Tag Archives: Staycation

Money Saving Ideas for Your End of Summer Staycation

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If you had to cancel your travel plans this summer due to COVID-19, and are trying to make the best out of the last couple weeks of summer while vacationing at home and saving money – keep reading. With a bit of creativity and an open mind, spending your time off at home can still be just as fun and just as rewarding. Plus, you won’t have airfare or hotel bills to pay!

Turn Your House into a Hotel

You can enjoy the experience of staying in a hotel right at home. Indulge in hot chocolate at night with a fresh baked cookie, create a mini bar in your bedroom, and leave a folded luxurious robe and new pair of slippers out for yourself and enjoy a bubble bath. To add to the vacation resort feel, turn on the spa station on Pandora or find a relaxing music station on TV and keep it playing in the background. You can also buy tropical beach or spa scented candles or essential oils to increase the resort getaway feel, without ever leaving your house.

Around the World Theme Night Dinners

Convert your kitchen into a foreign destination with a themed dinner – a different one for every night of the week, if you so choose. Research the cuisine of each country you pick, play cultural music in the background, and serve drinks, appetizers, dinner and dessert all from the nationality of the day. To add to this idea, you might choose to get a bit competitive with other family members. Have each person make a certain dish, set a time limit, and vote on the best one!

Backyard Camping

Put up a tent in your backyard, and have a family camping experience equipped with sleeping bags, flashlights, cook on the grill, tell ghost stories, and make s’mores. You can also still have just as much fun with a living room camping experience with sleeping bags and flashlights too!

Hold a Yoga Retreat

This can also take place in your living room or outside in the backyard with yoga mats, infused water, and relaxing music. Search on YouTube or Google for simple poses and how-to videos to help guide you.

Watch a Broadway Show – Virtually

Broadway might be closed for the rest of 2020, however did you know that https://www.broadwayhd.com/ includes a free 7 day trial? There are also monthly and annual subscription service options if you want to watch them all!

Hold a Movie Marathon

Rent movies or create a line-up of ones you’ve wanted to see but haven’t had the time for. Stock up on popcorn and other movie theater style snacks. If the weather is nice, you could even hold an outdoor marathon using a projector and screen and watch from the backyard.

Get Creative

Reconnect with your inner child (or your actual children), and hold a drawing or painting class. You will probably need to order some supplies in advance (paint, canvas, drawing pencils). The most important thing to remember is to be creative. If the weather is nice, paint or draw outside! If your creations turn out better than you hoped – you’ll even have new artwork to display inside.

Go Outside

Visit a local park, beach, go for a bike ride – just get outdoors. If you plan to spend the day outside, bring supplies like sunscreen, snacks, water, and other necessities.

Learn a Skill

Was there ever something you have always wanted to learn but just never found the time? Maybe you’ve always wanted to focus more on baking or cake decorating, grow a garden, etc. See if you can find a local class during your staycation and make your dream a reality.

Assist a Charity

There are many charities and non-profit organizations who have been especially impacted by COVID-19 (think food pantries). Seek out one that’s local to you and spend the day volunteering. You’ll feel internally rewarded!

Travel Virtually

You might not be able to get on a plane and tour world landmarks or go on an island getaway right now, but you can travel virtually. If you’re a museum enthusiast, many museums around the globe also are featuring virtual online tours. Zoos, aquariums, and even theme parks have virtual experiences too – get out your laptop or tablet and start searching for the spots that interest you the most.

Article Source: TowerFCU.org

5 Staycation Ideas to Save Your Summer

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Let’s face it, summer looks a lot different than it did when you were a kid. You used to spend the entire school year counting down the days until the carefree fun of summer vacation. But now that you’re a responsible adult with a grown-up job, summer mostly just means your daily work commute is hotter than usual.

OK, maybe the situation isn’t quite that bleak. But if you’re not careful, summer will come and go before you get a chance to enjoy it. Even if you can’t take a week off or spend a lot on vacation this year, it only takes a little creativity and last-minute planning to map out a staycation worth remembering. If you need a little spark of relaxation inspiration, these five suggestions may be just what you’re looking for:

Book a night at a fancy hotel in town. Yes, luxury has a price tag, but hey—it’s just for one night. Sometimes it’s worth the extra money to pamper yourself. And since you’re staying close to home, think about all the money you’re saving on gas and travel expenses! Want to make the most of your five-star staycation? Check in as early as possible and take advantage of every complementary service the hotel offers.

