Vacation

We're in the holiday season right now, which is a popular time for people to take their vacation days. A word of advice is to split your PTO into little chunks, rather than using them all in one go. The reason for doing this, according to a Netherlands study, is that the biggest factor of the happiness you get from your time off does not come from the actual vacation, but the planning of it. The study's author, Jeroen Nawijn says, "Vacations do make people happy. But we found people who are anticipating holiday trips show signs of increased happiness, and afterward there is hardly an effect."

Of course, if you're saving up your vacay days for a dream trip that is in another continent and very far away, it makes sense to take one long trip. What are your plans for your paid time off this holiday?

We're thrilled to present this smart Learnvest story here on Savvy!

The recession gets personal when it starts eating into our vacation time. A study performed on behalf of Westin Hotels found that 64% of employed professionals canceled vacations this year, 1/3 of them for work reasons. Similarly, a study by USA Today found that 51% of online respondents didn’t travel this summer. It’s not just about going away, but it’s also about checking out—25% of the Westin Hotels respondents said that they check into work every hour when they’re away on vacation.

The holidays are coming up, and we don’t want you to be afraid to take off of work for fear of falling behind or becoming inefficient. So, we ask: How important is vacation time, anyway?

The short answer: Very. Keep on reading for more.

Back in August, I told you about the possibility of spending a weekend at Donna Karan's dreamy beach home. The exclusive vacation was being auctioned through CharityBuzz to raise funds for The Ellen Hermanson Foundation, a breast cancer fund. While some other lucky vacationer won a stay at Karan's home, fashion designer and American icon Ralph Lauren is currently auctioning his Jamaican villa, with the proceeds benefiting breast cancer research through his Pink Pony foundation.
This is definitely a luxury charity auction, with the reserve bid starting at $50,000. Ah, to dream of such a luxurious vacation (and all for a good cause)! The winning bidder and up to three guests will get to spend four days and three nights at Ralph Lauren’s personal Jamaican paradise. The villa is fully staffed and has been featured on the cover of Architectural Digest and House & Garden. Situated on a gorgeous cliff overlooking the Caribbean Sea, perks include an infinity pool, private beach access, and complimentary yoga sessions and tennis lessons.

If you had your heart set on Donna Karan's vacation home, good news: it's back up for auction through Pink Pony. Neither of these vacations quite in your budget? See all of the items up for bid in the Pink Pony Auction.

"Vacations are not meant for fitness." This quote is from a dear friend of mine; the two of us are driving down the coast for Labor Day. While it's true that I usually don't plan my vacations around fitness, I like being active — even when away from home! But I get it, it's Labor Day, the last hurrah before Summer ends, and my friend wants nothing but fun in the sun.

Since she's doing all the driving, I'm definitely not going to suggest a yoga session on the beach. But that's because I have something even better in mind. Instead of framing activities in terms of fitness and exercise, I've got a few fun suggestions that will keep her smiling, and me active.

• Let's go ride a bike. Riding bikes in the Summer sun can't be beat, especially when it's along a beach boardwalk. Once we hit Los Angeles, I'm looking forward to renting a couple of bikes and cruising along the Santa Monica beach boardwalk.
• Book a spa date. A visit to the spa is not only an indulgent way to hang with a girlfriend, it's also a great way to relax. Schedule a massage to de-stress, relieve sore muscles, and boost immunity levels.

See how we'll be spending our nights when you read more

This recent New York Times article about countries that use the "chip and PIN" credit card system reminded me of my trip to Paris last year, when I was bummed to learn that I wouldn't be going on the romantic bike ride of my dreams because their incredible bike rental system didn't accept non-chipped cards. It also got me thinking about another lost-in-translation debit card tip that you should know before planning an overseas trip. Find out what that is when you read more

We're all longing to take some time off to traipse around the world like Julia Roberts in Eat Pray Love, but all of us have to fret about nitty-gritty cultural details like tipping when we're abroad. It's hard to know what to do when you're visiting a country for the first time, and we certainly don't want to offend anyone.

Here are some useful tips that I turn to whenever I'm making a foray into unknown territory:

• Talk to people — Sure, there are guides around, but there's nothing like knowledge from a native or from someone who has recently visited the country. Ask friends who've been there or even better, if you know someone from around the area you're going to, quiz them on how to tip. You can also ask the hotel staff if you're still unsure.
• Research online — Magellan gives a helpful breakdown of how much to tip in over 70 countries. Remember, your best bet is to ask people instead of reading about it. The data online might not be updated or accurate. For example, I read on a few sites that it's illegal to tip in Vietnam, but my Vietnamese friend told me that she "can't go anywhere without tipping" when she visits the country.
• Service charges — Keep your eagle eye out for a service charge on your receipt. If there is one, your decision to tip has already been decided for you!
• "You can always ask" — Tipping expert and Cornell Professor Michael Lynn, tells Savvy that "if you do not know whether someone usually gets tips or do not how much of a tip they expect, you can always ask them."

• Have a fling on your next vacation — The Frisky
• What it's really like to be in your 20s right now — Lemondrop
• Sex advice to my younger self — YourTango
• The best way to turn down a second date — Em & Lo
• A marriage proposal and a dollhouse — Glamour
• A step-by-step guide to losing your virginity – Nerve
• What kind of student were you? — SavvySugar