How to Have a RomCom Staycation

New year, new budget, doesn’t mean you have to short-change yourself (pun totally intended) on a fun “getaway.” Staying at home may not feel like the ultimate break, because you’re surrounded by the responsibilities you’re putting off, the to-do list, and…the dishes. Here are three steps for turning a blah weekend at home into rom-com vacation vibes.

Step 1: Set the stage, pick a theme, and draw the boundaries

Prior to your stay-cay, decide what things you will and will not do — A mantra for your weekend, like “This weekend is about relaxing and enjoying each other’s company.” My partner and I wanted to stay home so we could tackle a few passion projects, but we committed to not consuming our weekend with “work.” Chores were fine, but only if they felt good. A hike, board games, a whole movie where we both stay awake, reading, coffee on the porch, or a trip to the beach were all on the docket. An itinerary or a schedule was against the rules.

Step 2: Create a guilt-free spending plan

We expected that we would eat at home, but we agreed that saving money by avoiding an AirBnB meant we could eat out twice and/or do delivery. As a bonus, we took a few things from our garage to sell on Marketplace and used the cash as our vacation budget.

Step 3: Hold to your theme and don’t tear eachother’s eyes out

Choosing not to look at the clock and instead operate instinctively — sleep or eat when it calls to you, do a project or read a book if it interests you — will help you break away from the normal demands of life.

Spending that much connection time together gave us time to talk about things we rarely have space for, but at the slightest breath of disagreement, we took a breath to smile at each other and accept our different views and appreciate the pleasure that we will learn more about each other over our lifetime, and it does not all have to be solved today. We did not ignore issues, but we held to our mantra that the weekend was about relaxing and connecting.

The Mindset Shift

Ultimately, a mindset shift is the key to a successful staycation that will leave you refreshed rather than disappointed that you “cannot afford” a true getaway. If you ever catch yourself saying “we can’t afford…” I’d like to encourage you to convert that language into, “that doesn’t fit our goals at the moment.” This simple dialogue has a tremendous impact on your internal perspective and decision-making mindset, positively reinforcing your intentions and circumventing victim mentality as you strive for those goals. From personal experience, I know it is so easy to feel sorry for yourself when money is tight and the frustrating disappointment when you can’t give your family the experiences you wish you could. Making your financial goals clear for the whole family helps everyone get on board and resolve any misalignments when making spending decisions.

Enjoying life is a balance of staying true to your life goals and taking care of your money goals (which fuel your life goals). So keep finding ways to enjoy. You don’t have to deprive yourself. It may not be a villa on the coast of Portugal, but your rom-com moments await your imagination.