Dreamy resorts in white sand tropical islands with clear green water straddling their shores — doesn’t the image tickle your travel fantasies? Who wouldn’t want the chance to travel the world’s best tourist spots if they only had the budget and the time? Indeed, travelling to Bali or Hawaii is a commitment for which you need to plan at an annual level and make sure that you have saved enough money, which is obviously not an easy task. However, given the ever-present and lingering COVID-19 variant concerns and the possibility of saving yourself some money while having a blast, a staycation may be your best option. Here are some important things to consider when planning one.
Decide on the Activities
In order to decide what you will do on your stay-cation days, allow yourself a break from the typical work routine and focus on activities that bring you joy. This is the time to indulge in those pursuits you always fancied but couldn’t get around to doing. Summer calls for turning your backyard into a camping ground, complete with a tent, s’mores, and firepit.
If you wanted to create expert-level recipes, or learn to paint or draw like the masters, now may be the time to enroll in online classes and take up the challenge of becoming a home chef or artist. You may also decide to step out of your house and take a day trip to a lake in the outskirts of the city or to a hiking trail. If your vacation time can last more than just a couple of days, you may set a schedule for two to three main activities.
Set a Budget
A zero-based budget is one of the ways to plan for your yearly expenses, carrying the idea that expenses subtracted from your income should equal zero. The expenses account for savings, investments, entertainment, and seasonal spending commitments such as those for the New Year’s holidays. Make sure that you stick to whatever monetary estimates you decide on.
However, Certified Financial Planner Byron Ellis suggests that since staycations result in savings from not travelling to far-off destinations, stretching the budget a little more won’t be that bad. After all, if you have longed for a premium spa treatment for months, this would be the best time for it.
Search for Options and Prices Online
Google can be the starting point for inquiries into everything you need for your activities. Shoptoit.ca is a price comparison website that also offers shopping advice for products, goods, and services for special occasions. It is important to perform this search closer to the staycation — or even months ahead — to get the best prices, depending on seasonal promotions and discounts available. There must be enough time, however, to make the purchases before it is too late in case you decide to postpone your shopping.
Hopefully, these steps will ensure that whatever you decide to do for your staycation will go as planned and you won’t regret not having the time or resources to fly to Dubai!
Arslan Ahmed | Staff Writer
