One Long Staycation!

Today, with most folks cash flow looking like Death Valley in August, it's hard to find a way to entertain yourself without going broke! About this time every year I get a bit stir crazy and head off on some adventure just to get out of the moody Oregon weather. Normally it's a warm beach in Mexico, sunny sky's in Florida, or the desert heat and flashy lights of Vegas. This travel fever has only been compounded by the exorbitant amount of time I have now being unemployed. I am no longer confined to the weekend warrior trips or held back by whatever vacation I might be able to get my boss to let me use...I am free! But this still has it's limits. I may have tons of time but I do not have tons of cash. Nor do I have the team of hooligans to take an adventure with.

For the employed staycations are currently the trend. Those that haven't heard the term Wikipedia defines it as:

A staycation (or stay-cation, or stacation) is a neologism for a period of time in which an individual or family stays at home and relaxes at home or takes day trips from their home to area attractions. Staycations have achieved high popularity in current hard economic times in which unemployment levels and gas prices are high[1][2].
Common activities of a staycation include use of the backyard pool, visits to local parks and museums, and attendance at local festivals.

Pretty much, a staycation means you just don't go to work for awhile and you don't have to lie about someone dying to do it! You get to take a bit of a breather from the working world all while not smashing open the emergency beer fund. Maybe you head out and explore some new restaurants, hit up a matinee, random stuff you never get to do if you had to be at work.

Now if you stay close to home or even if you never leave the front door, being unemployed is nothing if not a lengthy vacation with limited resources. It's like one big staycation! So what to do with all this free time? How do you make your staycation last as long as your period of unemployment? Kick up your feet and unwind baby...You are on a staycation!

Here are a few cheap places around Portland to see and do for the cash strapped unemployed (or those just looking to keep a few green backs in the wallet).

Hit up a movie at the Laurelhurst Theater. It's cheap and you can kick back with a cold PBR.

http://www.laurelhursttheater.com/

Take a hike through Forest Park and check out the Portland Rose Garden. http://www.forestparkconservancy.org/

You can't miss the opportunity to devour a 13inch pancake...head over to the Stepping Stone! It will only cost you $3! http://www.steppingstonecafe.com/

Happy hour is a great way to save some cash and see all those new restaurants. Look them all up on http://www.urbandrinks.com/. They will even tell you what locations have happy hour specials right now! I recommend the Matador http://www.matadorrestaurants.com/ and some great nachos!

Stay in with a movie from the Red Box! Maybe even hang out with some "chicken" mcnuggets at the McDonald's on 19th and Burnside after picking your flick...that's a whole night of entertainment.

Spend a few hours wondering through the Pearl on First Thursday. http://www.firstthursdayportland.com/

Get some culture! With over 112,000 square feet you will have plenty to look at for the $15 admission into the Portland Art Museum. http://www.portlandartmuseum.org/

Grab a cup of joe over at Stumptown and spend hours lost in Powell's Bookstore!

http://www.stumptowncoffee.com/ http://www.powells.com/

Find a quick sugar fix from Voodoo Doughnuts. http://www.voodoodoughnut.com/

Throw a wine and cheese party! Chicks will think you are hip and sophisticated and your guests will leave you with enough leftover wine to keep going for a few weeks after!

Hangout on your front porch, have a few beers, and call your working friends to let them know how great of a day it is! They may not know how nice it is depending on the crappyness of their cubical (this will make your phone call even better!).

All of these suggestions are simply stuff I've done while filling in the hours of my day. It is always best to try and get an employed friend to take you out so they can pay. But if you can't get someone else to front the bill I hope these suggestions make your lengthy staycation a bit more fun!