Take More Vacation Time Off

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Discover the tools and products you need to take more time off from work and live life to the fullest.  Whether you want to travel smarter or gain a better work-life balance, our marketplace page has the answer.   You can support VacationCounts by taking advantage of these offers from recommended businesses.

Work-Life Balance Books on Amazon

Get self-help by reading these recommended books about work-life balance, personal productivity, time management, and career advice for people that want to success at work, at home, and on vacation. Happiness can be your life goal when you take time off to travel the world.


Protecting Your Vacation Money and Travel Finances

Identity Credit Monitoring Service from Experian

You have certainly heard the advice to run a credit check each year, of which the first is free by going to AnnualCreditReport.com (the only official, federally authorized). However if you travel extensively, have retired abroad, or work outside the country on an expat assignment or for the military or U.S. government, it is difficult to keep an eye on your credit status. What happens if there is fraud alert that you never receive or if a criminal opens up a line of credit in your name? Will you first find out when your credit card is declined or will you be alerted in advance and prevent your trip from being severely disrupted?

Credit monitoring is the only way to automatically receive alerts when there is something fishy going on that may negatively affect your credit. With a service such as IdentityWorks from Experian (one of the three credit reporting agencies alongside Equifax and TransUnion) you can be notified about unusual credit check activity, when financial accounts are opened in your name, and other situations that could be a first sign of fraud.

Note: This link and service are only available to customers located in the USA.

Check out their service to learn how monitoring can offer piece of mind while outside the USA for extended periods so you can maintain and protect your good credit standing.


Compare Trip Insurance Policies at SquareMouth

Buying travel insurance is a smart decision if you are visiting one or more foreign countries, especially when the quality of care is not up to your standard.  So why do so many of us take the risk?  For Americans at least, it is not likely that the health insurance plan provided by your employer will cover you effectively while abroad.  It may cover you in a limited way (advanced approval, complex claims, out-of-pocket expenses, delayed reimbursement, etc…) and may not pay for medical evacuation should the situation require it.

Read my post on this subject to find out when I think it’s critical to buy a policy to protect your business trips and your international vacations.

Got Travel Insurance? 5 Ways It Protects Your Money, Health, and Vacation

Squaremouth travel insurance rectangle 250x150

With a low-cost basic travel insurance plan, you and your family will likely be covered for sickness and injury along with transport to the nearest reputable hospital while traveling outside of your home country. A more comprehensive or annual trip insurance policy can protect you when your trip is delayed or cancelled, if you lose your luggage or passport, or when there is a family emergency. 

VacationCounts also recommends the InsureMyTrip.com comparison search site to save on travel insurance plan

When you are spending so much on airfare, hotels, tours or a cruise, buying a travel insurance policy makes financial sense.  Plus it is much less expensive than purchasing a policy from your travel agent or the cruise or tour operator since you are avoiding the middleman.


Travel Time Savers and Vacation Optimizers

Traveling? Read and manage your Postal Mail Online!

Earth Class Mail is the trusted way to handle your postal mail (the paper kind that comes to your home) while you are traveling.  It can be a lifesaver if you travel for work often or live abroad for extended periods of time.  Are you planning on taking an around the world trip or expecting to live in a foreign country in the near future.  Set up an Earth Class Mail account and change your important account addresses so you can receive your mail online, have the contents scanned for you, and forward it anywhere in the world.

Read our full review of the Earth Class Mail Virtual Mailbox Service and give it a free test drive to understand how it empowers frequent and extended travel.


Learn a Language for Your Next Vacation

Not being able to speak a foreign language stops many people from traveling to a country where English is not the official language. No one expects you to be fluent in another language, but you can easily pick up the most common words and phrases. You’ll gain confidence to travel abroad and the people you meet will honestly appreciate the effort you made.

With Pimsleur you can learn by listening and practicing in a language of your choice to prepare for that future exotic vacation. It is proven to be effective and you’ll have fun talking in a foreign language around the house as you practice. Start for free and save 25% off your language course.


Rush My Visa and Rush My US Passport too!

RushMyPassport.com is a passport and visa expediter, for those situations where you do not have the time or ability to get a passport or visa in person. Is your U.S. passport expiring soon (you may need 6 months of validity before it expires in order to travel like in Europe for example) and already have plane tickets purchase? Check out this popular service. They’ll inform you of the documentation requirements, handle the in-person processing and get your passport renewal or country-specific visa to you fast.

To save money first determine where your nearest passport office (the U.S. Post Office offers this service as well) is located if you need a new passport or if it has expired and you cannot renew it by mail. For those countries where you need a visa to visit (like China, India and Russia for example) find out if there is a country embassy nearby. When you are running out of time and are willing to pay for expedited handling, give this business a try.


Save Money On Your Next Vacation

The following online travel agencies are recommended by VacationCounts from personal experience.  By booking travel using any of the following links, you’ll help support VacationCounts.


Want to recommend a valuable resource that help people take more and better vacations and enjoy a healthier work-life balance? Get in touch to suggest it.

Disclaimer: We may earn a small commission if you click to learn more, trial, or buy some of these recommended products and services. Thank you for supporting VacationCounts.   




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