Have a Staycation and Save Money
Less Money in the Bank Doesn’t Have to Mean Cancelled Vacation Plans
Feb 15, 2009
But, cutting back on costs doesn’t have to mean cutting out the fun. Families can still enjoy time off together, it just might have to be a little closer to home.
Plan a Vacation for Less
Instead of going away for a vacation, plan a staycation and take the family to see the sights closer to home. Plan a night out at the movies, visit a local museum or art gallery, visit a local park, go camping or on a nature hike.
During the winter months, sledding, skiing and skating are great ways to spend time together, and not pay too much. Or just have a snowball fight in the back yard for some fun.
Families Cutting Back
As the economy suffers and debts rise, many families are looking for ways to save money in order to survive difficult times. Cutting out unnecessary expenditures like a vacation is often the first choice.
According to the website www.ourfamilybudget.com, there are many ways families can cut costs. For example, families can clip coupons, shop at dollar stores or consignment stores, buy groceries in bulk, and rent items they only need for a short time instead of buying them.
Borrowing items from a friend or trading with a neighbour are some others ways families can hold on to their cash.
Families Can Cut Travel Costs With a Staycation
High gas prices and expensive air travel make a vacation at home an even more appealing option.
Jeff Brown, a contributing writer for msnbc.com, wrote about his experience with family staycations in May 2008.
“Many people live within easy drive of attractions they never find time to visit,” Brown said.
“In my view, the two biggest pleasures of vacationing are getting a break from work and hanging out with my family. Those work just fine at home. And when you vacation at home you don’t find yourself peeling off a twenty-dollar bill every 15 minutes.”
The Canadian Connection
The word “staycation” caught on after it was used on the popular Canadian television show, Corner Gas. The term was used by Brent Butt’s character, Brent Leroy, to describe his vacation at home. Although he sent postcards to friends and family, Butt’s character actually spent his vacation relaxing in a lawn chair at home.
But, while families can also enjoy the benefits of a relaxing break at home, they might want to think about coming up with their own word to describe it. The term has become so popular that it made the 2009 banished words list compiled every year by Lake Superior State University.
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