Like many, you're probably wondering whether you can afford a vacation this year. With some planning and unconventional thinking, you can get that break from the real world – without breaking the bank.

• Daytrippers, Sunday drivers, etc. – Pack a lunch, top off the tank and head off on a roadtrip to a nearby lake, national park or landmark. Heck, even the world's largest rubber band ball is worth a look if it's only an hour away.
• Bring along some travel buddies – Book a cabin, beach house or villa with friends or family. You'll save a bundle in rental and food costs.
• Have you ever heard of couch surfing? – It is an increasingly popular way to see the world inexpensively. Do some online homework to find trustworthy people all over the globe willing to give up a couch or spare room.
• The opposite of renting – Swap a house for a week, or two, or ten. Anywhere in the world. Invite your new French social networking friend to stay in your West Coast condo – as you crash in her awesome Paris apartment.
• Don't say it, don't say it...staycation! – OK, we said it. Dumb word, but it's a smart way to take time off when you can't afford to actually take off. Curl up with a few books, hang with family and friends or start that little house project you've been putting off.

It's a rough economy, but there are plenty of innovative ways to escape on the cheap.

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Did you know your home's also a savings account? There are all kinds of inexpensive things you can do to protect and enhance its value. Here are some idea starters:

• Pull the old switcheroo – Try switching everything around. Re-arranging rooms, rotating pictures/artwork, etc., jazzes up any place. And it only costs a little sweat equity on your part.
• One word: Declutter – It's OK to hoard money. Magazines, calendars and shoeboxes? Not so much. Get rid of junk to reclaim precious square footage and pretty up the house.
• Swap out pulls, knobs and other thingies – For a few bucks, you can refresh rooms with decorative switch plates, drawer pulls, doorknobs and such. Or hit the junk shops and get something funky for even less.
• A little outside trim work goes a long way – Slap some exterior paint (2 gallons = $60) on the window frames, front door and shutters. $100 can get you new light fixtures, vent covers and house numbers.
• No paint goes unused – Leftover paint's perfect for rehabbing old patio furniture, decorating flower pots and whitewashing a wooden fence. Use every drop.
• No weed goes unpulled – Spread a few bags of mulch around, trim hedges, plant some flowers – and yes, pull weeds. Sorry, dandelions don't count as flowers.

New bathrooms/kitchens aside, you don't have to drop much to enhance your home's value. Do it to keep your house mean and clean should you ever want to sell it. Or just because you like a nice house.

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