and do appreciate the comfort food and jolly times it brings.  However if you fall into the group of people that cannot ever imagine skipping town and missing Thanksgiving time, there is no need to read on.  This travel post is not for everybody but if you are budget minded, OK with skipping tradition at least once in a while, and like to avoid crowds, please read on and add your comments below.

Benefits of Taking a Trip to Europe Over Thanksgiving

  • Use up fewer vacation days as most employers offer one or two paid holidays and expect staff to take off
  • Avoid the mad rush of travelers hitting the road or flying within the U.S. all at the same time
  • Experience a peaceful flight and fewer crowds when flying out of the International terminal at the airport
  • Save money on both flights and hotels which are less expensive during this off-season and unpopular time to travel overseas
  • Enjoy pleasant weather at many European destinations, especially the countries in Southern Europe and around the Mediterranean
  • Toast a delicious meal in an exotic place where turkey and stuffing isn’t the only option on the menu
  • and finally, …
  • Offer up the perfect excuse when declining an invitation for Thanksgiving dinner

How about Thanksgiving Dinner in Spain - Canary Islands

Now that you have decided to spend Thanksgiving in Europe, where should you go?  While I am not against visiting a colder place with fewer daylight hours such as in Scandinavia and the Baltic countries, I advise sticking with big cities that are natural hubs along with countries in the southern third of Europe.  That way you will have more to do, reasonable weather, and there is less risk of tourist attractions having closed for the winter.

Destination Ideas for Thanksgiving Week*

*links all go to Frommers.com so you can start researching destinations today

Travel Tips to Save Money and Enjoy the Holiday

  • Consider flying to Europe on Thanksgiving Day or returning on the Friday or Saturday after Thanksgiving, avoiding the day before Thanksgiving and the Sunday after
  • Book your flights in September (now!) when the Fall airfare wars are in full swing
  • It will be brisk in many European destinations, so bring layers to stay warm or dry or use the opportunity to do some shopping when you arrive
  • Learn more about the weather averages (high/low), sunshine and rainfall at Holiday-Weather.com
  • Go out for Thanksgiving dinner in Europe on Thursday evening, but find out and order foods which are popular during the holiday season at your destination
  • Bring back souvenirs for family members that had a more traditional Thanksgiving holiday to share your alternative experience
  • Have a turkey dinner (or Tofurkey) with all the trimmings or whatever foods you prefer for Thanksgiving once you return and invite family and friends to celebrate again!

It is easy to see how you can make every vacation count by leveraging the Thanksgiving holiday for additional free vacation days and a more affordable trip to Europe or elsewhere outside of the United States.  I focused on Europe this time but could just have easily suggested heading to Australia and New Zealand where the seasons are reversed.

Missing a well-established family tradition can be tough so you don’t have to follow this plan every year, but consider it as an option and an excellent way to save vacation time and stay on a travel budget.  Post a comment if you follow my lead and book a trip this Thanksgiving!

Happy Traveling…
-Scott

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Posted in: Travel