When gasoline prices are high, and inflation keeps cinching the budget, quite often, one of the first things a family sacrifices is the family vacation. If you are trying to plan a vacation, and realize that a trip is out of your budget, consider a new trend in travel, the "staycation."

A staycation is a vacation at home, enjoying the pleasures of the home and the environment surrounding it. Staycations can be as affordable or elaborate as you can manage, but in order to have a successful staycation, you must set some ground rules to make sure your normal life doesn’t ruin your time off.

First and foremost, set the dates and times when your staycation starts and ends.

Before your staycation starts, have your house cleaned. Take the money you have saved by staying home and have the house cleaned and the yard mowed before your staycation begins.

Stop all services you typically stop when you go on vacation. Have your newspaper delivery suspended, and your mail held at the post office. You can’t escape your everyday life if reminders of it are arriving daily at your door.

The moment your staycation begins, turn off all the ringers on your phones, and mute your answering machine. Add a vacation message to your email account, and turn off the computer. Take every clock in the house down and hide them for the duration of your staycation.

Prepare your camera as if you were going on a destination vacation. Taking pictures will make your staycation feel special.

If you have a tent or camper, set it up in your back yard. Spend all time possible around your outdoor location, and not in the house. If you must stay in the house, after the cleaning service is finished, work to make the house into a hotel. Install new air fresheners and place fresh flower arrangments around the house. Decorate with tea light candles inside, and tiki torches outside if you have them.

Turn the bathroom into a spa. Purchase essential oils or body scrubs and have them easily available for family members to use when they bathe. If you can’t afford purchasing bath treats, make bath salts by combining two boxes of baking soda and two boxes of table salt with two oz. oil (tanning oil or olive oil) and two oz. vanilla extract or lemon juice. Mix in Ziploc baggies, and store in jars.

Make meals special and easy by grilling and picnicing whenever possible. Use paper or plastic dinnerware, and cook with aluminum foil -- anything to keep clean up requirements to a minimum. Have the freezer stocked with quick-fix foods.

Get out the games; card decks, dominoes, whatever you’ve got. Make sure the games are easily accessible, and try to play at least one game a day -- even if you don’t have children.

Just because you are vacationing at home doesn’t mean you have to stay in your yard.

Plan at least one meal out of the house, in a new restaurant in the area or a special place where all members of the family are comfortable. If you can’t afford a night out, splurge at the grocery store, and purchase foods for a high-end meal. Bring down the good china, tablecloths and silver, and treat your family to a special candlelight meal with instrumental music in the background. (Kids love candlelight too.)

Think of your area. Is there something you’ve always meant to do? Visit a local museum, a new store, or park? Imagine you are a tourist. Just make sure you don’t visit the normal haunts that will connect you to your every day life again.

Likewise, enjoy the features of your region. Go fishing, visit the pool, take your kids to a playground they normally don’t visit. Look into special concerts or events during your staycation. Consider renting a boat, going bowling, rollerskating or attend an auction. Anything that isn’t a part of your normal routine.

If you have children, a staycation is a good time to introduce your children to local firemen, law enforcement and others in your region. You want your children to be familiar with these emergency responders in case of an emergency and, while visiting, your kids may learn safety tips and be treated to tours and demonstrations.

Take a walk. A walk in the woods removes you from all the mechanical and electrical noises which cause stress in your lives. time spent in nature is rejuvenating and refreshing. Even if you only walk with your children or your pets around the block, the fresh air and sunlight help to remind you that you are spending quality time together.

Learn how to relax, and teach your children to do the same. So many of us find it impossible (or excruciating) to sit still for long periods of time. Try to sit for 20 minutes. Most adults find this as impossible as children do. People have a hard time "doing nothing." Don’t look at it as doing nothing. Look at it as time spent focused on proper, deep breathing. Some people call this meditation, and those who practice this regularly live longer, healthier, happier lives.

If you don’t have to entertain children, consider a book binge. Time could be spent within the pages of an adventure novel, or lying together in the hammock enjoying books on tape.