Note to self: take more vacations Tue, Feb 12, 2019
One of my favorite things about my job here at SB is our vacation policy. It’s pretty rare to find such a generous vacation plan in Sacramento, but it is really important to take full advantage of it. When you don’t use your vacation at companies that you accrue vacation time at, you get paid out if you leave the company. Here if you don’t use it, you lose it. So make sure to use it!
One of the biggest excuses I hear from friends is that taking vacations are too expensive, but in my experience, you can cut some big corners with these tactics:
- Find a cheap flight. Flight prices are getting cheaper and cheaper. It’s a wonderful time to be alive! I’ve gotten multiple non-stop flights to Europe for less than $400! (Check out Norwegian Air). You can use Google Flights to keep an eye on prices too if you set up notifications they will let you know when prices start to change.
- Pick a less common place to go. Yes, we all want to go to Paris, Hawaii, or Bali but if you go somewhere a bit less common you’ll save so much money! Most of my first-hand experience is in Europe. I’d recommend Eastern Europe: Poland, Czech Republic, and Slovakia are beautiful places full of history that cost so much less!
- Don’t stay in hotels! Food and accommodation are often the most expensive aspects of a trip. Instead, stay in a hostel or Airbnb and cook at least one of your own meals a day. Hostels are always the cheapest and usually have a communal kitchen. Their biggest benefit is that you meet other travelers which can make a trip much more fun!
So go forth and see the world, even if it is a quick trip that isn’t too far. You’ll be happier and better company to your loved ones, friends, and coworkers.
