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Editor’s note: This is a guest post from Ben Joven
With the recession still in full swing, gas prices still pretty high, and the unemployment rate still teetering around 9% a lot of people are postponing their vacations until things turn around for the better. Yet for some people a vacation is a necessary way to achieve balance in their busy work lives so they plan what they call, “staycations” which is a way to go on a vacation without leaving the comforts of your city, county or state. Basically it’s a very economical way of vacationing and still having fun without breaking the bank.
Most people choose the summer time to plan their vacations because of the pleasant weather in most of the world but for a lot of people who think that a vacation might not be in the cards this season will be pleasantly surprised that they can have just as much as fun with a Staycation. Finding things to do locally is not only going to save you money compared to a regular vacation it’s also going to provide you with a way to discover your neighborhood, city or cities within the surrounding area.
Go camping…in your backyard! You don’t have to go far to enjoy the great outdoors, all you need is a tent, a flashlight, a sleeping bag and your backyard in order to enjoy the pleasure of camping. The great thing about this Staycation idea is that you even though you are “camping” if you need microwave some popcorn, you still have the accoutrements of civilization with your home being about four or five steps from your “camp site”.
Video game night. Playing video games used to be a solo, sedentary activity but ever since Nintendo brought about the Wii gaming console video games became a physical, interactive group activity. Having a “Wii Night” is an excellent way to have fun within the comforts of your own home. Invite some of your best gaming buddies over, mix up some cocktails and order some pizza if you want to have a little fun that won’t break the bank.
Plan a neighborhood block party. Block parties are a great opportunity to meet some of your neighbors and for your children to meet other kids around the neighborhood. Organize all the neighbors together to plan activities, booths and food items. Have everybody pitch in for all the different activities and food; some ideas are possibly having a BBQ, a small petting zoo, renting a jumper, renting a clown, or maybe having a face painting booth.
Movie in the Park. Here’s another activity that that requires a little organization from the entire neighborhood, but if there’s a local park in your area and somebody has a projector you can set up a little movie night in the park. Make sure it’s a kid friendly movie and invite all the local kids from the neighborhood to come watch.
Explore the local culture. Even the smallest cities have some sort of cultural art center where there are art galleries, museums and the local community theatre. Go check the local paper, or check out the web for some local art galleries or museums in the area.
Get creative with your staycations, chances are, unless you live in Antarctica there are a ton of things that you can do that are in you area!
About author: Ben Joven is a media consultant for a credit counseling organization, and works with a group of credit counselors and personal finance experts.
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