With gas prices soaring and airline tickets costing more than ever, many families are choosing to forego their annual vacation to somewhere exotic. Does that mean that your summer has to be dull and uneventful? Of course not! Plan a staycation: a vacation at or near home. You will feel content and rested without breaking the bank.
The first thing you need to do is choose when your staycation is and plan a budget. When you pick a start date and an end date, your staycation will feel more official, instead of just a week off work. Next up is a budget. The whole point of a staycation is to save money, but it's nearly impossible to spend nothing. Keep in mind gas money, food, and admission prices. Go shopping to get the supplies you will need for the next week.
Now to the exciting part: planning out the days. Here are my suggestions for the perfect staycation schedule. Of course, everything depends on the area that you live in and what your interests are, so improvise for your own plan.
Day One: On the Town Day. Grab some good walking shoes and head to the nearest shopping center, because it?s time to window shop. Go from store to store with your friends or family, trying on clothes or finding the weirdest item in the store. Buy a cute shirt as a souvenir of your staycation. Eat out (depending on your budget, this could mean fine dining or the dollar menu) and watch a movie at the dollar theater in the afternoon. On your way home, swing by the library and stock up on books and movies.
Day Two: Relax Day. Stay in your pajamas, break out the goodies, and put those books and movies you got yesterday to good use. Watch TV and movies all day. Take a book outside and read in your favorite shady spot (take a nap between chapters). Try to move as little as possible.
Day Three: Mini Road Trip Day. This day really depends on where you live. First, do some research and find any place and every place that is remotely interesting within driving distance (how far you want to drive is up to you). Museums, landmarks, historical buildings, you name it! Visit them all and don't forget to take pictures.
Day Four: Camping Day. Here we have another day that depends on where you live. If you live in a rural town in the mountains like me, there are camping spots all over the place. However, if you live in the city, pitching a tent in the backyard is probably your best bet. Take your favorite snacks and plenty of bedding. Set a blanket outside and watch the stars. Climb a tree and watch for birds. Get in touch with nature.
Day Five: Beach Day. Use the morning to recover from your camping trip, and then head out to your local beach or pool. Deck yourself out in all of your swim gear and swim to your heart's content. If you don't have a local beach or pool, make your backyard into one with kiddy pools, slip n slides, and water guns. With some water and a little imagination, who needs to visit California?
Day Six: Another Relax Day. This time, focus on completing a project or starting a hobby you have always wanted to try. Take things nice and easy. Give yourself the spa treatment with homemade facials and body scrubs. Make something yummy and then eat it. Do some yoga.
Day Seven: Back in the Swing of Things Day. Reality is coming up fast, and, if you've staycationed properly, your house is a disaster. Catch up on laundry, clean up all those dishes and throw away all those wrappers, and put away camping/swimming gear. This day is not fun, but it is necessary, so get to work.
A few notes before we wrap this up:
- Always have someone with you. Yes, this is your vacation, but safety is more important.
- Wear sunscreen, and reapply every two hours.
- Bring your camera and take pictures like you would on a real vacation.
- Forbid yourself from doing chores, talking about doing chores, or thinking about chores.
- Same goes for work.
- Keep your budget in mind, and adjust the suggestions above to fit your budget.
- Your staycation can be with your friends, your family, or both. It depends on who you want a vacation from!
- Make your food special. Eat out a few times, make yourself pancakes, and gorge on your favorite brownies. Don't feel guilty, it's vacation time!
- No matter what, have fun! This is about making your summer amazing!
Your perfect staycation is just around the corner, so start planning right away! Show the recession it can't keep you down. You will have fun, whether you are in the Bahamas or your backyard. See you later, and have fun staycationing!
-singel12
