10 Reasons You Should Consider A Staycation This Year

Yesterday, we gave you the scoop on some of our fave celebs who love a staycation. I have to admit, I love one, too. I’ve heard people suggest that a staycation is just a way to be cheap or annoyingly frugal, but celebrities or no celebrities, it can be better option. Travelling abroad definitely has its perks and draws, but staying home can offer you so much, too. Here are ten reasons why you might want to consider a staycation this year.

1. No packing! Moms, I’m looking at you. You know what it’s like in the days or hours leading up to a big out of town trip. Making sure all your babies have packed everything they need, trying to keep everything straight, and sorting out which bags will be carry-ons and which won’t. If you have several kids, this can be as complicated as any job. Sure, you can make checklists to help you out, and you can even delegate some of the work to your older children, but you and I both know, it never goes smoothly. If you stay home, you don’t have to worry about any of that!

2. Sleep-ins! You don’t have to get up to catch a flight or a tour bus. You can lounge in bed and truly relax in a way an overseas vacation can’t promise. There’s no need to keep track of time, or worry about red eye flights. Go to bed when you want and wake up when you want - you don’t have to go anywhere!

3. See your hometown like never before. Make a list of all your favourite things to do in town, and another list of all the things you’ve wanted to do in town but haven’t had a reason nor the time to. You can be a tourist in your own hometown, rediscovering the things that make you love it, and discovering the new things you never knew were there.

4. Stay close to family and friends. When you vacation overseas, you may meet people, but it’s not the same thing as being close to those you already love. Having dinner with your mom and dad, shopping with your best friend, or maybe hiking with your siblings. These are all great ways to spend time with your family that wouldn’t be possible if you headed to Mexico (unless they came along, too).

5. Your own bed! I know you feel the same way as I do: there is just nothing like sleeping in your own bed. Hotel beds can be uncomfortable. Trying to sleep on a plane or a train or in a car can be a royal pain in the neck. We know you look forward to coming home to your own bed after a long trip away, so why not never leave it?

6. Your pets. It can be a hassle and stressful to leave your beloved pets at a kennel. Worse yet is the awful feeling of packing them up in cargo on a plane. Sure, you can find a pet sitter, but how much do you trust someone you barely know to stay in your home with your fur babies? A staycation can solve all of those problems. Just don’t leave those furry faces at all!

7. More time to relax. When we go on vacation abroad, we tend to want to see the sights. We’re up early, and out late and we’re cramming a lot into one day. If you choose to stay home instead, you can picture yourself curling up on your favourite couch with your favourite book and truly relaxing. There’s nowhere to be, but there, in the moment.

8. Familiarity. If anything goes wrong, you know how to handle it. You know who to call, where to go and what to do. In a foreign country, you may not find the solution so easily, especially if you don’t speak the language. If you, or any of your family, suffers from health problems, this could be the biggest reason why you’d choose a staycation over travelling abroad.

9. It’s safer. Laws, customs and language can all be vastly different from the way we do things here at home, and sometimes you can find yourself in trouble when things get lost in translation. Foreign places may have crime issues you’re not used to or laws you’ve never heard of. Staying home can be a safer choice!

10. It’s cheaper. No expensive flights, no hotel fees or tour costs. There’s no need to pay for three meals a day at restaurants or to dish out huge amounts of cash for drinks on the beach. If you stay home, you’re likely to save thousands of dollars in travel costs. All of which you can stash away for the next time you do choose to travel outside the country.

Of course, it’s exciting to hop on a plane and travel to some strange land. It’s a great education for the kids too, to head out there and see the world. Sometimes, though, there are better choices that help us keep our finances healthy, our body and minds truly rested, and our connections with those around us, strong. Choosing a staycation definitely doesn’t mean you’re “cheaping out”. What it means instead, is that you’ve thought it through. So, good for you!

Are there any reasons to choose a staycation that we missed? Let us know in the comments.