Plan an Affordable Vacation

In hard times such as this we have to get more creative. All of us need time away from work. All of us need to have some fun time in a stressful world. This is where our imagination can really help us. Plan a vacation at home.
Vacationing at home sometimes is as much as much fun as going away for a week or so. Vacationing at home can vary from setting up a portable pool in the backyard for yourself and the kids pretending you’re at the beach to taking day trips enjoying local sites.

For those who don’t have children at home (or if you do, hire a babysitter), take a tour at a vineyard in the area and don’t forget the tasting afterwards! A bottle of wine, some cheeses, fresh fruit and sweet nibbles have the makings of a perfect picnic. In planning your home vacation, do the same things you would plan before any other get away such as clean the house, do the laundry, mow the lawn, etc. The computer and cell phones should have a break, too. Let the answering machine or voice mail catch those people who don’t know you’re on vacation. It’s a getaway time, no work!

Here are other fun things perfect for a home vacation:

– Schedule a massage or facial
– Eat out or order delivery
– Hire a sitter for the kids and have a date night
– One day have a DVD marathon (especially good if it is a rainy day)
– Create a theme by renting DVD’s set in specific areas
– Extended family cookout
– Read a book
– Keep coffee, juice, water and snacks on hand
– Visit a nearby museum or zoo
– Go for a drive and eat out
– Visit stores/shops that you don’t usually visit
– Check out your area to see if there are any community activities going on-such as free concerts, openings, and don’t forget to check out the library for story time
– Check to see if your area offers any outdoor activities or dramas
– Take a cooking class and show off your new skills at home by preparing those dishes

Do it now… take the time… do yourself and loved ones a favor