Getting ready for your summer vacation 

Many of us are looking forward to getting away for our yearly summer vacation, and with most of us only having limited time and financial resources to spend on vacations, we want to make sure we do it well. Here are some helpful hints for ensuring that you are properly prepared for your summer vacation and ready to make the most of it. 

Leave Work Behind Holidays are never quite the same when work worries linger in the back of your mind, so make every effort to ensure that everything is taken care of so that you can rest and enjoy your annual leave. Of course, the first step is to get your time off approved and scheduled as soon as possible, and it's also a good idea to let the rest of your team know ahead of time that you'll be gone so that they can plan to cover some of your responsibilities. If at all feasible, try to get ahead on some work before you go so that you don't return to a pile of work (and potentially unhappy clients). You should also discuss with your team and line manager who is responsible for what in your absence, to ensure that clients are continuously contacted and crucial work is not ignored. As long as all of this is in place, you should be able to switch off from "work mode" and trust that your obligations will be handled by others while you rest and recharge. 

Documentation Nothing is worse than a last-minute worry because your passport is missing, so create an organized system for all your paperwork, such as utilizing a travel wallet, and make sure it's in place well before you depart. If you're traveling as a couple or with a family, make sure everyone knows who's responsible for this to avoid any "I thought you had it" conflicts. If you're traveling abroad, the most apparent thing to keep safe is your passport, but there are numerous other vital items to keep in mind. If you're flying, you'll almost certainly need to print your boarding card before arriving at the airport; certain budget airlines will charge you if you don't, so it's better to be careful. Also, double-check that you have valid tickets for any required transfers or public transportation, such as trains. It's also worth noting that the country you're visiting may require you to get a visa or something similar before allowing you to enter, so be cautious and do your research before boarding a plane. If this is required, do so ahead of time and, if any paper documentation is required, store it in your travel wallet with the rest of your belongings.

Budgeting & Currency

Plan ahead of time how much you want to spend on your vacation and how much you can afford so you don't have to worry about money while you're gone. It's always a good idea to shop around for the best exchange rates, and it's also a good idea to figure out which money to bring; for example, some European countries have their own currency but will gladly accept the Euro, just as some South American countries will gladly accept the dollar. It's also a good idea to consider how much cash you'll bring, whether you'll withdraw extra cash while you're there, and whether you'll spend it on your card. The last two alternatives may be interesting to individuals who prefer not to carry large sums of cash around; find out what your bank will charge for withdrawing cash or using your card abroad, as some banks are considerably better at this than others. Consider what you'll need and what you want to do to get a good idea of how much money you'll need; if you're going self-catering, you'll need more spending money than if you're going all-inclusive, but if you're planning several day trips, you'll need a decent amount of cash even if you're going all-inclusive, so keep that in mind.

Completing Paid Surveys is a great way to earn money.

While it's critical to carefully plan and budget for your vacation, obsessing over it isn't much fun. Filling out a few of Cinchdollars's simple, engaging online surveys before you leave may help you fund a guilt-free round of drinks or a few ice creams on the beach, so go ahead and earn some extra cash to make the most of your summer vacation!