In case you haven’t noticed yet, the economy isn’t in the best shape this summer. Exorbitant gas prices, higher prices for less amenities on flights, and less money for extras; all contribute to less options for summer vacations. Though you may not take a big family vacation every year, and it may have stretched your budget a bit each year, for many families, this year it really isn’t even close to being an option. But if you’ve still got vacation time coming and the desire to find that “vacation state of mind”, you still can. Take a staycation! Staycations are the hottest trend for this year and it is basically what it sounds like—a vacation where you stay home. Before you wrinkle your nose in disgust, keep reading for how to make a staycation work for you. Have you ever had family visit and they ask you about the sights around your hometown? It’s time to be a tourist in your own city! When you live somewhere, you tend to take it for granted. You drive by a local museum and think, “Oh yeah, we should do that sometime.” Same with the new restaurants, “We should try that sometime” but you pass it up in favor of a place you already know, with food you already like. But when you’re on vacation, you’re not familiar with places, you figure you have nothing to lose, and you try things for the experience. Start doing that at home. Another great idea for staycations is to plan some theme days. Have a water day where everyone stays in their bathing suits all day, lay in the sun, turn on the sprinklers, fill up some kiddie pools, and eat the same foods you would eat at the beach. Plan a movie day where everyone in the family gets to pick a movie, pop some popcorn, eat candy, and maybe just stay in your pajamas all day. Whatever you choose to do on your staycation, remember that attitude is key to your enjoyment!



This entry was posted on Friday, July 25th, 2008 at 9:44 am and is filed under Personal Finance. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.