FINISH YOUR SUMMER WITH A STAYCATION

When travel funds are tight, it doesn’t mean there’s no fun to be had. Here are ways to take a summer staycation right in your own back yard.

During the summer months many families find budgets tight and vacation plans thin. If you have a little summer left, and you’d like to squeeze in some more fun, here are some ideas for how to maximize the fun without going into debt.

First, keep a real vacation mindset: This means taking full days off. No laundry, no chores, no slipping away for email checking. Take the days off work, even if it’s just a Friday and Monday to make a four-day weekend. Unplug from social media. Be present with those who are with you on your staycation!

Here are some ways to fill the days with leisure:

1. Pitch a tent in your yard. If you have a backyard, it can be surprisingly satisfying to set up tents, dust off your grill, and take a night under the stars. Only retreat into the house for bathroom breaks and rough-it suburban style. Get a cooler full of those favorite camping foods. Don’t worry about junk food! Remember, you’re on staycation.

2. Make it a movie marathon. Turn your living room into a movie theatre for the weekend. Darken the room, plush up the floor with pillows, and queue up a list of films everyone can enjoy. When meal times come, order dollar-stretching meals like big pizzas for your audience.

3. Explore a park a day. You probably live near some unexplored natural environments with state, local, or municipal parks. Pick one per day of your vacation and head out in the car for your adventure. Get together before the day and setup some picnic foods, or grab a bucket of chicken on the road.

4. Find the minor league sports. Going to a big league game may be out of the question, but there are tons of minor league and school sports teams out there with exciting games to watch. Google-up some regional teams and grab the cheap seats.

5. Take up family gaming. Table-top games can pass the hours and build real bonds in the family. Cards, board games, and even role playing games can take your family out of the day-to-day routine. Get your kids to teach you the ins and outs of their console games while you introduce them to the madness of Monopoly.

These are just a handful of ideas, but a quick search on Google will reveal many more. Don’t give up on a good time just because you don’t have a pile of cash to blow.

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