Take a tasting tour of your city. It’s easy to settle into a routine of dining at your favorite restaurants, so why not break out of that rut and spend an entire day expanding your palette? The beauty of this culinary adventure lies in its flexibility. You can plan your itinerary or play it loose and go wherever your taste buds take you. Start with an early breakfast and end with a late-night snack.

Spend all day in bed. How many times have you started the morning by cursing your alarm clock and wishing you could stay under the covers all day long? Here’s your chance to make those lazy dreams a reality. Stack your favorite books and magazines on the nightstand, queue up your Netflix watchlist, and keep your go-to takeout restaurants on speed dial. You’re about to take your day off to the next level.

Rent a convertible and take the scenic route. Sometimes you want to answer the call of the open road, but it’s hard to make travel exciting in the same car you drive to work every day. So, add a little fun to your staycation plans by renting a sports car (preferably a convertible) and cruising around for the day. If you have a specific destination in mind, that’s great. If you don’t, that’s even better. The magic is in the journey. Not sure where to find scenic routes near you? Download the Round app for expert recommendations.

Unplug and get off the grid. We saved this one for last because, depending on who you are, this suggestion can be exhilarating or terrifying. Since we’re talking about shutting off your mobile phone and unplugging from social media, we understand you may need to start slowly. Use a resource like AllTrails.com to find the nearest hiking or walking trails, and spend the day exploring the great outdoors. The fresh air, exercise, and lack of email will do wonders for your body and your mind.

Whether you pick one of these ideas, find a way to do them all, or come up with a fresh staycation of your own, the most important part is permitting yourself to have fun. Even if they’re only for 24 hours at a time, vacations (or staycations) offer benefits that can make every area of your life more enjoyable.

Can’t Do a Vacation This Year? 11 Ideas for a Great Staycation

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It’s that time of year again. The kids are out of school and you really want to spend time with them and make wonderful memories, but a vacation is out of the question. You can’t get away and, even if you could – it’s way out of your budget.

For a beautiful time creating memories with your loved ones, you need only two days and some imagination. Try these staycation ideas for a grand time (without spending a grand).

1. Hit the road in your own city, armed with cameras and snacks.

If you’d be willing to visit a strange town, pretend yours is just that. If you live in or close to a metropolis, it’s easy — there are always places you don’t often see that should be fun to explore. If you live in a rural area, hit Google Maps and then the road. Fill your time with laughs, snapping goofy pictures everywhere you go.

2. Go on a scavenger hunt.

Make a list for the family and get on the road with clues to help you find everything on it. The more obscure you get, the longer the hunt will take – great for bigger kids, but not so fun for the little ones, so plan accordingly.

3. Go to a motel in a neighboring city.

If your timing is flexible, bid on rooms via Priceline, or try calling and negotiating lower rates with the manager before accepting whatever they offer. After all, the goal is to save while you stay, right?

4. Make it a movie marathon day.

Choose flicks that the whole family can watch together and enjoy. Start after breakfast and have a little family exercise break in between. Oh, and make it a PJ day to really relax and enjoy!

5. Drive to anywhere.

Don’t use a map. Don’t have a destination. Just plan to drive in a direction for X hours, then stop and explore and stay where you are. If you can spend the night, BONUS! If not, that’s okay. Have fun exploring your new locale, taking pictures and snagging souvenirs.

6. Go to a waterpark.

It’s likely that your city or one nearby, has a waterpark. What better excuse to jump in the water than saving money? If you can’t stay on vacation for a week or so, a day at a waterpark may be the next best thing.

7. If you can’t park it, raft it.

River rafting is another amazing excursion, and one that’s often cheaper than waterparks. Check for restrictions on ages if you have little ones, but many river dock rental places have options for the younger clientele too.

8. Go camping.

Even if you can’t head to a nearby mountain range (bonus points if you can!), you can still hang with the neighbors and have a neighborhood camp out at home in the backyard. Or go it alone with just you and your loved ones. Either way, pack up the tent and make a rule to not go inside for anything.

9. Host your own neighborhood field day.

Make it complete with hilarious games and amazing prizes — and don’t forget the pictures! Top off the afternoon with a cook out and ice cream sundaes.

10. Call for a Blackout Day (or weekend).

Turn off all electronic devices for at least 24 hours. Spend the entire day focusing on the fun you’re having with your favorite people.

11. Call in a cleaning service.

Why do we love going on vacation? We love feeling pampered. But if you can’t go and be pampered, bring the pampering home to you. Check Care.com or Craigslist for a cleaning service that’s reasonable. Let them worry about the dusting, sweeping, mopping and bed making for a week.

Article Source: Vincent King for moneyning.com