As a girl on the go, there are many times that I go about my work each day, come home, eat dinner, run a few errands then jump into bed without really paying attention to myself or my surroundings.

So I was quite frightened at the sight of my blindingly pale legs when I pulled on a pair of shorts for the first time this year! Horror of horrors, I ran into the bathroom and turned on ALL the lights to get a good look at my face.  There, staring back at me was a girl who only gets her rays from the computer screen at work.

O.k. I know tanning is bad for you, but who doesn’t dream of a taking a tropical vacation, lying in the sun and then returning home with a toasty skin color that screams, I just got back from somewhere fabulous. 

So what’s the problem? Who can afford to go ANYWHERE fabulous this summer!? No matter how broke we may be, we still need a break from the rat race. While many of us can’t afford to travel, we want to escape the daily grind.  Now more than ever, we are enjoying our summer vacations at home and creating our own staycation experience!

Forget at expensive hotels, airfare, restaurants and pricey events.  With a little preplanning, you can enjoy a frugal and fabulous staycation that will give you rest and relaxation you need without the headache of travel!

The following a few hints to help make your staycation as rewarding as a vacation.

Disconnect to decompress.  Though you are staying at home, disconnect yourself from your routine schedule. You won’t be able to relax if you’re constantly checking your blackberry for email and answering phone call – especially those that are work related.) 

Prepare your home for your staycation.  Pretend your home is an out of town vacation spot.  What would you like to see when you arrive?  A clean home without a pile of laundry, a full refrigerator with your favorite foods; fresh flowers, or maybe a pitcher of margaritas.  Before your staycation begins, do all your laundry, clean the house and run errands so you are not tempted to fill your time off with housework.

Don’t forget about the entertainment. Most vacations are filled with fun family activities.  While I doubt snorkeling in your back yard is an option, there are still lots of great local activities you can take advantage of that cost very little money!  Preplanning vacation activities will help you avoid the normal rut of sitting on the coach and watching TV or playing Wii while you are staying at home. The following are some ideas of entertainment.

• Interested in the outdoors, get your fill of hiking, fishing, picnicking and cycling at a local park, lake or pond. Many public parks even offer camping facilities and you can rent a rowboat or canoe.
• If you enjoy music and live in an urban area, there are bound to be many local, live concert series that offer entertainment for the entire family for free!
• Want to entertain the kids – head over to community or school park or take advantage of local science and art museums for their special programs designed just for kids.
• If you are a fan of the arts, take advantage of the many spring and summer art exhibits and festivals, which you can find advertised in your local newspapers.
• Don’t miss out on local agricultural events including farm tours, festivals and garden and orchard tours that are entertaining and educational. Take a look at www.local.com to find events in your hometown.

Keep a “vacation” mentality. Stay up late, sleep in, splurge on foods you normally stay away from – like dessert.  Be sure to take lots of vacation photos.

One activity I’m putting on my staycation list of “things to do” is to sit out in my back yard with a good library book and get a little color on my pearly white legs!

I’d love to hear your staycation ideas and suggestions!  Leave me a note in the comments.