While staycations reached their peak popularity in the aftermath of the 2007 financial crisis, they’re not out of style just yet. We are big proponents of stay-at-home convenience because it’s a HUGE money saver. In this article, you’ll find a few ways that will help you successfully plan and save for family stay-cations that every member of the household will enjoy.

  1. Set rules for your stay-cation.  Common rules include the following, but you can make up your own rules as they suit you (i.e. Between the hours of 0900-2300, there are no rules.)
  2. Choose places that we have never been to before.
  3. Prepare one meal a day together, every day.
  4. Spend the night in your own house or at a relative’s house.
  5. Get the whole family involved in planning. If you want to reinforce responsibilities, assign everyone a position of office. While you or your spouse can act as President, allow one of the kids to take on Treasury responsibilities (if old enough). Assign a role for each person and make sure everyone is clear as to what those responsibilities are.

Then, have fun with planning! Have each family member write down on a piece of paper a local place that they would like to go to. Allow each family member to submit as many entries as you wish. Make sure you moderate to ensure each place follows your rules, is located within a suitable distance, and will accommodate your budget. Put all the pieces of paper in your bingo spinner and allow each family member to draw one randomly. The winning places will determine your agenda on any given day of the staycation!

  1. Reserve at least one day to turn one place on your property house into something it usually isn’t. Some people choose to take all the cushions off the couch, build forts/tents (or in my house, makeshift pickup trucks!), and watch movies.  Others choose to pitch a tent in the backyard and have a family bonfire/story session. I’ve even heard where some turn the bathroom into a makeover hall. Have fun with it and worry about cleanup outside of the staycation dates.
  2. Have an aspiring photographer in your house? Choose a few local locations to do a family photo shoot.

Remember, your stay-cation is about making family memories, saving money, and enjoying the comfortable place you live in.