In many of my former workplaces, colleagues could donate their vacation, sick, and personal time to others in the office who were themselves ill or who had a serious illness in the family. It’s a program filled of cooperation and kindness. What if you could have more flexibility in your time off, but in a more cravenly capitalist way? This is already the case in 14% of American workplaces, where employees can “buy” additional vacation time if they want it or sell unwanted time back to the company. [More]
vacation
Travel Company Closes Suddenly, Stranding Some Customers Mid-Trip
By 10.17.12
Talk about throwing a kink in your plans: A New Jersey travel company that had been operating for 47 years shut down without a warning this month, stranding customers with unfinished travel plans and in some cases, whisking their money away into the unknown. Just two days before the shutdown, the company was asking customers to pay in cash for a discount. Now, many are complaining that the company never paid for hotels, airlines or other accommodations. [More]
Realtor Rents You Construction Zone Vacation Condo, Shrugs
By 6.28.12
Alex and his brother have been on vacation this week, renting a condo at the beach. Sounds fun and relaxing. Or it would be, if it weren’t for the construction workers re-siding the condo building. They’re tossing debris everywhere, including near cars, leaving tools and construction materials around off hours, and hammering at 8 A.M. It’s making these vacationers cranky, and the real estate agency that rented them the condo said that they would contact the owners, but hasn’t contacted them. The vacation is nearly over. What should they do? [More]
European Court Says Getting Sick On Vacation Means You Get A Do-Over
By 6.22.12
Okay, that’s it. We’re moving to Europe: They’re already entitled to four to six weeks of guaranteed vacation leave per year, and now a court there just ruled that workers who happen to fall ill while on vacation are legally entitled to get a do-over on their trip. Who needs tips about how to not get sick on vacation with a loophole like that? [More]
Here’s How To Not Spoil Your Vacation By Getting Sick Or Injured Overseas
By 6.6.12
Speaking from the vantage point of someone who has spent an entire day in a lovely hotel room in an amazing foreign city paralyzed with the flu and feeling like death would show up any minute, it’s awful to get sick on vacation overseas. Here you are, spending your hard-earned dollars and you can’t get out and enjoy your trip. So why not prepare against the worst before you go? [More]
Americans Earning Less Vacation Days, Won't Even Use All Of Them
By 11.30.11
You work hard to earn vacation days, but when the time comes to enjoy them, a new study says American workers aren’t using up all the time off they’ve earned for the year. [More]
5 Awesome Crowd-Free Summer Bargain Trips
By 5.27.11
NYT exposes some gems you might not think of first when planning a summer getaway, which is exactly why they’re on sale. But if you can put up with or get over the reason why most people skip them, you can have a great time for less, and with fewer people around. [More]
Anti-Consumer Behavior In A Tourist Trap? Well, I Never!
By 4.27.11
Mike came across this sign on a rack of sunglasses while on vacation at a famous vacation destination. “All of the sunglasses on the rack were exactly the same, and had a price tag of $12.00 marked down to $9.00,” he writes. “No ’25 cent’ ones to be seen anywhere. Classic!” [More]
Dollar Charges Us Twice For Car Rental — How Do We Get Our Money Back?
By 9.3.10
Joe and his girlfriend endured a confusing turn of events at a Dollar rental car kiosk that ended up in them being charged twice what they were quoted on Expedia. Stuck in a corner without other realistic options, they paid the inflated price and are now looking for a way to get their money back. [More]
4 Tips To Not Getting Ripped Off While On Vacation
By 6.28.10
Going on vacation is supposed to be a way to soothe your nerves and forget about the worries of the world. But, in addition to all the hassles of travel, vacations are a prime opportunity for you to be taken advantage of, And don’t forget that empty house back home that’s now a target for thieves. [More]
Tips For Taking Toto On A Trip
By 5.1.10
If you’re like us, you occasionally get a yearning to escape the concrete jungle or that suburban enclave and head for less familiar surroundings. But what what about your furry friend? The Chicago Tribune takes a look at a few tips and tricks to help get Rover on the open road with you. [More]
HSBC Cancels Traveler's Credit Card, Pays For Their Mistake
By 8.11.09
Bank of America isn’t the only bank that enjoys canceling their traveling customer’s credit cards. HSBC canceled my card while I was living in New Zealand, and as part of their “continuing efforts to fight fraud,” sent an active replacement card to my address 9,000 miles away.
BoA Strands Customer In Siberia With No Money
By 8.11.09
Bank of America has cut off Shannon’s debit card and says she has to get a new one. This would otherwise be a minor inconvenience except for the fact that Shannon is in Irkutsk, Russia on a 2-week Trans-Siberian trek.
Netflix Offers Not Only Unlimited Rentals, But Also Unlimited Vacation
By 5.13.09
In this age of decreasing perks, it’s semi-refreshing, semi-enraging to discover that Netflix salaried employees get unlimited vacation. Workers can fly the coop for more than a month at a time without checking in.
Airlines Have Bumped 343,000 Passengers This Year
By 8.23.08
Over a quarter-million passengers were bumped from flights in the past eight months, a number that is set to grow as airlines try to boost anemic profits by slashing fleets. The Department of Transportation requires airlines to compensate bumped passengers with cash or vouchers, but savvy passengers can leverage their situation to negotiate heftier payments…
Carnival Ignores Sewage Stench, Tells Passengers To Do The Same
By 5.18.08
Joseph’s four-day Carnival cruise was tainted by a sewage stench that steamed through his stateroom. Carnival’s only advice was to “shut the bathroom door and close the air vents,” an ineffective solution that forced Joseph and his girlfriend above deck. Now he wants Carnival to clean up their mess.
Tecnu Washes Away Poison Ivy Oils Instead Of Just Dulling The Itch
By 8.13.07
We got some poison ivy and first we tried our Hot/Cold water method. In this, first you run hot water on the rash until it’s so hot you can’t stand it. Then hold it there. Then flip the water to freezing. Your nerves will be so freaked out they won’t know how to itch for the next few fours.
