7 Reasons why taking a staycation will help grow your bank balance

Has this pandemic has caused you to question whether you should be travelling this summer?

Should you have a staycation or venture abroad?

You’re either someone who is thinking…you know what, this year I’m going to stay at home, I don’t want to be restricted by social distancing when I’m on holiday!

…AND, I don’t want to have to wear a mask on the beach for goodness sake!

OR…you’re more like… I’m sick of staying at home, I need to get out and TRAVEL!

What’s so bad about a staycation anyway?

What is a “staycation“?

For some of you, the term “staycation” may be a new concept.

A staycation is a vacation/holiday spent in your home country, rather than abroad.

Why take a staycation?

If you’re like me, you’re rarely in your home country during breaks and you hardly ever spend your holidays at home.

Maybe this pandemic is the universes way of encouraging us to appreciate our own back yard!?

A staycation is a great excuse to save money too!

Being locked down has probably made you even more eager to travel, am I right?

Why not use this year to see how the land lies with the virus and save those pennies for an epic travel adventure once it’s safe to do so?

So, what are the benefits of taking a staycation?

Well, a big advantage that SCREAMS out to me, is that it will certainly help grow your bank balance.

See, there are positives to every crisis (trying to be positive here!).

How can you enjoy a staycation while cutting down travel costs and saving in the process?

1. Stop exchanging your dollar

How many times have you exchanged a load of euros or whatever currency you need, and then found that you have that currency left over after your trip which you then go to change back to your original currency? (And…Take a breath!)

You end up losing money on exchange rates. So annoying!

With a staycation, the beauty is, you don’t need to convert your mullah and lose to the hands of the conversion rate.

Although, if you do find you’re exchanging your money back and forth when you travel, why not consider going for a travel card so that you don’t have to convert as much money.

I use Monzo.

Which I find to be EXCELLENT by the way.

It works in the remotest of locations like the back streets of India and the grand bazaar in Istanbul.

Having the Monzo app is so useful because it tells you how much you have spent in the local currency and how much that is in your currency.

The exchange rate has always been favourable when I’ve used it too!

When I’m abroad, I like to take some of the local currency with me and take a loaded travel card as well.

Then, I pay for as much as possible using the card.

Sometimes there’s just no escaping having to purchase certain items using cash, so it is always good to have the local currency to hand.

And… I just don’t like having wads of cash on me as a solo female traveller.

Other posts you may enjoy:

How to save money for travel

Travel after lockdown

2. Save money on transport

Let’s think about this for a second.

If you’re in the UK and you already have a 16-25 or 26-30 railcard you can get major discounts on trains around the country!

I know that sometimes flights can be cheaper than trains depending on where you are going, but think about all the other expenses you’ll be saving that are associated with flying.

Like, you won’t have to organize airport parking or even transport to the airport.

What about good old duty-free…you won’t need to buy unnecessary STUFF!

How about meals before your flight, are you partial to a tasty brunch prior to flying?

You probably don’t realise, but when you take a flight, there are costs involved that you don’t always consider.

Having a staycation takes these costs away!

All you have to do is get on a train or a bus or into your car!

3. You don’t need to buy travel insurance

Hey, if you’re staying home, in theory, you should be covered for insurance already!

So, your health is covered by the NHS (if you’re in the UK) and you should have car insurance, so you’re good to go!

Unless you want to do some extreme sports which you may need extra insurance for, you should be fine if you’re taking a nice break in Cornwall for example.

4. Save money on food

For me, food is a big part of what I spend money on when I’m travelling.

But….with a staycation, you can EASILY budget money for food.

Think about it, I don’t know about you, but for me, part of travelling is trying the local cuisine.

So, I like to spend money on different food experiences.

A prime example is when I was in India, I paid to go on a cooking course to learn how to make a delicious curry and how to properly brew Indian tea.

These are the types of experiences I want to have when I’m away, immersing myself in a different culture.

If you want to read about mistakes you shouldn’t make in India, check out my post here.

When you take a staycation, you’re not looking for these types of experiences.

The food is often the same!

So, in this case, you’re more likely to save and avoid paying for crazy priced meals or food-related experiences.

Instead, you may grab some items from your local supermarket and cook something up yourself.

You may be more likely to grab a takeaway and enjoy a night in!

OR…

There’s the eat out to help out scheme set up by the UK government, which gives you 50% in some restaurants around England throughout August!  

5. No need to buy new clothes

Are you one for buying a new wardrobe whenever you book a holiday?

Don’t get me wrong, I do love to get a few new cute outfits to show off when I’m away.

I guess with a staycation, there’s less motivation to buy new threads….am I right?

Well, for one, the weather will be the same as it is for you every day, so you’ll have a better idea of what to take.

Often when I buy new clothes for a trip it’s because I don’t have the right items for that temperature or terrain.

At least with a staycation, you can predict what you’re going to need!

6. No need to buy souvenirs

You’re probably also less likely to want to buy souvenirs because, well, you’re home!

People tend to buy souvenirs because it’s a reminder of a place. After all, they’re not able to buy that thing elsewhere.

Do you catch my drift?

If you’re a hoarder you may like to buy a magnet from Milton Keens. But for the vast majority, you’ll surely be saving on souvenirs!

7. Don’t need to buy a passport or visa

I mean, you may already have a passport, but if you don’t, a staycation is perfect for you!

On that note, visas can also be pricey!

So, not having to apply for one, definitely helps!

To conclude…

Just think, all this money you’re saving on taking a staycation adds up!

Imagine yourself sometime in the future on your perfect dream adventure all because you took a staycation this year!

Honestly, I never considered taking a staycation, and now I get to discover the places that have been around me my whole life that I never realised were there.

Yours,

Holly