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Holiday at Home or ‘Staycation’ – Patronising or Financial Necessity?

Is a holiday at home an option or a financial necessity?

The most recent round of figures highlighting the seemingly downwards spiral of problems with the UK’s economy (including a rise in inflation up to 4.4% and a rise in house repossession orders up 28%) confirms what many of us already know – that the cost of living is becoming increasingly expensive.

Holiday at Home

What’s the chance then that many of us won’t be able to afford a holiday away this year or next and are expecting to take a holiday at home? – It’s probably quite high.

Holiday at home is a financial necessity

Presumably, this was the inspiration behind a recent BBC Radio 4 debate on Woman’s Hour which focussed on the ‘Staycation’; another name for a holiday at home. It may sound patronising, or like hell-on-earth (as one contributor to the debate clearly felt following an article in the Daily Mail) – but it’s true that for many, staying at home during the holiday season is not an option, it’s a financial necessity.

Therefore, it might be sensible to suggest that the idea of a Staycation or a holiday at home is viewed more as an exercise in altering expectations, rather than a patronising attempt to pacify those who simply can’t afford a holiday away from home.

Making the most of a Holiday at home

In a way, a Staycation or a holiday at home means ‘making do’ with what’s available locally – but ‘making do’ doesn’t necessarily mean mediocre. Certainly, the sense of ‘breaking-away’ from the usual routine is one of the biggest attractions of a holiday abroad, or to a different part of the UK, but it doesn’t mean that one can’t relax, explore or indeed find new things to do, either as a single person or as a family in one’s local area.

Visit your local tourist attractions

Local Events and Attractions are Often Free

Many of us are unaware of the full range of things available to us locally, and very often for free; sports facilities, places of interest or community events that are held locally often escape our attention because we have more than enough to contend with in the home and at work than to explore our local areas – and let’s face it, we spend more and more time using modern technology for our entertainment and relaxation than we’ve ever done before; the use of DVDs, home entertainment systems, computer games consoles and, if you’re reading this, the Internet confirm this.

However, if you are reading this, then you’ll have access to a powerful tool that will give you access to much of the information you need to enhance anytime spent at home during the holiday season. Here is a selection of tourist information websites that will prove invaluable in your quest for a successful holiday at home:

Enjoy England
Visit Scotland
Visit Wales
Visit Britain
Visit London

Holiday in someone else’s home

If these don’t provide you with inspiration and are a home-owner, you could always try a home exchange. There are several websites that provide information on this increasingly popular method of holiday, where you simply swap homes with somebody else who’s willing to do the same. However, some carry a small fee, and they are not suitable for everybody. If you think this is up-your-street, then try services such as the Guardian Home Exchange

Contact Payplan
Get financial assistance from Payplan, the free debt advice organisation on 0800 280 2816 or online.

Written by on August 15th, 2008

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