Traveling for leisure is on the back burner for the time being, but it doesn’t mean you can’t use the down time to start brainstorming and planning your next trips. In fact, savvy planners can score some good deals and give themselves something to look forward to without taking on a lot of risk. Here’s what I suggest:

Have fun while brainstorming.

If you’re single, read travel books and watch travel movies. If you have a family, play games and get the kids involved. See what destinations come to the surface and start making a list. Many of you probably already have places in mind.

Pick a date, any date.

Right now, it’s all about giving yourself something to look forward to and minimizing - or, ideally, eliminating - the risk involved. In other words, you want to get the fun and enjoyment of planning and booking without the dread of possibly losing a deposit or having to eat the cost of a flight/hotel.

Rest assured, in this COVID-19 world, doing so is not only possible, but actually easier than ever. Below, you’ll find some advice on how to do so. But for now, pick a date. Any date. It doesn’t matter if it’s September, October, November - sometime this year, carve out some time to travel.