Spring: A time that brings warmer weather, blossoming flowers, department store sales and the much hyped about “Spring Break.” Really though, the best part about Spring is the fact that it means Summer is thismuch closer! … and with Summer we get flip flops, new bathing suits, poolside cocktails and an onslaught of fun and fabulous vacations!

No, I haven’t forgotten that we’re in a recession… and yes, I know that unemployment is at an all time high. That however, doesn’t mean that your world has to stop turning. If you’ve been planning to take a summer vacation (or would like to) and are sure that you either have the funds set aside or will have the funds available when the date arrives – then bust out your calendar and start planning! Now is actually one of the best times to take a vacation, with airlines slashing their domestic fares by more than 13% and fares to Europe down more than 19% since 2008. To top it off, hotel rates for summer hot spots are at all time lows! And you thought there was only bad news to be had in this economy…

Day trips, weekend get aways, a week long escape to a tropical paradise.. a vacation is a vacation and all types fall under my “Favorite Things To Do” list. However, although I will say that I consider myself a fabulous twentysomething female – I’m the first to admit that I’m am not a fabulously filthy rich twentysomething female (cue tropical vacation bubble bursting). Sure, I daydream about being whisked away on a private jet to a secluded island.. or dropping work and all other obligations to backpack around Europe for a few months, but then reality sets back in. I become focused on the fact that I have a career, I have personal obligations, I have absolutely zero access to a private jet…annnddd… I have a budget (of course).

Having a budget however, in no way deters me from having my fabulous vacation and it shouldn’t stop you either! There are plenty of tricks to utilize when ensuring your dream vacation comes true, even though you may have only hundreds, not thousands, to spare.

The following is a list of my top ten “Twentysomething: Fabulous & Financially Savvy Must Do’s” to ensure that you can still have that stress relieving, much deserved, amazing vacation even though you’re not playing with unlimited funds:

1) Get into the Do it Yourself Mentality
Save yourself fees paid to a travel agent and do the booking yourself! If you’re planning an all out vacation, search the web for tour group offerings or vacation packages in your city of choice and build your own vacation to mimic the ones you see. You’ll save yourself some funds along with the headache of listening to sales pitches for room upgrades.

2) Be realistic.
Sure, we’d all like to take a month long trek around the globe or lay on the beach in Mexico for a good solid week, but if it’s not in the budget, it’s not in the budget. Nuff said. Stop dwelling on what you can’t do and focus on ways to expand what you can do.

3) Consider doing a mini-vaycay series
If you’re like me and end up super bummed at work after using up your vacation time for that week long trip – consider scrapping the “BIG” vacation idea and planning a series of close by weekend get aways. Not only will it give you a plethora of mini adventures to look forward to, but you’ll have the opportunity to vacation with just your guy (or girl), different friends or family members all in one summer.

4) Kayak.com (or any other online deal site of your choice)
This is my all time favorite website for planning vacations. This site will find you hotels, airfares, cruises, vacation packages and more. It searches the web and all other travel sites and even offers you a side by side comparison with sites like travelocity, hotwire, and priceline. Kayak almost always wins due to the fact that they don’t charge you the couple extra dollar booking fees that most other sites do.

5) Consider road tripping it
Sure gas prices are high, but chances are not as high as airfare for one, two or three of you combined. Road tripping it will not only provide you with the opportunity to bump your ipod and have an all out girls sing along on the ride to paradise, but you can also bring as much luggage, liquids and food as you want. There’s not a 3 oz. liquids only rule in your car, is there?

6) Plan way ahead or super last minute
We all know that if we book our vacations now for summer of 2010, chances are we’ll get the best deals and rates because, hey – we’re the only ones booking! Last minute vacations however, will likely provide you with the best deal of all, because chances are if the hotel room or airplane seat hasn’t been booked by then – it won’t be booked at all and the companies risk losing out on any and all potential income. So keep an eye out for the fire sale prices in efforts for the big travel chains to salvage a bit of income off that open room or first class seat!

7) Book your hotel in a central area or close to public transportation
Sure, it may cost a bit more – but after taking in to account the price of a rental car, plus gas and insurance or costs for taxis to all the different sites, shelling out a little extra for a hotel room now will save time, money and the hassle of trying to navigate your way around the city later.

8) Keep your vacation dates flexible
Both airlines and hotels jack up their prices on the weekends, so if you can book a trip during the week or fly out on a Tuesday, do it! Not only will your vacation spot be less crowded, but chances are any excursions or outings you want to take will be cheaper during the week too.

9) Consider taking a cruise or booking at an all inclusive resort
While these two often require the most money up front, they typically provide the most bang for your buck. Not only are all of your meals and entertainment included in both of these, but on a cruise, you also have your own ship shuttling you to multiple cities and hot spots!

10) Do your research
This by far is the most important. Buy some guide books for your destination ahead of time and take yourself on a tour of the city. Most books come equipped with suggested routes, tourist sites with free entrance, and a brief history of each place. They’ll also provide you with suggested itineraries and dining locales for living off of $10, $20 or $30 a day. Sure, you might miss out on the witty (or tacky) humor of some tour guide looking for tips, but using the money saved there for a fabulous souvenir sounds so much better!

The above are just a few things that I tend to look into when planning vacations. Making sure you have the funds available and doing your research ahead of time are by far the two most important steps in booking a fabulous and stress free vacation! And no, “charge it” should not be considered as an option in supplementing your budget. As long as you have a plan (and stick to it) chances are your summer trips will turn out to be all you hoped for and more! So like I said before, grab your calendar and your friends and start planning!