Plan to save.
Most financial planners would agree that it is a foolish financial decision to take out a loan to pay for a vacation. So take some time to save for your vacation. When saving for a vacation, sock away funds
incrementally—consider having your employer make a direct deposit out of each paycheck into a savings account, certificate of deposit or money-market account.

How much money will you need?
You’ll want to construct your budget by making informed cost estimates of big items such as airfare, hotels, car rentals and dining. Don’t forget to estimate small or unexpected expenses, such as tipping, souvenirs, snacks, shopping, host gifts and parking. Not accounting for these simple cash expenditures is where budgets often fall apart. Travel resources (such as the websites in this article, magazines or books), travel email lists and travel agents can help you pinpoint costs specific to locations.

Any special needs.
Are you traveling with kids? With grandparents? With the family dog? The earlier you plan, the more likely you’ll be able to select seats behind the bulkhead (a good place for kids due to the extra space) or that hotel room at the end of the hall (quiet for grandparents.) Sometimes, the little things can make all the difference in the comfort of your trip.

If you’re traveling abroad, you’ll need a passport. It can take up to eight weeks to receive your passport during busy summer months, so you’ll want to apply for your passport long before your departure date. There are different criteria for applying via mail or in person. You can renew by mail if:

1. You can submit your most recent passport AND
2. You were at least 16 years old when your most recent passport was issued AND
3. You were issued your recent passport in the last 15 years AND
4. You use the same name as on your most recent passport or since your passport was
issued, OR you have had your name changed by marriage or court order and can
submit proper documentation to reflect your name-change.

If you answered “yes” to all four criteria, download form DS-82 and follow the instructions.

You must apply in person if:

1. You have never had a U.S. passport OR
2. You are under age 16 OR
3. Your most recent passport was issued more than 15 years ago OR
4. Your most recent passport was lost or stolen. (If you are applying because your most
recent, valid passport was lost or stolen, you will also need to submit Form DS-64.)

If any of these apply to your situation, download form DS-11 and follow the instructions.

Applications and instructions are available on the State Department’s passport information website.

Thanks to the power of the Internet, armchair traveling, bargain hunting and price comparing, finding help with budgets is easier than ever before. Here are some websites to try:

www.farecast.com
To buy or not to buy? By entering your origin, destination and travel dates, the site provides you with fare
predictions, fare histories and links to sites where you can purchase airline tickets.

www.kayak.com
A highly ranked search engine for all things travel, Kayak.com provides you with lists of the lowest or
timeliest trip results, and then links you directly to the service providers so that you can purchase your
flights, car rentals, and so on.

www.budgettravel.about.com
About.com’s Budget Travel library includes articles on current travel info and planning tools, as well as links to message boards for live “chats”.

www.seatguru.com or www.lovemyseat.com
Look up reviews of floor plans and information on about any configuration of airplanes you can imagine.

www.aaa.com
The American Automobile Association’s best planning features are reserved for members, but some tools—notably, the Daily Fuel Gauge Report on gas prices nationwide and the Fuel Cost Calculator—are available for free.

www.tsa.gov
Given today’s unpredictable travel climate, it’s always a good idea to review the list featured on TSA’s site for current prohibited and allowed travel items.

Travel Trends
What’s hot this year? Here are the current top travel trends, according to Randall Travel Marketing:

Taking Fido on the road
More and more pet owners than ever are toting along their four-legged friends on their vacations.

Goin’ to the game
Parents are increasingly budgeting travel around their children’s sporting events, competitions or tournaments.

Keeping connected
Usually held in the summer, nearly eight million people travel to their family reunions every year.

Cross-generational travel
Four out of ten travelers are grandparents who are accompanying their grandchildren or extended family on
vacation.

Getting into the environment
Nature and eco-tourism is an ever-increasing trend, generating approximately 7% of all international travel expenditures.

Ahhh, relax
Spas have been a popular destination for years, but nowadays, men are increasingly likely to be traveling to a spa as well as women.

Get out of dodge
Always popular among jet-setters, travel to the Caribbean is increasing in popularity, with TripAdvisor.com naming the following as the top 10 destinations for 2007:

Anguilla
Antigua
Nevis
Curacao
Tortola
Trinidad and Tobago
Virgin Gorda
Bonaire
Dominica
St. Vincent