Don't Skip Summer Fun This Year

A recent Bankrate.com survey found that nearly 1 in 4 participants said they hadn’t yet decided if they would take a summer vacation. That’s a lot more undecideds than in 2024, which makes sense given rising concerns that we may be headed for a recession sooner rather than later. Not surprisingly, the most cited reason for not taking a vacation was that it was unaffordable.

Here’s my advice: I applaud you for not booking a getaway if you are worried about the financial cost, and are focused on saving a bit more given the economic uncertainty.

But I also think you should make vacation time a priority. It’s important to relax and recharge a bit, and to prioritize some family time, especially if you still have kids at home. Americans have the unique distinction of not using all their allotted time off. Surveys show that about half of U.S. workers don’t use all their vacation days.

That’s a missed opportunity to give yourself space to avoid long-term burnout, let alone just allow yourself to relax.

And it need not be expensive.

I am talking about a staycation. I was surprised to see in the same survey that just 10% of respondents are planning time off that they will spend at home.

If you have decided not to travel this summer, I still encourage you to take time off regardless. Research a few years ago found that people who were told to treat a weekend as a vacation came back to work on Monday happier. I think the same can apply to a longer staycation.

The trick is not just to book time off, but to plan how you will enjoy that time. If there’s a home project you really want to tackle, go for it. But I also hope you'll treat yourself to something fun and indulgent that doesn't break the bank. A fun day trip to something nearby that is not part of your family’s routine isn’t going to break the bank the way traveling for a few days (or weeks) to a vacation spot would.

Maybe give your kids the job of planning one day of a vacation. With or without a budget—that’s your call. The one non-negotiable is that everyone has to buy into the person’s vision for that day. That’s part of the fun!

Making the decision not to overspend on a vacation right now is such a strong stand-in-your-truth act of financial responsibility. You should feel proud. But at the same time, you deserve to take time off and enjoy yourself. Planning—really planning—a staycation is how you do both.

I wish you a fun, safe, and relaxing summer.