Break free from the routine and plan a worry-free vacation.
New Year's resolutions are usually blah and not terribly imaginative. Save money. Lose weight. Eat better. Hit the gym. Be nicer to people (*sigh*). All are noble endeavours to be sure, but if this year you resolved to add travel to your repertoire, the Kanetix.ca list of travel tips will help you get where you want to go faster and enjoy it more while you're there.
Get a travel rewards credit card
If you don't yet have a travel rewards credit card, now is the time to look into them. The travel rewards credit card market is really competitive and to woo prospective cardholders many new promotions, reward options and perks are introduced regularly.
Creatively look at new ways to save money
How much do you spend on coffees each day? Let's assume you buy only one at $2; that's $730 a year. Buy your lunch at work, rather than brown bagging it? Let's assume you buy lunch 3 days a week for 50 weeks of the year, that's $1,500. Hmmm, that's $2,230 suddenly saved up.
Remove "some day" and "one day" from your vocabulary
Set a date, start saving and plan the vacation that you're always saying "some day" you'll do. Doesn't matter if the trip actually happens this year, next year or 3 years from now—set a date and start working your way towards it. It will never happen otherwise.
Travel smart; travel with travel insurance
Travel insurance is not a nice-to-have, it's a must have. No matter how short your trip, or how close to home you'll be, the importance of having travel insurance can not be overstated.
Travel Canada too
Be a traveller at home; whether it's in your home town, home province or home country, there's more to do in Canada than most of us realize or give credit for. Find out what makes Canada awesome and why last year we opened our door to millions of travellers. What do they know that we don't?
Remember, weekend travel counts
Not every trip is going to be epic. Whether flying or driving, there are a lot of relatively local destinations you can get to for a weekend getaway. And the best part, you don't have to make it a whirlwind of activity because chances are, you'll always be able to go back.
Unplug
Put your {Insert Device Name Here} down once in a while. Whether you're tied to your phone, laptop, tablet, or camera, if you're fiddling less with your technology you'll get more out of your travels.
Slow down, relax and stay awhile
Too often people say they need a vacation after a vacation, so why not slow it down a little? Don't try to pack too much into your itinerary leaving you exhausted. It's not the Amazing Race.
Just go
What's stopping you? Sure, maybe you can't pick up and go tomorrow, but every obstacle can be overcome. With a little resolve, you can travel more this year and the memories will last a lifetime.
