With the cost of living rising, going away for the holidays is becoming increasingly difficult. If money is tight, why not consider a staycation closer to home?
You’re aimlessly scrolling travel websites and wistfully ticking days off on your calendar. We get it. The year-end family holiday is a highlight, but with the rising cost of living weighing everyone down, it just seems like an impossible dream for 2018. Stop daydreaming and ditch the disappointment: let’s get serious about the staycation.
It’s not so bad!
Opting to staycation rather than vacation isn’t such a bad idea. Aside from the money-saving you’ll do, staycations also cut down on your stress levels. You won’t have the stress of trying to find your lost passport, rushing to catch your flight and – of course – discovering you forgot to pack the all-important bikini for your beach holiday. Say goodbye to that vacation stress, and let’s plan your best staycation yet.
Log off, no matter what
If you were headed to Bali for your summer holiday, you’d definitely feel empowered enough to log out of your email accounts for a while. Act the same now: set your out of office message, log out of your email accounts, and let work wait for a while. If you’re feeling really brave, delete your work email account from your mobile phone – it’s good for you to do when you’re on holiday! You’re on leave, so act like it, even if you are just ‘staying home’.
Pick a theme
A staycation isn’t just ‘staying home’ though. It includes a purposeful shakeup of your daily routine, so pick a theme! Your island family holiday would be filled with beach sand and sunshine, so pick a theme for your staycation too. You could mix it up with Mediterranean dining every night, or camp in the garden for a week. Whatever theme you pick, make sure to imbue it into every day of your staycation.
Plot Your days
Plan your staycation itinerary with the same precision and vigour as you would an overseas holiday. A well-planned staycation will make it feel less like you’re stuck at home, and more like you’ve planned a real holiday. Make sure you alternate days of relaxation with activity-filled days.
Keep the kids entertained
Let your children choose a specific day of your staycation and select the activities that’ll fill the family diary. If your son loves skateboarding, hire a few extra boards and everyone gets a lesson on how to skate. Perhaps your daughter loves crafts, so get those paints out (yes, even you, parents!) Choosing budget-friendly things to do gets a little easier when you stick close to home, so now’s a great time to dig out the board games, play charades, or page through old family photo albums.
Clear your agenda
Staying at home for your holiday may make you feel like you should get stuck in to the housework and routine chores. Instead, double up on the chores chart, laundry, and cleaning, before your staycation begins. You’ll feel better for it! If you really need to get things done, select your first day of staycation as DIY day, and fix all the fiddly things that have gone wrong over the year. Replace those lightbulbs, fix that shelf, and set the pictures straight.
Love local life
It’s the ultimate human foible: we don’t appreciate what’s right in front of us. There are many hidden gems in and around your neighbourhood, so start thinking about lovely local facilities. Public swimming pools are inexpensive to visit, and city facilities, including your local museum and library, are too. Enjoy a day out in your local park or pop in to your favourite neighbourhood café for breakfast.
Snap up some souvenirs
You’d take photos and buy mementos while you’re on holiday, and your staycation should be no different. Spoil yourself with a new dinner set, cute coffee mugs, or book a family photo shoot, so you’ll remember this very special staycation for a long time.