The Ultimate Money-Saving Guide to Staycations

The world is moving again and while you may be ready for a vacation, your bank account might disagree. It’s hard not to feel left out when your friends are living it up on a tropical getaway, while you’re living vicariously through their social media feeds. Don’t fret. The solution to your stuck-at-home blues is an Instagram-worthy staycation! By creating a fun getaway experience, you can get the benefits of a relaxing vacation, without the hassle (or expense) of traveling.  

A staycation is a great way to satisfy your travel fever while staying safe and without eating into your finances. After all, the average traveler spends almost $2,000 on a single trip. And right now, you may be saving up or cutting back on your spending. 

Taking an at-home vacation allows you to enjoy your free time as if you were taking a trip out of town, without all the spending or long-term planning. It can even help you make the most of your weekends—especially if you don’t have the vacation time to take a full-blown getaway. 

Still need convincing that a staycation is a great way to treat yourself without breaking the bank? Here are five reasons to consider planning your next staycation, along with some ideas and tips to help you plan a successful stay-at-home “trip.” 

The 5 best reasons to take a staycation 

1. You don’t have to stress over your travel plans 

For most people, the “traveling” part of taking a vacation isn’t remembered fondly. Think back to all the times you’ve rushed home after work to throw some things into your luggage, battle traffic all the way to the airport, and wait hours for your flight while you wonder whether you forgot to pack anything. That feels like everything but the start of a relaxing vacation. 

And especially with COVID’s impact on travel, the stress of getting from point A to point B is even greater. Right now, it may just not be worth it to take a trip to a faraway destination. Staying in your city means you won’t miss any flights, you won’t lose your luggage, and you won’t accidentally book your stay for the wrong dates. You get the best of the travel experience without any of the inconveniences. 

2. You extend your vacation time 

When you don’t have to spend hours on the road, or in the air, you have more time to unwind. Staycations let you turn a “weekend getaway” into an actual weekend-long getaway. Let’s say you get off of work on Friday and come back into the office on Monday. Even though you technically have two days off, your travel time can limit that to a day and a half or less.  

Staying local means that you actually have the entire weekend to devote to yourself. You give yourself more time, more options, and more freedom to do what you want to do.  

3. You only need a few hours to plan your “trip” 

Many travelers take more than 30 hours to plan an international trip. But when you plan a staycation, you only need a fraction of that time. Instead of spending hours booking flights and hotel rooms, researching transportation, and coordinating schedules, you’ll spend most of your time simply choosing what you’d like to do! And, if your weekend schedule involves nothing else but binging your favorite shows, you might only need an hour (to buy your favorite snacks, of course).  

Now that you don’t have to scour the internet and sift through travel sites, what will you do with all your extra time? 

4. You’re always prepared and have unlimited flexibility 

Has unexpected weather ever forced you to completely rework your vacation plans? When you stay at home, you have your whole closet at your disposal. No more, “I wish I brought a swimsuit” or, “I should’ve brought my umbrella.” You’re prepared for every situation, regardless of what happens. 

Staying home also gives you flexibility. If you wake up late and decide you want to scrap your plans for something else entirely, you’re free to do so! No worrying about getting a refund on tickets for a walking tour you just didn’t want to take. 

5. You get extra time to rest before the work week starts 

Cutting travel time out of your vacation schedule also means that you can dedicate more time to preparing for the week ahead. Take your last day before returning to work to do laundry, prep your meals for the week, run errands, or just relax. As a bonus, you won’t have to worry about suffering through jet lag or adjusting your internal clock to a new time zone! 

7 staycation ideas for any budget 

1. Explore your city like a tourist 

Getting a new perspective on where you live is refreshing. Taking the time to explore everything your town has to offer can give you a renewed appreciation for your community. You may even discover a new favorite coffee shop, museum, or hiking trail!  So, what kind of things do you like to do when you’re on vacation? Stick with those preferences and look for similar options in your hometown. 

If you’re a fan of a certain kind of food or local attraction, search for culinary tours or walking tours in your area. See if local museums offer free or discounted rates on your days off. Check out the local state park or visit a nearby hiking trail. You can also search for discounted events on sites like Groupon and Goldstar, or contact the visitor center and convention and visitor’s bureau (CVB) in your hometown for their recommendations. 

And if you’ve already done all there is to do in your city, why not check out the events happening in the next town over? You’ll be surprised how much there is to discover right in front of you. 

2. Try out a new restaurant 

Now that we don’t have to take all our food to-go, is there a hot new restaurant you’ve been wanting to try? Now’s your chance to do so. If you’re feeling adventurous and eager to try something new, play a little Yelp roulette to determine your next meal. Open up the app and pull up the listings of restaurants in your area. You can apply multiple filters to help narrow down your search results (Do you prefer eateries with at least three stars or fewer than three dollar signs? How far are you willing to drive?), or you can leave every option on the table (pun definitely intended). 

Pick a random number and match it with the appropriate Yelp listing. Even if it’s something you wouldn’t normally try, chances are, you’ll be pleasantly surprised. 

3. Stay the night at a hotel for cheap or for free 

A change in scenery helps reinforce the idea that you’re really on vacation. Use these tricks to score a free or heavily-discounted hotel room for a night. If you’ve racked up enough points on your travel credit card, consider redeeming it for a free night at a local hotel. Or, visit sites like One Night and HotelTonight to find massive discounts on hotel stays.

4. Buy your favorite foods and cook yourself a meal 

Nothing feels more like a vacation than treating yourself to your favorite food and drinks. So, take a trip to the grocery store and splurge on your favorite meals and snacks. Now’s the time to reach for that pricey bottle of wine or arrange a DIY charcuterie board. Cook yourself your favorite meal or test out that recipe you saw online the other day. Enjoy the experience! Put on your favorite tunes and take your time preparing. 

