Best Tips For Taking A Fun and Frugal Staycation

“The voyage of discovery is not in seeking new landscapes but in having new eyes.” –Marcel Proust

Today’s “Secrets For Money” are my tips for a fun and frugal “Staycation.”

A “Staycation” is a holiday at or close to home.

By taking a staycation it saves you not only a lot of money, you also don’t have the hassles that traveling can sometimes involve. No to mention sometimes people feel they have to get so much bang from their tourism buck so-to-speak they run themselves ragged on a vacation and return home frazzled, rather than refreshed, needing a holiday more than when they started.

Another bonus is that taking a staycation is one of the many actions we can take that collectively help reduce the environmental impact that all the transportation a vacation involves has.

My recommendation is that once you decide how much money you will budget for your staycation then you can decide what your goals are for your staycation.  You want to plan ahead just as you would with a traditional vacation, so that you come ‘home’ relaxed, refreshed, and rejuvenated.

Start by asking yourself:

1) Do you just want to relax around your home?
2) Do you want to be a tourist in your own town?
3) Would you like to learn a new skill?
4) Or for the really frugal staycation, you could choose to be an armchair traveler and use that money you would have spent on a traditional destination vacation to pay off credit card debt, and delegate only a very small amount to a staycation spent at home.

Additionally, though this following idea is not a frugal take, it still may meet another goal for you—you could parlay part, or all, of the money you would have spent on a vacation to reach a personal goal.  Whether it is to do some home renovation that you would not only increase the value of your home but that you would love to see—such as an outdoor patio, a garden, a Jacuzzi, or a home theater.

Again, all these decisions are based on what degree of staycation you are choosing based on your economic and personal goals, along with what is “fun” to you—and how much relaxation versus stimulation you want from your staycation, what would be the most enjoyable for you—or if you are a couple—both of you or your family as a group.

Regardless of how you personalize your staycation, here are some important tips to make your staycation the most successful ever!

1) If you just want to relax around your home:

“Mid pleasures and palaces though we may roam, Be it ever so humble, there’s no place like home; A charm from the sky seems to hallow us there, Which, seek through the world, is ne’er met with elsewhere. Home, Home, sweet, sweet Home! There’s no place like Home!…” –Home, Sweet Home Copyright by John Howard Payne; Excerpted From Selections from American Poetry.

If you choose to do nothing at all for your staycation that is your choice, but still create boundaries so that you don’t get too sedentary or stir-crazy—make sure you get out of the house often—take a hike or go for a walk on the beach.

Just as with a typical vacation schedule beginning and end dates, otherwise, there is a risk of it not feeling special, and just a series of nights in front of the television for example.

Before your “official staycation begins” have all your household chores done ahead (laundry done—your bed linens clean and crisp, refrigerator and pantry well-stocked, bills paid etc.)—you are not to do any chores during your staycation! Except maybe make your bed and do your dishes, if that adds to a relaxing atmosphere.

Consider ahead anything that would duplicate a 5-star hotel stay.  One couple I know, sleeps in their guest room of their home, places stacks of new magazines on their coffee table, and takes turns putting a premium truffle in a box on their pillows at night which reminds them of a place they stayed on their honeymoon.

Plan on creating a “vacation atmosphere” in as many ways as possible: Maybe you want to unplug the alarm clock and make sure you sleep in and lounge around more than you would get to typically. Do “unplug” altogether—no checking your phone, or computer email inbox 24:7.

Make sure to have built-in “fun” time whether that is reading that stack of books you always wanted to read, playing cards or boardgames as a fun evening pastime, lazing by the local community pool (or your own pool, of course), planning a winter garden, whatever your heart’s desire—you can be as creative as you want, and “do” as little or as much as you want, just keep in mind your initial goals for your staycation.

Perhaps you throw in some bonus such as having a pro housecleaning service come in at the end of your staycation. Or, perhaps you decide to not do any cooking at all, and let yourself order in food for the duration of your staycation.

