This time of year, it seems that winter will go on forever. You are ready for a vacation. But where do you start? Get together with your traveling companion(s), get out the map and make some decisions.

1. Choose your top three desired destinations. You know you want to go somewhere warm, but there are big differences between Jamaica and Puerto Vallarta.
2. Decide on dates, and whether or not you can be flexible with them. Discuss departure and return days of week. You can save some money if you travel on days that are less busy (like Tuesdays and Thursdays). Traveling during spring break will cost more than traveling the last week in February.
3. Be sure to keep your budget in mind. This could be a total "per person" budget or a per-day budget. Remember to account for taxes and other unexpected charges. Consider staying in an all-inclusive resort, which can be a big money-saver.
4. Who will be your "buyer"? The "buyer" can be in charge of making the purchase based on the decisions you’ve already made together. Putting one person in charge of this -- provided that person can be trusted with the travelers’ decisions -- will make the purchase process go more smoothly.

Finally, get everything down on paper, and then go see your travel agent for the best prices and best advice.