Staycation > Vacation?

[BlitzPuppet]

Every time my girlfriend whines about needing to take a vacation somewhere I can't help but roll my eyes. Vacations are cool and everything but I'd much rather take a few days off, sleep in, and just not have to do anything.

Give me a choice between a $1000 vacation and a $1000 TV/Guitar/ANY tangible object, and I'll never choose the vacation. I hate spending money on things that end up "just" being memories.

Anyone else like this?

 

[kranky]

Luckily for me, she's fine with a relaxing vacation (week at a low-key beach) so that works for us.

But we have done a couple big trips and she really liked those. I think you have to compromise. How about a week off that starts with a couple of days going somewhere and then a couple days of staycation?

 

[dabuddha]

Every time my girlfriend whines about needing to take a vacation somewhere I can't help but roll my eyes. Vacations are cool and everything but I'd much rather take a few days off, sleep in, and just not have to do anything.

Give me a choice between a $1000 vacation and a $1000 TV/Guitar/ANY tangible object, and I'll never choose the vacation. I hate spending money on things that end up "just" being memories.

Anyone else like this?

Agreed. I love just being able to sleep in and stay home. But I still go out for my kids.

 

[Uppsala9496]

I prefer the vacation and memories over the tangible item.
When I get old and can't move around much I'll take the tangible item.

 

[nageov3t]

I try to do a bit of both.

one big vacation in the early fall that's a lot of running around, site-seeing, etc... and one stay-cation around or after the holidays to just relax, recoup, and get shit done around the house.

with vacation time in the summer mostly being reserved for long weekends (pick a city/town in driving distance, rent a room for 1-2 nights, have lots of sex, and enjoy the afternoons of walking around)

 

[Dirigible]

I prefer the vacation and memories over the tangible item.

Me too.



But sometimes I prefer a staycation over a vacation.

 

[Insomniator]

Depends, staying at home and doing nothing is definitely amazing at times, but visiting the world is an amazing experience.

I'd say if I take 2 weeks over vacation a year, one of those weeks will definitely be a trip somewhere.

 

[dank69]

You have to understand that the female's purpose in life is to spend money as frivolously as possible. If they fall behind their quotas they are reprimanded by their peers.

 

[SamQuint]

As I get older I find myself wanting the memories of a great vacation. My family never took vacations, we could not afford them. So I find myself wanting to explore and see the new things.

I am lucky since I live in Southern California and there are several great spots close by to vacation at like Santa Barbara, San Diego, Palm Springs, Catalina and so on. You don't have to go far to get away. Maybe you need to find some fun spots near you and get away for just a few days.

Since I am older I have enough things, so I am much more interested in having new experiences.

I spent way too much on two different Hawaii vacations but wouldn't trade those experiences for anything.

As the roaming gnome says "Go out and smell the roses!"

 

[JManInPhoenix]

We prefer short 2-3 days where we drive somewhere and stay then come home. Flying is pretty much an uncomfortable pain in the ass.

 

[BlitzPuppet]

Depends, staying at home and doing nothing is definitely amazing at times, but visiting the world is an amazing experience.

I'd say if I take 2 weeks over vacation a year, one of those weeks will definitely be a trip somewhere.

Don't get me wrong, I'd love to visit Germany/Europe but that in and of itself is stupidly expensive. Maybe even a cruise would be nice.

I think most of it is the planning aspect (my girlfriend can't seem to plan for anything past the current year) so they would involve making a vacation fund and putting money towards it over time. I think that's also part of my problem as I hate anything that is last minute.

I'm not hard strapped for money or anything but jeez, dumping a grand for moving around at a different location isn't exactly relaxing to me. Maybe I'm just a cynical asshole

 

[chin311]

I like both about equal. Although my personal "staycations" involve a few nights away at the beach since it's only about a 90 min drive & can spend a few hundred on a hotel. My wife & I do that probably 6x a year for at least 2 nights.

We love to travel to new, different regions but her college schedule & my work doesn't allow that as often. We go out of state usually 2-4x a year, always in the USA so far, but last few years we hit up Vegas, Chicago several times, NY several times, and most recently Denver area. Hopefully Seattle is next.

Something about being in a different place with different sights and cultures far away from home is nice to me!

 

[SamQuint]

I'm not hard strapped for money or anything but jeez, dumping a grand for moving around at a different location isn't exactly relaxing to me. Maybe I'm just a cynical asshole

Speaking of relaxing, I cannot just relax on a vacation. If I am spending money to go somewhere I want to see and do everything. I cannot just sit on a beach chair by the pool or sleep in all day. I have to be out doing something. Even if it is just driving around or walking on the beach I have to be moving. I will not spend a bunch of money to go somewhere just to do nothing. I can do nothing at home.

