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By | Jun 29, 2012
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Guest blogger Leanne Salyzyn is an insolvency counselor, licensed restructuring professional and trustee in bankruptcy. Post a comment or contact her on Twitter with your personal-finance questions.

School may be out and the calendar may say summer, but many families haven’t saved for a summer vacation. Current gas prices make it less affordable to drive long distances and flights may be way out of financial reach.  The idea of a “staycation”  has gained strength in the past few years. If you can’t afford to take a summer holiday, here are 10 great ways to make this summer fun and exciting on a budget.

  • Grab the sleeping bags,  flashlights, snacks and the favorite stuffed animal.  Now everyone off to the living room! Pitch a tent inside or in your backyard. Turn off the lights and tell ghost stories.
  • Game on. Turn on your Xbox, WE or Playstation and connect with your kids. Instead of complaining about how much time they spend gaming, join in. You may enjoy jumping, dancing and playing sports virtually.
  • Act like a tourist. Grab those sneakers, funny shorts, camera and walk around town with map. Ask for directions from locals. Not only will be it funny to see our city from a tourists perspective, you may meet some new friends.
  • Float your boat. Pack a lunch, hop the ferry to Dartmouth and see Halifax from a different vantage point.  Take your bike and you can also spend the day exploring Dartmouth. Enjoy the cheapest charter ride in Halifax Harbour.
  •  Try something new. Rent a tandem bike or a kayak and explore our twin cities or lakes. It’s  peaceful, provides good exercise and it’s fun.
  • Pick a day. Drive to the Valley and spend the day picking seasonal fruit. It’s a great opportunity to spend time with the kids and the fruit can be made into jam or frozen to use throughout the winter.
  • Visit a different country each week. Pick a country each week. Cook its cuisine, learn its history and listen to its music. Rent a foreign film in the language of the week and broaden your understanding of the culture. Perhaps it will be the incentive you need to start saving and planning a real visit.
  • Halifax is filled with festivals, fairs, and free events in the summer. Enjoy the Tattoo parade or  free afternoons of  JazzFest concerts. Grab a lawn chair and see a Johnny Depp  film at FilmFesto Alfresco. Visit the Tall Ships in the Harbour  or drop a coin in the hat of a downtown busker.
  • Take a technology vacation. Yes, you heard me. Shut the world that needs to know your every movement down for a day or a week. Shut off the phone, the ipad, the computer and even the TV.  Grab a book. Cook. Garden. Take a walk in the park. Tell everyone you are going away for a couple of days and can’t get reception. Trust me, THAT’S a real vacation.
  • Volunteer. So many people, so many organization need assistance. Volunteer for a cause, a festival, an event that interests you. The reward of giving of yourself is immeasurable and so very much appreciated.

Plan out your activities and start enjoying your “staycation” as soon as possible as summer  in Halifax only lasts so long.

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