How To Live On $0 A Day: Summer Vacation Ideas To Fit Your Budget

Just because your unemployment is about to run out doesn't mean you shouldn't be making vacation plans. On the contrary, being broke and unemployed is stressful. A change of setting, new experiences and emotional distance will help you face life refreshed and ready to do nothing with renewed vigor. It's easy to recreate your favorite summer sojourn for a tiny fraction of the price of the vacations you've been enjoying all these years. You just need to know your options.

Spa vacations:

There's nothing like a trip to a spa to soothe and restore an achy psyche. Well, almost nothing. You can get the same benefits for virtually nothing by taking a short trip through your local car wash. Like spas, car washes offer aqua therapy, exfoliation, massage, buffing, and sauna all at one destination. Some even offer waxing. Just put some new age music on your iPod and you're good to go. You'll emerge buffed, polished and relaxed like a noodle. And if you feel like going all out, take your car through for a cleaning when you're done. It deserves a little R&R too.

Dude ranches:

You may not be shelling out for a temporary home on the range this year, but that doesn't mean you can't enjoy horseback riding in the great outdoors. Even if you don't have a local merry-go-round in your region, every town has a coin operated horse. If you're feeling flush, spend a quarter to experience the horse's lulling gait and the wind in your hair. But just sitting on the stationary horse and rocking back and forth rhythmically can also be extremely soothing.

Beach vacations:

You don't have to travel to some expensive tropical retreat in order to bury your feet in warm sand and enjoy the soothing sounds of the water lapping on the shore. All you really need is a box of cat litter, a deck chair and a garden hose. Let the litter warm up a bit, turn on the hose, kick back, dip your toes in in the sand, close your eyes and it's just like you're on your favorite beach. Don't forget to put on some imaginary sunblock!

Adventure vacations:

You can still experience the thrill and exhilaration of high risk activities without spending a cent. Try a pulse pounding sojourn in your bathtub while holding a toaster. Test your endurance and see how long you can hold it above water. Other possibilities include texting while driving 60mph or more (a favorite vacation for the younger generation) or walking through a really bad neighborhood while wearing headphones. Sure, it may not have the cachet of river rafting in Zambia, but at least if you don't survive, you'll spare you your loved ones the heartbreak and expense of shipping your body home .

Comments

[dotsthefunist]

Thanks for your tip about relaxing in the frozen food isles in grocery stores after you open all the doors .

[Lesley Stern - Huffpost Blogger]

Wish I'd thought of it. Hang out by the frozen lobster tails and it's like a trip to Maine.

[nickyt]

I’ve read about philanthropic vacations where you build a house for a poor family. They say it’s a great experience, good exercise and the feeling you get when you hand over the keys is amazing. I’d like to offer my services as a poor family this summer. Do you know how I'd go about doing that?

[Lesley Stern - Huffpost Blogger]

Congratulations on your decision to volunteer as a home recipient. Without people like you, solvent people would never have the opportunity to experience the joy of giving!
To find out how, go to: http://www.ehow.com/how_4683317_qualify-habitat-humanity.html
Good luck!

[pbnguru]

Hahahahahahahaha - I just got back from a weekend in the 'country' - actually, I was picking up after the dogs in the backyard - but pretended it was grizzly bear spore.

[flyingmonkey]

I'm so excited..I'll have a vacation after because of your comments. I've got a dog and a backyard, so off I go into the jungle.

[Lesley Stern - Huffpost Blogger]

Bon Voyage! You may want to pretend to take some anti-malarial medication before you go.

[Lesley Stern - Huffpost Blogger]

What a fabulous idea! I'm going to stop chasing the neighbor's dog off my lawn...I could really use a day or two in the country.

[cktirumalai]

Your suggested "remedies" reminded me of "Don Quixote," a book replete with comic ideas. In it there is a legal dispute about whether a penniless and famished man who walks past an eatery smelling the delicious aroma of cooking to quiet his hunger needs to pay something or not.

[Lesley Stern - Huffpost Blogger]

I consider that a compliment. Usually, I'm compared to the Charles Dickens character, Fagin. Thank you!