The concept of a ‘staycation’ first came around in the aftermath of the financial crisis when money was especially tight and Australians were looking to save wherever they could. The staycation concept is simple: save money and stress by having a vacation at home. Even if money isn’t an issue, a staycation can be a great option for planning your next vacation. Here are just a few of the many benefits of staying at home and having a staycation for your next family holiday.

Less Stress

Vacations are meant to give you time away to relax and unwind; get away from the stress of everyday life. But they also often end up causing a fair amount of stress of their own. There’s planning around everybody’s schedule, finding somewhere the whole family will enjoy, getting the best prices on flights and accommodation, packing, travelling, etc. Vacations involve a lot of moving parts and things that can go wrong. And that’s not even beginning to touch on the stress of sticking to a schedule and fitting in everything everybody wants to do while away: visit the beach, go shopping, explore local landmarks, visit theme parks, and more.

A staycation is stress-free. Minimal planning, no schedules to work around, and everybody can do what they want in their own time.

Save for Big Purchases

Going away is costly. The average price to go away for a family of 4 is somewhere in the range of AU$6,500, split between air travel, accommodation, food, and activities. That is a huge portion of an annual family budget. When having a staycation the food, travel, and accommodation are already accounted for so all you have to worry about is a few activities. Then you can use the additional money to save up for big purchases such as a new car or swimming pool addition to your property.

Better for the Environment

Managing our environmental impact is a big issue these days. Everybody is trying to do what they can to reduce their carbon footprint and impact. Air travel is one of the worst offenders of pollution, and when you add in all the other wastage generated by going away on holiday the environmental impact of a holiday can be significant. A staycation has virtually no additional environmental impact, and in fact, you may even save a little since you aren’t commuting to work every day.

Exploring Your Local Town

Regardless of where you live, there are almost sure to be some fascinating and beautiful local landmarks and attractions nearby. Most people, though, aren’t even aware of them or find they never have the time to visit. A staycation can be the perfect opportunity to explore your local area and take in some of the sights; you might be surprised by what you discover.

Lifestyle Benefits

Making additions to your home to create the perfect staycation location can also have long-lasting benefits to your property and lifestyle outside of vacation time. Poolside holidays are a popular choice with the time spent swimming and relaxing in the water being beneficial both physically and mentally. But what if you had a pool in your own backyard all year round?