The weather’s getting warmer, and in every social media post you see, families are on vacation. Thanks to the whirlwind that was 2020, it seems like everyone’s in the mood to travel. We get it! The travel bug is hitting us over here too. But without a budget, planning a trip could really throw off your financial goals. In fact, a survey done by LearnVest showed that 74% of Americans had gone into debt for a vacation. We know you have goals, and eliminating debt is probably one of them. In this article, we’re giving you 4 budget-friendly staycation ideas to help you find adventure close to home and create those fun family memories (without breaking the bank)!
Camp in your backyard
This is one of our favorite activities when we want to get away! We set up the tent in the backyard, make some snacks, play board games, and tell stories by flashlight all night long.
Sometimes we’ll even set up a white sheet and tell shadow stories, put on a play, or project a movie. Plan ahead by grabbing what you need to make s’mores or roast hot dogs to really add to the camping vibe for the evening.
Visit a local park or hiking trail you’ve never explored before
You’d be surprised at all the places you could visit in your city that you haven’t before. Find a new park, a museum, or a hiking trail and make a day of it. You could assign each family member the task of finding a new fun location. Then visit 1-2 places per day if you want to make a whole week of it! Pack a lunch, have a picnic and explore the city around you.
Learn a new skill on YouTube
Youtube is a fantastic resource for fun, free activities. One thing we like to do on YouTube is learn something new. Find a few videos with skills that you think your family would enjoy. Maybe it’s cooking or making sushi, learning to play that guitar you have in storage, doing a science experiment, or building your own ninja warrior course in the backyard. The possibilities are endless on YouTube, and this is a great opportunity to include the whole family.
Create a scavenger hunt
How about a little budget-friendly staycation idea, right in your own hometown? A scavenger hunt is a fun, simple activity we like to do with another family or a group of friends. Create a scavenger hunt around your town that includes things you can see or funny things to do.
First things first: divide into groups, making sure each group has a way to take pictures that prove they hit all the stops. Second, set a time limit and plan a place to meet when the time is up. Then get together to see how many of the stops you were able to make!
Some fun ideas:
- take a silly photo with a statue
- film a video running up the local high school stadium stairs
- find three yellow signs
- take a selfie with a farm animal
We like to add a little competition to the event. The losing team has to cook the winning team dinner!
These ideas all feel like an adventure, and they won’t break your vacation budget either. What else would you add to this list of fun budget-friendly staycation ideas?
Bonus tip: Create a vacation qube in your Qube App and start funding it every month. That way, the next time you get a budget-friendly staycation idea, you don’t have to worry about money. You just have to get out and explore!