Another person I know who lives in the country, pitched a tent in his backyard, cooked dinner over a campfire, toasted marshmallows for dessert, and slept in a sleeping bag under the canopy of stars at night.

One Staycation I created is a “Paris At Home” theme—I recommend that you make reservations at a French restaurant or Bistro that you have never been to for one of your evenings, maybe it is to a place further than you would normally travel to go to a restaurant—even better!

Then, during your staycation you could study French—begin to learn the language (then continue after your staycation) buy some Language CD’s or start working with a Tutor.

Rent French movies. Cook French food (prepare before the start date of your staycation by collecting recipes via cookbooks from the library or Internet, or your own collection.) Compliment your French meals with a crusty French baguette and a French cheese course.

You can even add more fun by decorating your home with a Parisian theme—or at least one area of your home such as your dining room area—create a corner of your dining room to look like a French Bistro—place a small table, with a votive candleholder, small vase of flowers, and a new bottle of French wine as a finishing touch.

As I shared, a staycation is all about degrees—you make it what you want—you may live in or near a city where you could spend one night away from your home at a boutique hotel that has a Parisian flair to it—you would still be spending a lot less money than if you had gone to Paris.

Also, by learning French, you can then use your new skill for when you do travel to Paris for a traditional vacation!

2) If you want to be a tourist in your own town:

Get a tourist book for your area and follow it for the “sights” you have not seen yet—maybe a tour at a historic home or monument, the tour book will guide the way!

Think of activities you would like to do before your staycation starts, so you’re not trying to think of things on your time off and wasting time.

Have kids? Then try the amusement park, or go to a museum, aquarium, gallery, or seasonal festival.

If you are single or a couple, how about pampering yourself and have a facial or a couples massage at a spa.  Or, indulge yourself in some other way—go to eat at a restaurant and order what you might not typically do during a non-vacation—such as the expensive lobster dinner.  Again, making sure you spend less than if you had gone “away” for vacation.

3) If you want to learn a new skill during your staycation—when vacation meets education:

Your staycation can be used to learn a new skill. Plan your staycation to coincide with an Adult Continuing Education Course you want to take (offline or online) whether starting to learn a foreign language, photography or dance class, you name it!

Or follow a cookbook to learn a new culinary skill such as Thai or Indian cuisine. Maybe a local culinary store has a visiting Chef who is teaching a day-course.  Look into WWOOF (World Wide Opportunities On Organic Farms) http://www.wwoof.org/ which is a hands-on way to learn about growing your own food and it is free!

Alternatively, http://www.VocationVacations.com has choices where you can explore a passion or hobby.   Love race cars? How about learning to be a Raceway Manager, or work in a pit crew?  Here are only a few of the myriad choices of the Vocation Vacations where you can learn to be a Spa Owner, Sports Announcer, TV Producer, Chocolatier and Pastry Chef, Bed & Breakfast Owner, Actor/Actress, Songwriter, Winemaker, Coffee House Owner, Dude Rancher, Architect, Animator, Travel writer, Jewelry Designer, and the list goes on…Check it out:

No matter what type of staycation you choose I also recommend that you record the “memories” of your holiday just as you typically would—whether in a travel notebook, a mini scrapbook, or some photos to place on your computer screen-saver to enjoy after you finish your staycation.

And don’t forget you can do mini-staycations too—not an entire week-long staycation or longer, but a 2-day weekend or 3-days can be a fun and frugal choice too!

Copyright © 2009 by Mara Rogers of Secrets for Money http://www.SecretsForMoney.info

Photo Credit: This photograph “Tour Eiffel – HDR – Eiffel Tower Paris” by Al Lanni. For more of this Photographer’s work: http://www.flickr.com/photos/ainet/ and http://www.flickr.com/people/ainet/

For more “Secrets” to making money, saving money, and managing your money go to the Archives at Secrets For Money http://www.SecretsForMoney.info/blog

This post is featured at Broke Grad Student at the Carnival of Personal Finance: http://www.brokegradstudent.com/carnival-of-personal-finance-youtube-edition/