You don't have to be heartbroken to get it.

As usual, contributor Kelly Westhoff has travel and relationships on the brain. Before you embark on your next fantastic voyage with Mr. or Ms. Maybe, read on…

So you’ve got a new man (or woman) in your life. Things are going well. The relationship is progressing. And then he (or she) suggests a long weekend away. A trip. Together.

How do you know what time is the right time to travel with a potential new love?

That’s a hard one to answer. I’ve never heard a dating rule that states two months is too soon for a weekend away. And unfortunately, many of us are so over-stressed and over-worked that we are seduced by the mere idea of a mini-vacation. Five whole days away from the office? Upstate B&B? Cancun all-inclusive? Sign me up!

Yet many a romantic rendezvous have gone terribly wrong. Instead of strengthening a new relationship, plenty of first trips have signaled the end.

For many couples, the determining make-or-break travel factors come down to money and expectations, says Nadine Nardi Davidson, author of Travel with Others Without Wishing They’d Stayed Home.

Let’s tackle the money part first. If you’re toying with the idea of a romantic first trip, you’ve probably given some thought to the final bill.

Travel adds up and unless you’re dating a sugar daddy, financial toes are bound to get stepped on. One of you probably brings home more bacon, one of you probably deals with a tighter budget, and there are so, so many ways a travel bill can compound. First class or economy? Buffet or sit down? Guided day tour of area ruins or free day at the beach?

Davidson suggests couples talk about how they plan to split travel costs before ever getting on the plane. If you agree to split the cost of the room in a conversation, protect your credit card and your emotions by following up your conversation with an email. Write something like:

I just want to make sure that I remember what we planned. The hotel is $85 a night and we’re staying three nights so our total bill will be $255. That’s pre-tax and we agreed to split it.

Putting your money expectations into writing gives both parties a chance to “see” the numbers as opposed to just talking about them. It also gives you a chance to make sure you understand one another.

Couples also run into travel problems because they want to different things while on vacation. Maybe she wants to shop for souvenirs. Maybe he wants to go deep sea fishing.

Arguments over how to pass a vacation day can often sound like fights over money. He might say that souvenirs are a waste of cash and she might counter that deep sea fishing costs more than a couple of t-shirts. However, the underlying issue, Davidson says, isn’t money. It’s the value you each place on different activities.

Deep sea fishing is adventurous and outdoors. Shopping is usually indoors and – let’s face it – not an extreme sport. The couple arguing over these two vacation activities isn’t bickering over how to spend money, Davidson explains, but over how to spend time.

Davidson has devised a fun little quiz designed to reveal your inner travel desires so that couples who are new to traveling with one another can map out their traveler profiles before ever going away together. The quiz is posted on Davidson’s website, along with the nine different traveler profiles that she has identified. Before making the romantic travel leap, print out a copy and quiz your honey.

Don’t fret if your travel scores don’t totally match. Let him go deep sea fishing. You’ll have more fun shopping for souvenirs without him. And besides. It’s a vacation. You should each get to do something that relaxes you.