So there I was in my white lab coat examining the 40 different vials and trying to determine which combinations to mix to get the best outcome. Admittedly, I wasn’t enacting some important scientific discovery or creating a medical breakthrough but it felt almost that significant. What if I screwed up, made ridiculous choices as to the most effective ingredients and came away with an awful smelling product. Yup, I was making perfume at the Tijon Parfumerie & Boutique on the French side (obviously!) of the Caribbean island of St. Martin.

During, my recent stay at Iberostar Grand Paraiso in Riviera Maya, Mexico, I realized that I had the use of five resorts, and all their amenities, for the price of one. What an incredible bargain that turned out to be! The whole complex was like a village, with five “neighborhood” resorts clustered along the beach. Besides their own amenities, together they shared a shopping center featuring a huge spa, a 2-story professional gym building, 18 hole golf course, theater, convention center, tennis courts, and, most importantly, the economy of size.

It’s been noted in the past that not every $69 flight is worth it. Sometimes, they actually end up more expensive than if you had booked with a more traditional airline. But today, one of the few opportunities to get a real deal is back: Wow Air is offering $69 one-way flights to Iceland. That means round-trip fares as low as $200—nearly 50 percent off the usual cost.