Taking an off-season vacation may seem like the best idea in the world after experiencing the hassles associated with taking a vacation during peak periods. You probably took a BBZ limousine in order to arrive at the airport, only to get there and be greeted by a long queue of other passengers waiting for their turn. The same thing happens when you arrive at your destination.

However, there are several drawbacks to taking vacations during off-peak periods. Definitely, you can save a substantial amount of money on fare and accommodations. The tradeoff, however, may be the limited activities that you can do due to the weather in your intended location. In some destinations, off-peak seasons translate to the monsoon season, while in others, the winter season leaves you nothing to do but hole up in your hotel room.

But when should you take a vacation if you want to save money and avoid the holiday crowd? Take a vacation during shoulder season. Shoulder season is the period of transition between the peak and off-peak seasons. While fare and lodging prices may be a bit higher than off-peak rates, these are considerably lower compared to peak season fees. On top of that, there are multiple shoulder seasons in some destinations, giving you ample opportunity to plan your vacation.

But before you schedule your vacation, make sure that you are not compromising your work. Sure, you can take a leave from work, but do remember that you are a part of an organization. In scheduling your vacation, make sure to select dates when your business organization is less busy. Otherwise, you will earn ill will from your bosses and co-workers as they pick up the tasks that you left behind.

You should also avoid scheduling vacations around your company’s annual review. During this time, you’d like to be present and show your best effort and attitude. Otherwise, your company might overlook you for a raise or a promotion.

New hires should also avoid taking a vacation immediately after accepting a job position. Make sure that you have first established your roots at your new job and that you have presented yourself as a true stand-up guy.

Whenever possible, maximize your leaves at work. You might want to use up your leaves during long holidays like Christmas and New Year’s Day so you can have a longer time off from work without consuming a large amount of your leave credits.