Ideas for a staycation…literally at HOME

[Tiredforfive45]

DH and I have decided that we don’t want to travel anywhere this year, even within the UK. Prices are sky-high and we have just moved into a house that we would like to spend money on.
However, we would like to create that ‘holiday feeling’ at home for a full week on a budget of about £500. So basically, having fun, not worrying about normal responsibilities and eating fairly badly

We have the following ideas:

Ask our regular cleaner to come and do 1 hour every day, more as a maid service than a cleaner (she is wonderful and has agreed to this already and is glad of the extra cash!)

Evening meal out / takeaway each night

Breakfasts of pastries, fruit, fresh juices and Prosecco

Lunch either at cafes or crusty bread/ cheese/ hams with watermelon and ice cream

Swimming every day. Booked into 4 different pools, so each only visited max twice.

Wearing sun cream. Every day even if it’s miserable. Just so we smell of holiday.

Kids staying up late. DH and I drinking wine from early evening.

Once kids in bed, DH and I to sit out and play cards / travel board games then watch films.

‘Day trips’ to zoo and museums and 2 mornings at the beach.

Can anybody suggest any other things we could do to recreate a holiday experience?

I'd have clean towels and sheets everyday. With a chocolate on the pillow.
New shampoo/shower gel in a scent you don't normally buy
Ban on household jobs
No TV/phones in the evening for you and dh - snuggle under some blankets outside by a firepit and have some random cocktails (bonus points for using up the odd booze bought on holidays)
Buy random snacks from Aldi/Lidl, and stock the freezer with loads of lollies and ice creams. Bonus points for getting choc sauce/sprinkles/cherries/squirty cream to provide diy ice cream station
Eat at random times with no rules

@Silkiecats

Bingo at 5pm

Ha I was going to suggest that too - while you enjoy happy hour by your paddling pool (kids can serve you the drinks and call out the numbers while you and Dh get pleasantly pissed).

Your ideas will make for a fab staycation. I will steal these ideas as we too are having a genuine staycation this year. Luckily we live near the sea so that's the swimming sorted and we'll make sure to have a few ham and sand sandwiches.

We have a street near us that's all little boutiquey shops, delis and mediterranean/Portuguese style restaurants with outdoor seating. When we do a home based staycation we drive to that street and get fresh crusty bread, deli meats and local grown fruits and veg and/or eat at the restaurants and pretend we're at a taverna in Spain.

Eat out each evening, sit outside with the final drink, a long bath and bed. Do no cooking!

If your cleaner is there could she do fresh bed linen each night and lay out fresh towels?

Cooling face masks after too much sun, soothing foot masks.

This is a proper staycation.

We can't afford a holiday this year, even if going away was an option. There are 3 of us - DH, DD & me. Instead we are doing:

Picnics - local park, days out walking, etc.
Day out to a city by train, there are a lot of attractions there, for kids & adults.
We have a steam railway not far away, we're going to book tickets.
Also have a castle nearby. And an ancient woodland.
There is a ruined abbey & other beautiful places nearby, that we've never been to.
We have a decent waffle maker (a recent purchase) but I've only ever made chaffles, choc chip or potato waffles on it. I fancy branching out!

Surely that would cost more than £500 already?

Pack all your clothes beforehand and buy if you forgot something

Argue about itinerary

TV/radio in different language

Get excited when you see the English paper at corner shop when you buy stamps for postcard and some snack you have never tried before

We have a local Italian delicatessen or visit your nearest world food shop or that failing the International aisle (only) of a large supermarket

Ask cleaner if she'd fold towels into swans and place on bed... and mention you will leave it on floor when to be washed but will try to re use

Wash with mini sized toiletries, buy some fancy ones and remember to nick them at the end of holiday

With takeaways when finished leave on tray on floor outside door for cleaner, don't wash up

Are you lucky enough to have good local shops? Tesco and spar MUST be avoided. We have Turkish and other shops around us and they are amazing. Fresh bakery and butchers, a million types of olives, incredible greek cheese, cured meats and loads of unusual stuff. I always feel like I'm on holiday when I shop in there. I would go each day

Also no TV! Never watch TV on holiday. Book reading, music listening and cards

Tent up in the garden. Paddling pool…bbqs, bake bread, drink sangria, eat meats and cheese for lunch, put on Spanish radio in the garden…

Play cards, have water fights!

Yes to lays crisps & Fanta lemon!

Download a holiday playlist.

You could get ice cream, cream, fruit, wafers, sprinkles, syrup etc, & have your own ice cream bar at home. Ice cream every day if you want. Much cheaper, virtually zero risk of the virus (except for picking it all up at tte supermarket) & you can veg out in your own garden to eat it.

Put loads of cat food out to attract hoards of local moggies to congregate in your garden. Walk round your local supermarket in your sarong.

Great thread

As pp suggested, ask your cleaner to change your sheets every day and take them away to wash (maybe pay her extra).

Catch the bus into the nearest city and "do the sights". (We do this by going into Bristol and taking a trip around the harbour, visiting the SS Great Britain etc).
Play Steps all afternoon.
In the evening pretend you and DH are going to a nightclub. Dance to a lot of repetitive beats, drink sambucas and then wobble down your street with your shoes in your hand shouting "I luvs you, you're my best mate you ish".