By making it yourself, you can enjoy a four-star meal without the four-star price tag. Even if you’re splurging on groceries that are pricier than usual, you’re likely to still spend less than you would at a fancy restaurant (goodbye tip and tax!). 

5. Pick up a new hobby 

You spend most of your days checking things off your ever-growing to-do list, which doesn’t leave a lot of time to nurture your hobbies or passions. With your free time, consider picking them up again—or trying something entirely new.  Ever wanted to learn how to paint or do calligraphy? Or, maybe spending a day learning how to play soccer or tennis sounds more like your style. If so, carve out some time during your staycation to get started. You can also try looking up local interest groups and organizations—they may offer beginner lessons for free or at a minimal cost. 

6. Go on a picnic at the local park 

Remember all the fancy food you bought from the grocery store? Pack up a meal, a few of your favorite snacks, and a blanket and bring them to a nearby park. Spend the afternoon lost in your favorite novel or spend some time people-watching. It’s a great low-intensity activity, and you get some fresh air and vitamin D while you’re at it. 

7. Treat yourself to a DIY spa day at home 

Today’s the day you break out the bath bombs or the skincare you’ve been saving for special occasions. Set the mood with candles, an essential oil diffuser, relaxing tunes, and maybe even a cocktail or two. If you have extra room in your budget, consider hiring a masseuse to visit you at home. You can use a directory app like Zeel to search for massage therapists in your area and find the one that’s right for you. 

5 tips to help you plan a successful staycation 

If you want to make the most of your staycation (and spend only what you need), you’ll want to plan your “trip” out in advance. These five tips will help you transform an otherwise dull weekend into a getaway that’ll leave co-workers and friends inspired to plan their own staycation. 

1. Decide what you’re looking to get out of your staycation 

Whether you plan on staycationing solo, with a friend group, or with your family, your goals and expectations will make the biggest impact on your itinerary and budget. If you’re going with a group, take care to be receptive to everyone’s input. Allow everyone to have an equal say in planning activities, meals, and schedules. Making sure that all members of the group feel included means helping everyone get the most out of their staycation. 

Even if you’re flying solo (without the plane, of course), you’ll need a game plan. Do you want to stay at home, or visit local attractions? Are you willing to drive a few hours to a nearby town or state park? Do you prefer sightseeing in the city, or roughing it in the great outdoors?  Asking yourself these questions will help you identify your priorities—what you want to get out of your time—and allow you to plan accordingly. 

2. Pick one activity to build your schedule around 

Even if you’re saving time by staying home, trying to squeeze too many plans into one weekend will leave you feeling just as exhausted as travel would. Pick one “big” thing you want to do and build the rest of your itinerary around it. For instance, maybe you want to see some local historical landmarks. Taking a guided tour of your town hall is a great way to learn some new facts you didn’t know before. But don’t expect yourself to pack ten tours into one day (unless you really want to)—you may get burned out. Instead, book one or two tours and spend the rest of your staycation visiting your local historical society, taking photos of your favorite statues in the park, or reading up on the history of your town. 

Ultimately, a staycation gives you the opportunity to unwind. While you may be the kind of person that enjoys doing as much as possible during a vacation, don’t feel bad if you can’t check everything off your itinerary in just one weekend. After all, it gives you an excuse to plan another staycation for the future! 

3. Make it special or unexpected 

Part of the appeal of traveling is the feeling of experiencing something new. Bringing that feeling to your staycation can help make it that much more special.  Go out of your way to do something you normally wouldn’t do or change up your usual plans to elevate the experience. Say, for example, that you’re planning a marathon of your favorite movie series. Change it up by making gourmet versions of your favorite movie snacks beforehand. Or, set up a makeshift outdoor theater in your backyard, complete with string lights, a movie projector, a reclining chair, and cozy blankets. Even better, no paying for overpriced popcorn or listening to people talk through the best parts! 

4. Stick to your budget 

If you’re considering a staycation because it’s a low-cost getaway option, you’ll want to set a budget for it. Overspending defeats one of the purposes of a staycation, after all! Once you’ve set your plans for the weekend, estimate how much you’ll need to spend for the duration of your trip. Create your budget for each spending category, such as food, gas (if you’ll be traveling locally), and entertainment, and stick to it.  

You can help ensure that you stay within your limits by using tactics like the envelope budgeting method. This method involves labeling envelopes with each of your spending categories and placing your allotted spending cash inside. Not only does this let you see how much (and how quickly) you’re spending, it also prevents you from going through more cash than you’ve set aside. 

5. Remember why you’re doing this 

If you feel like your career or other obligations demand a lot from you, it can be hard to cut the cord—especially if you’re at home with access to WiFi and your laptop. Fight the urge to constantly refresh your inbox or scroll through your newsfeed. It’s okay to unplug from everything for a few days. 

Put your phone on Do Not Disturb and turn off all of your notifications so you’re not tempted to check every single like or comment. Set up an OOO message ahead of time to let people know that you’re unavailable. They don’t need to know that you’re still at home! 

Turn your staycation dreams into reality 

Staycations allow you to get away from the craziness of life, without having to leave your city or drop a ton of cash. Planning one is much easier than planning for an out-of-town trip, and it comes with a lot more benefits on top of that. Not only is a staycation a flexible and practical option for the budget-conscious traveler, but it also opens up a world of possibilities—regardless of your vacationing style or budget. 

And who knows—once you plan your next staycation with this guide, you may even decide to make it a regular occurrence!