According to a recent survey by Harris Interactive and Glassdoor, Americans only take half of their eligible paid vacation time. As for the reasons workers cite not using vacation days, it varies from a fear of work piling up upon their return to not being able to afford to travel.
It’s time to stop leaving these vacation days on the table! It’s incredibly important to unplug, step away from work and recharge. Plus, there are plenty of ways to save money on travel by visiting a destination in the off-season, finding coupon codes or using cash back websites. But if you’re in need of some immediate relaxation and have an extremely tight budget, I suggest taking time off for a staycation.
At first, you might think that spending your valuable time off in your own hometown is not that exciting. But chances are you haven’t seen it through a tourist’s eyes. Even just staying home, planning some renovation projects and relaxing by the local pool can be a worthy way to spend a staycation. Consider these tips and you might change your mind — and end up scheduling some vacation days.
Play your staycation like a vacation:
You’ve already done the hard part and requested some time off from work. Now what? It’s easy to fall into a trap of lounging around the house, watching TV and going through the motions of your normal day-to-day chores on your “staycation” — but that’s where planning can help. When you book a vacation to somewhere new, you don’t usually just show up and hope for the best, right? Typically, you conduct some research about the area, make a few reservations and schedule an itinerary to make the most of your time there. I suggest doing the same thing for your staycation. Choose a few activities for each day so that you have something new and exciting to look forward to when you wake up.
You might even want to invest in a tourist guide to your own city or at least browse some websites designed for visitors. You could learn about some new destinations that are right in your own backyard.
Take one day to tidy up and fill the fridge:
On the first day of your staycation, get all the chores and errands out of the way so that you can enjoy the rest of your time off stress-free. Tidy up the house, clean the bathroom, do the laundry and fill the fridge.
Act like a tourist:
Not convinced that you’ll be able to find new, exciting things to do in your area? Do research the same way you would when you travel somewhere new. One way is to visit your area’s tourism website. This is a great resource to see upcoming festivals, concerts, events and area restaurants.
You might also want to decide that anywhere you go out to eat will be somewhere you have never been before. Check out reviews online and then look for coupons. Sometimes restaurants offer great deals for newcomers.
Many restaurants, museums and other venues offer deals on the days of the week with the least traffic. Usually you wouldn’t get to take advantage of these weekday discounts — but now you can! Check out “kids eat free” at restaurants, free days at museums and parks with free admission.
Also, consider taking a day trip (or two). Even traveling a few miles out of town to a new destination can feel like an adventure. Head to a nearby body of water for a beach day or find a hike and explore the woods or mountains.
Catch up with friends:
Taking some time off can be the perfect excuse to catch up with those friends you’ve lost touch with. Give them a call for lunch or dinner, go see a movie or even better, see if they also want to use some vacation time so you can spend the whole day together.
Enjoy a few treats:
Generally, there are a few things you do on vacation that aren’t typically allowed, such as sleeping in, staying up late or getting ice cream every night. Relax the rules during your staycation and you’ll feel yourself start to relax as well.
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How to Have a Frugal Staycation originally appeared on usnews.com
