8.09.2012

Sage's guide to the Perfect Staycation!


When I need advice I can always count on my sweet blog friend Sage to have wise advice with a playful twist. Here Sage shares some advice for a budget friendly staycation that will leave you as relaxed as a week at the beach. Take it away Sage! 

Budget-Savvy Tips for the Perfect Staycation

It’s summer time, and for most of us, that means it’s time for a vacation!

Are you dreaming of a lavish retreat on a tropical island, but your budget is less Kardashian and more Kmart?

No worries, girl!

What you need is the perfect staycation so you can experience the feel-good vibes of a regular vacation without leaving the confines of your neighborhood.

Here are some easy, fun, and inexpensive ways to treat yourself like a jet-setting celebrity while spending your vacation at home.

Choose Your Day(s) Off
Perhaps in addition to not having oodles of cash to blow on a trip around the world, you might not feel right about taking time off from your job. Maybe you’re super busy and don’t want to fall behind, or maybe you worry your boss would look down on you if you took time off.

I gotta say, those are complete BS reasons to not take time off. Taking personal time (even a single day off!) will make you a more relaxed, centered employee. And if people think less of you for being good to yourself, maybe they could use a staycation to learn how to chill out for themselves.

So, pull out your calendar and pick at least 1-2 days for your next staycation. Do NOT choose Saturday or Sundays! Weekends are for doing laundry and running errands. Your staycation is your chance to free yourself from your mundane chores and to-dos. I recommend choosing a Thursday and Friday leading up to a weekend.

Submit your days off to your manager or department so everyone knows not to expect you. No backing out now—let’s do this!

Determine How Much You Can Spend
Even if you’re on a tight budget, I encourage you to spend some money on yourself—$10 counts! A vacation is a time to treat yourself and experience things that are not a part of your everyday life. A small amount of money is enough to buy those fancy olives you like or a bottle of wine.

Give yourself permission to spend money on yourself. You’re worth it! Besides, if you don’t spring for something out of the ordinary, then your staycation will seem like any old day. You can figure out what amount sounds good to you, perhaps under $30.

Pick Your Staycation Companions (or Not)
Just because you’re staying home instead of heading to Aruba doesn’t mean you have to spend your time alone. Consider inviting a couple of friends to come over or asking your spouse to take a day off with you. This way you can share resources: you could watch movies and play board games, cook a big dinner together, stay up late gossiping, or organize a clothing swap.

Or you might choose to spend your staycation in solitude. If you never seem to have a moment for yourself in an average day, a solo staycation might be the perfect way to reconnect with yourself and your dreams.

  
Decide on a Theme
I like the idea of picking a theme for your staycation. A theme will set the mood and help you forget that you’re just crashing in your living room. Maybe you’ve always wanted to travel to Italy. For your staycation, you could make homemade pizzas, watch movies set in Rome, and play romantic Italian music. Call your dog “Giovanni.”

You could even pretend you’re a tourist in your own town and walk around taking photos of fountains, landmarks, and the nature beauty in your own neighborhood. You might be surprised about the hidden treasures you find.

Another theme might be a personal spa day. Light a yummy smelling candle, paint your nails, and read a trashy book while soaking in a bubble bath. Really, we need to take better care of ourselves and realize that putting ourselves first can actually make us better wives, friends, moms, etc.

Gather Your Supplies
Take a few days before your staycation to gather any necessary supplies. You don’t want to be relaxing and then have to run out to the store for something you forgot. Buy your snacks and food for your meals (I suggest getting a special dessert too!).

Head to the library and check out some books you’ve always wanted to read or any silly movies you were too embarrassed to see in the theater. Be sure to grab a couple travel books with lots of glossy photos of exotic locales.

Enjoy It!
Please remember to stay present and actually enjoy your staycation. Don’t do laundry or start cleaning the house. Resist the temptation to check your email or work from home. And above all else, don’t mope about wishing you were really on a flight to Paris. There’s no shame in living within your means, and you should treat your staycation as sacred time for your mental, physical, and spiritual health.

Your Next Adventure
I hope you enjoy your staycation and are able to relax, reconnect, and have fun. But let’s get real here: staycations can keep you sane when you aren’t able to travel, but being a “budget babe” forever is no way to live your life.

You are worthy of travelling the world if that’s something you dream about—and I don’t mean waiting until you’re retired!

On my blog, I often talk about the law of attraction and proactively working to achieve your dreams. If lack of money is often an issue in your life, please read my post “The Real Reason You’re Not Saving More Money.” I discuss how to save for a specific goal like a real vacation. It’s more doable than you think!

Need motivation in other areas of your life? Download my FREE ebook “From Lazy toAmazing: 5 Easy Ways to Get Off Your Butt and Start Kicking Ass

Want more vacation tips? Check out my video “How to Avoid a Vacation From Hell.”

Have you ever taken a staycation? What was the best part?



Sage Grayson is the President and Founder of Sweet and Sage (sweetandsage.com), soon to become Sage Grayson Coaching. Sage is a kick-ass life coach who motivates women with a mix of loving kindness and straight-forward wisdom. She lives in the suburbs of San Francisco with her husband, Chris, and dog, Skyla.






7 comments:

Anonymous said...

Thanks so much for giving me the opportunity to guest post on your blog, Cara! I can't wait for you to share your advice on my blog. Hope you're having a fabulous vacation. :)

Style Journey said...

Yah for Sage! We have been following her blog for quite some time and she always has some great advice. Plus, she is so funny :)

EMA said...

This is some great advice! Wish I used it before my trip to Greece and Italy!

http://www.themirroronthewall.com/

Anonymous said...

what great tips! I've never taken a "staycation" - but maybe i should:) haha great post!

Gloria said...

I love staycations - they're so relaxing! Great tips!

Marie McGrath (The Joy of Fashion) said...

What great tips!! I wish I had vacations right now to try them out ;)

www.thejoyoffashion.blogspot.com

Herdis Pala said...

Love this post by Sage, very cool suggestions and tips.
I would only add or change one thing.
If I were having a staycation in my house on a Thursday and Friday, and usually doing the laundry and errands on Saturday and Sunday I would to do laundry/cleaning and errands on Thursday and Friday so I could staycation in a clean house on Saturday and Sunday so I wouldn´t feel the urge to clean the house or having to think about that right after the staycation on Thursday and Friday would come 2 days of cleaning/laundry and errands :(

Post a Comment

I love hearing from you, sweet readers! Your comments and suggestions make my day!