3 Ways To Plan the Perfect Week-Long Staycation for Under $50

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As the summer swelter begins, vacation plans are heating up for everyone around you. You’re already steeling yourself to scroll through Instagram posts featuring exotic locales, complete with gorgeous sunsets (or sunrises, for the early birds), historical sites that dazzle the imagination and the heart, and food — so much amazing, life-changing food. Alas, all of it comes at a life-changing price as well.

You’re not keen to come back from a vacation with credit card debt or depleted savings — and that’s smart. But skipping a pricey trip doesn’t have to mean skipping the fun. A staycation can give you the break you need without breaking the bank. While your friends might assume that staying home means a week of chilling on the couch (not that there’s anything wrong with that), a little planning can turn a week at home into something that actually feels like a vacation — without the airfare or hotel bill. And yes, you can do it all for under $50.  

Explore Low or No-Cost Activities Near You

Just because your hometown doesn’t have the Louvre doesn’t mean you can’t find fascinating museums for art, science, natural history, or, well, anything your heart can imagine (seriously, there is a National Mustard Museum) — and one of them might be in your town or within driving distance of it. And a lot of those museums are free or very low-cost.  

Museums aren’t the only inexpensive way to enjoy your staycation. Plenty of hiking trails, public beaches and nature preserves are free or charge a minimal entry fee. You could also see if your town has a botanical garden, nature center or historical site, since these places are often accessible for a small donation or even nothing at all. Remember, a rose by any other name would smell as sweet when it’s on Instagram.  

Plan a single, low-cost adventure each day of your staycation — maybe a museum visit, a beach day, a garden stroll, or a local hike — and you’ve essentially enjoyed a Whitman’s sampler of vacation experiences.

Odds are, there are notable locations or hidden gems in your town that you’ve never gotten around to exploring — and they don’t cost a fortune. Why not use your staycation as a chance to fall in love with where you live?  

For instance, maybe you’re a Baltimorean who hasn’t seen Edgar Allan Poe’s grave, or a Chicagoan who hasn’t visited Lincoln Park Zoo in years. Now’s the time.

Get Creative About Your Accommodations  

If you’re worried that staying at home will lead to weekend ruts during your time off, there are clever ways to bring the bed-and-breakfast experience to your own abode.  

Invest in some fancy coffee (it doesn’t have to be expensive — organic blends at My Organic Market average around $9 a pound) and serve yourself breakfast in bed. You can even grab a serving tray on Amazon for only $16.14. It’s amazing how even an Eggo waffle you got on sale at Aldi can feel luxurious when plated with care — maybe even with a flower.

If you’ve got adventurous friends also on budget-friendly vacation mode, you could sync your time off and do a DIY Airbnb by swapping houses for a week, or even just a few days. That would give you the experience of staying in a new place without the hotel bill.

You could also offer to house-sit or pet-sit for someone during your staycation. That gives you a change of scenery — and maybe a paycheck or a furry cuddling companion.

Plan To Pack Your Meals  

That’s a whole lot of fun activities packed into one week — you’ll need to stay fueled. But if there’s one thing you know, it’s that food ain’t cheap.  

Whether you need a snack to get you through a museum trip that turns into a free music festival or a picnic lunch for a day at the park, planning ahead is key. Stock up on nonperishables like trail mix, dried fruit and protein bars in bulk. A cooler bag can also be a smart investment to keep things fresh on the go.

That said, this isn’t to say you can’t splurge on a meal or two. In fact, saving money on activities and accommodations gives you more room to do just that. Be strategic: Research brunch and lunch specials at restaurants near you, and treat yourself on a designated day.

If you’re a real foodie, you could even make this your staycation’s main event — just don’t blow your whole budget in one meal.

Bottom Line

Fifty dollars might not seem like much, but with a little creativity, it can stretch farther than you might think. From exploring hidden local gems to elevating your home routine and packing smart, a weeklong staycation on a shoestring budget isn’t just possible — it can be genuinely memorable.

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