A trip to the Costa Del Sol may be off the debit cards for many of us right now, so why not look into taking a staycation? A trip that’ll Costa Notta Lotta, with 5-star creature comforts and plenty of R‘n’R in a time of RR (rate rises).
In fact, there’s a lot to love about a staycay. No airport dramas, no guilt trips from the family pet when they spot your suitcase, and no having to handwash your smalls in a hotel sink five days in.
Even better, holidaying at home is super budget-friendly, and the savings you pocket on flights and accommodation mean more money to splurge on other little luxuries. Or, while saving account interest rates are on the increase, stash your saved cash in a high interest savings account and give your spending habits a lil’ holiday too.
There’s a staycation to suit every kind of vacation personality type. We’ve categorised them below and provided inspo on how each can get the most out of their ‘trip’, so read on and prepare for check-in at the ultimate all-inclusive accommodation – your own home.
1. The luxe lounger.
You have a taste for the finer things in life. But while first class flying might be off the cards, you can still enjoy filet mignon tastes on a fish fingers budget.
Start out by kitting out your home with 5-star touches like quality linen, fluffy bathrobes and bougie toiletries. Get into full day-spa mode by donning a face mask and having a long bath, complete with rose petals and candles. To go full fancy pants, invest in a breakfast-in-bed tray, then order ‘room service’ – aka get your brekky delivered and then eat it in your jammies.
2. The culture crammer.
You spend your holidays immersing yourself in a city’s arts scene, visiting galleries, markets, museums and enjoying the local nightlife – preferably in a city that the Insta-tourists haven’t yet inundated.
Use your staycay to treat your hometown like a tourist and visit areas you’ve never explored before. Visit galleries and exhibitions without the crazy weekend crowds, and even indulge in live music on a school night! Better yet, time your time off with an upcoming festival to cram even more culture into your break.
3. The backyard backpacker.
While you’re normally at home on hiking trails and rockfaces, here’s how you can feel at home at home next time you get the travel bug, and swap extreme activities for extreme savings.
First off, research all the best day trips in your area. You probably don’t mind roughing it, so why not make some overnighters and pitch a tent at one of the many free campsites we’re lucky to have. We live in a nature-lover’s paradise, so lace up your sturdiest boots and hit the nearest trails to take in our stunning rivers, lakes and coastlines. And, contrary to the song, we actively encourage you to go chasing waterfalls.
4. The foodie.
When it comes to holidays, you’re known to make restaurant bookings before hotel bookings, choosing destinations around degustations. But the good news is that your staycay can still feel like a hatted experience.
Start by going full Blumenthal in your own kitchen and trying out the more daring and labour-intensive dishes you’ve always wanted to attempt, but didn’t have the obscure ingredients, tools or free time to hone the cooking techniques. If you like the eating but not the cooking, eat at all the hot new restaurants without waiting for a weekend booking to become available. Or for something in-between, there are always services like Providoor, who deliver semi-prepared dishes from high-end restaurants for you to complete and plate up at home.
5. The soloist.
You’re more than likely an introvert who uses their precious downtime to recharge away from the outside world, relaxing and unwinding with low-key activities that involve as little human contact as possible.
This is your time to shine, because soloists and staycays are a match made in ‘Me-time’ heaven. Place your phone on do-not-disturb mode and enter ‘Couchella’ – a festival where binge-watching entire seasons in a day and maxing out your library’s borrowing limit are the headline acts.
6. The busy-ness traveller.
Productivity is your middle name, with the concept of ‘relaxation’ as foreign as the countries you can’t afford to visit right now.
Why fight it – make your staycay a ‘tour de to-do list’ and use the time to catch up on all the things you haven’t been able to get done in your usual 24 hours a day (even though you’ve tried). Regrout your shower, alphabetise your bookshelf, then take a load off and reward yourself by building a bird bath. You’ve earned it.
No matter how you holiday, there’s a staycation with your name all over it. Not only is it a well-earned break for you, but for your debit card, too.
Take all the cash you saved/didn’t lose in foreign exchange rates and stash it in one of our SaveME accounts. A high interest savings account that will help you reach your savings goals sooner – like a taking a holiday in a different continent – or at least a different address.
Watch your savings stack up with SaveME.
With no monthly fees or confusing criteria, you’ll be crushing your savings goals sooner.
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This article is prepared based on general information. It does not take into account individual financial objectives or needs and is not financial product advice.