Have you wanted to take a vacation and relax mind, body and spirit but just haven’t been able to find the time and/or money? I’ve discovered that it doesn’t take a lot of money to create an ideal “getaway.” Here are a couple of ideas for creating an “at home” mini-vacation without breaking the bank.

1. Have a weekend “read-athon.”
Have you escaped into any good books lately? Be honest, when was the last time you spent an entire weekend reading just for fun? How about a weekend “read-athon?” You don’t even have to get out of your PJ’s if you don’t want to!

Planning and Preparation – You’ll need your books, good background music and food.

• Where are you going to hold your “read-athon”? Choices can be: Favorite chair or couch, fluffing the pillows and staying in bed, the patio on the chaise lounge or at the local park.



• Decide on the genre you’ll be reading – romance, nonfiction, fiction self-development (see link below for my top favorites), mystery, travel, etc. Make a list of all the books you’ve been meaning to read but haven’t gotten around to yet.



• Go to your local library and start checking out books.



• How about some reading music? Some Enya, Danny Wright or Kenny G?



• Before you begin your “read-athon” make you sure you have your food supplies. Pick up some healthy (or unhealthy, it’s your “read-athon”) snacks, beverages and easy to prepare meals.

Now, sit back and relax. Pick up your first book and begin reading.


2. Enjoy a spa day with friends.
When was the last time you’ve spent an inexpensive pampering day with friends? How about getting a few friends together for a spa day. Does a day of pampering, talking, laughing and eating sound fun?

Planning and preparation – This one is going to take a little longer to plan than the “read-athon.” On the to-do list is finding a massage therapist, nail technician, skin care specialist and arranging for the food.

• Find a student who is almost finished with massage school and ask them if they would like to practice their craft during your spa day. If they're not licensed they probably cannot accept money for their services but they can start building their potential client base.



• Do the same thing with your nail technician – find a student who would like to begin finding future clients. Ask if she’d/he’d prefer to provide manicures, pedicures or both. You may have to provide the supplies but your spa friends can bring their own towels, nail polish, etc.



• Locate a local independent distributor or consultant for a network marketing skin care company and ask them to demonstrate their product during your spa day. They will bring their own demo products for your use and also provide instructions for facials, makeovers and makeup application. If you don’t know anyone in your local area, call the company’s 800 number and they’ll refer you to someone in your neighborhood.



• With your friends, plan a healthy and fun menu. Each person can bring a couple of dishes and contribute a few dollars toward the beverages.



• Make sure your family is amused and out of the house for the day. This is your spa day, one of total indulgence and relaxation.

That’s it – a spa day with friends. The most difficult aspect of this day is coordinating all the service providers. It can be done, I’ve done this type of spa day several times myself and we had a whole lot of fun. Pampering with friends, what can beat that?

What do you think? Enjoying life is about making time to relax, rejuvenate and refresh mind, body and spirit.

If you have an idea or two for an inexpensive at home mini-vacation please share with us on the Self Development forum – here’s the link: Self Develoment Forum

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