Vacation time is very special for most people because it only comes once a year. It’s important to make every minute count  to enjoy your time away from work and home as much as possible and to do the things that you think are fun.

Going to a beach resort? Make sure you pack the appropriate clothes, the scuba gear (if you do that), swimsuits, credit cards and traveler’s checks  and most importantly, a good attitude. You’re out there to have fun or to relax or to simply “get away from it all” for a week or two.

Before you go, create an itinerary for yourself. List the things you want to do. If it requires the purchase of tickets (to a theme park, for instance) or reservations to a dinner theater, do it before you go. That way, you won’t be disappointed. When it comes to vacation planning, it is the little things that always count the most.

Another thing that you can – and should – do is save money for your upcoming trip, starting well in advance of your departure date, if possible. Few things destroy a vacation more than the lack of sufficient funds to do the things you want. Vacation is a special time. If enjoyment of that time is based on spending more than you normally do, that is okay. You can go back to being frugal and careful when you return from vacation.

When you reach your destination and settle in, get your mind into vacation mode. Remember: the object for you is based in a single word: enjoyment. That could mean that you need to do things you never do during the rest of the year, such as clubbing the night away – and dancing – with your wife or girlfriend, deep sea fishing or sky diving, singing solo at the Piano Bar, you get the point. Have fun, relax your personal inhibitions  and step out of character. You can return to “the normal you” when you return home.

While you’re on vacation – change your persona. And don’t be afraid to splurge on a fine meal at a top restaurant. You’ve scrimped and saved all year to be able to do just that. You might even get up the nerve to order an expensive bottle of wine. Remember: you’re on vacation. The idea is to live it up, have a great time, spend like you never do at home. Days pass quickly and before you know it, you will actually be going home.

Wherever you choose to go for your annual vacation – to a beach resort, on an outdoor adventure, to a fantastic casino hotel or to some place off the beaten track, make sure you take the right frame of mind with you. It is this:

You are on vacation – your one annual vacation – and you’re going to enjoy yourself even if you have to knock yourself out trying. Enjoy.