The Key To Traveling More; Kimzcation Sauce
How am I able to take one vacation each month?
Simple, I plan it.
Planning
Planning is the key to taking more than one vacation a year while working full-time, 9-5. I've been asked many questions about my monthly shenanigans and I hope this blog covers some of my secret sauce.
Do I have unlimited vacation days?
I do not have unlimited PTO. The secret is I plan my zcations around the holidays, weekends, and summer. For example, if you get 10-20 days off from work, plus all the holidays, and extras like summer Fridays, there is enough time to take a vacation each month. Don’t go broke trying to take a lot of vacations. A real vacation is being away from work, enjoying yourself, and not worrying about money issues.
Step 1. Flight Tickets
90% of the time, ticket prices determine if I will go somewhere or not. I always purchase my flight tickets before anything else. Booking your accommodation first is not a great idea. There are a few exceptions. However, if your days are flexible, the flight should always be first. The trick is to book flights that are cheaper to be able to afford more vacations.
What website do I use to book my flights?
I do not use any specific website to book my trip. I do a lot of research to ensure I get the best deal. For example, Orbits and Expedia are tools that find the best deals automatically. We as humans are way smarter than any machines. There is always a limitation on what a machine can do. We are the brain. We make the final decisions. I always compare all of my options and make a decision. I will share my full flight booking tactics in a future post.
Secret weapon
My secret weapon is my Chase Sapphire Reserved credit card. I book 95% of my trips through my credit card. After searching for the perfect flight, I log in to my chase card reward center and purchase the flight with my points. Points are free money. Which in terms save me a lot of money. Stay tune for my “credit card” info blog.
Step 2. Accommodation
I mostly use AirBnbs for all of my trips. I am fake "bougie". I love budget friendly places with comfort, style, and views. AirBnb tends to be cheaper than staying at a hotel. Stay tuned for my full method of picking up the right AirBnb.
After booking your flight and accommodation, you are technically ready for your trip. The next step of course, would be to plan your daily activities and things that you would like to do.
Ever made reservations and found yourself having to go through emails to find confirmation number or flight info?
Step 3. Planner / Organizer
I use “Tripit” to store all of my trip information. The app is connected to my email and automatically download any reservation or confirmation emails.
For my solo trips, I also use a Travel Journal that I purchased from Amazon. It's a journal and vacation planner. A solo trip always need some more TLC.
While purchasing a planner may not be ideal for everyone, downloading TripIt should be a must. Not to mention, the app is free. There are also other applications such as Google Planner, should you want to try something different.
Are you ready for your next Zcation?