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Can't Afford a Vacation?

Don't worry -- traveling to an exotic locale or a tropical resort isn't the only way for you to unwind, recharge and enjoy your time away from work. You can have just as good a time on a staycation.

And staycations are actually better than vacations in a lot of ways: you don't waste two days traveling; you get to sleep in the comfort of your own bed; and even if the weather's lousy, you still have great options in your back pocket.

Here are 10 fun and low-cost ways to enjoy your staycation:

  1. Disconnect -- really. Eliminate reminders of time. Turn off your phone's ringer. Set up your "out of office" email assistant, and then power down your computer. Banish those sources of stress that continually remind you of your work commitments.
  2. Set some ground rules. Make your staycation feel like a vacation, even if you're not traveling. With your family, establish a few rules that will help you enjoy your time together, such as: limiting technology usage, no worrying or fighting, giving priority to family activities, and everyone's favorite -- no cooking, cleaning or laundry!
  3. Get creative. And get everyone (who's old enough) to participate in developing your list of options. Grab a big notepad and take turns offering suggestions, focusing on ideas that are fun, low cost and right for your family.
  4. Don't wait for fun to find you. Plan it! Developing an itinerary will ensure you have great ideas and options ready when you want to go do something (and reservations for activities that require them). Prefer spontaneity? Take your list of ideas and put them in a jar -- then draw a winner each day. Need inspiration? Here are six types of activities to consider:
  5. Cultural ideas
    1. Take a virtual museum tour -- several museums around the world offer amazing tours, without ever leaving your home!
    2. Visit your local science or children's museums.
    3. Go see a play or your closest symphony group.
  6. Family ideas
    1. Host a family reunion.
    2. Invite your favorite relatives for a visit.
    3. Create an Ancestry.com account and explore your family tree.
  7. Outdoor ideas
    1. Visit a nearby state or national park.
    2. Spend an afternoon at the zoo.
    3. Pack a picnic and hike or bike to a beautiful spot to eat.
    4. Take in a major or minor league sporting event.
    5. Hit the pool or water park.
  8. Rainy day ideas
    1. Take in a movie at your local theater.
    2. Browse your local library and check out that book you've been meaning to read.
    3. Go bowling.
    4. Catch up on your sleep or grab a nap.
  9. At-home ideas
    1. Have a family game day, where each member gets to choose a game you play.
    2. Camp in your own backyard.
    3. Create an at-home spa (even guys can get pedicures and massages!).
  10. Off-the-wall ideas
    1. Try geocaching -- a real-world, outdoor treasure hunt that uses GPS-enabled devices such as smartphones to locate a geocache hidden at a specific set of GPS coordinates.
    2. Create your own art to decorate a bare wall in your home.
    3. Hit a ropes course. These challenging outdoor courses boost confidence, encourage teamwork and are great fun for people of all ages.
    4. Try a new exercise class. Ever wanted to try Tai Chi or Cross Fit? Now's your chance.