Save Money This Summer: Vacation At Home

Who needs all the hassle of making travel arrangements, planning what to wear, then packing it up and running off to some expensive locale. Vacation is a state of mind. Save money this summer by taking your vacation at home this year. There are a few tricks to getting that rested feeling from the comfort of your own back yard.

The House

One of my favorite parts of any vacation has got to be the lack of housework. To vacation at home you’ll want to get all your laundry done, clean up the house, and then vow not to touch it again until the end of your designated vacation time. Does it bother you when the hotel room is a mess? Let it slide at home too. You can clean later. If it gets too bad, call in the professionals. Resist the urge to undertake any home improvement projects during your vacation. They will eat up all your time.

The Food

Plan your menu ahead of time, working in lots of convenience foods and trips to restaurants. You can also set  yourself up with a supply of pre-made frozen meals from a meal assembly service. If there are some recipes you’ve been wanting to try, go for it, but make it festive by enjoying a bottle of wine while you cook.

Entertainment

Rent lots of movies, but also take this opportunity to visit the local attractions. Play tourist in your own town. If you have kids a babysitter is a must for at least part of the vacation time. Grown ups need grown up time. You may want to build your vacation around a theme. If your family shares a hobby or particular interest, go deep into it.

Don’t underestimate the fun in window shopping and browsing. We don’t normally take the extra time to lounge around our local haunts. You just might find something new.

Get Lost

I know gas is high, but a drive is still a relatively inexpensive way to gain new perspective. Take off in any direction and take a few turns you haven’t before. It’ll help to put you in that receptive, easy vacation state of mind.