Ditch Pricey Travel And Staycation!

If high gas prices and talks of a recession have your vacation plans in a funk, why not consider a staycation? There’s no need to stuff a heavy suitcase and spend your frequent flier miles. Here are three ways to bring the vacation to you, on budget. Costs are based on a family of two adults and two children.

HOST A PARISIAN PARTY

You may have missed Bastille Day, but that doesn’t mean you can’t recreate the Parisian experience at home.

1. Bread is essential to French cuisine, so pair it with goat cheese ($10.79 on netgrocer.com) or a sun-dried tomato spread ($6.99 on netgrocer.com. Sample Escargots a la Bourguignonne (snails) if you dare. You can purchase a can of snails at thefrenchybee.com for a mere $12.99. For Le Plat Principal (the main course), whip up a Pot au Feu. All you need are onions, leeks, and carrots, two pounds of beef shanks (approximately $20/lb at netgrocer.com), and of course four-and-a-half hours to prepare the meal. Keep a side of cheese on hand, (try Alouette Baby Brie cheese, available for $6.75 at netgrocer.com). Finish off the meal with some homemade crepes, made with the same ingredients as pancake batter, in addition to fruit for approximately $12. C'est Magnifique!

2. Entertainment. Catch all of Paris’s main attractions in films like Moulin Rouge, Le Divorce, and even Ratatouille, rented from Blockbuster for $5.20 each.

3. Satisfy that sweet tooth with French chocolates from petrossian.com for $89.00. These bite-size delicacies range in flavor from crème brulee to raspberry and Armagnac with macerated prunes.

Parisian Party Pricetag:
$175.75-$194.35

The Regular Way:
A long weekend in Paris might sounds romantic, but the price tag is a heart breaker. New York to Paris round trip flights are priced at $1,138 per person, and a room at the Best Western Belloy St. Germain averages $437 a night.

Regular Way Price Tag: $5,863.

The Staycation will save you: AT LEAST $5,668.65.

GO HAWAIIAN

A traditional Hawaiian themed party.

1. Authentic leis from Hawaiiflowerlei.com cost between $9 and $55. For a less expensive alternative, snag a 12-pack of leis from PartyCity for $3.99.

2. Whip up some Chicken Luau with sugar, taro leaves and coconut milk. Or go all out and roast a pig. Oink! Complete ingredients for chicken Luau can be purchased for $6.64 per tray, which is equivalent to one serving at onoonofoods.com.

3. Capture the scent of the islands with a bottle of all natural Hawaiian butter. A 7-ounce bottle of Mango Coconut Body Butter costs $18.50 at lanikaibathandbody.com.

Hawaiian Staycation Price Tag: $50-265

The Regular Way
A three night trip for a family of four with airfare (from Orange County, CA to Honolulu, HI is about $2,756) and hotel (rates at the Hotel Renew in Honolulu average $297 a night), will cost you more than a just a bad sunburn.

Regular Way Price Tag: $3,647

The Staycation will save you: AT LEAST $3,382.

ROME, IF YOU WANT TO!

If you can’t afford to take a Roman holiday, but are looking to get a taste of Italy, begin by preparing an Italian-style meal.