If you’re planning a staycation this year, don’t think you have to miss out on anything fun. Take a look at these great ideas to make your vacation worth it and save some money doing them all.

Tune it out

Put yourself in time out and turn off all the things that connect you to the “real world.” Turn off the ringers on your phone, hide watches and clocks, put email alerts on hold, turn off your computer, and pick up a book. The idea is to escape, even if you are in your own backyard. To do this, you need to not be reminded that you’re still connected and nearby everything and everyone.

Order Takeout

You don’t have to cook, and you don’t have to spend a fortune on going out to eat. Instead, order takeout or delivery from a medium-price range restaurant and enjoy eating off the fine china under the stars or by candlelight. Make it special and romantic, or keep it lighthearted. Whatever you do, don’t fight traffic and run the risk of seeing your boss. Take the food out to a natural setting or keep it at home.

Hire a Maid

One of the worst things of going on vacation is the cleaning you have to do when you get home. Instead, hire a maid, take a trip out of the house for the day, and come home to a sparkling clean house. It is still cheaper than a vacation and you may actually get more from it.

Take a class

Have you been wanting to learn to paint? What about that gardening group you’ve been interested in? Attend some sort of class or group meeting while on vacation to indulge your soul. One perk is that you may find something you want to continue, adding a little excitement to your life and carrying over into a hobby that you can keep up.

Get your to do list done

Okay, this may not seem like a very fun vacation plan, but check this out: you can make a to-do list, go at your own pace, and knock out some things you’ve been meaning to do. This can be cooking 25 meals and freezing them (saving you time and money) or repainting your house (giving you a new outlook). Whatever it is, make sure that you choose projects that will make you feel accomplished and that will make your life easier and happier when you are not on vacation. That will make the time and effort spent on them more than worth it and it will make your vacation a productive and fun one, too.