 

[DT4K]

I hate sitting at home doing nothing and I love to travel, so I think you know my answer.

If I won the lottery, I would quit my job. Not because I dislike it but because I would rather spend my time exploring the world.

 

[dave_the_nerd]

If your GF wants to take a vacation... go.

That said, I go back and forth. Sometimes I want to burrow and stay in my house for a week, sometimes I want to go see stuff I haven't seen before. Depends on my mood.

 

[blackdogdeek]

For some people, items at home remind them of obligations and tasks still left incomplete and that kind of stress prevents total relaxation. Being in a completely new environment, geared toward reminding people of nothing about their home lives, is much more relaxing for them.

 

[BurnItDwn]

Ehh, material possessions are not as important as seeing the world, exploring, and making memories.

I would rather spend $1000 on travel than $1000 on a toy.
I already have sufficient toys to pretty much keep me from ever getting bored.

In the winter, it's nice to go some place warm for a week.
In the summer, it's nice to go by a lake or some place cooler for a week.

It's fun to visit brewpubs and drink local beers all around the US.

 

[purbeast0]

hell no. nothing beats a good vacation. i'm going to turks and caicos in about 17 days and i can't fucking wait. "staycations" are what the weekend is for if you feel like vegging out. there is nothign like having memories that last a lifetime.

i still talk to my wife about our vacations we took to aruba back in 2005 and nicaragua in 2006 to this day. i don't talk about or care about my first hdtv that i got back in 2004 that was a $3k samsung dlp.

i actually feel like using vacation days to sit at home is a huge waste of vacation days.

 

[poofyhairguy]

Every time my girlfriend whines about needing to take a vacation somewhere I can't help but roll my eyes. Vacations are cool and everything but I'd much rather take a few days off, sleep in, and just not have to do anything.

Give me a choice between a $1000 vacation and a $1000 TV/Guitar/ANY tangible object, and I'll never choose the vacation. I hate spending money on things that end up "just" being memories.

Anyone else like this?

Yeah sometimes it kills me to spend so much on a vacation when the same amount could get us a better couch or TV we would enjoy every working day. With that said, sometimes the best bonds are formed when trying out new things and exploring the world together.

So my thing is: only take a vacation that you really want and are willing to plan for. Like this summer we are going to the beach, something we have wanted for over a year now.

But that means I am NOT paying to go to a destination wedding, a vacationy family reunion, etc. If we are going it is for us and not to meet some sort of obligation.

 

[purbeast0]

OP i'm also curious as to where you went that you spent $1000 on for a vacation that "just ended up being memories".

i'd also consider $1000 for a vacation extremely cheap if it was for a week (and included hotel, airfare, and spending cash)

 

[Insomniator]

Actually now that I think about it, I can't think of any 1k-3k tangible object I'd rather have. I'd probably rather just see my bank account that much higher. There are very vew things I need/want anymore... I'd rather spend the money on vacations/ball games/going out with friends or just seeing the checking account higher.

5 years ago I KNOW the opposite would be the case... give me a 2k gaming computer instead of stupid mexico. Maybe I'm getting old

 

[Insomniator]

OP i'm also curious as to where you went that you spent $1000 on for a vacation that "just ended up being memories".

i'd also consider $1000 for a vacation extremely cheap if it was for a week (and included hotel, airfare, and spending cash)

Yeah this also, GF and I spent a week in Mexico, at a timeshare that was free and we still spent 3 grand after flights, food, excursions etc...

 

[thestrangebrew1]

I prefer the memories rather than something tangible. I think it depends on what point in life you are though. When I was younger and dating, I preferred the tangible stuff and hated to just sit on the beach doing nothing else. Now that I've got a wife and kids, it's all about the memories. I imagine once the kids are grown up and out of the house my preferances will change yet again.

 

[NutBucket]

For some people, items at home remind them of obligations and tasks still left incomplete and that kind of stress prevents total relaxation. Being in a completely new environment, geared toward reminding people of nothing about their home lives, is much more relaxing for them.

Bingo. If I'm at home I feel like I should be doing something useful. I mean, relaxing for a few hours is great but more than that and I feel like I'm wasting time.

 

[KeithTalent]

Staycation = every weekend. Far prefer going out and seeing other parts of the world when I have the opportunity to do so.

KT