Vacation, All I Ever Wanted -- and Needed

I haven’t taken a full week off in almost two years. I know, I know; I’m the first person to talk about the importance of vacation. But life has gotten in the way of taking time off. We had a baby last January (no, maternity leave is not vacation), and then my husband started his own business, which means no more paid time off for him.

But that’s all about to change. We are going on a weeklong cruise to Bermuda. I cannot wait, not only for the time off, but also for the time with my husband. We both need some downtime.

We’re not the only ones who have found it difficult to take a vacation. According to a recent poll, only 42 percent of Americans are planning a leisure trip this summer, down from 49 percent in 2005. What’s more, one-third of those surveyed have already canceled a trip.

Yes, the economy is rough. And employed people are afraid for their jobs. But I would argue that a vacation is more important than ever in these stressful times. If money and time are objections, consider a local vacation or a long weekend. And there are ways to cut costs: The article says 20 percent of summer vacationers plan to stay closer to home this year due to economic worries, and 23 percent will save money by staying with friends or family. 

Need more convincing? Check out these resources. And if you’ve got ideas for fun, low-cost vacations, leave them in the comments below:

·         “Make the Most of Your Time Off”

·         “Be Smart About Vacation Time”

·         From the Monster Blog: “The Vacation Not Taken”

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