Why not enjoy a different ethnic culture everyday, Monday can be Mexican night, Tuesday can be Thailand, Wednesday can be Italian night and so forth.  You can cook up some of the fine cuisine these countries are famous for and make some decorations with your kids.  Do a little research on some of the customs for that country and have a little fun while learning about some different countries.  You can get chopsticks and sit on the floor around the coffee table with your shoes outside the front door for your Asian days.  The internet makes it easier than every to find recipes and other information on different countries and it will be really fun for the kids to help make the decorations.  

Enjoy a day at your local beach, pack up the kids, the coolers and hit the road.  Many beaches are free or do not cost a lot to enjoy and some even have really great parks for the kids and trials for hiking.  The water is very calming for a lot of people and everyone is sure to have a great time relaxing and playing by the water.  You can make sandcastles or look for little critters on the trials.  You can even visit different parks or beaches everyday; just make sure you pack a lot of sunscreen.

Check out your local community newspaper, they always list fun activities and festivals in your area and most of them are free or do not cost a lot to enjoy.  Some cities will even host free concerts for people to enjoy; the radio is also a good source for finding current events to attend in your area.  However, if there are carnival rides you may want to avoid it, the wrist bands and rides are really expensive and the cost of food and drink at these things is just outrageous.  One idea to help lesson the cost if you do decide to go to a carnival is to buy a wrist band, make sure you are there early enough to get a ton of rides in to make it worth the $20 – $30 dollars you will spend on the wrist band and then pack a back pack or cooler with a picnic style lunch and lots of icy cold drinks.  You can freeze the drinks the night before, just make sure they have plenty of room for expansion so they do not bust in the freezer, that way they will stay cold longer and keep everything else cold and you can drink them as they melt.  Not having to pay for food and drinks at a carnival will help you save a lot of money.

Visit a museum or a zoo in your community or travel a little further for one you have not yet seen.  You will have to pay an admission fee, but then you get to walk around all day and broaden your horizons, so to speak. Again, bring your own food and drink to save a ton of money; food and beverage prices are often outrageous at these places too.  The best days of the week to visit these places are on Mondays, Tuesdays or Wednesdays when most people are working, that way you will not have to deal with really big crowds.

Have a barbeque and ask your guest to bring a dish to pass.  This is a great way to get together with friends and family without having to incur all the expenses yourself, also have them bring their own beverages.  You can even make it a themed barbeque to make it even more fun, a Hawaiian Luau or Mexican Fiesta can be a blast and you can request your friends dress up for it.    

Of course your staycation can also be a great time to tackle some of the bigger projects you have been wanting to get down around the house.  Completing these projects will give you a sense of accomplishment which is always a great feeling.

These are just a few ideas of fun things you can do during your staycation if you can’t afford to go anywhere.  Being broke does not mean you cannot have fun, it just means you have to look for the free or cheap stuff and take advantage of that and a little preparation and planning will help ensure a good time for all.